Another interesting development in the wave of zero-emission transition was also on display: the electrification of "collectible cars." One example is "REV Mobility." The company name is an abbreviation for "Retrofuture Electric Vehicles."

The company, founded four years ago, exhibited a 1972 "Peugeot 504 Coupe" converted to EV at its booth. Its range is 165 km on a full charge, with a top speed of 150 km/h. The estimated conversion cost is 22,000 euros (approximately 3.18 million yen). According to Olivier Marquet, the company's director, the conversion takes 2-3 days. If the base vehicle is also to be sourced, an additional 12,000 euros (approximately 1.74 million yen) will be added.

What kind of customers request such conversions? Marquet replied, "Interestingly, 25% of those interested in our business are women." These are female drivers who want to drive legally and elegantly in major cities where opportunities to drive historic cars are limited due to stricter emissions regulations.

"Another case is collectors who commission the conversion of one of their stored cars for daily use." When someone owns multiple historic cars, they seem willing to sacrifice the original condition of one.

For reference, it is surprising to see the number of historic cars in the numerous monthly parking garages in Paris. Some of my acquaintances also own several cars spread across different locations. On weekends, some parking garages, despite being underground, resemble gatherings where enthusiasts meet. I believe there will be a certain demand for EV conversion businesses for such urban enthusiasts going forward.

The third anticipated trend is the "possibility of reviving French luxe."

In neighboring Italy, despite Ferrari being a brand that emerged after the war – its founder Enzo Ferrari himself considered it merely a way to fund racing – it established a status in the American market. Subsequently, with the help of Fiat's capital injection, it grew into a leading luxury car brand worldwide. Thanks to this success, Maserati was also able to develop markets in the US and other countries.

Meanwhile, in France, ultra-luxury cars have virtually failed to thrive. Before World War II, France had numerous ultra-luxury car manufacturers such as "Voisin," "Delage," and "Delahaye." Although some survived into the post-war era, they could not overcome the decline of their upper-class clientele and the popularization of automobiles, and they disappeared one after another.

Aiming to revive such ultra-luxury cars, "Facel Vega," targeted at the nouveau riche, also vanished in 1964.

The only ultra-premium brand currently surviving in France is "Bugatti," but the current iteration was revived by Volkswagen in the 2000s.

As shown in the photos from the previous article,Part 1at the 2022 Paris Motor Show, concept cars with hydrogen engines, the Alpine "Alpenglow Concept," and the "Machina" from Opium, a startup specializing in fuel cell vehicles, garnered attention.

The dominance of existing premium brands, once seemingly invincible in Europe, is beginning to crumble. The fact that the "Tesla Model Y" surpassed the "Mercedes-Benz GLC" in European sales for the first half of 2022 is a symbolic example. With the transition to clean energy, there is a possibility that French luxe, which has been absent for over half a century, could be revived.

The attendance at the 2022 Paris Motor Show, held from October 17th to 23rd, was 397,812, a 63% decrease from the previous event. However, as you can imagine from this report, a next-generation motor show that clearly summarized the near future was also present. Similarly, it is already interesting to see how the 2023 Munich Show, also held biennially and exploring new formats, will unfold.