Motor Show Tonight: Friday Nocturne, Gaming, Record Chase

Tonight the halls glow: Friday nocturne, racing games, a DJ terrace, and a 500,000-visitor record in sight. The calm days are banked; the electric nights begin. Friday’s guide in ten laps: tonight, the slots, the gaming, the music, the tickets, the brands, the halls, the plan, getting there, and the record.

From the expo floor — Elena Marsh: Tonight via mondial.paris practical info + FAQ (hours Fri 09:30-22:00 last admission 21:00, nocturne arrivals from 18:30, Sat/Sun slots, tickets 20/22/17 euros online + 13 concessions + gate 22/24, halls 4/5.1/5.2/3/6/7.1, Gate A2, Metro 12 exit 1, T2/T3a, bus 80/39, 2024 508,007 visitors), programme (gaming Hall 7.1 Mario Kart freeplay/tournament first time, DJ Radio FG terrace Hall 6, Tao Love Bus outdoor daily), ACL (60+ brands vs 48/20, returns Mercedes/smart/Volvo since 2014, Ford, VW group, Renault ~50 models 6 new, Stellantis 60+ vehicles 9 concepts, Audi Q7/RS5, VW IDs, Skoda Epiq/Peaq, Fiat Grizzly, Lancia Gamma, Leapmotor B03/B03X, Lynk 07 GT, XPeng G9L, Zeekr 7GT/9X, Li 6/8/Mega, GAC Aion UT/V, Geely E2, Denza Z, Volvo EX60, Mercedes GLA/C-Class, Lucid Air/Gravity), VIPARIS (2024 record 508,000, 48 makers, 158 exhibitors), sortiraparis (Oct 13-18 public, evenings to 22:00 Fri 16 + Sat 17). Official programme only.

Tonight: nocturne to ten

The night that changes everything. FRIDAY 09:30-22:00 (last admission 21:00; nocturne arrivals from 18:30). Illuminated pavilions, festive lights, music, after-work crowds — the show’s second face. Tonight = lights on, prices evening, halls full. Rule tonight: arrive 18:30 (nocturne ticket), stay for lasers, leave before the 22:00 crush.

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The slots: timed entries decoded

Every day has its window. SAT: morning 09:00-12:30 / afternoon 13:00-21:00 / nocturne 18:30-21:00. SUN: morning 09:00-12:30 / afternoon 13:00-17:30 (closes 18:30, last admission 17:30). Each ticket valid only its day + slot. Morning = thinnest crowds; afternoon = fullest halls; nocturne = lights + music. Slots: pick morning Saturday, evening Friday, farewell Sunday morning.

The gaming: Mario Kart takes Hall 7.1

First time ever. Mario Kart freeplay + tournament, Hall 7.1, every day 09:30-19:30 — the racing-game world debuts at the show’s 91st edition. Freeplay all day, tournament brackets, all ages. Gamers: morning freeplay (no queues), afternoon tournament (glory). Families: kids race while parents compare metal. Gaming: the halls’ loudest new corner — controllers beat crankshafts tonight.

The music: DJ terrace + Love Bus

Two stages, one groove. DJ Radio FG, terrace Hall 6 (sets through the show) + Tao Love Bus, outdoor daily (musical performance aboard a vintage van). Day: bus beats outside; night: DJ lights up the terrace. Tonight’s soundtrack: engines by day, decks by night. Music: follow the bass between halls.

The tickets: 13 to 24 euros

Priced by slot. ONLINE: 20 euros weekday, 22 weekend, 17 evening (13 for 7-17/students/disabled); GATE: 22 (24 weekend/evening) — online saves 2-5. Tonight = evening rate (Paris’s cheapest car night). Weekend: Saturday sells the gate dry — buy online now. Tickets: tonight online for tonight (arrivals from 18:30).

The brands: sixty plus, counted

Scale, verified. 60+ brands (vs 48 in 2024, 20 in 2022); 48 makers, 158 exhibitors (2024 base, target higher); 5 halls, 70,000m2 indoor + 15,000m2 outdoor (PFA + Hopscotch). Returns: Mercedes/smart/Volvo since 2014, Ford; groups: VW (VW/Audi/Skoda/Cupra/commercials), Renault (Hall 6), Stellantis (8 brands). Chinese ~20 (vs 9). Sixty plus: Europe’s biggest car show, back at scale.

The halls: premieres banked

Metal, mapped. Renault ~50 models (6 new) + Stellantis 60+ vehicles (9 concepts: Fiat Grizzly/Fastback, Lancia Gamma, Leapmotor B03/B03X Euro first) + Audi Q7 gen3 + RS5 PHEV (first plug-in Audi Sport) + VW ID.Cross/Polo/3 GTI/Tiguan + Skoda Epiq/Peaq + Lynk 07 GT + XPeng G9L (Euro firsts) + Zeekr 7GT/9X, Li 6/8/Mega, GAC Aion UT/V, Geely E2, Denza Z supercar + Volvo EX60 (12-year return) + Mercedes GLA + electric C-Class + Lucid Air/Gravity (debut) + Bayon/Tucson/TK5/TK7/Li Auto (Tuesday reveals). Tonight’s route: premieres first (thin evening crowds), concepts at dusk, lasers to close.

The newcomers: Lucid, returnees, Chinese

New faces, old friends. Lucid Air/Gravity (first time) — the American EV debuts in Paris. Returns since 2014: Mercedes (GLA + electric C-Class), smart (#2 icon), Volvo (EX60) — twelve years later. Chinese ~20 brands (vs 9 in 2024): XPeng G9L, Zeekr flagships, Li range, GAC, Geely, Denza Z — the fastest-growing hall. Ford back. Tonight: Lucid Friday (short queues), Chinese Saturday (compare), returnees Sunday (nostalgia).

The plan: glow Friday, wave Saturday, goodbye Sunday

Three days, three moods. FRI nocturne (glow, music, after-work crowds; dinner nearby — book it). SAT wave (09:00-22:00 — peak day, peak crowds, peak queues; arrive 9:00, Test Center first, lunch off-peak). SUN goodbye (09:00-18:30 — short day, fine morning, last photos). Plan: Friday glow (evening), Saturday wave (morning), Sunday goodbye (morning). Rule: book Friday dinner, arrive Saturday dawn, savour Sunday.

Getting there: rails beat roads

Same rails, final days. Metro 12 exit 1 (halls 2-7) + T2/T3a Parc des Expositions + bus 80/39 (2.55 a ride — no car beats that Saturday afternoon); P6 (10-min walk Gate A2) + P7 (opens Hall 7/tests); reduced-mobility bays (45 + 12). Strike/RATP: app line by line. Access: rails beat roads, online beats gate, morning beats noon.

The record: 508,007 to beat

History, counted. 2024: 508,007 visitors in 6 days (record attendance; all-time claim 1,253,513 peak). 2026 target: higher (60+ brands, 5 halls, Lucid debut + returns). Saturday decides: record weekends make record shows. Tips for the record run: tonight nocturne (evening crowds count double), Saturday dawn (beat the wave), Sunday farewell (last photos). 508,007: the number to beat — Sunday tells, and the 91st edition wants its record. Tonight’s nocturne crowd plus Saturday’s wave plus Sunday’s farewell: three days, half a million dreams, one record — and Friday night lights it up.