Paris Motor Show preview

Ferrari hasn't had an out-and-out flagship hypercar since the 660-hp Enzo went out of production in 2004. There are some pretty convincing rumors flying around that things are set to change at Paris. An 800 hp V12 with F1-inspired HY-KERS system nestled in a carbon-fiber chassis? Don't rule it out.

McLaren, too, are thought to be furtively working away on a new bells and whistles range-topper — a spiritual successor to the legendary F1. With the company's recent move to turbocharging in the MP4-12C, forced induction could be on the cards, but expect plenty of technology derived from F1 — including active aerodynamics — lots of power and some highly exotic materials.

We were wowed by the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class at the Geneva show earlier this year, now Mercedes has handed the hatchback to high-octane-huffing in-house tuner, AMG. That means 330-hp from its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder motor and a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. It has the BMW 135i right in its crosshairs.

Under the might of the Audi umbrella Lamborghini has developed its 'own' 4x4, called the Urus. It'll have a 600-hp engine, although Lamborghini hasn't confirmed if it'll be based on the 6.5-liter V12 from the Aventador supercar. Will it work or will it be an LM002-style flop all over again? We can't wait to gauge the reception in Paris.

The new Range Rover should show the Lambo the way to do things though. A massive 925 pounds lighter than the current model and with a more efficient engine lineup, the tweaked looks and new Land Rover family headlights mean the latest Rangie should be as good to drive as it is to be seen in.

In Europe, the once fabled "Mondeo man" has evolved into "3-Series man." Now Ford wants to retake that all-important family sedan car ground. The new Mondeo might just be the car to do that with its frugal 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine and Aston Martin-esque styling. That style might appeal to American buyers, but the engine certainly won't.

Speaking of Aston Martin... the new Vanquish is one to watch at Paris. Sure, the engine and chassis can trace their roots back over a decade, but the thing still looks beautifully purposeful and is likely to go and sound pretty well too. Whether its 573-hp can live up to the Ferrari F12's 740-hp is another question.

Everyone has been waiting for a spiritual successor to the iconic Jaguar E-Type for a long time. And now we've got one. Jaguar's F-Type is set to slot into the unoccupied middle ground between the Porsche Boxster and 911 — awesome looks and a choice of supercharged V6 and V8 engines should see the British sports car back with a bang.

Porsche has raised the game with its new "991" 911 recently and Audi has responded with a plethora of midlife revisions for its R8, including some new twinkly LED lights and a dual-clutch transmission. Power is unchanged for the regular V8 and V10 variants, but there's a new 550-hp range-topping R8 V10 plus model.

Shooting brakes (or classy wagons) are the newest thing on the block. Jaguar has one with its XF and Mercedes with its CLS model. Porsche is now rumored to be following suit with a Panamera shooting brake prototype. To many eyes it's not the most attractive vehicle, so let's see what Porsche can do if it decides to give it the go-ahead.

Yes, it might look like the one before it and the one before that, and, well, you get the picture. But the MK7 VW Golf is bigger, more practical, more efficient, and significantly lighter. The popularity of the Golf in Europe and the U.S. makes this an important car — if you only buy second hand, you could be driving one of these in three years.

There'll be a new Golf GTI, too. The seminal hot hatch deserves an entry all of its own. It's defined a sector of the market since its introduction in 1976 and with many manufacturers looking to steal VW's crown it can't afford to drop the ball here. Expect a 225-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and the option of a twin-clutch gearbox.

The Mazda6 has always been a great car to drive but it's now a bit dowdy in the looks department. Thankfully, there's an all-new vehicle on its way — and it's extremely attractive. The swoopy wagon will be making its debut at Paris, following the sedan's unveiling in Moscow. It'll be efficient, too, thanks to Mazda's Skyactiv technology.

It's strongly rumoured that MINI's production-ready Paceman will be shown at Paris. This is a car that will divide opinion massively. Effectively a three-door version of a big five-door version — the Countryman — of a three-door MINI (confusing, hey?), it's predicted to be a small coupé 4x4. It's the next niche, apparently.

According to reports from motorsport sources, Bentley is preparing an outrageous stripped-out GT3 race version of its Continental GT. There's no word on what motor it'll use yet, but it could preview a hardcore track-focused version of the Conti. It'll hail the return of the Bentley Boys, too.