Geneva Motor Show – Page 25 – Automobiles Review

Renault Clio Grand Tour

Renault introduces Clio Grand Tour Concept at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show. A glimpse of developments to come within the Clio III range, Clio Grand Tour Concept targets drivers looking for a small, dynamic and attractive estate car with the abilities of a classic grand tourer. Finished in special Comet Gold paintwork, Clio Grand Tour Concept is powered by the 2.0 16V 200hp petrol engine, a unit that promises incomparable driver appeal. The cabin is bright, practical and comfortable – the perfect place for relaxing journeys.

And with its large, easy-to-load cargo area, Clio Grand Tour Concept is geared very much towards leisure activities. Developed around photographic and multimedia themes, the show car has a very high specification and includes a number of benchmark electronic features.

A powerful, dynamic presence

At 4.2 metres in length, Clio Grand Tour Concept will appeal to drivers who want a compact estate with the panache of a grand tourer. There is no mistaking its provenance. Clio III’s distinctive profile is easily detectable, although the shape is enhanced by more pronounced curves. Fitted with bespoke side panels and a rakish tailgate topped by an aerofoil, Clio Grand Tour Concept fizzes with power and energy. The three-door bodyshell, roof bars, wider front and rear wings, sculpted sills, air ducts and rear diffuser underline its potency.

At the front, a wide air intake grille cools the naturally aspirated 2.0 16V 200hp engine. The streamlined front lights house high-performance LEDs and the compact rear lights encapsulate Clio Grand Tour Concept’s nononsense character. The rear-view mirrors and bumpers are painted Comet Gold, like the bodywork. A subtle array of pixels can be picked out on the sides of the bodywork, suggesting the worlds of multimedia and photography. Hunched on aluminium wheels – 18-inch rims at the front, 19-inch at the rear – Clio Grand Tour Concept looks effervescent and dynamic.

A large, practical boot

Clio Grand Tour Concept’s generous proportions will meet the needs of customers looking for a car that blends practicality and character. Its adaptable interior and longer rear overhang (bigger than that on a standard Clio III) combine to provide excellent load-carrying capacity. Clio Grand Tour Concept has an impressive 430-litre boot and the cargo area measures 1.7 metres in length. Svelte, individual seats with integral head-rests offer comfort and good body support for up to four occupants. The rear seats fold easily to create a flat load area. In an instant, the Clio Grand Tour Concept transforms into a two-seater coupe – a 100% fun car with a 1,275-litre load capacity.

Comfort and driver appeal

A cocktail of the Clio III’s remarkable roadholding and sheer driving pleasure, Clio Grand Tour Concept is a car for free spirits. Its dynamic attributes allow the naturally aspirated 2.0 16-valve engine to show its full potential. It’s a flexible (215Nm of torque at 5,500rpm), powerful (200hp [145 kW] at 7,250rpm) unit that is lively when required, yet docile and tractable in everyday driving. Mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, it accelerates from 0-100kph in just 7.2 seconds.

Underneath, however, Clio Grand Tour Concept is still a Clio – and that means it’s supremely comfortable and easy to live with. The practical interior is perfect for relaxing journeys. The wide, panoramic glass roof creates a bright, airy ambience that highlights the generous cabin dimensions and large boot. The elegant dashboard incorporates a navigation screen and analogue/digital speedometer. A great deal of attention was paid to interior lighting. Yellow in tone – Renault’s corporate colour – it gives the cabin a certain vibrancy, which echoes the car’s entertaining character. The centre console, boot floor and door trims also disseminate streaks of yellow light.

March 6, 2007

Opel Grand Turismo Coupe Concept

On the eve of the 77th Geneva Motor Show, Opel illuminated the night. Supported by a dramatic light show, the Opel GTC Concept (Gran Turismo Coupé) made its spectacular debut at the “GM Premiere Night.”

Heralding a new design era for the brand, the GTC Concept gives an insight into how Opel’s design language will look in the future. Adding to progressive shapes and surfaces, the four-seat coupé features unique LED lighting concepts in the front and rear, providing a new signature lighting style for the brand. (more…)

March 3, 2007

Abarth Grande Punto Preview

A great project will be launched at the 77th Geneva International Motor Show: the rebirth of one of the most prestigious brands in world motorsports. Its symbol is a scorpion, and its name is Abarth.

Abarth has always been synonymous with assertive cars, competitiveness, passion and excitement, and it now returns with a new range that will appeal to all lovers of motorsports. Abarth’s first interpretation of the Grande Punto will be on the “catwalk” at the Geneva Show, the first step in an initiative which will later involve other models.

This new adventure starts in the familiar, uniquely emotional context and exclusive setting of the Geneva Motor Show. A striking stand has been prepared, in line with the philosophy of Abarth’s rebirth, an innovative space with a fresh, contemporary, technological language and great attention to every detail. The new elements that will publicise the Abarth brand are displayed with all their strong, original personality: the revamped version of the famous Abarth racing stripe has been rendered with LED tiles, while the new logo, the scorpion and the wording are all large, three-dimensional elements in polished, satin-effect aluminium.

The Abarth values and tradition on the other hand are underlined discreetly and technologically: refined materials and precious finishing details in aluminium, carbon fibre, enamel and lacquer decorate the exhibition area, and draw attention to the true stars of the stand: the Grande Punto Abarth S2000, a car that has been type-approved for racing and is proving to be highly successful, and the Grande Punto Abarth Preview, a concept car making its world debut.

Visitors to the Geneva Show will also have an opportunity to discover a third field in which the brand operates; a multimedia configurator will illustrate the whole concept of the ‘Abarth Kit’, and the flexibility and wide range of combinations that the brand will offer customers in its conversion kits. Some of these solid wooden boxes, inlaid with satin-finished aluminium trims, are on display inside glass cubes, with the historic mechanical and stylistic components from the conversion kits.

And finally, by means of exclusive LED technology and plasma screens, the walls of the stand propose historical photographs and films, alternating them with a reproduction of the new Abarth racing stripe, underlining the fine link between the past and the future, as well as the energy and personality that are inherent in the Abarth brand.

The Grande Punto Abarth Preview

The absolute star of the stand is the Grande Punto Abarth Preview, a true jewel of assertiveness and elegance. The car will be marketed in September, to enhance the sporty, youthful positioning of the Grande Punto.

The car on show in Geneva is equipped with a 1.4 Turbo petrol engine that delivers 150 bhp at 5500 rpm, boosted to 155 bhp by the adoption of 98 RON petrol. What is more, thanks to a booster kit, a version with twice as much power as the basic version (180 bhp) will soon be available. This is a revival of a tradition from the past: for example, the Fiat 500 of 1958 delivered 13 bhp at 4000 rpm with a top speed of 85 km/h, while the Fiat 500 Abarth of the same year delivered 26 bhp at 5000 rpm and a top speed of 118 km/h.

The Grande Punto Abarth aims to revive the feats of these entertaining performance cars, offering young drivers in particular an opportunity to enter the racing world in complete safety and at an accessible price.

February 26, 2007

Saab BioPower 100

Saab will give green motoring a performance boost at next month’s Geneva Motor Show when it unveils its latest BioPower development. The Saab BioPower 100 Concept showcases the first production-based engine to be optimized for pure bioethanol (E100) fuel. The result is a level of performance never seen before from a road car using this fuel.To be shown as an exciting evolution of the Saab 9-5 SportCombi, this latest BioPower concept demonstrates the great performance potential of bioethanol.

In combining Saab turbocharging expertise with the use of high octane E100 fuel, the optimized 2.0-liter engine from the 9-5 range develops 300 hp maximum power. This has been possible through modifications to the engine management system and internal components, allowing the use of greater boost pressure with a raised compression ratio. That exceptionally high specific power output of 150 hp per liter demonstrates scope for future ‘rightsizing’, using smaller, high output engines that also deliver energy savings.

Peak power is complemented by a substantial 400 Nm of torque, giving this optimized engine the power characteristics of a naturally-aspirated engine of 4.0-liters displacement. This is reflected in strong performance, the Saab 9-5 BioPower 100 Concept achieving zero to 100 kph acceleration in just 6.6 seconds and 80 – 120 kph (fifth gear) in an even more impressive 8.2 seconds.

The Saab BioPower 100 Concept being shown at Geneva features exterior and interior styling elements supervised by GME Director of Advanced Design, Anthony Lo, who penned Saab’s award-winning Aero X Concept, which was also premiered at Geneva last year.

Saab already markets Europe’s best selling flex-fuel vehicle, the Saab 9-5 BioPower, and the Saab BioPower 100 Concept will extend its leadership position in the development of bioethanol technology.

“Bioethanol is a potent, high quality fuel which opens up exciting possibilities in helping to meet the environmental challenges that face us,” says Kjell ac Bergström, President and CEO at GM Powertrain – Sweden, who has led the Saab BioPower 100 engine development team.

“As the need to reduce energy consumption increases, we are exploring ways to run smaller engines that give relatively high power, with and without hybrid technology. This concept car shows that bioethanol can play a key role in this ‘rightsizing’ process, while also minimizing fossil fuel emissions.”

February 14, 2007

Rinspeed eXasis

Rinspeed AG is presenting another of its legendary concept cars at this year’s Geneva Motor Show: the “Rinspeed eXasis”. This transparent car combines state-of-the-art materials with futuristic design. As the icing on the cake, project partner Kaba has supplied Rinspeed with an exciting new technology.

Thanks to Kaba technology, Rinspeed AG’s new concept car can only be used by authorized drivers. The driver is identified by touch and personally welcomed. In itself, this is not revolutionary, but the technology goes much further. The functions on the completely transparent dashboard can be adapted to suit the preferences of every authorized driver. What is more, the operational functions are personalized by user. This means that every “button” in the car can be programmed individually for each authorized driver.

As a result of the Kaba technology integrated into the “Rinspeed eXasis”, the equipment can only be used by people with the required authorization. This is activated by a chip that is integrated into the identification medium and that sends tiny signals through the human body to a recognition unit. This provides absolutely personalized access combined with the greatest possible convenience. This Kaba technology may open up incredible opportunities for the future.

Think about it:
Car theft is massively reduced since vehicles equipped with this technology are totally immobilized until an authorized driver is sitting behind the wheel. Computers start up with personalized settings only when touched by the authorized user. Medicine cabinets only stay open as long as they are being touched by an authorized person. Otherwise they remain locked. Homes are made safer for children by programming equipment such as ovens so that only adults can switch them on, or by ensuring that balcony doors or windows remain locked for children.

With this contribution to Rinspeed’s latest concept car, the “eXasis”, Kaba is once again demonstrating its worldwide technological leadership. Its visionary system approach proves that access control is about more than just opening doors.

The Kaba Group is a market leader in the worldwide security industry. Kaba provides innovative and comprehensive solutions that ensure security, organization and convenience in a wide variety of access situations and in the recording of personal and enterprise data. The group employs around 10,000 people in more than 60 countries.

Thanks to its longstanding Total Access Strategy, Kaba is also a leader in the development and distribution of innovative identification technologies. For example, in 1990 Kaba broke new ground with the introduction of its LEGIC RIFD technology. This technology is now used every day by more than 70 million people in more than 50,000 installations.

High-tech KW coilover kit „Made in Germany“ The transparent Rinspeed creation „eXasis“ shows the normally hidden working suspension technology of KW automotive GmbH.

For the latest Rinspeed concept car a high-tech coilover kit was developed by the KW engineers. The suspension is individually adjustable according to the needs of the driver. High-strength aluminium coilover struts with patented KW damping technology of the Variant 3 are made for a maximum performance with low weight.

The individual performance can be optimal adjusted by a separate rebound and compression damping adjustment. This KW coilover kit offers high-tech from motorsport with individual adjustment to the demanding driver.

KW automotive GmbH is one of the leading manufacturers for premium suspensions in small series worldwide. The Swabian company offers a complete suspension range from motorsport to street use to all their customers worldwide – from sports springs and sport suspension kits to KW coilover kits “inox-line” in three damping variants to KW competition race suspension kits.

Research and development are part and parcel at the headquarters in Fichtenberg/Germany. Posted on Babez.de! More than one third of the 120 employees are working on the research of new damping technologies and the development of new and innovative products for the KW suspension program as well as customers and industry orders.

February 14, 2007

Ford Mondeo

Ford has released the first images of the all-new Mondeo ahead of its world debut at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show. The dramatic all-new Mondeo is designed to raise customers’ expectations for a car in this class through a combination of style, dynamics and technology.

During its life, the Mondeo has appeared every year in the nation’s top 10 favourite cars. A total of over four million Mondeo models have been built at the Genk plant since launch in 1993 with more than 1.5 million of those being sold in the UK.

“The exciting new Mondeo is very important to us”, said Roelant de Waard, Ford of Britain’s Chairman and Managing Director. “It’s probably the most elegant car we’ve ever launched, and it’s certainly the most technologically-advanced. Like the S-MAX, Car of the Year 2007, the new Mondeo will attract many new customers to our showrooms as well as delighting our loyal UK customer base,” he said.

New Mondeo Design
The new Mondeo is striking and unmistakably a member of the Ford family. It is the latest and most advanced expression of Ford’s ‘kinetic design’.

The distinctive front end has chamfered corners and a deep offset between the top of the bonnet and the front wings. A muscular shoulder line runs through the side of the car to a high point at the rear.

Distinctive rear lamps also feature carefully designed graphics that enhance the overall feeling of premium quality. A strong undercut line runs from the bold front wing wheel lips through the side of the car. Under this, full surfacing extends down to strong rocker panels to ensure the vehicle maintains a dynamic road presence.

The spacious interior shares the same ‘kinetic design’ exterior language as the exterior. The driver will enjoy the ‘cockpit’ driving position as the higher beltline and flow-through centre console combine to enhance the cosseted feeling for front seat occupants.

New levels of craftsmanship are evident throughout. For example, careful use of ‘piano black’ interior styling accents creates interest and a pleasing feel to key touch areas. Soft-touch material and ambient lighting is used extensively throughout the cabin to emphasise its quality and refinement.

New Mondeo Choice
The Ford Mondeo range has always offered a wide choice for customers, and the new Mondeo is no exception. Standard equipment across the range includes Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), Ford Easyfuel capless refuelling with fuel inhibitor to prevent misfuelling, Thatcham Cat. 1 alarm, air conditioning, ‘follow-me-home’ lights, trip computer and an MP3 connector socket.

Three distinct bodystyles – a classic four-door, a stylish and flexible five-door and the capacious Estate – will all be available from launch. For each body style, four distinct series are available: the Edge, which provides a high level of standard equipment essential for business and family needs; the contemporary Zetec series, and, at the top of the range, the Ghia and Titanium X models.

These flagship models offer a choice of premium quality details. While the Ghia represents classic luxury, with extensive use of chrome and wood ornamentation inside, the Titanium model will appeal to those customers favouring a more contemporary, technology flavour.

New Technologies for Driver Assistance
Advanced new driver-focused technologies are available, and include keyless entry and keyless start with “Ford Power” start button, new Ford “Convers+” Human Machine Interface (HMI) instrument display, Adaptive Cruise Control with Forward Alert, Interactive Vehicle Dynamics Control with Hill Launch Assist, and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System.

Furthermore, this new Mondeo is the first production Ford to feature the company’s award-winning Easyfuel system. This guards against either petrol or diesel misfuelling at the filling pump as the fuel filler neck aperture has been specifically designed around the different sizes of fuel nozzles. Ford has engineered its system only to allow the nozzle that matches the corresponding fuel type of the car to enter the filler neck.

Ford Precision Drive: New Mondeo Driving Quality
The Ford Mondeo has been acclaimed for its driving quality since its original introduction in 1993. The new Mondeo aims to extend this reputation even further, and from the outset was developed with superior driving dynamics as a core attribute, combining a refined ride with minimal noise, vibration and harshness.
The major modifications include:

Wider track

Optimised front suspension design
New rear suspension design
Isolated rear subframe
Optimised steering system
Refined Suspension System
Ford has specified the trusted MacPherson front suspension system for the new Mondeo incorporating features to enhance the Mondeo driving experience such as isolated subframes, control arm hydro bushings, S-shaped springs and dual path strut mounts.
At the rear a new version of the proven multi-link rear suspension design also benefits from an isolated subframe mounting system. This concept is already familiar in the Ford S-MAX “Control Blade” design and uses four links to control each wheel precisely.

Reduced Noise, Vibration and Harshness and Improved Sound Quality
New Mondeo promotes stress-free, relaxed driving through low noise levels which enables easy communication inside the vehicle and optimum use of the internal audio equipment even at high speeds.

The combined effect of all the engineering actions, in terms of noise, is a reduction of 3dB across the whole frequency range, compared with the current model. Wind noise, measured in Ford’s state-of-the-art aero-acoustic wind tunnel is the lowest in its class, and reinforces the quality ambience of the interior.

February 14, 2007

Citroen C-Crosser 160 bhp

The C-Crosser, Citroen’s new high-end SUV, has a number of aces in its pack. It boasts attractive, prestige styling, a 5+2 seat configuration with easy-to-use modularity, all-wheel drive for real versatility in use, and a HDi diesel engine equipped with a particulate filter for class-leading performance and minimal environmental impact. Premiering at the Geneva Motor Show, the C-Crosser will be launched in Europe from summer 2007. Bearing all the design cues of the Citroen brand, its styling is a perfect blend of all-terrain muscle, sports-car vitality and luxury-saloon sophistication. (more…)

February 9, 2007

Tag: Geneva Motor Show