Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Geneva 2011: the market again after the Great Depression

Is taking place these days in the 81st Geneva Motor Show, which this year brings the debut of more than 170 new world. Switzerland does not produce cars, but perhaps for this stage is the most important media of the world, an indispensable showcase for Costuttori around the world. We are also in Geneva, we are all, but this space for so much excitement there.

Ferrari, Lamborghini and Pagani First two industrial masterpieces like "revolutionary" Ferrari FF and the exciting successor to the Murcielago, Lamborghini Aventador that both the aggressive style he inherited from the exclusive Reveton. The success of a car is measured from the crowd and that creates both the FF Aventador that have attracted large crowds.

Even the spectacular Huayra Pagani supercar for over one million euro, has been able to warm the heart of fans. Alfa Romeo 4C Concept But nothing compares with the real hysteria surrounding the spectacular Alfa Romeo 4C. Compact, aggressive, light, powerful, expresses the soul that the public expects from Alfa; perfect and who cares if it is just because of the limit to the complexity of construction of the Dallara chassis.

This car certainly feed into the myth Alfa Romeo in a year and a half, when the 4C will begin his business career by "instant classic", with a price of just under € 50,000. Other sporting interest as always for the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, which had the S version, the Maserati GranTurismo Sport, the new Bentley Continental GT, for the new American muscle cars like the Chevy Camaro, Corvette, Dodge Challenger SRT8 and the "extreme" by a million euro and passes that never meet on the road unless you live in Monaco or Dubai, as the Koenigsegg Agera R, McLaren MP4-12C, Bugatti Veyron, the Gumpert Tornante bodied by Touring.

Never seen them all together, a truly. Among the sport of law also would put the 500 Coupe Zagato that sat in the stands wearing the yellow Fiat. Witty, aggressive, with the roof lowered and the "bumps", the Zagato version of the 500 - which was equipped with an original version of the bad twin TwinAir of 0.9 liters with 105 hp (makes 124 hp / liter specific power!) - worth a small production in-built cars.

Except for the beautiful Lancia Thema 4C, between the positive surprises I would put the new Thema, albeit with some reservations. Positive if only because it is a novelty in the segment Lancia and above, where the Italian factory without an alliance with Chrysler would never again after this unfortunate Thesis (too expensive to design a model from scratch).

I will not give opinions on design, but live the Thema is large, important and solid, is known to impose without overdoing it. It met the approval of manager (and drivers manager) that have occurred to experience the thrill of sitting behind the wheel and have carefully inspected the interior ...

will also be a rebadged 300C, but certainly like the type of customers to whom it is addressed. And of course will be offered at a price lower than the usual German alternative, something that will forgive some detail too "American." The new Hyundai Forte feeling the styling of Hyundai's progress, more and more global player, which had the largest average i40, now at the level of most European listed next to the original coupe Veloster.

On the stand beside the new generation of small satellite Kia Rio brand. Now the gap style that still distinguished in negative Korean giant's products from large manufacturers in the world is canceled and the future looks rosy. The concept Renault striking stylistic leap of the new concept of aging Renault which hit all models of the range.

The new Franco-Japanese style house is characterized by the particular shape of the grille that focuses the eye on the Renault diamond, but the two concepts, the compact crossover SUV and the Capture R-space, are very successful and bodes well for a return to the original style, which for decades has been characteristic of Renault.

Bertone, Infiniti and Range Speaking of style, beautiful 2-door coupe Jaguar + 2 B99 Bertone, of great zeal and classic elegance. I wonder if this will be the style of the future baby Jaguar. Among the design proposals that foreshadow an upcoming production, I found it very beautiful and original Infiniti Etherea, concept of a compact premium with a strong personality.

Confirmation live personality style of the Range Rover and the sleek concept Evoque Metropolis, possible future flagship Citroen. De Tomaso Deauville Absolutely the most botched news for me is unlikely, unnecessary, gargantuan SUV / sedan / crossover De Tomaso Deauville which should constitute the first step in the rebirth of the brand.

Clumsy, heavy volumes, banal in design, Pininfarina unworthily. But can anyone really think that this ungainly whale from € 100,000 with the V8 Americans if they can sell 3,000 a year? Mercedes SLK and Mercedes C-Class Coupé Then two, the new SLK and C Coupe, which replaces the unpopular and ill-fated SLC, with a suit of classic notchback coupe.

Well, I find the new SLK heavier and less personal in the second generation it replaces, with a wide muzzle and prominent style SLS, which is discordant with respect to the tail, was very similar, but less rounded. The overall effect has less momentum and less grace ... Give us back the old.

Also disappointed by the C-class coupe, style and without even trivial movement of those found on the side that have improved such as the coupe (and convertible) than the E class sedan which resulted ugly. Here the result is reversed and no longer young sedan class C has greater momentum than this soulless coupe.

Italdesign Tex and Go! Another disappointment for the two concept, a coupe and a compact van, which mark the debut of the new Giugiaro integrated into the galaxy and that Volkswagen should represent the trends of the German manufacturer for the next generation of product. Nothing more than correct, almost nostalgic over the lines, then, yes, innovative, Giugiaro years of 70/80, as part of the side glass to glass coupe.

Giugiaro we come to expect something else and I do not think a good start. Disappointment Lancia Flavia Lancia Flavia waiting for the concept, sedan and convertible, which probe an unlikely request of the public to decide whether to sell a car of little personality, old, next to the replacement with the next generation and no appeal from its evocative distinguished, innovative ancestor.

If indeed the intention of Fiat was to probe the reactions of the public to decide whether to produce it (for a year and a half) I would say that the decision (wise) is already taken ... we can do without and wait quietly between the new two years. Fiat Freemont born with the same objective of maximizing the coverage of the same product on different markets, "crossoverone" five meters Fiat Freemont, badged Dodge Journey is not exciting, does not seem to warm the hearts of visitors of the exhibition in Switzerland.

Lancia Ypsilon Among the "so so", ie between those that I liked the subject, I would put first, the new Ypsilon compact 5-door. A lot of personality, a lovely tail, a side move, a nice nose and important, but the super compact size make it appear a bit 'narrow and high, in Geneva in direct comparison with the current live three doors, it almost seems smaller even if it is not.

Things to buy with large wheels that give it, otherwise the machine is secured and this effect is not good for a "little limo", as he would like to believe the marketing of the House. At the instrument panel then needs to be done to the eye at first glance looks like a tablet leaning into the central part.

I have not yet figured out if I like and also some comments that I read showed a surprise start and a reservation of opinion. Concept Golf and Audi A3 Cabrio Clean, as always in the Audi design, but, as always, very innovative concept, the A3, which anticipates a future production, as well as the new A6, which is also clean, elegant but difficult to distinguish from sisters A4 and A8 ...

done (well) with the stencil. Finally, the Golf Cabriolet back, long-awaited. Also in this case is a bit 'the speech made about the concept Flavia. Now start the production of the Golf VI Cabrio on an already restyling of the Golf V, and at the end of 2012 will be replaced by the seventh-generation Golf does not seem very logical.

For the rest, like the Audi, the Golf Cabrio is without infamy and without praise, sober, clean but definitely unexciting.

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