Official pictures: Opel Zafira Tourer concept
Lamborghini Aventador leaks ahead of Geneva reveal
Volkswagen's Geneva concepts revealed by Italdesign patent applications
Two concept cars set to make their world debut on the Volkswagen stand at the Geneva auto show have been revealed by a patent applicaton lodged by Italdesign.
Official hi-res pictures: Smart Forspeed
The new two seater, prematurely revealed in a series of patent images last month, recalls the look of the company's earlier Crossblade, complete with a cut down windscreen and domes behind the cabin.
Unlike that car, however, Smart says the Forspeed is not intended for production. Instead it is said to provide a glimpse at the sort of styling Mercedes-Benz design team is considering for the third-generation of the Fortwo coupe and its open top sibling, the Fortwo convertible, due in 2012 and 2013 respectively.
Bertone's Jaguar concept leaks out ahead of Geneva show
See story below for details.
Official pictures: Hyundai i40
Bertone concept to preview new small Jaguar
The new car, called the B99 and previewed in this early teaser picture released by Bertone today, sets the scene for a new entry level Jaguar model recently referred to by Jaguar boss, Carl-Peter Forster, in an interview with European media.
Known internally under the codename X760, the new small Jaguar has been conceived to take on the Audi A4, BMW 3-series and Mercedes-Benz C-class with a unique rear-wheel drive platform and the choice of both four- and six-cylinder engines.
More info as it comes to hand . .
Electric Boxster! Porsche testing zero emission roadster
Porsche has revealed the first of what it says will be up to three plug in electric Boxster prototypes.
Created as part of an electric mobility program being overseen by the city of Stuttgart in Germany, the zero emission roadster is powered by a pair of electric motors mounted in the space usually taken up the Boxster’s horizontally-opposed six-cylinder engine.
Together they produce a total of 241bhp.
Electric energy is provided by a bank of lithium-ion batteries boasting a combined capacity of 29kWh.
Further details as they come to hand . . .
Official hi-res pictures: Porsche Panamera S Hybrid
Set to make its public premiere at the Geneva auto show prior to going on sale in North America later this year, the new gasoline-electric Panamera S Hybrid receives the same driveline architecture as the Cayenne Hybrid and its sister model, the Volkswagen Touareg.
At the heart of the new car is a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 engine delivering 333bhp.
Sourced from Audi, it is much removed from the in-house developed 300bhp naturally aspirated 3.6-litre V6 unit Porsche uses in the entry level Panamera and comes combined with a 47bhp brushless electric motor mounted in the forward section of the gearbox to provide the Panamera S Hybrid with a total of 380bhp.
As a full hybrid, the new Porsche is capable of running exclusively on either electric propulsion or a combination of gasoline and electric power. In electric mode the Panamera S Hybrid is claimed to achieve a range of up to 1.2 miles (2.0 km) at a maximum speed of 53mph (85 km/h).
Porsche puts its latest model’s 0-62mph time at 6.0secs and top speed at 168mph (270km/h). With optional low rolling resistance tires it is also claimed to return 34.6mpg (6.8L/100km) on the combined European consumption cycle. By comparison, Mercedes-Benz’s S400 Hybrid is rated at 29.4mpg.
Official pictures: Infiniti Etherea
Official pictures: Lancia Ypsilon
Smart ditches plans to rebadge Nissan Micra for US market
The decision comes after the German car maker announced it will take over the distribution and marketing of Smart in North America from the Penske Group.
Rumors doing the rounds of Mercedes-Benz’s Stuttgart headquarters for some time now suggest Smart and Nissan are working on a broader co-operation that could see various new Smart models based on Nissan platforms.
Among the models under discussion at parent company Mercedes-Benz is a successor to the still born
ForMore based on the same underpinnings as the Nissan Juke.
Unlike Smart’s plans to simply re-badge the Micra for the US market, the new ForMore has been conceived to receive its own unique body and interior, although suggestions are it will run Nissan engines and gearbox combinations.
Gumpert Tornante sketched ahead of Geneva reveal
Set to join the Apollo in an expanded line-up of Gumpert models, the Tornante has been developed in partnership with Italy's Superleggera, which was brought in to work on the styling.
Described as being more comfort orientated than the Apollo, the Tornante is also said to boast improved packaging thanks to extended length, width and height.
The new two seater runs a detuned version of the Apollo's twin turbocharged 4.2-litre V8 producing 700bhp. Further details as they come to hand . . .
Build yourself a Lamborghini Aventador . . . piece by piece . . .
Lamborghini has been busy revealing teaser pictures of its new Aventador in recent weeks.
First the boys and gals from Sant’Agata spilt the beans on the Murcielago replacement’s new 700bhp 6.5-litre V12 engine and sequential six-speed gearbox.
Then they showed us the Aventador’s trick new pushrod suspension. Now they’ve come clean on its lightweight carbon fibre monocque.
At this rate we’ll be able to build the new Lamborghini ourselves before it makes its public premiere at the Geneva auto show.
Click to enlarge
Volkswagen headed back to the 'Ring with Golf24
Dubbed the Golf24, the new racer runs a tuned version of daughter company Audi’s turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine developing a heady 440bhp.
Drive is run through a sequential six-speed gearbox and a beefed up version of the standard Golf 4Motion’s multi-plate clutch four-wheel drive system to all four wheels.
In recent years Volkswagen has run its front-wheel drive Scirocco GT24 in the around-the-clock Nurburgring race. With a 300bhp version of the German car maker’s turbocharged 2.0-litre, it has regularly marched off with class honours.
Hit the "read me" link for more hi-res pictures of the Volkswagen Golf24
Official pictures: BMW 1-series ActiveE
Another Geneva auto show debutant, it previews the driveline set to appear in BMW’s upcoming MegaCity vehicle; the new two door has been conceived to act as a prototype for the German car maker’s eagerly awaited carbon fibre electric car due out in 2013.
Drive comes via a brushless electric motor. It’s mounted up back within a modified rear axle together with the electronic management system that controls its operation. It puts out a peak 170bhp together with 184lb ft (250Nm) of torque. That’s enough, says BMW, to propel the 1-series ActiveE to 62mph from standstill in 9.0sec, while pushing it to a limited 90mph (145km/h) top speed.
BMW claims a range of 150 miles on the US cycle. Charge time, meanwhile, is put at around eight hours, or just four using a 380 volt high amp charger that will be delivered with the new car.
Official pictures: Kia Rio
Sitting on the same front-wheel drive platform as the Hyundai i20, the new Rio departs radically in appearance from its generic looking predecessor, sporting a cleaner and more contemporary look created at Kia’s European design studio under the guise of the Korean car maker’s design boss, Peter Schreyer.
While full details are yet to be released, the new hatch is said to be 55mm longer and 25mm wider but 15mm lower than before. It also rides on a 70mm longer wheelbase that, according to Kia, provides the new model greater interior accommodation and a larger trunk.
The smartening up of the exterior design is mirrored inside, with a much more stylish dashboard and higher quality trims. The new interior was designed at the company’s US based design studio in California.
The third-generation Rio’s engine line-up will be revealed at Geneva. Already confirmed is a base 1.2-litre four-cylinder gasoline unit. It will be joined by larger 1.4- and 1.6-litre gasoline engines. Also planned are 1.1-, 1.4- and 1.6-litre common rail diesels. Gearboxes will include five and six speed manuals, along with an optional five-speed automatic.
Official hi-res pictures, full details: Mercedes C-class coupe
* codename C204
* same length and wheelbase as the C-class sedan
* 1.6 inches (40mm) lower than C-class sedan
* unlike the E-class coupe, the C-class coupe retains B-pillars
* convertible version was considered
but won't be built in this generation
C180 CGI Coupe BlueEfficiency
1796cm3
156bhp at 5000rpm
0-62mph (100km/h): 9.0sec
Top speed: 140mph (225km/h)
Consumption: 35.1mpg (US), 42.2mpg (UK), 6.7L/100km
CO2 emissions: 97.5g/mile (157g/km)
C250 CGI Coupe BlueEfficiency
1796cm3
204bhp at 5500rpm
0-62mph (100km/h): 7.2sec
Top speed: 149mph (240km/h)
Consumption: 36.2mpg (US), 43.5mpg (UK), 6.5L/100km
CO2 emissions: 94.5g/mile (152g/km)
2143cm3
170bhp at 3000rpm
0-62mph (100km/h): 8.4sec
Top speed: 144mph (232km/h)
Consumption: 53.5mpg (US), 64.2mpg (UK), 4.4L/100km
CO2 emissions: 72.7g/mile (117g/km)
C250 CDI Coupe BlueEfficiency
2143cm3
204bhp at 4200rpm
0-62mph (100km/h): 7.0sec
Top speed: 149mph (240km/h)
Consumption: 48.0mpg (US), 57.6mpg (UK), 4.9L/100km
CO2 emissions: 79.6g/mile (128g/km)
3498cm3
306bhp at 6500rpm
0-62mph (100km/h): 6.0sec
Top speed: 155mph (250km/h) limited
Consumption: 34.5mpg (US), 6.8L/100km
CO2 emissions: 98g/mile (159g/km)
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