The Geneva Motor show is the pinnacle of the motoring show calendar. Hosted at the Palexpo Arena in Switzerland, the show opens on March 7 for trade and press before opening to the public on March 9.
Here we round up the biggest and best announcements from the show floor as car manufacturers debut their flagship models and the tech powering them. As more announcements are made, this article will be updated.
The London Taxi Company (LTC) is testing its electric black cab, on sale at the end of 2017, in extreme conditions in Norway’s Arctic Circle. The 98-year-old company is trialling the vehicles at temperatures of -15C to ensure the battery and range is not impacted when a cold front hits. Internal temperature controls, grip and visibility are also being tested in the icy conditions. Although the lowest temperature ever recorded in London was -21.1C, LTC is also due to test the cabs at -49C temperatures in giant fridges. The cab will be trialled at extremely hot temperatures as well. The vehicle will go into production soon after LTC’s new manufacturing facility is opened on March 22 in Ansty, Warwickshire.
Audi has unveiled six new cars. The Audi Q8 sport concept has a 3.0 TFSI six cylinder engine and a ‘mild’ hybrid system, with an electric compressor. It can reach 100km/h in 4.7 seconds and has a top speed of 275km/h. New controls include a large touchscreen compatible with Audi’s AR dashboard technology. Also unveiled were the Audi RS 5 Coupé which has 2.9 TFSI V6 biturbo engine and accelerates to 100km/h in 3.9 seconds; the Audi RS 5 DTM with 500 horsepower; the Audi RS 3 Sportback with five-cylinder engine; the Audi SQ5 TFSI SUV made its European debut, with three-litre V6 engine and adjustable air suspension; and the Audi A5 Sportback g-tron, which runs on natural gas and has a range of 500km.
The 720S mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive supercar is the successor to the 650S Coupé. At 1,283kg it is 18kg lighter than its predecessor, but by borrowing construction notes from the P1 hypercar, the 720S integrates the upper part of its chassis with the monoqoue carbon-fibre “tub” (and given the moniker “Monocage II”), which results in extreme strength and rigidity and incredibly thin pillars (subsequently, McLaren claims it has the best visibility of any supercar in world).
- Read more about the McLaren 720S.
F1 racing legend and Indy 500 champion Emerson Fittipaldi has joined forces with Italian design company Pininfarina and German engineering firm HWA AG to produce this stunning hypercar, the Fittipaldi EF7 Vision Gran Turismo.
The ultra-light, all carbon fibre supercar, is the first car to be released under the Fittipaldi Motors marque and has a sleek design inspired by the lines of a shark, with an extraordinary power-to-weight ratio. It has been designed as a racer that is supposedly so easy to use, it can be operated by non-professional drivers.
- Read more about the Fittipaldi EF7 Vision Gran Turismo by Pininfarina.
At the unveiling of the tenth-generation Honda Civic Type R, project boss Hideki Kakinuma said the firm was "trying to balance two aspects" and while some rivals focus on extreme performance and others are going in the comfort direction. "We want to go right in the middle."
The new Civic Type R has a 2.0-litre VTEC petrol engine, with 295lb ft and 316bhp and is longer, wider and lower than previous models. The Civic Type R, which will be built at Honda’s plant in Swindon, goes on sale this autumn with prices to be confirmed.
Aviation manufacturer Airbus has created a new concept for a drone-car hybrid. Dubbed the Pop.Up, the vehicle comprises of a human carrying 'capsule' that's able to fit on either a set of wheels or eight rotor blades that will take it to the skies.
Airbus says the vehicle combines the "flexibility" of a ground vehicle will the "freedom" of vertical take-off. The capsule, also described as a 'cocoon', would be created from carbon-fibre and measure 2.6 metres in length, 1.4m high and 1.5m wide. However, for the time being at least, it appears the Pop.Up will only be a concept.
Read more about the Airbus Pop.Up here.
After teasing its next-generation 5 Series model, BMW has revealed the 2017 "semi-autonomous" 5 Series Touring at this year's Geneva Motor Show. The car is intended to "point the way to automated driving with the help of new assistance systems". The 5 Series Touring has Crossing Traffic Warning and Priority Warning, Lane Change Assistant and Lane Keeping Assistant with active side collision protection, and evasion aid.
- Read more about BMW's Geneva Motor Show announcements.
Automobili Lamborghini's Huracán Perfomante has a 5.2-litre V10 engine producing 640hp and 442lb ft of torque. It's 40 kilograms lighter than a standard Huracan coupe and in October the Performante set a production car lap record of 6:52.01 around the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife. The car's top speed reaches 202mph and it realises 0 to 60 mph in less than 2.9 seconds.
Lamborghini claims the Huracán Performante is "the result of Lamborghini innovations, producing a super sports car balanced between achieving the best lap times on a circuit with the most engaging and dynamic road driving."
At this year's Geneva Motor Show, Rolls-Royce showcased its Ghost Elegance – the first luxury motor car to be finished in a paint created from diamonds. Named ‘Diamond Stardust’, the company claims the finish is the "most luxurious and lustrous exterior ever seen" and it is made from 1,000 crushed diamonds. The car was commissioned by an individual collector and all of the diamonds were ethically sourced.
Inside, this unique Rolls-Royce Ghost has black leather seats with Mugello Red stitching on the doors, and piping on the seats. The carpet and lambswool footmats are black and the fascia is made from Tudor Oak veneer.
Mercedes has unveiled the GT Concept car, built within its AMG performance division. The four-door hybrid is a preview of its “third completely independently developed sports car”, has a 4.0-liter V8 engine and can reach 100km/h in less than 3 seconds.
Ahead of this month's Geneva Motor Show, Land Rover unveiled its mid-size Velar. The Velar, coming from the Latin for “veil”, has been taken from the designation of the original Range Rover prototypes of 1969, which Land Rover treated as top secret while in development. This latest model is intended to fill the gap in the range between the Evoque and Sport.
The new design is striking and sleek – so sleek, in fact, that this is the most aerodynamically efficient Land Rover ever made, with a drag co-efficient of 0.32. The Velar has a long 2,874mm wheelbase to overall length, not only giving the car those attractive proportions but also better handling.
Elsewhere, Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) showcased its bespoke Land Rover Discovery for use by the Austrian Red Cross. Called Project Hero, the car is a so-called "advanced communication vehicle" that comes with a roof-mounted drone. A landing system featuring self-centring and magnetic retention technology means the drone can land on Project Hero when the vehicle is moving.
- Read more about Range Rover's Geneva Motor Show announcements.
This is the 2017 RC F GT3 from Lexus, and with this 500hp, 5.4-litre V8 racer the higher-end sister brand to Toyota hopes to show an increasing commitment to motorsport. The car comes with a carbon fibre hood, roof, trunk lid, door panels, front and rear bumpers, front canards, rear spoiler, interior trim, rear wing, engine air box and dashboard. It has been approved by the FIA (motorsport’s governing body) and will be competing in championships in the USA and Japan, as well as a select number of European events including the International GT Open series.
- Read more about Lexus' RC F GT3.
First unveiled back in 2012, Porsche has finally revealed the production model for its Sport Turismo concept. The estate car, which is loosely based on the Panamera sedan, comes in five different versions and will start shipping in the UK in October. It’s available with a range of engines up to 500 hp and four-wheel drive – there’s also a large tailgate, low boot loading-sill and room for five people.
- Read more about Porsche's Sport Turismo.
Porsche also used the Geneva Motor Show to showcase its next-generation 911 GT3. At the rear of the new car is a four-litre flat-six engine with 500hp meaning it "remains virtually unchanged from the thoroughbred 911 GT3 Cup racing car."
Tyre manufacturer Goodyear is trying to change how society thinks about the tyre with a new concept that it claims includes artificial intelligence.
Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, the firm's Eagle 360 Urban concept is a sphere designed to adapt to the surface it is being driven on.
- Read more about Goodyear's AI tyre.
Following the release of Vengeance at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, Kahn Design is debuting its new convertible at this year's show, called the Vengeance Volante.
Vengeance Volante is made using Aston Martin’s bonded aluminium and is inspired by the firm's classic designs of the late 20th century. It has swapped the contoured roof of the original Vengeance for a cabriolet hood, comes with widened C-pillars and wings and features a crosshair exhaust system.
Car magazine additionally has a fantastic A-Z list of all the cars being announced at the show.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
