Opel Meriva Concept ready for Geneva

The current Opel Meriva on sale to Europeans is a rather ho-hum affair, which is why there's actual anticipation for the Meriva Concept that will debut next week at the Geneva Motor Show. Images of the Meriva Concept have already leaked out, but Opel has made the concept's existence official by releasing the good, high-res stuff and an accompanying press release. This four-door hatch concept that's guaranteed a spot on the production line is cloaked in Opel's new design language, which means clean lines and a simple face with the brand's new grille.

There are two elements of the Meriva Concept that we find interesting enough to mention again (the rest you can read in the press release after the jump), which include its rear FlexDoors and the kink in its window line. Rear suicide doors are a common feature on concept cars because they allows designers to eliminate the B-pillar, giving photographers a better view of the interior from behind the velvet ropes. The Meriva Concept, however, retains its B-pillars, suggesting the rear suicide doors have a definite shot at making it to the final production car.

We'll finally meet this car in person next week at the Geneva Motor Show, but we don't expect it to make the return trip badged as a Saturn like so many other Opel models.

© Source: autoblog
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Pininfarina will unveil Sintesi at Geneva Motor Show

All set to walk the red carpet at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2008 is the Sintesi by Pininfarina Design Department. Still a concept only, this drop-dead beauty is the synthesis of the brand’s values, their love for work and passion for innovation, of beauty driven by functionality, of sportiness and elegance.

What’s more fascinating is that the Sintesi concept will debut with an innovative feature that is called Clancast. Exclusive to Pininfarina, the Clancast system talks with other cars on the road to communicate traffic patterns, eliminating the need for traffic lights and other street signs.

However, Sintesi isn’t only the expression of Pininfarina design; it also embraces innovative technologies that allow us to explore new typologies of mobility, active safety and packaging solutions. Wait till March for official unveiling.

© Source: luxurylaunches
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Fiat 500 Abarth Geneva preview

Following leaked official images finding their way onto the web, Italian car maker Fiat has officially revealed its new Fiat 500 Abarth hot hatch.

Set to make its first public appearance at the Geneva Motor Show next month, the Abarth represents a high-performance edition of the outrageously popular Fiat 500.

The Abarth’s new 1.4-litre 16v petrol turbocharged engine delivers a maximum 99kW at 5500rpm and peak torque of 206Nm at 3000rpm in Sport mode, and 180Nm at 2500rpm in Normal mode.

Like the original Fiat 500 upon which it is based, the Abarth variant will fully comply with future Euro 5 emissions standards.

It has also adopted the new TTC (Torque Transfer Control) system, which improves the transfer of drive torque to the wheels, but, above all, ensures that the car behaves impeccably on bends, making it safer and more entertaining even with a sporty driving style.

© Source: caradvice
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Geneva '08 Preview KTM to reveal details on X-Bow Dallara Series

Customers have been anxiously awaiting the delivery of their track-ready X-Bows, and with pre-orders growing by the day, KTM plans to reward the first 1000 buyers with the special-edition Dallara Series.

The limited edition model, as we reported previously, will be finished in "Gleaming White" paint instead of the bright orange we'd been seeing beforehand, and named for the Italian racing chassis manufacturer with which KTM partnered for the X-Bow's development. Unfortunately, even after its debut at the Autosport Internantional show in Birmingham (in England, not Alabama), KTM still hasn't released the technical details that set the Dallara Series apart from the subsequent "ordinary" models that will follow, however sources indicate that all the juicy details will finally be revealed at the Geneva show, so stay tuned.

© Source: autoblog
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Geneva 2008 - Rolls Royce Phantom Coupe

Rolls Royce is going to show the Phantom Coupè in Geneva. The third model in the Rolls lineup is a very close relative of the Drophead Coupè convertible, with the same 6.75-liter V12 engine (460 ps, 720 Nm) and similar suicide doors.

According to Rolls Royce, the Phantom Coupè is the most driver-oriented car in its line-up, with a very rigid chassis, which shouldn't compromise ride comfort. Production will start in the summer of 2008. Prices still undefined.

The Phantom Coupé features rear-hinged coach doors which add considerably to the ease of access to the rear lounge seats as well as to the overall aesthetics. Crucially, they aid the overall stiffness of the body as the rear hinged doors allow for an uninterrupted A-pillar helping to make this the most torsionally rigid Rolls-Royce ever. A brushed steel finish of A-pillar and bonnet, as seen for the first time on 100EX, is also available for the Coupé.
At the rear is a spacious picnic boot. A split tail compartment that opens in two parts, gives easy access to 395 litres of space. The lower tailgate also provides a comfortable seating platform for two adults when lowered.

At the core of the Phantom Coupé is an advanced aluminium chassis, perhaps the single most significant component in delivering the marque’s legendary refinement. Lightweight and exceptionally strong, it impacts positively on ride comfort, handling and safety. Hand made, it requires over 130 meters of welding to create each body.

© Source: eurocarblog
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Geneva 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo LP550

If the Aston Martin DBS was fairly deservedly cut to shreds in the latest annual appointment of the Evo Car of the Year, then the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera did not fare much better with the judges, surprising given the high expectations surrounding the car from Sant'Agata Bolognese. The callous sneering in the Porsche and Ferrari camps was easy to imagine.

To quench these flames of derision, Lamborghini are said to be approaching completion of an ambitious upgrade project on the Gallardo, transforming it into what will be known as the Gallardo LP550, widely predicted to be unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show. A stupendous piece of news, so unexpected that we are still trying to savour the mind-blowing specifications: The 5.2-liter V10 engine of the Gallardo will be modified using the experience gained by Audi technicians working on the V8 engine of the Audi RS4 and R8 models. The engine should deliver a maximum power output of 550 ps (hence the name) and a maximum torque equal to 530 Nm.

It is not only the engine that will receive improvements. The transmission (both the manual gearbox and the e-gear sequential gearbox) will be capable of handling more power and torque, while the permanent 4-wheel-drive system will also be optimised and lightened. To finish off this 'come-back' package, the brake system and body will also undergo minor alterations.

© Source: eurocarblog
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Geneva 2008 Toyota IQ and Urban Cruiser

The new cars announced by Toyota should be a truly important addition to the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show. On display will be the IQ urban car and the brand new model, the Urban Cruiser. The IQ was first seen in concept form in Frankfurt in September 2007 and time-wise in terms of development it has beaten the Volskwagen UP!, which was displayed only a few stands away at the same show.

Three passenger spaces have been confirmed, despite the length being less than three metres. Also confirmed is the shape of the prototype, with large wheels and a smoother drive. Even though the glimpses we have had of the IQ seem to be similar in concept to the Smart For Two, Toyota insists that the technology, the security and the design research represent an automotive revolution. As of yet, the specification details and performance stats, as well as the pricing have not been released, but we know that the car will not be available on the market before the end of 2008.

The other world premiere at the show will be the Urban Cruiser, a compact SUV designed for city use with fuel consumption and emissions reduced to a minimum. For the time being, we have little information and only one photo, but in Geneva we will discover more on this new car, that at first glance reminds us of the design of a few models sold in the States such as the Xb by Toyota's Scion brand.

Always concerned about the environment, Toyota will put forward the brand new hybrid prototype 'Plug-In'. At Geneva Toyota plans to display the 1/X Plug-In Hybrid concept with Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) technology, as well as the personal mobility concept i-Real.

© Source: eurocarblog
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Geneva '08 Preview 2009 Ford Fiesta is filled with Verve!

With two and a half weeks to go before the Geneva Motor Show, Ford has finally released details on the production version of its new global small car. After the Verve concept debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show last September, the speculation began about what it'd be called when it arrived in showrooms. Ford's marketing team decided that more than three decades of brand equity was too much to throw away, so this car will be called the Fiesta everywhere in the world that it's sold, including the United States. US fans probably shouldn't get too attached to the 3-door hatchback shown above, though, as it's all but certain that we'll be getting a four-door sedan instead.

Fiesta stays remarkably true to the Verve concept. Aside from some detailing of the light clusters and framed side glass replacing the concept's flush glazing, the production car is virtually identical to the concept on the outside. This good news continues when you open the door, as the basic interior design is the same as the concept's, but with slightly less flashy-looking switchgear. Underhood, the Fiesta gets a range of five gasoline and diesel-fueled four-cylinder engines. Like the new Mazda2 with which it shares its architecture, the Fiesta is the same size as the car it's replacing, but high-strength steels allow it to be lighter.

Production kicks off this fall in Cologne, Germany, to be followed by a second assembly plant in Spain. An Asian facility will be announced at the Beijing show in April, while a site for North American models will be announced later.

© Source: autoblog
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