2006 Geneva Show Preview, Part II

2006 Geneva Motor Show Coverage by TCC Team (2/19/2006)

 

Geneva Brings New 911 Turbo

The upcoming Geneva Motor Show will be the setting for the launch of Porsche’s sixth-generation 911 Turbo. The new Turbo model will show up at the Palexpo in March, powered by a 480-hp version of the classic Porsche flat-six engine, up 60 hp in this edition. Porsche says the new model will zip to 60 mph in less than 3.9 seconds when also outfitted with the standard six-speed manual transmission — and even quicker with the six-speed Tiptronic S automatic transmission, in 3.7 seconds or less. With either transmission, top speed is limited to about 190 mph. The Turbo will be available in Europe in the summer; U.S. plans and prices have yet to be announced.

 

 

 

 

VW Concept A

VW will bring its new Concept A to the Geneva Motor Show as a concept crossover that could give away some details of the upcoming Marrakesh ute. The Concept A blends sport-ute with sportscar, VW says, from its chrome-framed grille on back. The four-door (the back doors are rear-hinged) has a sleek roofline that ends in a hatchback that’s split into tailgate and liftgate sections. A soft top pulls back to open the cabin to the elements, and the Concept A rides on massive 20-inch wheels. Power for the concept comes from a 150-hp version of VW’s new Twincharger four; a six-speed manual gearbox puts power through all-wheel drive. The concept could host a turbodiesel engine or the 200-hp FSI turbo four, VW admits. Inside, four bucket seats are surrounded in black patent leather; the console sports a Multi-Media Interface (MMI) like those on some Audi models.

 

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Dodge Hornet

Dodge is preparing to enter the European market with the Caliber and the Nitro. But there is more in the pipeline, perhaps something like the Hornet concept coming to Geneva . The Hornet is a concept car for a new small car, the size so popular in Europe . At 151.4 inches long, the Hornet would be exactly the right size for the class. The concept has a bold design and stands on 19-inch wheels — obviously not normal in this class. Under the hood is a supercharged 1.6-liter gas engine with 170 hp and 165 lb-ft of torque that, Dodge says, will thrust the Hornet from zero to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds.

 

 

 

 

 

Hyundai Genus

 

Hyundai’s been active so far this year with concept cars. In Detroit the HCD-9 Talus was unveiled, as designed by the team of Joel Piaskowski, of Hyundai’s Californian design center. In Geneva Hyundai will show the Genus, which comes from its European Design center in Rüsselsheim, Germany. The Genus is a concept for a premium crossover vehicle, a segment that is growing fast in Europe as it is in the U.S. Hyundai says the Genus combines the sporty driving qualities of a coupe and the practicality of a station wagon.

 

 

 

Kia Cee´d

Kia Motors will show the Cee´d concept car in Geneva. It is based on its successor to the Cerato that Kia will build beginning this December at its European assembly plant in Slovakia. The production model will make its debut in Paris in September. Although the concept car was designed as a teaser, it is pretty close to the production version of the upcoming car in the C-segment, which we saw during a peek preview inSeoul last year and which has been especially developed for the European market. The Cee´d has several design elements of the Sorento and the small Picanto, but with extended wheel arches and 19-inch wheels it looks bolder than the production version will be.  
 

 

 

 

Kia Carnival

Kia will have two new production vehicles on stage in Geneva: a facelifted Sorento SUV gets an updated version of the existing 2.5 CRDi diesel engine, and a power increase from 140 hp to 170 hp. The existing 194-hp 3.5-liter V-6 will be replaced by a 3.3-liter V-6 with 235 hp. The most significant changes on the exterior are the reshaped headlamps and taillights. Kia has updated the interior and now uses better materials, while the rear seats are easier to fold down.

The Carnival is completely new and Kia will show its European version in Geneva. In North America this model is known as the Sedona, and comes for now in long-wheelbase form. The new Carnival is a short version that still will seat seven passengers. The third row has seats that can slide back and forth, independently of each other. Kia will offer the Carnival with both gas and diesel engines. The new shorter Carnival will emerge as a short-wheelbase Sedona in the U.S. later this year.

 

 

 

Colt CZC and EZ-MIEV

 

Besides the world premiere of the Colt CZC, Mitsubishi’s small coupe-convertible, the Mitsu Concept-EZ MIEV also will bow in Geneva. The Japanese company describes the Concept-EZ as an advanced research concept that shows the long-term vision of the company in powertrains and in design. Mitsubishi developed prototypes based on existing models such as the Lancer Evolution, but the Concept-EZ is the first research concept that incorporates Mitsubishi’s (patented) In-Wheel Electric Vehicle (MIEV). Electric motors have been built in the wheel hubs, so that each wheel can be driven or braked separately. This way there is no heavy transmission, no drive shafts nor a differential. Apart from the low weight, the system also allows a lot of interior space and good driving qualities because of the better weight distribution. The four electric motors combined deliver 110 hp. The energy comes from the lithium-ion package beneath the floor. Drive-by-wire steering also allows more freedom for the designers, who created a flexible interior within the 146-inch-long car. Because the steering wheel is retractable and all seats are foldable, the car could also be used for “lounging.”

 

 

 

Nissan Terranaut

 

Nissan will show the Terranaut, a concept for a mobile laboratory for scientists. The cockpit of the Terranaut offers seating for three persons and has an onboard lab in the rear, with high-tech research apparatus, a computer, and advanced communications technology. The third seat in the back can be rotated in all directions. To create as much room as possible, the Terranaut only has one door on the passenger side. On the other side there are two, one of which is rear-hinged. Because there is no B-pillar, entry and exit is very easy. The concept car stands on 19-inch wheels with special Goodyear tires that can be pressure-controlled from the cockpit. A large glass dome provides a lot of light inside.

 

 

 

 

 

Toyota Urban Cruiser

Toyota shows its Urban Cruiser, a concept car that hints at the successor of the RAV4 three-door model. We expect that Toyota will use the same platform, suspension, and drivetrain of the recently updated Daihatsu Terius for its new small SUV. The Urban Cruiser has been designed in Toyota’s ED2 design studio in Nice, France. The Urban Cruiser will undoubtedly get the most attention at the Toyota stand, where the new Yaris T-Sport will also be presented. No details are known yet about the super-fast small car, but according to Toyota, we can expect the most powerful engine ever built in a Yaris in the T-Sport.

 

 

 

 

 

Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon

Alfa Romeo will stage two world premieres in Geneva . The Alfa 159 Sportwagon has the same length and looks as sporty as the sedan, which recently got a five-star rating in the Euro NCAP crash tests.

 

The Spider is the second Alfa model to make its debut in Geneva. Its design is inspired by Alfa’s glory years of the Fifties with the Giulietta Spider. The new Spider is a well sized two-seater with elongated rear lights and four exhaust pipes. According to Alfa Romeo, the interior is “gorgeously sophisticated.” Clients can choose from two versions to be equipped with either a 185-hp 2.2-liter diesel engine or with the 3.2-liter gas engine with 260 hp.

 

 

 

Audi allroad

 

Last year, Audi unveiled the allroad concept car in Detroit and the production version based on that concept will bow in Geneva. Since 2000, Audi has produced 90,000 copies of the allroad quattro. The second-generation A6 allroad will be positioned right under the new Q7: like its predecessor, the new allroad will be equipped with full-time all-wheel drive, but we are not sure if this model will get the quattro badges. In April, the new version will be ready for the first press drives and it will hit the market this summer. Two more models are expected to celebrate its world premieres at the Salon: the RS4 Avant, the station wagon edition of the fast RS4, as well as the RS4 Cabrio. The new TT will bow later this spring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

BMW 320si

 

At Geneva, BMW will present its 320si, which will be built in a limited edition of 2600 cars as the base car for homologation for the World Touring Car Championship 2006. The 320si is equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 173 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque. The sporty 3-Series model reaches a top speed of 140 mph and accelerates from 0-60 mph in 7.9 seconds. The regulations of the WTCC do not allow engines with a capacity larger than a 2.0-liter, but BMW has managed to tune the engine to 275 hp. The limited edition is equipped with the M sport package and special race inspired 18-inch aluminium wheels. Production of the BMW 320si starts this spring, but there is a fat chance that this model will be sold out at the moment the Geneva Salon opens its doors for the public on March 2.

More news in Geneva will be the Z4 M Coupe that the Bavarian carmaker will use to conquer Porsche. The new model will hit the market in June, at the same time as the Z4 Coupe, and will be serious competition for the Porsche Cayman S. Under its tightly fitted body, the Z4 M has the drivetrain and the suspension of the M3: an in-line 3.2-liter six with 343 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque, which should propel the Z4 coupe from zero to 60 in less than five seconds. Expect our first review on the Z4 M with all the details on Wednesday, February 22.

 

 

 

 

 

Chevrolet Epica

 

In Europe the Chevy brand has truly been revived. With strong sales last year, Chevrolet will use the Geneva stage for the world debut of the Epica. The South Korean–built Epica will go on sale in the spring with a 2.0-liter straight six or a 2.0-liter common-rail-diesel in-line four. Other engines will follow later this year. Both engines will be available with a five-speed manual or a new five-speed automatic transmission. The interior will set new standards for Chevrolet passenger cars in Europe.

The second debut at the Chevrolet stand will be the Captiva, a mid-size SUV that will also hit the market this spring. The Captiva will have to compete with SUVs such as the Kia Sorento.

 

 

Rinspeed zaZen

 

For over a decade, Rinspeed Design has brought notable concept cars toGeneva. This year the Swiss company commanded by Frank Rinkderknecht will show the zaZen, a design study that has been developed together with Bayer MaterialScience, one of the largest plastics producers in the world. The zaZen is a showcase for future plastic technology as well as gimmicks. It sports a transparent backlight that turns into a luminous holographic area. The third brake light seems to shine out of what looks like a floating transparent hardtop made of high-tech Makrolon polycarbonate. The shape of the roof is possible through the use of a plastic “sandwich” that is much lighter than glass.
Bayer says that the novel lighting system represents a small step in the way to building the car of the future. Both Rinspeed and Bayer MaterialScience have no intention of building a car like the zaZen, but their goal is to get people thinking about the car of tomorrow.
The name zaZen reflects the concept’s thesis: you only get somewhere if you are prepared to give up conventional ideas. The zaZen’s interior also has lots of transparent elements, such as the plastic seat shells made of Makrolon and fitted with Technogel upholstery. The seats were produced together with Recaro. The concept is equipped with a 355-hp six-cylinder boxer engine from the Porsche 997 Carrera S. It has a top speed of 182 mph and accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 4.6 sec.

 

 

Sportec

 

Swiss tuner Sportec may cast a shadow on the new Porsche GT3 and 911 Turbo that will also bow in Geneva. The Sportec SPR1 is based on the Porsche 911 and has a chassis that can be changed by the driver with a button on the dashboard. Horsepower hasn’t been disclosed, but Sportec promises zero-to-60 times of 3.0 seconds and a top speed of 236 mph. Sportec has revised the drive axles and the brake system so that it takes just 118 ft to stop from 62 mph. Sportec delivers the car with a custom interior, so that each car will be unique. It will be very exclusive as well, as the company plans to build only 10 SPR1s.

MINI Geneva Concept

This year MINI will celebrate the birthday of Sir Alec Issigonis, the designer of the original Mini. In Frankfurt, Tokyo, and Detroit the brand presented a series of concepts, and likewise the Geneva show will get its own MINI concept this year. The theme for Geneva is the Rally of Monte Carlo, as in the years of 1964 to 1967 in which the Mini was unbeatable in the famous Rally. The new concept is equipped as a service car for a rally team and wears rally badges, while the badge in the grille celebrates Issigonis’ birthday. The engine is taken from the Cooper S; at the rear there are twin exhausts. The luggage space has a flexible Cargobox, with a rear panel that can slide backwards to help loading or unloading. The lid can move upwards to create a division between the cockpit and the luggage space.