auto car show: February 2006

Opel GT nameplate returns in open-top form

The nameplate that adorned one of General Motors’ European Opel division’s most admired models returns after 30 years.

Opel will sell a European version of the Saturn Sky, badged the GT, though this new car, unlike the coupe original, is an open-top roadster.

The GT will be sold in left-hand-drive only. There are no significant changes to the exterior styling to differentiate the GT from the Sky. Opel has replaced the Sky’s 170-hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder with a more powerful 265-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter engine.

Opel claims the GT will hit 60 mph in around six seconds and run to a top speed of 143 mph. The GT will be built alongside its Saturn equivalent and the Pontiac Solstice at GM’s Wilmington plant in Delaware, with the first deliveries due this time next year.
Source: © autoweek.com by Greg Kable

Ballistic Brabus hits 212mph

Just as the dust settles on the hoo-hah surrounding the new Mercedes S-Class, along comes Brabus and kicks sand, dust and gravel in everyone's faces with the S V12 S Biturbo.

Keen students of deciphering the German tuning firm's names policy will quickly garner that this baby has a twin turbo V12.

With engine size increased to 6.3 litres and those turbos, Brabus has realised a heavyweight 730bhp and astonishing 974lb ft of torque.

Any idle boasting among friends of 0-60mph times will soon be flattened when the Brabus owner drops into the conversation the S V12 S Biturbo's 0-125mph time of 11.9 seconds. Top speed is 212mph. Game over.
Source: © topgear.com

Saab Aero X concept

"I think Saab may be a bit too caught up in their aero heritage, as their Aero X concept, to be seen at Geneva, has no doors or even an "A" pillar."

Instead access and egress is much like that of a jet fighter, with a canopy that opens up and out.

Getting beyond that, it is an AWD vehicle powered by a 400-hp, twin-turbo BioPower V6.

Yep, a bit weird, and Saab to the core. I like it!
Source: © blogs.edmunds.com by Bob

Rolls Royce 101EX

A new concept from Rolls Royce.

After the 100EX, this year it's the turn of the 101EX, another convertible concept, very similar to the 100EX, but more down-to-earth: it's shorter (24 cm less than the Phantom) and the engine is a V12 with the typical 6.75 liters Rolls capacity, instead of a V16. 75% of maximum torque is available from 1,000 rpm.

Rolls Royce says that there are no production plans for the 101EX, but it's curiosly similar to the Rolls Royce convertible seen in some spy-shots recently.
Source: © eurocarblog.com

Toyota Aygo for Sport concept at Geneva

" This has to be the most "fun" Toyota I've seen to date. "

"I absolutely LOVE it! I would love to see Toyota find some way to make it street-legal—and sell it here! "
Source: © blogs.edmunds.com by Bob

New Terios takes off in Geneva

Daihatsu took the chance to tease showgoers one last time with its new Terios before the car goes on sale in the UK in May.

The pint-pot SUV uses a new 1.5-litre engine with 103bhp and full-time four-wheel drive.

All Terios models will come with four airbags, air-conditioning and rear parking sensors, while Daihatsu tells us there's more space for passengers and luggage.

Capable of 40.4mpg fuel economy, the Terios will not tax your wallet too much with a starting price of £12,995.
Source: © topgear.com

Pagani and his Fangio Roadster

Pagani Automobili of Cesaro sul Panaro, east of Modena just off the famed Via Emilia, is still crafting amazing exotics for customers with the cash and non-traditional taste needed. Just as we were universally drawn to the roadster version of the previous Zonda S, the Zonda Roadster F at Geneva is also something to behold.

Built for a customer—as with all Pagani showpieces—the F roadster keeps all of the AMG power upgrades in the Mercedes 7.3-liter, 594-hp, 549-lb-ft V12. It just removes the roof and puts in its place what we think is the finest work of removable-top art in the exotic trade. Whereas the actual carbon composite roof is more like the targa-esque piece on the Maserati MC12 Stradale, the side curtains are actual canvas. The look is beautiful and the aerodynamics with this roof in place do not suffer at all over the coupe. And the entire assembly weighs just 11 pounds, allowing curb weight to stay near 2800 pounds.

Last year with the coupe F, Horacio Pagani started offering a complete carbon-look treatment and the effect here is simply evil. Pagani production is always limited to two-digit amounts and this open F will most likely end at 25 units. Within that clutch of cars, most will be the 641-hp Clubsport edition that gets to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds.
Source: © autoweek.com by Matt Davis

VW Polo BlueMotion: World premiere of the most economical VW Polo ever !

VW is going to show another world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show: the VW Polo BlueMotion which is titled as the most economical VW Polo ever.

The VW Polo BlueMotion has a 1.4 liter diesel engine with a standard-equipped particulate filter, delivering 80 bhp and a torque of 196 Nm and uses less than 4 liters per 100 km.
The VW Polo BlueMotion is available from summer in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
© germancarblog.com
Source: Autokiste

More 2006 Koenigsegg CCX photos

The CCX is the upcoming supercar from Koenigsegg, set to debut in Geneva shortly.

There is little known to date about this latest offering, except that it is expected to vie with the Bugatti Veyron as the world's fastest car. More information to follow....
Source: © seriouswheels.com

Mercedes CLS 350 CGI

Mercedes will show a the CLS 350 CGI with a new gasoline direct injection engine.

Finally, after years of relative stasis, gasoline engine development is starting to take up rapidly again. I guess that the simultaneous presence of both the new 6L bi-turbo engine by BMW and of this new Mercedes engine in Geneva isn't entirely up to chance ... .

A quick comparison between the CLS 350 and the CLS 350 CGI in the following table is the best way to appreciate the benefits of this new engine, that with its piezoelectric injecgtors and spray-guided combustion gains power (+20 bhp) and lowers fuel consumption.

Source: © eurocarblog.com by Luca

Cadillac Escalade goes large

Just when Cadillac looked like it was getting a handle on Europe, it goes and announces the Escalade will be flattening large swathes of the Continent.

Taking pride of place on Caddy's Geneva show stand is the new Escalade, which looks pretty similar to the previous one to us.

Powering this footballers' favourite SUV is a new 6.2-litre V8, which cranks out 409bhp and 430lb ft of torque.

A six-speed gearbox, four-wheel drive and traction control with 'rollover mitigation technology' are all standard.

The Escalade begins its assault on European buyers in September with an expected price of £55,000.
Source: © topgear.com

2006 Porsche 911 997 GT3

In addition to the 911 Turbo, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany, is presenting another new automobile at the Geneva Motor Show. The new 911 GT3 will be unveiled to the world public for the very first time on February 28, 2006.

The new 911 GT3 will be unveiled to the world public for the very first time on February 28, 2006. This two-seater sports coupe will go on sale across Europe in May 2006.

In the 911 model range, the abbreviation GT3 stands for pure, unadulterated driving pleasure. With its uncompromising dynamics, this model impresses not only in normal day-to-day driving but also on the racetrack. The 305-kW (415-bhp) 3.6-liter flat-six engine produces a specific output of 84.7 Kilowatts (115.3 bhp) per liter of displacement. This performance places the new-generation GT3 in its displacement class at the pinnacle of road-legal production sports cars with naturally aspirated engines.

The six-cylinder engine reaches its nominal output at 7,600 rpm. At 8,400 rpm, the engine speed limit again lies 200 revolutions higher than for the previous model. This makes it a world leader in its engine-size class. In addition to this high engine speed concept, the optimized airflow rate considerably improves performance. This is made possible by the variable intake system with a throttle valve enlarged from 76 to 82 millimeters, the optimized cylinder heads and an exhaust system with low backpressure.

The driver has a revised six-speed transmission at his disposal. It impresses with its very short gearlever travel and, thanks to the lower ratios of gears 2 to 6, ideally complements the racy engine.

New for the GT3 is a change-up display, which lights up on the rev counter shortly before the relevant engine speed is reached. It provides an additional signal at the best time to change gear. The measured values prove just how well the engine and gearbox are harmonized: the GT3 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds, and reaches 160 km/h from a standing start in 8.7 seconds. Its top speed is 310 km/h.

The new 911 GT3 boasts an active chassis for the first time. Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) offers two sporty chassis in one: the basic configuration is largely similar to that of the previous model and is suitable for driving on alternating road surfaces. In sport mode, the system switches to harder damping, thereby enabling even better dynamism on the racetrack.

For the best-possible transmission of engine power to the road, the GT3 is equipped with a comprehensive traction package, which includes not only the standard-equipment 19-inch sports tires but also a mechanical limited slip differential. In addition, the new electronic Traction Control – adapted from the Carrera GT high-performance sports car – ensures safe traction under any driving conditions. It features traction-slip and drag-torque control functions, and can be switched off completely if required.

The basic Euro price for the 911 GT3 is 93,000 Euros. In Germany, it will be offered including sales tax and country-specific requirements for 108,083 Euros. In the USA, the new GT3 will be available in dealerships from August 2006 for 106,000 Dollars (excluding tax).

2006 Porsche 911 997 GT3 Specifications:

Price: $106,000
Engine: 3.6 liter flat 6
Aspiration: naturally-aspirated
HP: 415 hp @ 76000 rpm
HP/Liter: 115.3 hp per liter
0-62 mph: 4.3 seconds
Top Speed: 186 mph

© seriouswheels.com
Source: from Porsche Press Release

Opel Astra TwinTop Production Begins

Production of the new Opel Astra TwinTop, the fourth variant of Opel’s successful new Astra generation, started today at the state-of-the-art Astra plant in Antwerp.

The dynamically designed and innovative four-seat cabrio-coupe features an innovative three-part roof system that fully opens or closes at the touch of a button in less than 30 seconds. As the individual parts of the roof system are smaller than those of conventional cabrio-coupes, there is more room for passengers and luggage. With the top down, 205 liters of storage space is available; with the top up, storage volume increases to 440 liters. A unique feature is the electrically-operated "Easy Load" system, which assists loading and unloading with the top down.

The fully-fledged four-seater is available with four gasoline engines (77 kW/105 hp to 147 kW/200 hp) and one 1.9 CDTI common-rail turbo-diesel (110 kW/150 hp, diesel particulate filter as standard). Comprehensive standard equipment includes a range of safety and comfort features such as active roll-over protection system, front thorax/pelvis airbags, ESPPlus, cruise control, air conditioning, on-board computer, CD-radio with six loudspeakers, power windows, central locking, and height-adjustable "Easy-Entry" seats with memory function.

Production-start for five-door variant in Bochum

With the addition of the cabrio-coupé, all four Astra versions (five-door sedan, station wagon, and sporty three-door GTC) are now produced at the plant in Antwerp, which was completely modernized for the new Astra. In 2005, the Belgian plant manufactured a total of 253,200 units. In Bochum, where the Opel Zafira is also produced, 71,300 Astra station wagons were built over the same period.

A few days ago, the assembly program in Bochum was extended with the successful production-start of the five-door Astra. This high-volume variant is also produced in Ellesmere Port (United Kingdom). Together with the 188,800 five-door versions assembled there last year, the total number of Astras built in 2005 reached 513,300 units.
© worldcarfans.com
Source: Text & photos courtesy Adam Opel GmbH

Alfa Romeo Spider - new photos

Alfa Romeo has announced the news for Geneva.

The first official photos of the new Spider with the roof closed, and the "big" news is the availability of the 2.4 liters JTDm turbodiesel engine for the Brera Coupe.
Source: © eurocarblog.com by Luca

New Jeep Commander launched

School run mums treat their SUVs like command vehicles, so Jeep has tailored the name of its new 4x4 to suit. Meet the Commander.

Broadening the Jeep repertoire, the Commander has seven seats, with the rear pair folding away to leave a large boot.

The Commander is only a couple of inches longer than a Grand Cherokee, so off-road ability has not been sacrificed too much at the altar of space.

Full-time four-wheel drive keeps a grip on things, while buyers can choose between a 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel engine or whup-ass 5.7 V8 petrol unit.

Sales of the Commander start in April and prices start at £27,490 for the V6 turbodiesel Predator model and £34,490 for the V8 Limited.
Source: © topgear.com

Audi Allroad: Official pics in the wild !

It looks like some official looking pics of the Audi Allroad have escaped in the wild before the official launch at the Geneva Motor Show.

Nice car, but please in different colors!
© germancarblog.com
Source: Eurocarblog

Nissan launches Versa with interactive campaign

Nissan factory officials urged dealers to be prepared for a wave of new and updated products this year, especially as the brand tries a different approach to one launch.

The new Versa, which arrives in the first quarter, will make little use of traditional TV and print ads initially, relying instead on interactive marketing.

The youth-oriented small car will depend on Internet marketing to reach buyers, Brad Bradshaw, Nissan Division's general manager, said at the make meeting.

"You won't see the usual 30-second spots," Bradshaw said. "We've got to reach these customers where they live."

Nissan dealers are not used to competing in the entry-level segment, noted John Driebe, owner of Nissan of Elk Grove, Elk Grove, Calif., and chairman of the Nissan dealer council.

"It's a new area for us," Driebe said. "But it will mean new volume for us this year."

In his first dealer meeting since taking the top post last fall, Bradshaw answered questions about the year's product wave. Nissan is also bringing out a Quest minivan with a redesigned interior, a new-generation Sentra and a redesigned Altima.

Dealers also asked about getting more variations of the full-sized Titan pickup, something that Nissan is still contemplating, said Bradshaw. That could include an extended bed.

"We want to be a full line," he said, noting that a lack of product variations is limiting sales.

Although Titan sales softened in the fall, they bounced back in December, he pointed out. Nissan sold 86,945 Titans in 2005 - still less than one-tenth of Ford F-series truck sales.

Jed Connelly, Nissan senior vice president for sales and marketing, told dealers they had achieved the highest level of total dealer profitability in the franchise's history.

The company also updated dealers on the upcoming relocation of its headquarters from Los Angeles to Nashville, Tenn. About 86 percent of senior sales and marketing executives will remain for the move, the company said during the meeting.
Source: © autoweek.com by By Lindsay Chappell

Honda Civic Type-R Concept - first pics

Here it is, the eagerly awaited Honda Civic Type-R Concept that will be presented next week in Geneva.

This Concept should be very similar to the production 3-door version. In the Type-R and in this yellow livery it resembles a bad-ass car out the Mugen shop more than a "factory" Honda.

I guess this version will put to rest once and for all Top Gear's saying that only old people buy Hondas in Europa, nowadays.

The concept has the 200 ps 2.0 liters i-VTEC engine of the previous Type-R. We still don't know it the production Type-R will have the same engine.
Source: © eurocarblog.com by Luca

Focus cabriolet breaks cover

The Ford Focus will be revealing a little off-the-shoulder number at the Geneva motor show with the Focus Coupe-Cabriolet.
Joining the Volkswagen Eos in wowing the crowds with an origami-folding metal roof, the Focus CC will hit UK showrooms in September.

While retaining the Focus family look at the front, the rear end has been completely restyled by Italian designers Pininfarina.

The Italians has created a spacious four-seater cabin and 500 litres of boot space when the electrically operated roof is raised.

Ford claims the Focus CC has the stiffest body of any car in this sector, preserving the Focus's fine handling.

Two petrol engines are on offer from launch, with a 1.6-litre unit producing 99bhp and a 2.0-litre with 143bhp.

In keeping with rivals, there's also a 134bhp, 2.0-litre turbodiesel.

Prices will confirmed nearer to the Focus CC's launch, but Ford has hinted that the range will start at around £17,000 to take it head-to-head with the Vauxhall Astra CC.
Source: © topgear.com

Lexus RX350 announced

Lexus has just announced the new RX350.

Yes, you guessed it: that means the popular RX now gets the same 3.5L engine found in the '06 Rav4 V6, but with one! more horsepower.

The new 270 horsepower RX350, up 47 from the RX330, will sprint 0-60 in 7.3 seconds for the FWD version, and 7.4 seconds in the AWD version.
© blogs.edmunds.com by Bob
Source: theautochannel.com

Exclusive pics: new Lamborghini Murcielago

Lamborghini has turned the dial up to 11 for its latest show-stopper, the Murcielago LP640.

Unlike the Miura concept shown at Detroit in January, the LP640 is very much for real and creates the ultimate road-going version of the company's flagship model.

The LP640 will be unveiled at the Geneva motor show next week, but here we have an exclusive preview of the fastest production Lambo ever built.

A 6.5-litre V12 engine lies at the heart of the LP640, where LP stands for 'longitudinale posteriore', which refers to the V12 unit mounted lengthways behind the cockpit.
With deeper and wider cylinder bores than the previous 6.2-litre V12, the new 6.5 ups power to an imperious 631bhp at 8,000 good-for-the-soul revs per minute.

Coupled to a new six-speed gearbox, which can also be ordered with Lambo's e-gear sequential paddle shift, the LP640 howls from 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds - 0.4 seconds quicker than the 6.2-litre model.
And it's helped on its way by an electronic launch-control device called, rather brilliantly, Thrust.
Lamborghini has yet to announce a top speed, but word is that the LP640 will top 210mph, while low-speed driving is improved with variable valve timing and an aircraft-style drive-by-wire throttle.
Helping it to achieve this colossal speed and remain stable are plenty of aerodynamic changes for the LP.

Reshaped front and rear bumpers direct air more efficiently, while the exhaust is now incorporated into the rear diffuser to help cancel out aerodynamic lift at high speeds.

Lamborghini has also created a larger air intake on the left side to feed the oil cooler.
For those wishing to show off the LP's 6.5-litre V12 to full effect, a glass engine cover can be ordered.
Under the steel and carbon fibre skin, revised suspension copes with the increased performance, while ceramic brakes are an option to help bring things to a halt more swiftly and efficiently.

There's also a four-wheel-drive system that normally splits 70 per cent of the torque to the back, but can allocate up to 100 per cent to each end depending on where the grip is running out. There are also new 18-inch Hermera alloy wheels running huge 335/30 tyres at the rear, but one thing that hasn't changed with the LP640 is the Murcielago's signature scissor-opening doors.

Inside, there are reshaped seats for improved comfort and greater headroom, while a revised instrument panel is flanked by a new stereo system.

Lamborghini will announce prices in Geneva, but expect to pay a £15,000 premium over the 6.2-litre model's £170,000 price tag.
Source: © topgear.com

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