Automotive News Europe - March 2, 2009 - 15

March 2, 2009 www.autonewseurope.com · PAGE 15 Want another copy? Guide to the Geneva auto show For a printer-friendly PDF version of the Geneva preview, go to: autonews.com/geneva09preview Stylish, sexy, smart More than 30 concept and production cars will make their world debuts this week Mark Rechtin Automotive News Europe With car sales plummeting globally and little sign of life coming from any nation’s economy, the 79th Geneva auto show could be seen as the modern equivalent of the string quartet on the deck of the Titanic. Automakers and design houses will use the show to display more than 30 world debuts of concept and production cars. Those sorts of numbers are normally seen during boom times. Of course, many of these product plans were started when times were good. The glitz and showmanship of past years likely will be muted due to budget cuts. Still, the roster of vehicles, an equal split between performance and economy, is impressive. At a time when automakers are pulling out of auto shows, putting the very survival of the events at risk, the Geneva salon is perhaps one last display of brashness from an industry looking for any hint of good news. Yet it is possible to wonder how grand the Geneva show could have been. Many automakers have slowed their product development plans in order to conserve cash, delaying introductions and extending the length of their current vehicle cycles. Had those product plans stayed on schedule, this year’s Geneva show would have been truly epic. What follows is the list of planned introductions to occur during the show’s March 3-15 run. Audi aims A4 Allroad at rugged set The redesigned A4 Allroad gives Audi a more rugged-looking variant of the A4 Avant wagon with enhanced off-road capabilities. At 180mm, the Allroad’s suspension is 70mm taller than the Avant’s. This results in better ground clearance. The Allroad also has Audi’s Off Road Detection stability control system, which offers improved traction during off-road driving. With 17-inch wheels, additional wheel-arch cladding and deeper front and rear protective bumper shields, the Allroad’s design has been adapted to reflect its all-wheel-drive functionality. The A4 Allroad comes initially with three engines: a 211hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline direct-injection engine; a 170hp, 2.0-liter turbodiesel; and a 240hp 3.0-liter V-6 turbodiesel. Aston Martin Aston Martin has stuffed a 6.0-liter V-12 powerplant into its small coupe’s engine bay. The V12 Vantage will be “the most potent production sports car in the marque’s 95-year history,” the automaker claims. The engine produces 510hp and 570Nm of torque, resulting in a 0 V12 Vantage to 100kph acceleration of 4.2 seconds. Aston Martin engineers created the car in just a year. The engine bay was redesigned to house the larger motor, brake cooling system and intake system. The rear suspension is more compact to account for wider wheels and tires. Production will start in the autumn, and be limited to about 400 units a year. Pricing will be revealed at the show. Mark Rechtin 3 See related story on Lagonda, Page 17 A4 Allroad All three motors come in combination with a brake-energy regeneration system, which converts deceleration energy into electricity. The smaller diesel has a manual six-speed transmission while the gasoline and the larger diesel have a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The A4 Allroad goes on sale this summer. Wim Oude Weernink Bentley Displaying its green-performance credentials, Bentley will unveil a high-performance sports car with an engine that can run on E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Bentley said adapting the car to run on E85 was achieved by giving it an enhanced engine management system and newly developed transmission. Bentley declined to disclose the price and volume goal for the Continental Supersports, but said it will go on sale this year. The sports car will be positioned above its Continental GT Speed model, with more power than the GT Speed. Bentley Design Director Dirk van Braeckel oversaw the car’s styling. The car will be Bentley’s first model under its long-term strategy to deliver renewable-fuel vehicles throughout its range. Bentley claims it will be the first luxury manufacturer in the world to do so. Bettina Mayer Continental Supersports BMW hatches a new type of 5 series Based on the 5-series platform, BMW has developed a new concept for a five-door premium hatchback. BMW describes it as a Progressive Activity Sedan and calls the model the Gran Turismo. The concept GT is designed like a four-door coupe, with frameless side windows. A large two-piece tailgate gives access to a luggage compartment that grows from 430 liters to 1650 liters when the rear seats are folded down. BMW claims the concept offers legroom comparable with that of the 7-series sedan, and headroom equal to that of the BMW X5 premium SUV. The overall length is Gran Turismo 4995mm, while the car is 1555mm tall. As shown in Geneva, the GT is still a styling concept. A furt then go on sale in the fourth quarter. production version is expected to be Wim Oude Weernink unveiled at this September’s IAA in Frank- Chevrolet Replacing the Matiz, the Spark is Chevrolet’s new minicar model. The Spark was developed in South Korea by GM Daewoo Auto & Technology, which also will manufacture the car. Spark The Spark comes with either a 1.0- or 1.2-liter four-cylinder 16-valve gasoline engine. It has a five-door layout that sits on a 2375mm wheelbase, with an overall length of about 3500mm. A three-door version is also being considered, GM sources said. The design of the Spark reflects much of the Chevrolet Beat concept, first shown in spring 2007. A motorcycle-style instrument panel, fitted as a separate cluster to the dashboard, is a styling touch that carries over from the Beat. The Spark goes on sale in Europe during the first quarter of 2010, with a US introduction in 2011. Wim Oude Weernink 2009 Geneva auto show world debuts Production Aston Martin V12 Vantage Audi A4 Allroad Audi TT RS Chevrolet Spark Fiat 500 C Mazda 3 MPS Mazda 3 i-stop Mercedes-Benz E class sedan Mercedes-Benz E class coupe Nissan NV200 Opel Ampera Peugeot 3008 Renault Scenic Renault Grand Scenic Renault Megane Tourer Saab 9-3x Seat Exeo ST Skoda Yeti Toyota Verso VW Polo Concept Bentley Continental Supersports BMW Gran Turismo Citroen Inside DS Dacia crossover/coupe Ford small minivan Hyundai HED-6 Infiniti Essence Italdesign Namir Kia YN Mitsubishi i MiEV Sport Air Nissan Qazana Rinspeed iChange Rolls-Royce EX200

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Automotive News Europe - March 2, 2009

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