Geneva’s Best Concepts - 2010 Geneva Auto Show

What’s headed our way? What’s not?

By Matt DeLorenzo / Photos by John Lamm

From http://www.roadandtrack.com/

Auto show concept cars can be either futuristic ideas that never will see a production line or thinly disguised versions of cars you can buy within months at your local dealer. This year’s concepts at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show tend more toward the fantastic, although there might be something in the cards for future fans of a particular Italian make.

Alfa Romeo Pandion concept
This edgy 2+2 from Bertone is one of two concepts that honor Alfa Romeo’s 100th birthday. The large glass roof and swoopy shape recall another of this year’s hot concepts, the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics, which bowed last fall at Frankfurt.
The Pandion also showcases unique scissor-style doors that are hinged at the rear and swing up and toward the back of the vehicle. Based on a shorted Alfa Romeo 8C platform, the rear-drive Pandion is powered by a 444-bhp V-8.

Italdesign Giugiaro/Proton Emas Comfort and Country Concepts
The Turin-based design house headed by Giorgetto Giugiaro introduced a two-vehicle family of small cars for Malaysian automaker Proton. The 5 Porte (5 Door) and Country feature a hybrid powerplant that includes a 1.2-liter 3-cylinder engine that recharges a lithium-polymer battery pack for these front- and all-wheel-drive vehicles. The 5-door seats four, while the Country, which has only three doors, seats five. Egress isn’t a problem in the Country, which has no pillars and doors that are 52 in. long. Both vehicles are only 140 in. long, yet they offer the interior spaciousness of a midsize sedan.

Opel Flextreme GT/E
The purpose of the Opel Flextreme GT/E is to demonstrate that the extended range EV technology being used in the Chevrolet Volt can be adapted to a larger vehicle. The Flextreme is the size of a more traditional midsize station wagon, yet it offers nearly 40 miles in pure electric range from its plug-in lithium-ion battery pack. The vehicle can travel an additional 300 miles thanks to the 1.4-liter 4-cylinder engine that is used as a generator to drive the car’s electric motor. The 5-passenger Flextreme GT/E sports a sleek exterior with a drag coefficient of just 0.22, which undoubtedly helps the car reach its healthy top speed of 125 mph.

I.DE.A. Sofia
This handsome 4-passenger sedan is intended to not only showcase the design talents of the I.DE.A Institute, but also to demonstrate that there is a market for good-looking hybrid-powered luxury cars. The Sofia is built on a chassis that was an earlier engineering study for the institute, and beneath its sexy shape is a 400-bhp V-8. The battery-electric powertrain produces an extra 100 horses. I.DE.A. is looking at shopping the design around to automakers globally. It could provide some competition for the likes of the Fisker Karma, which is slated to bow later this year.

Pininfarina Alfa Romeo 2uettottanta Concept
This simple 2-seat spider designed by Pininfarina serves several purposes, the first of which is to commemorate the 80 years of cooperation between the design house and Alfa. The second is to mark the Milan-based automaker’s centennial. But it’s more than that; the 2uettotanta plays on the heritage of the Alfa Romeo Duetto, that sexy 2-seater driven by Dustin Hoffman in the seminal coming of age film, The Graduate. Like the Duetto, this new age concept is rear drive and powered by a 1750 cc 4-cylinder engine, although this time the powerplant is turbocharged. This car points to the next-generation Alfa Spider, which switches from front-drive to rear-drive and is said to be part of Alfa Romeo’s lineup when it returns to the U.S., perhaps as early as 2012.

Porsche 918 Spyder
In perhaps the biggest surprise at Geneva, Porsche pulled the covers off the stunning 2-seat 918 Spyder, a supercar that can get 78 mpg, says the Stuttgart company. Aided by a lightweight carbon chassis, the 3285-lb. 918 Concept hits 62 mph in less than 3.2 seconds, and has a top speed of 198 mph. A mid-mounted V-8 with more than 500 bhp is largely responsible for this, fortified by front and rear electric motors that add an extra 218 hp to the car’s propulsion. With a pure electric mode and even a rear-biased race mode, the 918, though only a concept, has real production possibilities. One recently lapped the Nürburgring track in Germany in less than 7 minutes 30 seconds, proving a hybrid sports car does indeed have a role in the company’s future.

Photos: Geneva’s Best Concepts >>

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Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera revealed

Posted By Michael Taylor



The Superleggera is back, and it’s faster and lighter than ever before. Debuting at the Geneva Motor Show, the new variant builds upon the new LP570 Gallardo line, which was first introduced in 2008. The car is a successor to the previous Gallardo Superleggera, which was produced in 2007 for less than a year.

Geneva Preview: Hyundai reveals diesel hybrid i-Flow

from: http://green.autoblog.com/

by Sam Abuelsamid

Hyundai's home office in Korea has dropped the first frontal image of the new concept that will be shown next week in Geneva along with some technical details. The i-Flow is a D-segment sedan meant to go up against cars like the Ford Mondeo in Europe. Under the hood, the i-Flow has Hyundai's first diesel hybrid powertrain including a new 1.7-liter inline-four. The diesel has dual stage turbocharging and is paired up with Hyundai's Blue-drive system using a new six-speed dual clutch gearbox. Like the upcoming Sonata hybrid, the i-Flow uses a lithium polymer battery pack. With its drag coefficient of 0.25, the i-Flow is claimed to achieve 78.4 miles per gallon (U.S.) and CO2 emissions of just 85 grams/kilometer.

Joining the i-Flow onstage will be a refreshed version of the i30 (badged as the Elantra Touring in North America) and low emissions "blue" versions of the i10, i20, i30 and ix35 (Tucson). These models get automatic start-stop, low rolling resistance tires and aero tweaks. The four cars all get CO2 ratings under 100 g/km while the crossover ix35 gets 135 g/km. Finally, Hyundai will also show a fuel cell version of the new ix35/Tucson for the first time. Hyundai still plans to produce fuel cell vehicles in the thousands annually by 2012.

[Source: Hyundai]

PRESS RELEASE

HYUNDAI TO PRESENT EIGHT WORLD DEBUTS AT GENEVA

Hyundai has today revealed the first photo of the all-new concept car i-flow (HED-7), ahead of its international debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week. The i-flow, which advances the 'fluidic sculpture' form language of Hyundai, will be joined on stage by other newcomers, including the facelifted i30 ? to be launched as i30U ? and a number of new, production-ready derivatives with CO2 emissions below 100g/km.

Previewing a future D-segment contender from Hyundai, i-flow boasts sleek, elegant lines which not only create a bionic, futuristic shape, but also contribute to exceptional aerodynamics. The drag coefficient of 0.25Cd helps to reduce the car's CO2 output to just 85g/km and fuel consumption to only 3l/100km.

Hyundai's first diesel-electric hybrid powertrain is a key factor in delivering such an environmentally-conscious return. The exciting new U2 1,7-liter engine is augmented by two-stage turbocharging and Hyundai's Lithium Ion-Polymer battery, to give a very efficient and advanced combination, partnered with a six-speed, dual-clutch transmission.

The interior of i-flow redefines the perception of space in a sedan bodystyle, and sees the application of next-generation materials and technologies developed in cooperation with leading chemical company BASF. Fundamental elements, such as the seats and center console, have been crafted in collaboration with BASF for minimal weight and volume. The cockpit's main interface centers around an expansive, contoured screen, which recognizes not only touch but also gestural inputs along its fascia-wide display.

The glossy 'Liquid Metal' finish ? developed by BASF Coatings ? adds to the visual impact of i-flow's exterior. Special-effect pigments in this eco-friendly waterborne coating give the surface a polished metal appearance, and highlight the sculptural character of the car.

Entering mass production in March this year, the i30U takes over from the well-established i30, and incorporates a wide range of improvements in design, specification and competitiveness, as well as even cleaner powertrains. To complete the upgrade, i30U comes with the Hyundai 'Triple5' package, consisting of an enhanced five-year, bumper-to-bumper unlimited warranty, five years' roadside assistance, and an annual vehicle seasonal health check for five years. The package reflects the quality and reliability of the Europe-built i30 family and gives added peace of mind to consumers.

At the Show Hyundai will also reveal the latest additions to its growing collection of eco-focused Blue DriveTM innovations. Five new production vehicles have resulted from the company's leading-edge program: the i10 blue, i20 blue, i30 blue, i30cw blue, and ix35 blue. The new arrivals will drive the company towards its goal of global leadership in environmentally-sensitive automotive technologies.

Through innovations such as a stop-start system, low-rolling-resistance tyres and modified aerodynamics, the first four of these cars have CO2 emissions below 100g/km. The ix35 blue, meanwhile, boasts an impressive 135g/km ?a benchmark figure for a C-segment SUV. These improvements are achieved without compromising performance, reliability or driver satisfaction, making all Blue DriveTM models a realistic solution for motorists.

Looking one step beyond the blue-badged models, the ix35 FCEV moves Hyundai closer to the commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. Debuting at Geneva, it features several important innovations over the previous-generation Tucson FCEV, and will lead to production volume of Hyundai FCEVs in the thousands by 2012. Among the developments implemented on ix35 FCEV are steps to reduce the cost and complexity of fuel-cell manufacturing and new approaches which simplify final assembly.

More information about Hyundai's star cars and the latest corporate news will be made available on the stand, where media can request press kits. The company's press conference will take place in Hall 1 at 14:15 (CET) on Tuesday 2nd March.

Ladies of the Geneva Motor Show

Second day of the Geneva Motor Show is almost over and tomorrow doors will open to the general public. We have brought you information about different concepts, future models and also new debuts.

This post here is not about another new model, it is all about the girls who spend their days next to all these cars.

just like with cars there are girls for every taste. Some are taller, some are shorter. Some have blond hair, some dark. We are not going into all the details about these girls. Just sit down with your buddies and browse through all the images below. Enjoy!

Opel Unveils New Ampera – And it Looks Really Good

I wasn’t expecting to be impressed with the new Opel Ampera (the Chevy Volt’s European cousin). In fact, I was convinced I would find something dull, unimaginative and lacking in technical innovation.

But instead, I believe that I’ve actually found the only serious contender to replace the Audi A3 TDI that’s sitting on my driveway right now.

This week GM invited Gas 2.0 to witness the unveiling of the Opel Ampera, to go on sale in Europe in 2011.

The Ampera not only looks great but features genuinely innovative technology, which according to GM vice Chairman Bob Lutz will ‘leapfrog the competition’. With a 16 kWh advanced lithium ion battery pack the Ampera has a battery range of 60km – not far, but far enough to satisfy the average daily requirement of 80% of German drivers – after which the gasoline powered engine begins to generate electricity enabling a total range of 500km.

GM’s Frank Weber, engineering lead on the Voltec drive train which underpins the Volt and the Ampera goes to some length to explain how this approach differs from the competition. Instead of driving the wheels directly with an option for electrical assistance (as is the case in the majority of today’s hybrids), the Voltec engine generates electricity only, allowing it to operate in the most efficient part of the fuel map while the power transmission is entirely electric. The result is an estimated running cost only 1/5th that of similarly sized conventional cars.

However, what’s most impressive is the passion and enthusiasm demonstrated by the Opel team for this product. In the Ampera they have created a stunning yet practical car which ticks every box on my A3 replacement list.

In short, it is one of the few cars that I saw at this year’s Geneva Motor Show which inspires a genuine feeling of desire – of the kind that makes one forget the poor economic arguments for cars in a country well served by public transport, and makes you just want to write the cheque and own it.

The Ampera is on my shopping list..

More Images

Fast Facts:

• 220 lithium-ion cells
• Nearly silent electric drive unit delivers 370 Nm of instant torque
• Equivalent of 150 horsepower,
• Zero to 100 km/h acceleration in around nine seconds, and a top speed of 161 km/h.

Images © GM Corp, with permission.