Take your pick: old vs new at the Paris Motor Show 2024

It’s time to ask the audience: do you prefer these classic cars, or their modern counterparts? Choose from the options below to let us know.

The Paris Motor Show has officially wrapped up, and we were lucky enough to be among the 508,007 attendees taking in the cars, vans, and tech being showcased.

There was a definite trend towards zero-emissions solutions around the various exhibits, but partnering many of these futuristic offerings, you could find their classic ICE driven predecessors. Scratching many a petrolhead itch for visitors. Seeing old and new side-by-side left us keen to find out if these modern reboots have hit the mark or should have been left as legends in the archives.

So, putting them head-to-head, select the options below to let us know which cars you’d add to your garage?

Volkswagen Golf Mk1 vs Volkswagen ID GTI Concept

As the 1974 replacement for the Beetle, the Golf Mk1 had big boots to fill. And it did, outselling its projected initial production by a cool 456,690 models. An iconic hatchback all the way from its nippy front-mounted four-cylinder engine, right down to its tartan trim and golf ball gearstick — a hard proposition to turn down.

Carrying the GTI label into the future come 2027, the Volkswagen ID GTI Concept aims to replicate the same sporty performance, but this time in the EV market. A modern reinterpretation of its predecessor’s iconic DNA, featuring clean modern design and technology packed interior, the first all-electric GTI looked set to hold its own on when sat side-by-side in Paris.

Renault 4 vs Renault 4 E-Tech

The Renault 4 hit the scene in 1961, going toe-to-toe with another legend in the Citroën 2CV. The aim? To expand a car beyond just four seats and boot, and add some real volume. An almost instant success thanks to its simple, affordable, and now instantly recognisable design, the versatile R4 — which sold a staggering 8,135,424 units — remains a head-turner to this day.

If you fought through the crowds to reach one of Paris 2024’s main stages, you’d find the new Renault 4 E-Tech at the heart of the horde. Looking to replicate the versatility of its ancestor as part of the French brands electric ‘Renaulution’ (their words, not ours), the compact retro-futuristic model contains around 420 cubic litres of space and offers almost 250 miles of range.

Delage D6-75 TT vs Delage D12

For a classic weekend runaround, the Delage D6-75 TT caught our eye in Paris as a potent yet luxurious choice. Coming from a lineage of Le Mans and Grand Prix Word Championship winning cars, this late ‘30s two-seater offered a 6-cylinder engine which was viewed as especially refined back in its day — and would still be quite bit of fun out on the roads.

And speaking of refined, look no further than the brands 21^st century relaunch: the hybrid Delage D12 hypercar. Recently picking up the title of ‘the most beautiful car in the world’, it’s safe to say there was a magnetic presence around the modern Delage model on the showroom floor. It’s got a rich history, 1,000 hp, takes inspiration from Formula 1 cars and fighter jets… Oh, and it’s lining up as a candidate to become the world’s fastest road-legal car. Not bad.

Renault 5 vs Renault 5 E-Tech 

Hype may have been directed towards the Renault 4 in Paris, but that didn’t stop its sibling drawing a crowd all of its own. Introduced in 1972, the Renault 5 became France’s most popular car with its compact three-door hatchback shell, punctuated by practical plastic bumpers, and wrapped around one of the very first safety-focused dashboards. Fun, sensible, and certainly iconic.

Aiming to mirror the innovation of the original, the Renault 5 E-Tech modernises and electrifies its celebrated predecessor, without losing touch with its roots. The proportions have of course been extended, but the agile handling remains, alongside classic homages in the form of squared headlight inserts and characteristic wheel arches.

Hero image credit:  Mondial De L'Auto