Auto Blitz: Geneva Motor Show

Showing posts with label Geneva Motor Show. Show all posts

Report: "Minier" MINI in the Works, Could Debut at 2011 Geneva Show

It's only natural for the BMW Group to look for ways to expand the MINI range into new territories and increase the brand's profitability. And while some may question MINI's recent move with the Crossman crossover, a smaller model than the current three-door hatch makes a lot of sense for a brand that has become known for its city cars. Apparently, MINI thinks so too.

Autoweek reported today that the company is working on a such a smaller, entry-level model, called the "Mini Minor" or "Mini Mini" and it could be revealed in concept form as early as next year's Geneva Salon.

Remember the Saudi Arabian SUV concept called the 'Gazal 1' from this year's edition of the Geneva Motor Show in March? Well, it's officially going into production. The announcement was made by Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah himself during a special ceremony earlier this week.

The original Gazal 1 concept study was created by the students of Saud University in Riyadh with some help from Magna Steyr and Studiotorino. Despite the deign similarities with Toyota's FJ Cruiser, the Gazal 1 is actually based on the underpinnings of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and is powered by a V8 engine.

Hoping to repeat the success of its Golf GTI series, Volkswagen applied the same spicy recipe to its smaller Polo hatchback with the launch of a GTI version that was unwrapped at last week's Geneva Motor Show. And this here is the first official video of VW's hot supermini on the move.

The second and smallest member of Volkswagen's GTI family gets a punchy 1.4-liter twin-charged petrol engine pumping out 180 horsepower and a 250Nm or 184 lb-ft of torque.

If you're not content with the pictures we showed you, then you'll be happy to know that Kia has released a whole bunch of promotional and B-roll videos of the new 2011 Sportage compact SUV that had its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show last week.

Featuring one of the nicest exterior designs to come out of the Kia / Hyundai group, the new Sportage shares its platform and mechanical underpinnings with its Hyundai brethren, the Tucson, or as it is known in Europe, the iX35.

All companies like to make a connection between their past and current offerings to try to promote the fact that DNA is passed on to their next generation of products and Audi is no exception to this rule.

For the first official film on the RS5 that premiered at this month's Geneva automotive gathering, Audi brought along the coupe's forefather, the original Ur-Quattro of the 1980s, which can be seen in the first video clip after the jump (from 3:00 to 3:45).

Knowing that "the past is only the future with the lights turned on", Toyota hopes to learn from its mistakes and take only the best from its times of yore and apply the lessons to its future products like the highly anticipated production version of the FT-86 concept study.

Or at least that's what the troubled Japanese automaker wants us to believe with the release of this family portrait that places the FT-86 (Future Toyota-86) Sports Concept alongside its closest relative, the Corolla AE86 as well as the Celica and Supra sport coupes.

The FT-86 study, which was designed at Toyota's ED² studio in Nice, France, had its European premier this week at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show.

The biggest news at Hyundai's Geneva Motor Show booth is the world premiere of the i-Flow concept study. The sporty-looking mid-size sedan with the 'Cab-Forward' design is said to give Europeans a first look at the Sonata replacement (apparently the latest generation model wasn't cut for Europe) that will get a new name following the brand's alphanumeric nomenclature.

Hyundai confirmed that a production model based on the styling of this concept study will hit European showrooms sometime in 2011 offering the South Korean brand a new fighter in the D-segment that includes models like the Ford Mondeo, VW Passat, Toyota Avensis and Opel Insignia (Buick Regal). Hit the break for the videos.

If you need further proof that the hybrid craze is sweeping across the automotive industry, consider that even Ferrari is planning to offer hybrid versions across its entire range of supercars within the next three to four years.

The announcement was made by Ferrari's chairman Luca di Montezemolo during the media presentation of the 'green' 599 GTB Fiorano Hybrid at this week's Geneva Motor Show.

"This is a first step of a long project and we want within three years, maximum four, to have a hybrid Ferrari car ready for every single product of our range. This is our goal," said Montezemolo. "In three years we aim to cut emissions by a minimum of 35 percent."

So, how do you make an already scorching hot supercar like the recently facilitated Lamborghini Gallardo even more spicier? Lamborghini's answer to that question is make it lighter and more powerful.

Easier said than done when you're talking about a car like the Gallardo that has already been pushed to the limits, but Lambo's engineers found a way to cut 154 pounds (70kg) bringing the weight down to 2,954 lbs (1,340kg) and add another 10 ponies to the V10 engine bumping output to 570HP.

Volkswagen just released a boatload of pictures showcasing its new Touareg which is set to hit European dealers next month. The German automaker's second-generation SUV, looking just as quirky as the last, has gotten itself upgraded with a bunch of efficient new power trains.

For example, there's the Touareg hybrid that features a TSI V6 hooked up to an E-Motor which put out a combined 380 horsepower (while reaching a top electric speed of 50 km/h and maintaining a fuel economy of 8.2L/100km / 29 MPG US).

Also, all other engines have either improved significantly in fuel economy and emissions or have been replaced. The 280-horsepower 3.6 liter V6 uses 9.9L/100 km (24 MPG US) and releases only 236g of CO2 per kilometer.

The V6 TDI is even better, at 7.4L/100km (32 MPG US) and 195g/km; in European guise it even puts out 240 horsepower and 550 Nm / 406 lb-ft of torque.

Never satisfied with the stock products of the Volkswagen Group, ABT Sportline presented its take on the new Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 V10 at this week's Geneva Show. The German tuner's treatment revamps both the look and the performance of the two-seater roadster.

ABT Sportsline starts with the R8 Spyder's 5.2-liter V10 engine that receives a 75HP bump for a total output of 600HP allowing the car to make the run to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.8 seconds and top out 320 km/h or 199 mph.

Just like the BMW Group did with its MINI-branded cars, Audi is planning to offer an amazing amount of customization options and packages for its new entry-level A1 model including the S-Line sport kit which is expected to be one of the most popular options amongst buyers.

Seen here for the first time in official photos, the S-Line kit comprises of two separate packages. The S-Line Exterior package sweetens up the A1's looks with chiseled sill tops, a larger roof spoiler, a more concave front bumper with side air-vents and a new rear bumper with a diffuser and matte optics.

Koenigsegg's Agera is a car of action. No, literally, "agera" is Swedish for "to act". It's name is also derived from the Greek "Ageratos", meaning "ageless". Being a Koenigsegg, the Agera puts out an insane amount of power (910 horses thanks to two turbos), oodles of torque (1,100 Nm / 811 lb-ft ), wears 6-egg-omelet-sized brakes (392mm discs in front and 380mm in back).

Making its debut at the Swiss international auto show is the Audi A8 Hybrid. Even though its officially billed as a study, the gasoline-electric hybrid version of the 2011 A8, which itself just broke cover a few months ago, is scheduled to enter production next year.

The A8 Hybrid is a good example of Audi's downsizing philosophy mating a 2.0-liter TFSI four-cylinder gasoline engine with 211HP and 350 Nm (258.15 lb-ft) to an electric motor delivering 45HP and 211 Nm (155.63 lb-ft) of torque.

Audi says that the system's combined output is 245HP and 480 Nm (354.03 lb-ft) of torque. Since the numbers don't add up, we're assume that the electric motor's output is limited when combined with the TSI.

The 'King Julian' of car tuning, Mansory, showcased its individualization programme for the all-new Rolls Royce Ghost at the 2010 Geneva Salon. The Swiss-based tuner revamped both the look and the performance of the Phantom's smaller sibling in a way that's sure to grab people's attention and cause some heated comments.

Obviously a firm believer in the doctrine 'the gaudier the better', Mansory came up with a wild gold-on-blue paint job that sets the Ghost apart not only from its stock brethren but probably from anything on four wheels.

[Updated with 'Live' Photos] Making its global debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, is the Hyundai i-flow concept that strongly hints at the Korean firm's Sonata replacement in Europe. Hyundai didn't refer directly to the Sonata, but it did say that the i-flow previews the company's European D-Segment contender that will rival the likes of the Ford Mondeo, Citroen C5 and VW Passat.

Furthermore, with an overall length of 4,780mm, 1,850mm width, 1,420mm height and a 2,800mm wheelbase, the i-flow is almost identical in size to the latest generation Sonata (4,820mm long, 1,835mm wide and 1,470mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,795mm), so it wouldn't make much sense for the Koreans to sell both models in Europe.

The i-flow or HED-7, is the seventh Hyundai concept car to be born in the firm's Russelsheim studio in Germany.

Hyundai said that the mid-size sedan's styling is an evolution of the company's so-called 'fluidic sculpture' design language adding that the car is also distinguished by its "unique proportions" with the long tail and the short front overhang, features which are said to have been inspired by Chrysler's Cab-Forward design aerodynamic motives.

The Geneva International Motor Show. What can be said? That it trounced everything in recent memory? Sure it did. Did everyone and their uncle debut a green supercar? Yes indeedy. Were the majority of the vehicles present tech-loaded eye candy? Hell yes, and my eyeteeth are sore.

Now, because there's only one thing people are still here for at midnight (I'm talking to YOU), we're happy to present some of the lovely ladies who were nice enough to get themselves ogled and fogled by bloggers, journalists, and executives alike.

There may even be a picture of Shakira or two in there. Sorry, for the Justin Timberlake pics you'll have to...hang on, I think one of them just winked at me.

Italdesign Giugiaro's latest design study is a three-car plug-in collection debuting under the name EMAS, which stands for Eco Mobility Advanced Solutions (Emas also means "gold" in Malay). Built in collaboration with Proton and Lotus Engineering, their goal is to showcase variable-design mini-sized cars that provide the interior space of mid-sizers.

For reference, the silver 5-door is the Emas Comfort, the orange one is the Emas Country, and the white 3-door is the Emas3 City.

The shared platform was designed in-house by Italdesign Giugiaro, and with its hybrid system's layout the seating position the Emas family retains a crossover-ish ride height. Thanks to their nifty packaging, interior space is at a maximum.

While the Survolt sports car concept is definitely the most impressive vehicle at Citroen's Geneva Show booth, the big news for the French firm is the DS High Rider study, a thinly veiled version of the forthcoming DS4 crossover expected to be launched in early 2011.

Part hatchback, part crossover, the DS High Rider combines styling elements from its smaller DS3 sibling and the 2005 C-SportLounge concept with more muscular details, a gently sloping roof line and a higher ride height.

Malaysia-based (the company moved out of Australia in the mid-90's) Bufori's Geneva saloon (named after the Swiss show) is certainly an eye-catcher, but I can't quite determine if it's in a good or bad way. First off, the rounded rear, inserted headlights, and slabby sides don't really mesh in my mind. I guess with a car like this I'd be spending a lot more time inside of it than out, so maybe the looks don't really matter.

The materials used in the Geneva's production are pretty snazzy. The chassis is "top grade stainless steel", and the carbon/kevlar body is "infused with Vinylester resin", whatever that means. They say its strong, and I'll take their word for it.

Auto Blitz

Report: "Minier" MINI in the Works, Could Debut at 2011 Geneva Show

Saudi Arabia King Greenlights Gazal 1 for Production

VIDEO: 2011 Volkswagen Polo GTI Snow-Sliding

VIDEO: 2011 Kia Sportage Filmed on the Road, Inside and Out

VIDEO: Audi RS5 Meets Ur-Quattro Coupe on the Track in New Promo Film

Toyota Remembers its Past as it... Accelerates into the Future with FT-86 Coupe

Video Presentation of Hyundai's i-Flow Sport Sedan Study for a European Sonata

Ferrari Goes from Red to Green, Plans to Offer Hybrid Option on all Models

Video and 'Live' Shots of the New Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera from the Geneva Show

2011 Volkswagen Touareg: Full Gallery with 70 High-Res Photos

ABT Presents Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 V10 with 600 Ponies in Geneva

Audi Reveals A1 S-Line Sport Package [with 67 Photos]

Geneva: The Action-Packed, Ageless Agera by Koenigsegg

Geneva Show: New Audi A8 Hybrid with 2.0-Liter 4-Cylinder Engine

Geneva Show: Mansory's 'Prudent' Take on the New Rolls Royce Ghost

Geneva Show: Hyundai i-Flow Concept Previews 2011 European Sonata Replacement

Put it Away: Ladies From the Land of Honey, Milk and Money

Geneva Show: Giugiaro's EMAS Italian Kei Cars

Geneva Show: Citroen's DS High Rider Study in the Flesh

Bufori's Geneva is an American-powered, Malaysian-built take on a Roller

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