The Geneva Autosalon 2019!

On March 7, 2019March 7, 2019 By ChristofferIn NewsLeave a comment

We hope you enjoy this short summary of what’s going on this and next week in Geneva!

Glimpses from the Geneva Motor Show

On March 11, 2018March 11, 2018 By ChristofferIn NewsLeave a comment

If you happen to be close to Geneva, there is still time to visit the 88th Motor Show, that takes place until 18 March. I was able to spend a few hours there this week and observe, next to the usual glamour, two main trends.

The first one is obviously electrical cars, and when you see the sheer number of hybrid and electrical cars currently available or in planning in one place, it is hard to imagine that some other alternative fuel would have a chance to compete with electric – the race is probably already run, also in terms of supplying the necessary infrastructure.

The second trend, a bit more unexpected, is – well, flying cars. A number of brands present different types of cars with wings, or more drone-like flying arrangements like the Audi pictured below, the idea of which is for the car both to be able to cruise down a road but then take to the air when the road stops or becomes congested. You can’t help wonder how we will look back on this in 15 years from now…

The Audi Flying Drone (no, that’s not the official name). Will our grand children say “gee, look at how big the wings were then”, or rather “they were really crazy back in the -10’s”?

Next to electrical cars and flying drones, there was however still enough of the old school cubic inches and horsepower around for me to provide some main highlights below.

The BMW X7 is a beautiful study of what a larger, future X5 could look like. No production date has been set, and it’s a bit surprising how late BMW thinks about joining the party, considering competitors such as the Audi Q7 and MB GL/GLS have been around since long.

Polestar had their stand next to the (large) Volvo stand, in perhaps the best location of the whole show – well done. Polestar 1 (set to go into production in 2019) looks nice from the front and the side, but the back is as ugly as the new S90 and does not look very premium on the inside.

No, this is not a second Polestar1 but rather the AMG GT63, a four-door, four-seat, coupe-like GT car. When you look closer it looks far more aggressive and exclusive than the Polestar. Now if anyone really missed it until it existed, that’s another question.

With obviously all the supercar brands being present, I’ll let the Chiron represent them all. No doubt the reddest car at this year’s show!

If you feel these lines reminds you of something from your youth, you’re right. This is the new Stratos, a tribute to the original Lancia Stratos and showed as a concept already in 2010, but now about to go into production. It is designed by Pininfarina and will be manufactured by Manifattura Automobili Torino (MAT). Based on a Ferrari F430 chassis, the engine develops over 500 hp for kerb weight under 1300 kg.

Last but not least, my favorite from this year’s show, the Ruf SCR. The latest incarnation of this 40-year old name is what first looks like a classic 911 (964), but is a fully modern car with a body in carbon fibre and a 4-litre naturally aspirated six-cylinder engine, developing over 500 hp. The price is as high as the car is beautiful!

Picture Gallery: BMW 4-series Gran Coupé

On March 22, 2014March 22, 2014 By svenIn News2 Comments

The 4-series Gran Coupé is really beautiful, specially with the optional M Sport Package, as seen in the picture gallery below. I saw it in the flesh at the Geneva Motor Show and liked it a lot.

For those who don’t follow BMW:s new, intricate numbering system:

The 3-series is build as a 4-door Saloon, a 5-door Touring or a 5-door GT (the latter is a BIG hatchback).
The 4-series is essentially the same car, but it is build as a 2-door Coupé, a 2-door Convertible or a 5-door “Gran Coupé”, i.e. an elegant 5-door hatchback with coupé-like roofline (think: Audi A5 Sportback)

Geneva Motor Show 2014 – report

On March 12, 2014March 22, 2014 By svenIn Features, News5 Comments

Thanks to a last minute reschedule of flights I was able to make it to the Geneva Motor Show this year. I was only able to spend about an hour visiting the Motor Show, so what follows is a short summary with a somewhat limited photo gallery (taken with my iPhone).

Porsche
The Porsche 991 Targa is as beautiful in the flesh as in the pictures and I was lucky enough to see the roof mechanism in action. Amazing…

There were a couple of Macans in the stand, but both where in an awful dark brown metallic colour. The car looks good though, better than it’s bigger brother the Cayenne and better than the Audi Q5, with which the Macan partly shares the underlying platform.

I tried the back seat of the Macan. Nice but marginally less spacious than my current BMW X3. The luggage space is smaller than the X3 as well.

Nice car though; I’m Thinking about selling the X3 and getting the Macan (or the Maserati Ghibli, see below).

BMW
Looking at pictures, I have not been convinced about the styling of BMW’s electric sports car, the i8, but in the flesh it is absolutely stunning. In the dark grey colour exhibited on the stand it was very desirable. Maybe the most desirable sports car in Geneva; I didn’t see that one coming.

The BMW 4-series Gran Coupé looks really good. I have also posted a large gallery of photos. Looking at this car, I wonder whether they will sell any 3-series Saloon…

For those who don’t follow BMW:s new, intricate numbering system:

The 3-series is build as a 4-door Saloon, a 5-door Touring or a 5-door GT (the latter is a BIG hatchback).
The 4-series is essentially the same car, but it is build as a 2-door Coupé, a 2-door Convertible or a 5-door “Gran Coupé”, i.e. an elegant 5-door hatchback with coupé-like roofline (think: Audi A5 Sportback)

Tesla
The Model S is great. I liked it even more than I thought I would. Ergonomics are very good; the big centre touchscreen display is really easy to use. It feels like “Car 2.0” or like the first iPhone. The future is here today…

It’s electric, it’s pretty, it’s practical (seats 5 or 7, huge boot) and it’s fast. What’s not to like? Maybe the interior doesn’t have the premium feel of the best german competitors…

Please read my fellow blogger’s excellent test drive report of the Tesla.

Ferrari
The new California T looks better than the original California (which I had the privilege to own during two years). I attented the launch of the California T a couple of weeks ago in Modena and will write a separate report on the car and the event. Stay tuned.

Maserati
The Alfieri concept car is very beautiful. Hopefully Maserati’s upcoming sports car (smaller than the GranTurismo), will look similar to this concept. Sorry about the poor picture.

The Maserati Ghibli is a really nice entrant in the medium/high end saloon market, competing with the upmarket 6-cylinder versions of the BMW 5-series, Mercedes E-Klasse (and CLS) as well as the Audi A6. The blue car on the stand was highly desirable. I’m considering buying one, seriously.

Jaguar
Could they build a car even more beautiful then the F-TYPE Convertible? Yes! The F-TYPE Coupé is absolutely stunning. On looks alone, this car is the Motor Show’s star:

But the Convertible stills looks very good…

Alfa Romeo
Alfa showed an open version of the 4C, the 4C Spyder. Nice design, in a Louts Elise kind of way, with added carbon fibre.

Audi
The new TT looks very similar to its predecesor. It’s nice but…yawn…

Lamborghini
The new Huracan is a stunner in the flesh, although a bit extreme for my taste. How did I not manage to take a proper picture?

Mercedes
S-Klasse Coupé: considering the huge size of the car it is remarkably good looking…

Short Summary
The BMW i8 and Tesla Model S surprised me, in a very positive way. The F-TYPE Coupé was a stunner.

Genève – första intryck

On March 8, 2012June 6, 2012 By svenIn Features, News3 Comments

Sitter på planet från Genève. Intressant salong! De tre bilar som gjorde störst intryck, av olika skäl, var: Porsche Boxster, F12berlinetta och 6-serie Gran coupé.