
2006 Geneva Motor Show
2006
Geneva Motor Show Coverage by TCC Team
(2/19/2006)
Geneva
Brings New 911 Turbo

2007 Porsche 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.

2000 Chevrolet Tracker 2-door
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.
MORE PHOTOS:
Dodge Hornet

2006 Dodge Hornet concept
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.

2006 Hyundai Genus concept
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

2006 Kia Ce'ed concept
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 in
Seoul 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

2006 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

2006 Mitsubishi 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

2006 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.

2006 Toyota Urban Cruiser
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

2006 Alfa Romeo Spider
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.

2006 BMW Z4M
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

2006 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.
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