It’s always fun (well, I’m only a business hack) wandering around motor shows spotting all the car executives that have left their stand to view a rival’s product.

Paris was no exception. The AM team spotted the following:

Vauxhall chairman and General Motors Europe vice president of global sales, service and marketing Jonathan Browning giving the Kia Soul a thorough examination – front seat, back seat, boot, seats down - before striding purposely on.

Paul Williams, managing director of SsangYong’s UK importer Koelliker, checking out the models on the Alfa Romeo stand. The cars were interesting too…

Kia UK managing director Paul Philpott having a poke around the new Ford Ka

Tony Whitehorn, Hyundai’s UK managing director, looking at the pumped up Chevrolet Camaro, due in the UK in 2010.

Renault chairman Louis Schweitzer taking a peak at French rival Citroen’s new C3 Picasso.

Talking of Ford, Kia and Citroen, they have(unintentionally) timed their new small car launches to perfection as buyers look for more economical city cars.

They were certainly among the most upbeat manufacturers at a show that was general rather downbeat with all the talk about the credit crisis and impending global recession.

Manufacturers are being quite cagey about individual sales expectations, although, as we’ve mentioned in AM, the general consensus is that the market will fall below two million next year. Do you agree?