Don't write-off Europe's car brands just yet, Paris Motor Show proved they're up for the fight

A host of major European car makers were out in force this week at the Paris Motor Show. We’re all aware of the challenges the industry here is facing, so it was very encouraging to see some genuinely interesting products and ideas from legacy manufacturers.

For some, this show of strength was particularly important. Stellantis and the Renault Group, for example, are companies with mainstream brands who potentially have most to lose as Chinese manufacturers make inroads in Europe. Each had to provide compelling evidence to reiterate to buyers that they have what it takes to overcome the challenges ahead.

Look at the sales charts this year and you could be forgiven for thinking the takeover has already begun. Chinese brands continue to claim increased market share in the UK, and the ramifications of this are obvious. Plant closures, job losses and shrinking profits all point to deep pains in the local industry.

Yet European companies are more resilient than many of us give them credit for. The Chinese have momentum, but competition breeds innovation, and it’s clear that “business as usual” is no longer acceptable for any of the legacy players. 

This resilience was on full display in Paris. Many of the stars were from Stellantis brands showing ambitious concepts that preview dynamic new design languages and cutting-edge tech. These aren’t just for show, either, because much of what was on display will be rolled out in production models with fast development times.

New leadership under Antonio Filosa has prioritised a fresh approach, which has seen Stellantis double down on the heritage that underpins each of its brands, while adopting Chinese levels of development speed, agility and efficiency.

Renault also built on its current momentum, with the Renault E-Space and Alpine A310 Vision concepts drawing from a deep well of design expertise and knowledge.

From the perspective of someone who has attended the last two big Chinese motor shows in Beijing, Paris didn’t feel like a backwards-looking village fete. Instead, I very much got the impression that the European talent pool has renewed focus and is fully aware of what needs to be done to stay relevant in the real world.

What you see in this week’s issue demonstrates how quickly the legacy companies have sharpened up. There are plenty of challenges ahead, but what we saw in Paris shows they shouldn’t be written off just yet.

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