Arts & Mécaniques
  • Événements
    • Circuits >
      • 24 heures du Mans >
        • 24 heures du Mans 2019 >
          • Journée test - 1er et 2 Juin 2019
          • Le pesage - 9 et 10 Juin 2019
          • Les essais qualificatifs - 12 et 13 Juin 2019
          • Road To Le Mans, Ferrari Challenge et les expositions
          • 24 heures du Mans 2019 : la course
      • Ferrari Racing Days 2019 >
        • Ferrari Racing Days @ Nürburgring
        • XX Programmes @ Nürburgring Nordschleife
      • Le Mans Classic >
        • Le Mans Classic 2022 >
          • Le Mans Classic 2022 - Les plateaux 1 à 6
          • Le Mans Classic 2022 - Plateaux supports
        • Le Mans Classic 2018
        • Le Mans Classic 2016
      • Spa-Classic >
        • Spa-Classic 2019
        • Spa-Classic 2018
        • Spa-Classic 2015
        • Spa-Classic 2014
      • Spa Six Hours >
        • Spa Six Hours 2022
        • Spa Six Hours 2021
        • Spa Six Hours 2018
        • Spa Six Hours 2016
        • Spa Six Hours 2015 >
          • Jour 1 - Samedi 19/09/15
          • Jour 2 - Dimanche 20/09/15
        • Spa Six Hours 2014 >
          • Spa Six Hours Jour 1
          • Spa Six Hours Jour 2
      • Classic Days 2022 @ Circuit Bugatti
      • Historic Racing by Peter Auto @ Circuit Bugatti
      • Exclusive Drive 2019
      • MSVR Championships @ Donington Park
      • Grand Prix de France Historique 2017
      • Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2017
    • Concours d'élégance >
      • Chantilly Arts & Elegance >
        • Chantilly Arts & Elegance 2022
        • Chantilly Arts & Elegance 2019
        • Chantilly Arts & Elegance 2017
        • Chantilly Arts & Elegance 2016
        • Chantilly Arts & Elegance 2015
        • Chantilly Arts & Elegance - Richard Mille 2014
    • Rallyes >
      • Tour Auto >
        • 2021
        • 2020
        • 2019
        • 2018
        • 2016
        • 2015
        • 2014
      • Alsace Rallye Festival 2022
      • Pagani Vanishing Point 2017
      • Eifel Rallye Festival >
        • Eifel Rallye Festival 2017
        • Eifel Rallye Festival 2016
      • Modball Rally >
        • Modball Rally Europe 2016
        • Modball Rally Europe 2015
        • Modball Rally Europe 2014
    • Salons d'anciennes >
      • Rétromobile >
        • 2020
        • 2019
        • 2018
        • 2017
        • 2016
        • 2015
        • 2014
      • Avignon Motor Festival >
        • 2018
        • 2017
        • 2016
    • Salons modernes >
      • Festival Automobile International >
        • 2020
        • 2017
        • 2017 - English Version
        • 2016
        • 2016 - English version
        • 2015
        • 2015 - English version
      • Mondial de l'Automobile Paris >
        • Mondial de l'Auto 2022
        • Mondial de l'Auto 2018
        • Mondial de l'Automobile 2016 >
          • Mondial de l'Automobile 2016 Hall 1
          • Mondial de l'Automobile 2016 - Halls 2 et 3
          • Mondial de l'Automobile 2016 - Hall 4
          • Mondial de l'Automobile 2016 - Halls 5.1 & 5.2
          • Mondial de l'Automobile 2016 - Hall 8
        • Mondial de l'Automobile 2014 - Paris
      • Top Marques Monaco >
        • Top Marques Monaco 2016
        • Top Marques Monaco 2014
      • Salon de l'Automobile de Genève 2017
    • Musées >
      • Ferrari Under The Skin @ London Design Museum
      • The Donington Grand Prix Collection
      • Musée Automobile de la Sarthe - Musée des 24 heures
      • Museo Nazionale dell'Automobile Torino
      • Museo Enzo Ferrari (MEF) - Maserati 100
      • Museo Ferrari - California Dreaming
      • Musée Lamborghini
    • Autres >
      • Exposition "Lumières sur 60 ans de Porsche 911" @ Mathieu Lustrerie
      • Les 50 ans de la 911 Carrera 2.7 RS au Mans
      • À Detroit, la culture automobile érigée en religion
      • Porsche 919 Tribute Tour @ Paris
      • Vente RM Sotheby's @ Grand Prix Historique de Monaco 2018
  • Watches x Cars
    • Zénith El Primero x Ferrari TdF
    • Louis Vuitton Escale Worldtime x Rolls Royce Bespoke
    • Roger Dubuis Excalibur x Lamborghini Aventador S
    • Patek Philippe réf. 3448 x Alfa Romeo Disco Volante
    • Porsche Design 911 Turbo Chronograph x Porsche 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series
    • Junkers Bauhaus x Mercedes-Benz 230 E
    • Jacob & co Chiron Tourbillon x Bugatti Chiron
    • Votre 911 au poignet avec Porsche Design !
  • Séances photos
    • Essai : Audi e-tron GT 60 quattro
    • Essai : Bentley Continental GTC
    • Essai : Audi TTS Coupé quattro
    • Porsche 904 Carrera GTS - L'amour du 15
    • Essai : Audi e-tron 55 quattro
    • Double essai : Renault Clio 2 RS 182 & Mini Cooper S R53
    • Porsche 944 1986
    • Carnet de route en Volkswagen Golf VI GTi : le rêve californien...
    • Essai : Golf 7 GTI Performance
    • Essai : Alfa Romeo Stelvio First Edition
    • Lamborghini Huracán LP640-4 Performante
    • Essai : Fiat 124 Spider
    • Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
    • Divine DS
    • Audi TT 2015 2.0 TFSi
    • Volkswagen Golf Mk1 Cabriolet 1991
  • Billets
    • Pourquoi AP ne fait que des RO
    • Lange, nouveau prétendant au Big Three
    • Néo-rétro : l'ancien fait peau neuve !
    • Pourquoi les années 90 sont la décennie reine des supercars
  • L'équipe

 Festival Automobile International 2017

Texts and pictures by Valentin.
As it is every year, the Festival Automobile International opens the parisian events season about cars with its exhibition around Concept Cars and automotive design. Indeed, around 20 Concept Cars meet under the Dôme des Invalides, allowing spectators to see them like nowhere else.
We were there of course, and here is our report... Enjoy !
Photo
Wednesday, February 1st 2017, 9am, the doors of the Festival Automobile International opens to journalists for the morning, without any barriers around the cars and without too many people. In other words, I will finally write an article about the FAI without complaining about the disrespectful people that we can find during public days. So, let's begin our visit with the Opel GT Concept, showcased for the first time at the Geneva Motorshow 2016.
Photo
This two seats little Coupé is trying to bring back into fashion the old GT produced in the 70s, which was nicknamed "The baby Corvette". However, no disgracious retro-style design, Opel took the basic ingredients and sent them to the future : and angry-looking front bumper and a really short rear-end. As far as the profile is concerned, the door handles, the mirrors or even the windows disappeared for cameras, and you open the doors thanks to a "touchpad" integrated in the orange line.
Photo
At the back, we can find some sporty stuff like the two exhaust tips, the large fenders or the 18" wheels. But there is a problem, while we're hoping for a nice engine, Opel put a 1-liter 3 cylinder which produces 145hp, allowing the GT to accelerate up to 215km/h. Last but not least, we'll remember the unusual colored signature starting from the front tyres, following the roof line and ending on the rear fenders, really beautiful !
Photo
On a different note, Aston Martin brought the AM-RB 001 for its first public presentation. This car with a fighter-jet-like name was developped with the help of the Red Bull Racing F1 team, and is expected to be the next world's fastest car. Around 100 units will be produced, with a road legal version and a track only version. Some say the last one is going to have LMP1-style specifications...
Photo
The beast would actually have a naturally aspirated V12 sending power to the rear wheels, but a hybrid system coming from the Formula One technology could send some power to the front wheels. At the end, the car is expected to have a 1:1 weight/power ratio, and the 0-320 acceleration would be done in a mindblowing 10 seconds.
Photo
Finally, the car lightweight chassis really needs to be stuck to the ground, and that's why the race version could generate around 4500lbs of downforce by itself !  
In brief, the AM-RB 011 is powerful, impressive, but also expensive : 3 million € for the road-going version. And yeah, all the units are already sold...
Photo
Let's stay with lightweight powerful prototypes with the 2016 Porsche 919 Hybrid. Silverstone 6 hours, 24 hours of Le Mans, 6 hours Nürburgring, 6h Mexico, 6h of the Circuit of the Americas, 6h of Shanghai, the 919 won nearly every single race in the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship and even brought back home the Manufacturers World Endurance Champion title. Why is it here ? Well, it wins another prize, the special one from the jury for the 18 victories overall at the 24 hours of Le Mans.
Photo
So this 919 is the exact one that won the 2016 24 hours of Le Mans in the front of the broken Toyota, and it also won the WEC title. Now on your screen, the never-washed-since 6h of Bahraïn 919 !
Porsche had also brought 917-001, the chassis that helps them to show the car that won the first overall Le Mans titles. But in fact, it isn't ! 917-001 is the car that was showcased for the first time at the Geneva Motorshow in 1969, which was converted into a 917K after that. The real Le Mans winner, 917-023, belongs to a well known person who participates to historic races with another 917, the "5LT" replica, still under a Salzburg Racing livery.
Let's continue our visit with two Concept Cars from the past, the Alfa Romeo Vola Concept and the Fioravanti F100R. Exhibited in tribute to Leonardo Fioravanti, a Ferrari designer between 1966 and 1986, these two concept bring us back right in the 2000s with the F100R "double bubble" windscreen or the huge telephone in the Vola's centre console.
Next to them, the Opel GT Experimental Prototype takes us in another stage of the flashback, welcome in the 60s ! But here, no crazy stuff as what we can find nowadays on Concepts and a production-ready design... However, I'm still thinking about why it wasn't next to the 2016 GT Concept in the exhibition... 

Let's continue our back in time trip with the Maserati 420M Eldorado, a one off produced for the 1958 500 Miles of Monza. Sir Stirling Moss was of course behind the wheel back then.
Photo
Photo
We're now in 1954 and the Jaguar D-Type has just been revealed to the public ! This exact chassis XKC401 is the prototype of the D-Type which has been kept by Jaguar since the beginning, it never raced but some say that it made a record lap during a quiet night at Le Mans race-track...
There's one thing I'm sure : that car is stunning.
Photo
Let's finish our flashback with some Avions-Voisin. Here, we got a C28 Aérosport (unfortunately a replica...) and the Voisin des Records, who broke 9 high speed records back in 1927.
Back to the future with the Renault Trezor Concept introduced at the Paris Motorshow last year. Low ride height, no front radiator grill, spaceship-like opening and colorful windows, we're now in the future of sportscars. And when Renault make a Concept Car, it isn't just for fun : the 350hp electric engine outputs 380Nm of torque, and the 0-100kph run is done under 4 seconds.
Photo
The minimalistic ground clearance (25cm), its 2 meter width body and its 1,08m height roof gives it a really sporty look, like if it was ready to eat tarmac. And what a beauty !
Photo
I think you understood it, I love that concept. To be able to get so close to it and to detail it is crazy, and I let you with a nice gallery of some details shots. Oh yeah, it won the prize of 2016's most beautiful concept car. Here it is, a stunning Renault that will never make it into production...
French manufacturers were one more time here in force with the concept E-Tense by DS Automobiles.
Citroën was here too with the CXPERIENCE and the Aircross Concept, a good-looking SUV introduced in 2015.
But that's not all, the Design Prize winner brought also the C3 WRC and its production version.
Photo
This year, the best place was for the Jaguar I-Pace for its european premiere. This SUV, the first full-electric car of Jaguar, has 400hp, 700Nm of torque and can pack up to 5 people in a complete silence. This sporty SUV goes from 0 to 100 kph in no more than 4 seconds, and can recharge its batteries to 80% in around 90 minutes. Tesla, be ready, a seriously mad competitor is coming in 2018 !
Up next is 2016's most beautiful supercar prize holder, the Ferrari GTC4Lusso. I don't know who chose it, but we're clearly not in the same way of thinking. 
And the other cars exhibited, the Range Rover Evoque convertible, Le Tone's (Top Gear France presentator) Catheram CSR 250 and DS Formula E.
To finish, some cars of the RM Sotheby's sale that takes place the week after in the same tent. Among the other cars, a Porsche 911 R Porsche Exclusive, a 917/10 Can-Am Prototype and a Alfa Romeo Tipo B P3.
This 32th edition of the Festival Automobile International was again a good one, even if I was hoping for more Concept Cars instead of production ready cars (hey BMW, could you bring the 2002 Hommage in Jagermeister livery next year please ?). The press access helped me a lot to take proper pictures, thanks again to the media service ! I let you with 2016's most beautiful car chosen by 148 000 people : the Alfa Romeo Giulia. Thanks for reading !
Photo
Here is the complete prize list of the Festival Automobile International 2017 :

> GRAND PRIX OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SUPERCAR : FERRARI GTC 4 LUSSO
> GRAND PRIX OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CONCEPT CAR : CONCEPT RENAULT TREZOR
> GRAND PRIX OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK "Marcelle Gandini, Maestro of Design" from Gautam sen / Edition : Dalton Watson Fine Books
> GRAND PRIX OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AD : VOLKSWAGEN Trailer Assist
> GRAND PRIX OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PICTURE "Beauté animale" : Cathy Dubuisson
> GRAND PRIX CREATIV’ EXPERIENCE Programm "Only you" by DS
> GRAND PRIX OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL INTERIOR : Peugeot 3008
> YOUNG DESIGN AWARD by BMW : Exterior Design « Pure Beauty » : «Symmetry» Navneeth Sabu Kannan, IAAD Turin - Italia
Interior Design « l’Eveil des sens » : « Auriga Concept » Daniel Brunsteiner, Florian Howecker and Philipp Fromme, FH Joanneum - Austria
> GRAND PRIX OF THE DESIGN : Alexandre Malval CITROEN
> GRAND PRIX OF THE CREATIVITY : SETSUNA CONCEPT TOYOTA
> GRAND PRIX OF THE FUTURISTIC CAR : MERCEDES-BENZ Vision Tokyo
> SPECIAL PRIZE OF THE JURY : PORSCHE – Record holder of Le Mans victories (18 titles)
> GRAND PRIX OF THE ART : Gerry Judah « Goodwood Festival of speed »
> GRAND PRIX OF THE FESTIVAL : BMW « Vision Next 100 »
> PALME D'OR : Carlos Tavares - PSA Group CEO
Contact
© Arts & Mécaniques - 2023 | Tous droits réservés.
  • Événements
    • Circuits >
      • 24 heures du Mans >
        • 24 heures du Mans 2019 >
          • Journée test - 1er et 2 Juin 2019
          • Le pesage - 9 et 10 Juin 2019
          • Les essais qualificatifs - 12 et 13 Juin 2019
          • Road To Le Mans, Ferrari Challenge et les expositions
          • 24 heures du Mans 2019 : la course
      • Ferrari Racing Days 2019 >
        • Ferrari Racing Days @ Nürburgring
        • XX Programmes @ Nürburgring Nordschleife
      • Le Mans Classic >
        • Le Mans Classic 2022 >
          • Le Mans Classic 2022 - Les plateaux 1 à 6
          • Le Mans Classic 2022 - Plateaux supports
        • Le Mans Classic 2018
        • Le Mans Classic 2016
      • Spa-Classic >
        • Spa-Classic 2019
        • Spa-Classic 2018
        • Spa-Classic 2015
        • Spa-Classic 2014
      • Spa Six Hours >
        • Spa Six Hours 2022
        • Spa Six Hours 2021
        • Spa Six Hours 2018
        • Spa Six Hours 2016
        • Spa Six Hours 2015 >
          • Jour 1 - Samedi 19/09/15
          • Jour 2 - Dimanche 20/09/15
        • Spa Six Hours 2014 >
          • Spa Six Hours Jour 1
          • Spa Six Hours Jour 2
      • Classic Days 2022 @ Circuit Bugatti
      • Historic Racing by Peter Auto @ Circuit Bugatti
      • Exclusive Drive 2019
      • MSVR Championships @ Donington Park
      • Grand Prix de France Historique 2017
      • Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2017
    • Concours d'élégance >
      • Chantilly Arts & Elegance >
        • Chantilly Arts & Elegance 2022
        • Chantilly Arts & Elegance 2019
        • Chantilly Arts & Elegance 2017
        • Chantilly Arts & Elegance 2016
        • Chantilly Arts & Elegance 2015
        • Chantilly Arts & Elegance - Richard Mille 2014
    • Rallyes >
      • Tour Auto >
        • 2021
        • 2020
        • 2019
        • 2018
        • 2016
        • 2015
        • 2014
      • Alsace Rallye Festival 2022
      • Pagani Vanishing Point 2017
      • Eifel Rallye Festival >
        • Eifel Rallye Festival 2017
        • Eifel Rallye Festival 2016
      • Modball Rally >
        • Modball Rally Europe 2016
        • Modball Rally Europe 2015
        • Modball Rally Europe 2014
    • Salons d'anciennes >
      • Rétromobile >
        • 2020
        • 2019
        • 2018
        • 2017
        • 2016
        • 2015
        • 2014
      • Avignon Motor Festival >
        • 2018
        • 2017
        • 2016
    • Salons modernes >
      • Festival Automobile International >
        • 2020
        • 2017
        • 2017 - English Version
        • 2016
        • 2016 - English version
        • 2015
        • 2015 - English version
      • Mondial de l'Automobile Paris >
        • Mondial de l'Auto 2022
        • Mondial de l'Auto 2018
        • Mondial de l'Automobile 2016 >
          • Mondial de l'Automobile 2016 Hall 1
          • Mondial de l'Automobile 2016 - Halls 2 et 3
          • Mondial de l'Automobile 2016 - Hall 4
          • Mondial de l'Automobile 2016 - Halls 5.1 & 5.2
          • Mondial de l'Automobile 2016 - Hall 8
        • Mondial de l'Automobile 2014 - Paris
      • Top Marques Monaco >
        • Top Marques Monaco 2016
        • Top Marques Monaco 2014
      • Salon de l'Automobile de Genève 2017
    • Musées >
      • Ferrari Under The Skin @ London Design Museum
      • The Donington Grand Prix Collection
      • Musée Automobile de la Sarthe - Musée des 24 heures
      • Museo Nazionale dell'Automobile Torino
      • Museo Enzo Ferrari (MEF) - Maserati 100
      • Museo Ferrari - California Dreaming
      • Musée Lamborghini
    • Autres >
      • Exposition "Lumières sur 60 ans de Porsche 911" @ Mathieu Lustrerie
      • Les 50 ans de la 911 Carrera 2.7 RS au Mans
      • À Detroit, la culture automobile érigée en religion
      • Porsche 919 Tribute Tour @ Paris
      • Vente RM Sotheby's @ Grand Prix Historique de Monaco 2018
  • Watches x Cars
    • Zénith El Primero x Ferrari TdF
    • Louis Vuitton Escale Worldtime x Rolls Royce Bespoke
    • Roger Dubuis Excalibur x Lamborghini Aventador S
    • Patek Philippe réf. 3448 x Alfa Romeo Disco Volante
    • Porsche Design 911 Turbo Chronograph x Porsche 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series
    • Junkers Bauhaus x Mercedes-Benz 230 E
    • Jacob & co Chiron Tourbillon x Bugatti Chiron
    • Votre 911 au poignet avec Porsche Design !
  • Séances photos
    • Essai : Audi e-tron GT 60 quattro
    • Essai : Bentley Continental GTC
    • Essai : Audi TTS Coupé quattro
    • Porsche 904 Carrera GTS - L'amour du 15
    • Essai : Audi e-tron 55 quattro
    • Double essai : Renault Clio 2 RS 182 & Mini Cooper S R53
    • Porsche 944 1986
    • Carnet de route en Volkswagen Golf VI GTi : le rêve californien...
    • Essai : Golf 7 GTI Performance
    • Essai : Alfa Romeo Stelvio First Edition
    • Lamborghini Huracán LP640-4 Performante
    • Essai : Fiat 124 Spider
    • Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
    • Divine DS
    • Audi TT 2015 2.0 TFSi
    • Volkswagen Golf Mk1 Cabriolet 1991
  • Billets
    • Pourquoi AP ne fait que des RO
    • Lange, nouveau prétendant au Big Three
    • Néo-rétro : l'ancien fait peau neuve !
    • Pourquoi les années 90 sont la décennie reine des supercars
  • L'équipe