
2004 Ford auto show logo
2004 Geneva Motor Show Index by TCC
Team (2/22/2004)
Switzerland Shows It Off

2004 Geneva Motor Show
Switzerland — you can set your watch by the trains, and
you can count the number of major car companies native to the nation on no
fingers. And that’s what makes the Swiss show a major hit with automakers, who
throng to the show each year to make their press play on neutral ground. Yes,
General Motors and Volkswagen and Toyota and Ford are here — but so are
Lorinser, Rinspeed and a whole host of brands Americans may never have heard of.
Today TCC is bringing you the highlights from the Geneva motor show from far and
wide as well as big and small. You can get all of our Geneva stories through the
index below; also make sure to see the show’s official site at
www.salon-auto.ch for
more information.
Mitsubishi Preens Two New
Colts

2004 Mitsubishi Colt
Mitsubishi’s new subcompact for Europe has some familiar
underpinnings — the Smart formore shares the Colt’s architecture but not its
rather conservative look. Sized for European roads, the tall five-door hatchback
is due to go on sale in Europe this May for a price of about $13,000. For that
price, buyers will get a roomy vehicle, Mitsu promises: the Colt’s said to be
the widest vehicle in its class, with the longest interior space as well. The
interior is more flexible that most subcompacts, with split-fold rear seats that
can slide, flip, fold or be completely removed; the front passenger seat also
folds flat down for loading of long objects. The engines range from a 1.1-liter,
75-hp gas four-cylinder to a 95-hp, 1.5-liter diesel three; a five-speed manual
gearbox and a six-speed automatic are available with either engine. Standard
anti-lock control for the brakes and optional stability control and side airbags
round out the safety features.

2004 Mitsubishi Colt
The second Colt is a concept that Mitsu is already
plotting for production. The Colt CZ3 reconfigures the new Colt/Smart
architecture into a three-door hatchback, with coupe styling and a lower, more
dramatic roofline. The concept shares the same wheelbase as the production
five-door, but is somewhat shorter in overall length. Blackout privacy glass and
17” Okazaki alloy wheels gave the shape more drama. Mitsu promises a production
version of this concept for the 2004 Paris Motor Show in September.
MINI Exposes Convertible

2004 MINI Cooper Convertible
Though MINI continues to exceed BMW’s expectations for
sales in the States, that doesn’t mean the revived British brand will rest on
its laurels. Later this year, the MINI Convertible will come to the States, and
audiences in Geneva got the first look at the coming droptop. The fabric-roofed
MINI Convertible is, in fact, two convertibles in one: the fabric roof slides
back nearly 16 inches for a targa effect, and opens the rest of the way,
stacking onto itself behind the rear seats, in 15 seconds for a completely
open-air experience. Structural reinforcements to the chassis and a pair of roll
hoops provide for better safety in the Convertible, while a slightly revamped
front end distinguishes it from the roofed MINI from the beltline down. In
Europe, the MINI Convertible will be offered as the 90-hp MINI One. The U.S.
will get the Cooper Convertible with the 115-hp four-cylinder and later the
Cooper S Convertible with 163 hp. Two new colors—Hot Orange and Cool Blue—can be
ordered with the ragtop edition, while three top colors will be offered.
Anti-lock brakes and electronic brake distribution are standard, while stability
control and traction control will be made available as options.
Alfa Romeo Returns to AWD With
Crosswagon

2004 Alfa Romeo Crosswagon
Alfa long ago abandoned the U.S. market, and with plans
for a return through GM channels in serious doubt, there’s little chance the
stunning Crosswagon will make its way to America. The Crosswagon marks Alfa’s
return to four-wheel drive; the Fiat brand says the vehicle combines sport-ute
off-road performance and carlike handling. The all-wheel-drive system
incorporate three differentials and a Torsen C system that sets the torque bias
to the rear, endowing the Alfa with the potential for far better handling than
the typical crossover vehicle. Versus the 156 sedan it’s derived from, the
Crosswagon also gets a revamped interior. The engine is a 150-hp, 1.9-liter
four-cylinder diesel coupled to a manual six-speed gearbox. Anti-lock brakes,
electronic brakeforce distribution and stability control are standard.
Modus Foreshadows New Renault
B-Car

2004 Renault Modus concept
The small hatchback still reigns supreme in Europe, and
Renault’s latest effort evolves the segment while also previewing the new
Renault subcompact coming to Renault showrooms in the fall of this year. The
Modus, Renault says, will offer unheard-of interior space with class-leading
headroom front and back in the one-box shape. Renault’s emphasized the airy
levels of headroom with a translucent roof and a headliner inkjet-printed with
clouds. More grounded features on the concept include LCD displays, automatic
climate control and a CD player, as well as a split-folding rear bench seat that
can be used as a three-across bench or seating for two, with the middle seat
folding up between the side seats. The tailgate is split and opens glass-up,
tailgate-down. The engine’s a 1.6-liter, 115-hp four.
Suzuki Sports Twin Concepts

2004 Suzuki S-Ride concept
They’re not look-alikes, but Suzuki’s fraternal twin
concepts from Geneva were equally compelling to look at. The S-RIDE is the less
likely candidate for production: it’s a two-place convertible commuter car with
tandem seats and an aluminum body, borrowing freely from Suzuki’s sport-bike
heritage. An unspecified engine is to be mounted amidship.

2004 Suzuki Landbreeze concept
The Landbreeze concept seems much closer to reality,
especially given Europe’s preference for smaller, softer sport-utes. The
charming Landbreeze sported frosty white paint inset with green translucent
plastic, which also adorned its wheels and its cockpit. The SUV, Suzuki says,
couples green technology like recyclable aluminium construction with a hybrid
660-cc powertrain.
Kite Flies from Fioravanti

2004 Fioravanti Kite
House of style Fioravanti exhibited its new Kite concept at
the 2004 Geneva show, pitching the two-door coupe as the perfect design for
flexible interior spaces friendly to active lifestyle-types. The coupe sports a perforated, semi-transparent steel
roof that the idea house says will also give rear passengers
a better view of the road. The Kite’s headlamps are composed of
LEDs. No powertrain was specified for the concept.
Splash Makes Just That for
Rinspeed

2004 Rinspeed Splash concept
Tuner firm Rinspeed uses ultra-bizarre concepts at the
Geneva motorshow to draw attention to its more lucrative and reality-based
tuning business. This year’s clever PR stunt was the Splash, a combination of
amphicar, hydrofoil and a roadgoing roadster. A hydraulic mechanism converts the
road car into an amphibious vehicle, while an integrated hydrofoil system
enables the "Splash" to cruise about two feet above the water. As a powerboat,
the Splash can hit 45 knots. On the road, Rinspeed says the automotive platypus
can shoot to about 60 mph in under six second on its way to a top speed of about
120 mph.
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