Highlights From The 2011 Geneva Motor Show

Considered as one of the major international auto shows, the Geneva Motor show is set to reveal more than 50 cars, trucks, and concepts to the press on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Major manufactures like Ford, Toyota, BMW, and General Motors will have their own set of surprises when it comes to debut their vehicles to the world. While some manufactures focus on hybrids, others will strategize ways to penetrate global markets.

The following slides are some highlights from the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.

By Jonathan K. Li and Josephine Bila
Posted 1 March 2011

The Huarya finally makes its debut to the world after seven years development, prototyping and 300,000 miles of testing. The Huarya is the successor of Zonda, debuted more than a decade ago, sports a hand assembled Mercedes-Benz V-12 AMG engine that is cable of producing about 700-horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque.

Composed and built with the lightweight materials, this two-passenger car only weights 2970 pounds. All components used to manufacture this car meet European and American safety regulations. Equipped with a 22.5-gallon fuel tank, the Huayra meets EU5 and LEV2 emission standards.

There is no word for pricing or when it will be on sale, but the Huayra will make it to North America and Europe.

BMW's two-seated Vision ConnectedDrive roadster concept features the best in emerging auto tech. With an advanced 3D head-up display in the winshield, drivers receive information about their car, the car's environment and their passenger all in one spot. Sensors and cameras placed in the head and taillights monitor the car's surroundings and notify the driver of potential threats. The driver-side display interprets environmental information and provides the driver with suggestions on how to avoid danger.

Passengers, on the other hand, have access to movies, music and the Web from their side of the car. Certain display options, like music, can be shared between passenger and driver with one touch.

Along with sci-fi-like electronics, the car also features an incredibly sleek design. Layers in the car's body partially expose the technology beneath, giving the car a unique look from every angle. Fiber-optic lighting calls attention to the different sections of the vehicle and provide a high-tech visual effect.

ConnectedDrive powertrain details are still forthcoming. But regardless of that fact, we're sure any superhero would be pumped to drive this baby.

In the world of fraternal twins, determining who’s who all comes down to the details. The 2012 Fiat Freemont, at first glance, looks like its sibling, the North American Dodge Journey. If you look closely, slight differences can be distinguished. The front fascia is lowered for a sportier look and sports a revised grill. In the back, there are some minor cosmetic changes around the tail. The interior for this seven-seat cross over will share the same interior as the Journey.

Engine choices and handling will be targeted more towards European tastes. Fiat hopes this cross over will succeed in the European market, as the Dodge brand is no longer available. Production of the Freemont will begin this summer in Chrysler’s plant in Toluca, Mexico.

Pricing and availability for the Fiat Freemont has not been announced at the time of publication.

Taking us into the future, Smart brings to the Forspeed Electric Concept. Smart says the concept uses same powertrain as the Smart Fortwo ElectricDrive (ED), a 40-horsepower electric motor that runs off of a 16.5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. With capabilities of accelerating up to 75mph and a range of 81 miles on a single charge, the unique feature that the concept has is a boost button for an extra 7 horsepower.

The exterior sports a futuristic look, incorporating LED lighting. A white interior with green accents gives the interior a very minimalistic look.

Though this is a concept vehicle, Smart expects to use some the design cues in future production models.

Renault has released initial designs of the Renault Captur Concept right before the Geneva Auto Show. Targeted towards young adventurous couples, this 2-door 4-passenger sporty crossover is outfitted with butterfly doors, a removable hardtop roof and 22-inch wheels. The Captur Concept is power powered by Renault’s Energy dCi 1.6-liter 160-horsepower twin-turbo diesel engine concept.

The next generation Kia Rio sports a whole new sportier attitude. With a new grille and LED daytime running lights, it is bound to turn heads. The European Rio will have several engine choices to choose from, but the U.S. variant may begin with a 1.6 liter, direct injected I-4 engine.

Europe will begin selling the five-door Rio this year. The three-door version will join its sibling in the first quarter of 2012. The United States will see the Rio in the showrooms as a 2012 model, but specific details will be announced at a later date.

Making its initial debut as a production model in Geneva, the 2012 Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid is bound to turn heads in the European car market. Developed in partnership with Vattenfall, an European energy company, the V60 Plug-In Hybrid sports an all-wheel-drive system where the 215-horsepower 2.4-liter turbo diesel engine powers the front wheels and a 70-horsepower electric motor powers the rear axle.

Drivers will have the select different driving modes when driving the car. In its hybrid mode, the V60 will allow 745 miles of travel before refueling or recharging. In its pure mode, 31 miles on EV-driving can be obtained. In power mode, the engine and electric motor will work together to obtain the best possible performance.

The V60 Plug-in Hybrid will be launched next year in Europe. The United States may see a different engine variant, if and when it arrives in the states.

City dwellers rejoice! There is a new mini in the making. BMW's latest Mini concept, Rocketman, is shorter than its predecessors by one foot, totaling 11 feet, three inches. Parking spaces will be that much easier to fit in to. Double-hinged doors make entering and exiting the vehicle quicker and effortless. Seating arrangements can be configured in various ways, with capacity for up to four passengers. The car's interior features a central speedometer with 3D graphics and transparent roof with LED lighting for futuristic appeal. The Mini's body is made of mostly carbon fiber, making it stronger and lighter than older models. Hopefully this concept will become reality soon!

In efforts in rebuilding the Chevrolet brand in the European market, General Motors introduced the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback. Though it was teased in the 2010 Paris Auto show, not much has changed between the production model and the concept.

The Cruze Hatchback will come with a new range of gasoline and diesel engines, giving overall value to consumers and driving competition in the European market. The hatchback will go on sale in the summer.

As for the United States, it is unlikely that the Cruze Hatchback will be sold here, though its rival competitor is the Ford Focus.

Specifically developed for the European market, the Hyndai i40 Wagon is based off the Hyundai Sonata platform. Though the front fascia looks like the Elantra with long tapered headlamps, Hyundai promises amenities like leatherette door panel inserts and leather seats, heated front and rear seats, heated steering wheel, and rain sensing wipers for the i40 Wagon. There will be 19.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 61 cubic feet when the second row is folded down.

It is unknown whether or not the i40 Wagon will be sold in North America.

The Saab 9-5 SportCombi is pretty much a wagon version of the current Saab 9-5 sedan. The interior of the SportCombi, as well as engine choices, is carried over from the 9-5 sedan.

All-wheel drive, adaptive headlights, adaptive cruise control, a tri-zone climate control, and a heads-up display are just a few toys that could be found in the SportCombi. When it comes to cargo room, expect to have 56 cubic feet of space with rear seats folded down and 19 cubic feet with the seats up.

As Volvo and BMW have stopped marketing their wagons in the United States, Saab will sell the 9-5 SportCombi. It is rumored that the car will be launched in August. Pricing and model selection will be announced as the sale date nears.

The last time VW built a Cabriolet was in 2003. Eight years later, VW is ready to debut to the word a whole new Golf Cabriolet. With LED daytime running lamps, a tweaked grille, and a steeper windshield rake, the Golf Cabriolet's interior is inherited from its siblings.

Production of the new VW Golf Cabriolet will begin later this year in Onsabruck, Germany. As of right now, the car will be sold in the European market with three different engine choices. It is unknown what Volkswagon’s plans for the car in the North American market.

Pricing for the Volkswagon Golf Cabriolet has not been announced at the time of this publication.

With the sedan and wagon variant out in the market, Mercedes-Benz is set to add the C-Class Coupe to the family lineup. The coupe will have the same wheelbase as its siblings, 108.7-inches, but also a half inch shorter and a 100 pounds lighter. Its targeted competitor, the BMW 3-Series Coupe.

When the car goes on sale, probably in September, there will be two models to choose from, a C250 and a C350. Though the latter has a larger engine displacement, both models will have 14-way power front seats, dual-zone climate controls, HD radio, and Bluetooth phone connectivity as standard options.

Pricing has not been announced at the time of publication.

The Ferrari FF makes its debut at the Geneva Auto Show as the successor for the Ferrari Scaglietti that was launched in 2004. Able to produce about 650-horsepower through a 6.3-liter direct injected V-12 engine, Ferrari claims that the FF, fitted with a four-wheel drive system, can go from 0 to 62 mph in 3.7 seconds.

Inside, the FF can fit four adults, leaving 15.9 cube-feet of cargo space available. That’s about two golf bags or bags for the weekend road trip. With the rear seats folded down, cargo room expands to 28.3 cube-feet.

Pricing and availability for the Ferrari FF has not been announced at the time of publication.

The Porche Panamera S Hybrid is an energy efficient gas-electric vehicle that--when fitted with optional low-rolling-resistance tires developed specifically for the car—gets 34.6 mpg. With standard tires, the car gets about 33.1 mpg. The hybrid's system is the only one in the world that features an internal-combustion engine that automatically disengages and switches off, allowing the car to "sail" at speeds of up to 103 mph.

Porche claims the car will go from 0-to-60-mph in 5.7 seconds and its top speed is 168 mph. What's even more impressive--when driven on electricy alone, the Panamera can reach about 50 mph.

This new Porche Hybrid is priced at $95,000 and will reach the European market and U.S. market in the summer of 2012 (June-July 2012, respectively).