Coolest cars of the 2026 Paris Car Show part 2 -20-11th place
This year’s Paris Car Show excelled on all fronts and clearly reaffirmed its place among the best car shows. One way Paris clearly outdoes other car shows (including the brilliant Brussels car show) is its abundance of cool, unusual cars, especially the concepts.
We initially planned to assemble a Top 20 list (which already grew from 10 in 2022), but the show was so good that we couldn’t stop at under 30 vehicles. We started with the last ten, and now we’ll give you the next ten cars.
For a sneak preview, check out the gallery below.
20. Formula E cars showed off with their new livery
Several European companies showcased their racing prowess, with cars from several series. Formula E was represented by three brands: Citroën, Cupra and Opel with their new liveries for the upcoming 2026/2027 season, starting in December. We could have picked any of them for their impressive presence, so we included all three.
The Opel GSE 27FE took centre stage in the German manufacturer’s corner, though it wasn’t the only jaw-dropping vehicle. The GSE 27FE follows the brand-new GEN4 specification, and its test-and-development driver is Sophia Flörsch, the lady who got famous for one of the most horrifying backflip Saltoes on the insane Macao track.
The new Citroën has an impressive livery, and it also recruited the only two-time Formula E champion, Jean-Éric Vergne.
The third car was presented by Cupra. The Cupra Kiro car will use the Porsche 975 RSE platform.
19. The Denza Z is a fully fledged halo car
The Denza Z took centre stage at the company’s booth and was also showcased on the Denza stage at this year’s Zoute Grand Prix. With 1600 HP and the finest Italian lining (courtesy of Alfa Romeo and Italdesign’s former chief of design Wolfgang Egger), it’s a perfect halo car.
The battery-electric sports car was developed by BYD Auto and will be available in three versions: Coupé, Spider and Racing. We spotted a green spider and an orange closed variant on the stage, and they surely made a great first impression.
18. JAS Tensei NSX is an automotive icon reborn
We’ve never been fans of restomods, but this car is something really special. The name Tensei means rebirth in Japanese, and it embodies the project’s philosophy to breathe new life into an icon without betraying its essence.
Tensei is born from the experience of JAS Motorsport, a company with over thirty years in motorsport, specialising in Honda vehicles. This car is not just a reinterpretation of Honda’s most iconic model, but the fusion of technological innovation and automotive tradition. The result is a supercar that aims to focus on driving experience like the original NSX.
The Tensei relies on the original V6, lightened and re-engineered using modern technologies, while preserving its naturally aspirated character.
17. The 33 Stradale is the most over-the-top decoration
The Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale is an exotic sports car that represents the pinnacle of the iconic Italian manufacturer. Unveiled in 2023, it was produced in a limited run of just 33 units and assembled by Italian coachbuilding legend Touring Superleggera.
The 33 Stradale presented at the show an exclusive configuration dedicated to the French capital, with refined damask visuals on the Quadrifoglio to celebrate the bond between Italy and France.
16. Audi called in some heavy reinforcements with its R26 F1 car
Audi picked up the glove in the decoration arms race and enlisted its top dog: its Formula 1 race car. The R26 is Audi’s entry ticket to the 2026 Formula One World Championship season. The car is currently driven by Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto, both in their second season with the Hinwil-based team.
15. Lotus ushers in a new era with its electric hypercar
The Evija is the company’s new electric hypercar project. Lotus Cars will manufacture the car, drawing on the vast resources of Lotus owner Geely and the technical support of Williams Advanced Engineering. The Evija accelerates from 0 to 100 in under 3 seconds and tops at over 320 km/h.
14 The Kégresse brings no half measures, only half tracks
One of last year’s Rétromobile’s major thematic exhibitions honoured the brilliance of French constructor Adolphe Kégresse, with his typical half-track vehicles filling the passerelle to Hall 1.
Apparently, they left a lasting impression, as we spotted a Kégresse at this year’s Paris Car Show. The first Kégresse vehicles gained fame during the Black Cruise, the first trans-African automobile expedition in the 1920s.
The expedition’s eight semi-tanks were equipped with a 4-cylinder engine producing 10 horsepower and featured flexible rubber tracks and a light-metal body. Even their luggage was tailor-made at Louis Vuitton. The engineer Adolphe Kégresse filed the patent for all-terrain caterpillars in 1917, hence the name.
13. The bright orange McLaren Senna GTR is striking even among supercars
The McLaren Senna is a limited-production mid-engined sports car manufactured by British supercar manufacturer McLaren Automotive. The car is the third iteration in the McLaren Ultimate Series, following in the footsteps of the iconic F1 and the recent P1.
At the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, McLaren went further, unveiling the concept version of the track-only iteration of the Senna. The Senna GTR was planned as McLaren’s entry into the LM GTE class, but this never materialised, and the production Senna GTR was unveiled two years later with different bodywork, aerodynamics and suspension.
12. The Mars Rover Perseverance is the ultimate off-road vehicle
We know it’s a replica, but it’s still been a really moving experience to see this vehicle. The actual Perseverance is a NASA rover that has been exploring Mars since 2021.
11. Citroën is reinventing the wheel with its 2CV concept
At this year’s Paris Motor Show, Citroën is reviving an automotive icon by unveiling the 2CV Concept, a modern, refreshing response to tomorrow’s mobility challenges. We almost literally quoted the brochure here, as we agree with Citroën.
The new concept embodies the core values of the original 2CV: lightness, practicality, versatility, a distinctive character, and Citroën also promises affordability.
We particularly loved the 2CV Fourgonnette Concept, parked alongside the main attraction 2CV Concept. Citroën’s designers created this concept to reinterpret the classic CV Fourgonnette for today’s needs, combining modern tech with character.
In case you you would like to see more, we recommend to browse through the entire gallery:
Here we take a rhetorical break, as the list is quite long. Stay tuned for the top 10 cars!
