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Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Hybrid, Geneva Motor Show, Technology, Videos, Lotus
The manufactured sounds of the Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid - Click above to watch video after the jump
Two years ago, we wrote about Lotus' Safe and Sound hybrid technology which added a V8 soundtrack over the quietude of a hybrid's electric motor. That demonstrator was a Toyota Prius, but at the Geneva Motor Show Lotus had an Evora 414E Hybrid equipped with several versions of aural enjoyment: a V6, a V12 and a non-ICE audio stab at what an electric car could maybe possibly sound like. Think Buck Rogers. Car and Driver magazine's technical editor Michael Austin sat with a Lotus engineer and tried it out. Follow the jump for the first strains of the future.
Gallery: Geneva 2010: Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid
[Source: Car and Driver]
Continue reading Video: C/D takes the Lotus Evora Hybrid for a virtual spin
Video: C/D takes the Lotus Evora Hybrid for a virtual spin originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show
After years of covering the world's auto shows at Autoblog, the Geneva Motor Show never ceases to amaze. It's in Switzerland, so by nature, it's neutral, and since there's no "home team" like in Detroit, Frankfurt or Paris, every automaker comes out to play. And play they did.
While this year's showing wasn't nearly as impressive as the end-of-the-recession shindig we endured in Germany last September, the shear number of reveals boggles the mind and cramps the fingers. But despite six pairs of aching feet, one broken laptop, countless espresso triple-shots and braved our fair share of sharp-elbowed shooters and clueless colleges, we survived (mostly) unscathed and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our time in Switzerland.
After the jump we've assembled our favorite debuts from the show, but rather than creating another "Best and Worse" or "Top Picks" post, we've singled out two vehicles: One that embodies our no-cost, no-holds-barred, fantasy ride and another production-ready example that we could conceivably drive home tomorrow given our meager (or not-so-meager) means. Check out our picks after the break and let us know what your own choices are in 'Comments.'
Continue reading Geneva 2010: Our top Fantasy and Reality vehicles of the show
Geneva 2010: Our top Fantasy and Reality vehicles of the show originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Technology, Hatchback, Kia, Electric
Kia Venga EV concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
Apparently, we we missed at least one interesting machine from the recently concluded press days at the Geneva Motor Show. Kia showed off a battery electric version of its new Venga B-segment hatchback. Like the rest of Kia and Hyundai's hybrids and plug-in concepts either in production or recently shown, the Venga EV uses lithium polymer batteries, likely sourced from LG Chem. The battery pack is stored under the floorpan of the electric vehicle (EV).
The Venga EV contains 24 kilowatt-hours of battery capacity. The front wheels are driven by an 80-kilowatt motor packing a stout 206 pound-feet of torque. Kia says that the concept has about 112 miles of driving range and a 50-kW fast charge can provide an 80-percent recharge in as little as 20 minutes, while a full charge at normal power levels takes about eight hours. The rest of the details can be found in the press release after the break.
Gallery: Kia Venga EV
[Source: Kia]
Continue reading Geneva 2010: Kia Venga EV, sorry we missed you the first time around
Geneva 2010: Kia Venga EV, sorry we missed you the first time around originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Misc. Auto Shows, Luxury
Morgan Aero SuperSports - Click above for high-res image gallery
As if we didn't have enough reasons to look forward to the Pebble Beach Concours this August - beautiful weather, beautiful machinery and beautiful scenery, to name but a few - news comes by way of Autocar in the U.K. that Morgan plans to debut a new 2+2 concept at the famed event on the California coast.
Details on the new model are, as you might expect at this early stage in the game, rather hard to come by. Apparently, though, the new car is meant to preview a production model that Morgan hopes to put into production in 2012 or 2013. No word on on the drivetrain, though we'd expect some sort of modern BMW powerplant, but we're told it will slot somewhere below the brand's range-topping Aero.
Gallery: Morgan Aero Super Sports
Gallery: Monterey 2009: Morgan Aero SuperSports
[Source: Autocar]
Report: Morgan to debut 2+2 concept at Pebble Beach originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Classics, Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Toyota
Toyota FT-86 Sports Concept - click above for high-res image gallery
Toyota Motor Co. president Akio Toyoda has stressed that his family's company must work to create more emotionally engaging products as part of its bid to reinvent its now-battered image. Central to that effort will be the production version of its well-received FT-86 Sports Concept, the two-door rear-driver that made its European debut at this week's Geneva Motor Show, where it drew quite a crowd.
Toyota now appears to be pushing its brand's enthusiast heritage, something it hasn't truly done with fresh products in some time - at least not outside of its Lexus brand. In any case, the Japanese automaker has just released a series of new photos, including a family portrait of sorts that places the FT-86 in the context of the Corolla AE86 (its most obvious spiritual predecessor) as well as the Celica and Supra. Although the press release available after the jump pays lip service to the MR2, none is pictured.
While there is no substantive new information about a production timetable for the comely coupe, Toyota has released a series of images of the FT-86 that are certainly worth perusing. You can check them out below while you're waiting for more info about the car's future.
Gallery: Toyota FT-86 Sports Concept 'Family Portrait'
[Source: Toyota]
Continue reading Toyota FT-86 concept gets a family-style welcome
Toyota FT-86 concept gets a family-style welcome originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Electric
Lumeneo Smera Concept - click above for high-res image gallery
if there's one overriding theme at this year's Geneva Motor Show, it's the electrification of the automobile. Long story short, even scorched earth king Ferrari showed a hybrid. The show floor was littered with dozens of electric contraptions of all shapes and sizes, but we're taking a moment or so to tell you about the Lumeneo Smera because it made us smile. Here's why.
For the ten minutes or so we spent photographing the Smera, half a dozen people managed to squeeze themselves inside its tiny body. And the second the door shut, everyone of them burst out laughing, especially the poor schmucks who took the plunge and shoehorned into the back seat. That's right, the Smera is an inline two-seater. Even cooler than that, the Smera does that cool leany thing going around corners, just like the now defunct Carver.
But that's not all - France's Lumeneo Smera might be of great interest to you enthusiast types. Lumeneo claims that it's 15-kilowatt electric motor produces - we hope you're sitting down - 737 pound-feet or torque, a figure that would give the little-bitty 992-pound pod a power to weight ratio of something approximating Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime. Are they using e-tron math? Probably, but that's the story they're telling to the world. We'll believe it when it forces our eyeballs back into our skulls.
Gallery: Geneva 2010: Lumeneo Smera
Continue reading Geneva 2010: Lumeneo Smera Concept is a lean(ing), possibly hyper-mean, electric machine
Geneva 2010: Lumeneo Smera Concept is a lean(ing), possibly hyper-mean, electric machine originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, SUV, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Specialty
Fornasari Racing Buggy concept - click above for high-res image gallery
Here's the brass tacks: When we like a show car, we like it. Case in point, we're still semi-drunk on car show pleasure from the fleeting moments we were lucky enough to spend looking at the Bertone Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept. Flip side of that coin, if we dislike something, we tell the world. As for this here pair of Fornasaris, well, we sure as hell ain't talking about the lusty Pandion.
First up is the crayola orange and two-tone gray Racing Buggy and... it's better than the Fornasari RR66 that we'll be slicing into momentarily. Honestly, this sick puppy looks like Cadillac's Art & Science team redesigned the Isuzu VehiCross with a blunt chisel, though the front and the back are actually pretty sharply crafted. Since that's about the nicest thing we have to say, we'll move on to the RR66.
Dude, seriously? The navy blue RR66 is one of those rare show cars that we just can't believe ever made it out of the Mac Book Pro, let alone anything resembling a design studio. Did the designer down a bottle of scotch while staring at the Spyker Peking-Paris SUV long enough for that ugly duckling to look good? Yes. But never mind the awkward, two-door SUV proportions, check out the rotten detailing.The wood used for the RR66's sills and cargo box is not the exquisite stuff used to line the innards of the Audi A7 Coastline Concept. In fact, it looks like it fell off the same tree we used to make a chessboard out of in 8th grade. But unlike our highly praised chessboard (hi mom!), Fornasari didn't even varnish the stuff. That's just lazy, and we hate lazy. We also hate the last-minute-afterthought pressed-in slumlord rear window. OK, it's late and we're running low on hate-juice, but you get the idea. How do you kids say it? FAIL.
Gallery: Geneva 2010: Fornasari Racing Buggy and RR66
Geneva 2010: Fornasari Racing Buggy and RR66 represent opposite end of Geneva spectrum originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Sedan, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Peugeot
5 by Peugeot - Click above for high-res image gallery
Ze Germans may be known for their efficiency, but try this on for size: French automaker Peugeot is gearing up to replace two sedans with - wait for it - just one! Feigned enthusiasm aside, this is the one that stands to take the job, and it's a pretty sharp looking sedan.
More telling, however, though dubbed a concept car, the 5 by Peugeot looks fairly close to production-ready status, especially compared to design studies like the RC HyMotion4 concept, another four-door concept from Peugeot unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 2008. Oh, and we're disregarding the lack of any interior on this show car.
We expect a production version of the 5 by Peugeot to replace both the 407 and 607 within the next couple of years. In the meantime - particularly since Peugeot doesn't market in North America - you can take a closer look in the gallery below.
Gallery: Geneva 2010: 5 by Peugeot
Gallery: Geneva 2010: Peugeot SR1 Concept
Photos by Noah Joseph / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Geneva 2010: 5 by Peugeot is just five by us originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Electric
Rinspeed UC? - Click above for high-res image gallery
Despite what your eyes may be telling you, the car you see above is not a Pygmy Fiat 500. It is, in fact, the questionably named Rinspeed UC? (pun intended - get it, questionably named... ha!), which the company says is short for both Urban Commuter and the phrase, "You See?". In person, the latest concept from the quirky design house appears much more green and iridescent than it does in the press photos, as you can see from our live image gallery below.
Buried underneath that flashy clothing you'll find a lithium ion battery pack from LiTec that sends power to an electric motor with 95 pound-feet of torque, which pushes the little urban runabout to a top speed of 68 miles per hour. A full charge is said to be sufficient for a range of about 75 miles.
Also take note that there's not a single scratch on the UC?, though that wouldn't really be a problem since the car comes with StickerFix, "a modern, high quality adhesive DIY repair system that uses patented AkzoNobel paint technology in combination with a specially developed vinyl sticker." Clever, no?
Gallery: Geneva 2010: Rinspeed UC?
Gallery: Rinspeed UC?
Geneva 2010: Rinspeed UC? asks a lot of questions originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Hybrid, Sedan, Geneva Motor Show, MISC
I.DE.A Institute Sofia - Click above for high-res image gallery
What's the one thing that would fix the automotive industry today? Fresh ideas, you say? Well, this isn't quite that. In fact auto shows these days - Geneva particularly - have become packed with legions of swoopy, stylish four-door hybrid concepts. What this is, though, is one of the more attractive ones we've seen to date.
Created by the quizzically-abbreviated I.DE.A. Institute, the Sofia's hourglass shape is (according to the press release after the jump, at least) inspired by the female form. And we don't have much trouble believing that line, curvaceous as it is. The hybrid part, though, is pure fantasy. Because like many design studies, the I.DE.A. Sofia is an empty body shell. It's got no interior, but more to the point, it has no mechanicals inside. Its creators say it could theoretically accommodate a V8 engine, with or without the assistance of an electric motor, driving either the front wheels or the rear.
Like it? Don't get too excited by the prospect of production. The I.DE.A Institute claims to have contributed to designs for numerous major automakers, but in its 30-year history has produced more household appliances and furniture. But for the next upstart looking to join the likes of Fisker and Tesla, the sumptuous shape could be just the ticket. Don't take our word for it; have a closer look for yourself in the galleries below.
Gallery: Geneva 2010: I.DE.A. Institute Sofia
Gallery: I.DE.A Institute Sofia
Photos by Noah Joseph / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading Geneva 2010: I.DE.A Institute Sofia concept inspired by the female form
Geneva 2010: I.DE.A Institute Sofia concept inspired by the female form originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, SUV, Geneva Motor Show, Middle East, Design/Style, Off-Road
We went to the wrong school -- Click above for a high-res image gallery
Imagine this: you're sitting there in your engineering class and the professor walks in and says, "You're getting a little project this semester. I'd like you to design an SUV. But not just any SUV, one that takes into account the environment and population of the Arabian Gulf. 20% of your grade is riding on it."
That's right, King Saud University (KSU) students in Saudi Arabia were asked to create a new SUV called the Gazal-1. If you're wondering, Gazal means "gazelle" in Arabic. Why you would name a hulking, International Truck-looking off-roader after a lithe, speedy and athletic mammal is anyone's guess. Still, you must admit, for a bunch of college kids, they did a fine job.
The big green truck here at the Geneva Motor Show is actually just a model, a styling exercise if you will. However, the Gazal-1 is more than just an engineering project. A business plan has been part of the Gazal-1 since the get-go. Are we saying that the KSU kids' truck will one day make it to production? Mostly likely no. However, KSU's reason for such an ambitious project is to "Promote the culture of automotive industry, to train young engineers who can participate in research and development." Those are some educational goals we can get behind.
Now comes the fun part. The KSU students didn't start with a totally blank slate. In fact, they were given an existing SUV to start with. They were then told to keep the original vehicle's wheelbase, track, mechanical bits and interior hard points. Obviously, the entire body was redesigned. So redesigned in fact that when asked what SUV underpins the Gazal-1, five out of five members of the Autoblog Geneva crew got it wrong. Make the jump to see if you're smarter than us. Warning: Don't make the jump until you've guessed what truck!
Gallery: Geneva 2010: King Saud University Gazal-1
Continue reading Geneva 2010: King Saud University Gazal-1 is one whopper of a student project
Geneva 2010: King Saud University Gazal-1 is one whopper of a student project originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Hybrid, Geneva Motor Show, GM, Opel, Electric
Opel Flextreme GT/E Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
The highlight of the Opel stand at the Geneva Motor Show this week is clearly the new Flextreme GT/E concept. This second Flextreme-badged concept is the first midsize car to be powered by General Motors' Voltec powertrain as used in the Chevrolet Volt. The GT/E is just a couple of inches shorter than the Insignia/Regal, but Opel claims it matches the 40 mile electric driving range of the Volt/Ampera.
The same 1.4-liter inline-four gasoline fueled range extender is used along with the 16 kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery pack. However, the designers have taken the lessons learned from the Volt program about how aerodynamics can extend the electric driving range and applied them even more aggressively to the new concept.
The mirror-less GT/E has a drag coefficient of just 0.22 - aided in no small part by a reduced frontal area and vertical fins that can extend out of the body work at speeds over 30 mph to effectively extend the tail and control turbulence behind the car. The Volt has been carefully shaped at rear corners to manage this air-flow, but the new Flextreme adds active aerodynamics to take it to the next level.
The concept also aggressively goes after weight savings with extensive use of carbon fiber, although Opel isn't specifying a mass for this one-off concept. What they are specifying is fuel consumption of 147 miles per gallon (U.S.). How they came to this number remains as mysterious as the magical 230 mpg touted last year for the Volt.
Gallery: Geneva 2010: Opel Flextreme GT/E Concept
Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading Geneva 2010: Opel Flextreme GT/E Concept glides on stage
Geneva 2010: Opel Flextreme GT/E Concept glides on stage originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Alfa Romeo
Bertone Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept -- Click above for high-res image gallery
Even though our colleague Paul Esienstein might not agree, car shows serve a few pretty great purposes. Besides reuniting with old colleagues, pressing manufacturers' flesh and geeking out over (certain) booth babes, it's the wild and well done concept cars that get our juices flowing the fastest. Take the Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept from all-star design house Bertone. It rocks.
When we first saw the Panidon images we were less than impressed. Yeah, the shape was good, as Stile Bertone kept this far out show car classically proportioned (low, long hood, short deck, big wheels). But something didn't quite click. Then we walked past the Pandion during the press conference and did a big double take. Whoa. You know what didn't click? The doors, as they were closed in the press pictures.
First of all, reverse-hinged scissor doors are the coolest Bertone show car feature since they debuted the Lamborghini Countach's front-hinged scissor doors at the 1973 Geneva Motor Show. Not only are the rear-hinged doors cool, they're massive, sticking about ten-feet straight up in the air. In case you've read this far and haven't looked at the above photo (fat chance, we know) the doors include part of the front fender. Very, very cool says us.
Also spectacular is the rear end of this sucker. It looks as if someone tossed a softball through a stained glass window and hit pause. Hundreds of tiny shards of shattered... stuff (carbon fiber, magnesium - you tell us) appear to be frozen in mid-explosion. It's something TVR might have come up with if a second generation Sagaris had come to fruition. The rear end is different, fabulously so, and to reiterate the title of this here post, it's why we love covering these manic car shows so dang much. Be sure to check out the albino HR Giger-skeleton interior and the flippin' wheels, which replicate the smashing rear end. As they say here in certain parts of Switzerland, tres magnifique! Or, in Alfa Romeo's native tongue, countach!
Gallery: Geneva 2010: Bertone Pandion
Gallery: Stile Bertone Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept
Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Geneva 2010: Bertone Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept reaffirms our love of car shows originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Hybrid, Sedan, Geneva Motor Show, Audi
Audi A8 Hybrid Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
In the Them's Big Words department, Audi is calling its A8 Hybrid "the efficiency standard." And it's not exactly untrue since the top-of-the-peak, 211-horsepower 2.0-liter sedan boosted by a 45-hp electric motor has more power than an A3 TDI and a faster 0-to-60 sprint, yet the gas mileage comparison isn't unfavorable: the A3 gets 34 miles per gallon combined, the A8 Hybrid does 38 mpg. And you get all that A8 size and panache. And 21-inch rims. Responsibly.
All that is certain to cost you come negotiating time: It remains a concept so Audi hasn't released a price, but when you're talking about getting the moon, it's safe to figure it'll cost you a few stars. You can have a look at another glimpse of that expensive future in the gallery of high-res photos below.
Gallery: Geneva 2010: Audi A8 Hybrid Concept
Gallery: Audi A8 hybrid
Continue reading Geneva 2010: Audi A8 Hybrid a concept in name only
Geneva 2010: Audi A8 Hybrid a concept in name only originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Europe
Sbarro Autobau Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
Some of us were just barely mastering our Big Wheels back in the 1970s, but we imagine most of the concepts at those Salon de Geneves all looked hairy and wild. You know what we're talking about. Star Trek meets George Barris design language, lower than your waist, nonsensical ingress/egress mechanisms, $5 afterthought interiors and colors pulled from the center of only the finest quaalude trips. Kinda like SEMA cars actually, but with European sensibility and sophistication.
Meet the Sbarro Autobau, a concept car we know almost nothing about but really enjoy looking at. Yes, it's totally non-conventional (hey, it's a Sbarro), and according to the Francais-only marketing material the Autobao is a tribute to Swiss racing stud Fredy Lienhard. It's also (supposedly) packin' 12-cylinders, 500 horses and weighs about 3,200 pounds. What a concept.
Gallery: Geneva 2010: Sbarro Autobau
Geneva 2010: Sbarro Autobau Concept is a Geneva classic originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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