Geneva 2012 - Star launches
As with any international auto show there were many important launches
at Geneva. Some were wacky, some were practical while others were
ground-breaking. The majority were world premieres while some were
European launches. The following are just a select few that gave me the
urge to snap happy...
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| Mercedes
SL - This girl at Mercedes couldn't resist to strike a pose! This is
the 6th generation of Mercedes desirable and iconic drop-top which
offers power, refinement and total prestige |
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| Lotus
Exige S Roadster - This is the first time the Exige has been offered
with an open top and is the Norfolk based firm's fastest drop-top to
date. Power comes from a Toyota sourced 3.5 litre V6 - the same as that
used in the coupe |
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| Porsche
Boxter - Following closely behind the launch of the latest 911, the
third generation Boxter is very likely to continue to be the top dog in
the sports roadster class |
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| Jaguar
XF Sportbrake - This is Jaguar's second estate after the often
criticised X-Type. I think this is a decent looking car and is a welcome
addition to Jaguar's range - a more extensive range of vehicles are on
the way. I believe Tata's ownership of Jaguar Land Rover has been very
well managed and so far has been very successful |
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| Ferrari
F12 Berlinetta - I love it! The replacement for the 599GTB is the
fastest and most powerful car from the Prancing Horse. It features a
730bhp 6.3 litre V12 engine that allows the F12 to reach 62mph in just
3.1secs and reach a top speed of over 211mph |
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| Audi
A3 - The third generation Audi A3 has arrived and sits on VW's new
modular 'MQB' platform that will eventually underpin the next Volkswagen
Golf due later in the year. The design is pretty evolutionary compared
to its predecessor although the car is much lighter than before and
continues to offer typical Audi levels of superior interior ergonomics |
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| Ford
B-Max - It maybe just another mini-MPV, but the Blue Oval's latest
family car offering is, I believe, a lot more pleasing on the eye than
the latest C-Max. What's really interesting is the door arrangement.
There is no B-pillar meaning there is an open space between the
conventional front doors and the rear sliding ones making entry and exit
a lot easier. Side body strengthening is incorporated into the rear
door architecture |
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| Bugatti
Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse - The standard open top Grand Sport has had
the same power hike as the Super Sport did compared to the standard
Veyron coupe. As usual with Bugatti, the figures are astonishing -
1184bhp, 1105lb ft of torque, 0-62mph in about 2.5secs and a top speed
of 253mph. The price.....a cool £2.1m |
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| AC
MkII - The famous British marque is set for a relaunch after funding
has been found. The original AC Cobra was quiet.....until you turned it
on! |
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| Cadillac
ATS - GM are determined to crack the European market and this new BMW
3-Series rival is set to be their biggest weapon to date. I like it and a
part of me hopes that General Motors succeeds in its mission. If it
does, it will be about time. The American luxury brand has been trying
and failing spectacularly to break into the European market for some
time now. Less successful are models like the Escalade Hybrid SUV - talk
about out of touch |
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| Volvo
V40 - This replaces both the S40 and V50 in Volvo's range and unlike
both, is now a five door hatchback. Production will commence in Belgium
and Volvo hopes the car will steal sales from Audi and BMW
rivals. Volvo, which is now owned by Chinese automaker Geely, is
preparing for models conceived under their ownership - the V40 was
developed during Ford's reign |
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| Fiat
500L - I'll be honest, I'm not a lover of the look. Although there are
plenty of 500 styling cues, the 500L is actually based on Punto
underpinnings which leaves a big question mark over what the driving
experience will be like. For those who love the 500's retro design but
need more space and practicality, this five door model should appeal |
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| Audi
A1 Quattro - This limited edition features four wheel drive and 252bhp -
only 19 are coming to the UK. The motoring press isn't convinced as
road tests say it's quick but lacks sparkle. I don't think Audi are too
bothered as they've already sold the allocation at a pretty steep
£41,020 each |
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| Morgan
Plus 8 - Powered by a 4.8 litre V8 BMW engine, the new Plus 8 is based
on the Aero's aluminium chassis rather than the more traditional Plus 4
and Roadster models. The body is certainly classical in design but is
lighter than the Aero meaning this is no slouch. As is the norm, the
Malvern based manufacturer has got healthy waiting lists |
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| Volkswagen
Golf GTI Cabriolet - The iconic hot hatch has lost its roof! The
convertible uses the same 207bhp engine as the hatch and includes the
styling cues you'd expect. Not only is this the fastest Golf convertible
to date, it's also the first GTI badged model. There is still a
question mark over whether an R version will be sold - both were
originally shown as concepts. Time is running out - the new Golf is due
before the year's end |
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| BMW
M6 - I found this set of wheels rather alluring. Powered by a
twin-turbocharged 4.4 litre V8, this bruiser produces 552bhp and reaches
a max speed of 189mph. The new M6 is BMW's faster ever two door model.
It will cost from £93,795 |
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| Gumpert
Apollo Enraged - This German hypercar is just about road legal. The
engine is a 4.2 litre twin-turbo V8 that produces 780bhp. You won't need
me to tell you that it'll go like stink! Not the prettiest car though |
