Volkswagen World

The 2008 Paris Motor Show opens its doors to the public on 4 October at the Porte de Versailles.

The biennial show is one of the biggest in the motoring calendar, with around 360 exhibitors and 90 world premieres expected this year.

For Volkswagen, the most significant debut is the first show appearance for the all-new Mk6 Golf.

The new Golf has already won massive acclaim in the media, where it has impressed with its upmarket feel and confidence-inspiring handling.

Paris also marks the public debut of the new Golf GTI concept. With a 210PS engine and the clever new Adaptive Chassis Control system – as found on the Scirocco – the GTI promises to be a truly exciting drive, and of course it looks the part, too.

The French show also gives you the opportunity to take a closer look at the new BlueMotion Golf concept. Offering a phenomenal 74.3mpg and emitting just 99g/km of CO2, the super-frugal new BlueMotion Golf is sure to be a draw, as is its larger sibling, the Passat BlueMotion 2.

This latest BlueMotion Passat builds on the original BlueMotion concept, using a 2.0-litre TDI common-rail engine producing 110PS, rather than the 105PS 1.9-litre TDI unit found in the current Passat BlueMotion

Along with the new engine, the new Passat BlueMotion 2 uses an automatic Start/Stop system to reduce fuel consumption and emissions in city driving

When the driver puts the car into neutral and takes their foot off the clutch, the Start/Stop system temporarily stops the engine until the clutch is re-engaged, saving fuel and lowering emissions.

Fuel economy –is improved from 55.4 (54.3 for the Estate) to 57.6mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 output from 136 (137 Estate) to 128 g/km (129 Estate).

There's even more frugality on show, too, in the form of the Passat Blue TDI. This exciting new model is the cleanest Passat of all time, emitting just 137g/km of CO2 in saloon form, while managing 54.3mpg.

To achieve this, the Passat Blue TDI uses a new generation of catalytic converter, dubbed SCR, for Selective Catalytic Reduction. A water-based liquid containing urea, known as AdBlue, is added to significantly reduce harmful nitrogen oxide emissions from the exhaust. This allows the Passat Blue TDI to meet forthcoming Euro 6 emissions regulations that come into effect in 2014.

Finally, the revised Phaeton will also be on show in Paris. This is the most technologically advanced car Volkswagen has ever made, and now features a raft of enhancements including a new 3.6-litre V6 engine.

The Paris Motor Show runs until 19 October. For more information, visit www.mondialautomobile.com.