 Yesterday, on my way back home from a supermarket, I drove past a used car dealership that had on display a car that I haven’t seen in quite some time now – a Mk 1 Volkswagen Golf. It was a bright orange 1981 GLS model being sold for CHF 4,400. It had 107,000km (hopefully genuine), a four-speed manual transmission, three doors, and a heater – a very basic car in a world of cars that can now parallel park themselves. However, despite the small number of features that the old Golf had, it was the base for one of the best cars ever made, a base for the first of hot hatches. The Golf GTI.
 The 2012 Paris Motor Show is currently the place to be if you want you to see how exciting the future of motoring is going to be. You have the usual mix of concept cars, new car debuts, etc. But after looking at what the show has to offer, SOC has come up with a list of cars that stand out more than others.
Opel Ampera/Chevy Volt  Apart from winning the 2012 Car of the Year award, it’s a plug-in hybrid car that looks good too. The specs? It has a 150hp electric motor along with 370Nm of torque, with a claimed range of up to 80km (50miles) on a fully charged battery pack. Its 1.4-litre engine is there only to power a generator when the battery range is low (the engine doesn’t send power to the wheels at any time) – which then extends the range to 500km. It is expensive though – prices start at CHF 52,900 (around $57,000) in Switzerland. Ferrari F12 Berlinetta  The F12 Berlinetta drew a huge crowd on press day. It was easily one of the most anticipated cars of the show – and with 740hp, it’s easy to see why. Its 6.3-litre V12 engine is the most powerful of any Ferrari road car, which definitely makes it a standout car. However powerful the engine might be, the design might divide opinion – looking a bit similar to the FF at the front. However, all is certainly forgotten as you approach its 212mph top speed.
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