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20080303-0017-ANE.qxd 2/29/08 12:31 PM Page 17

March 3, 2008 www.autonewseurope.com · PAGE 17

Guide to the Geneva auto show Photo: Tim Kavanagh The 78th Geneva auto show will feature green , cheap cars and fast cars. For the show debuts from A to Z, see Pages 18 to 23. Geneva: Green and getting greener

Automakers will show But the 2008 Geneva show, the 78th lawmakers are demanding. namics technologies. Ghosn’s other job is CEO of Re- environmentally friendly to be held in the Swiss city, could be BMW and Mercedes-Benz will With the focus on green technolo- nault. One of the most closely technologies for mass market a historic turning point. The show have hybrid cars on show in Geneva, gies, has not chosen the best watched launches in Geneva will be will not just feature a growing array but the emphasis will be on the time to introduce its luxury the unveiling of a concept for the new of environmentally friendly cars and breadth of technologies they will de- brand or its G-TR in Europe. Megane. makes most of its Paul McVeigh technologies. ploy in the near-to-medium term. But Nissan CEO says profits from the Megane and its - Automotive News Europe It will provide a vision of how those Mercedes will debut the first pro- Infiniti is not looking for huge mar- sibling, the Scenic. technologies are likely to move from duction cars that feature its new fuel- ket share in Europe. He wants to re- With the current Megane’s sales The Geneva show halls will be awash the premium segments, where most saving BlueEfficiency technologies. duce Infiniti’s dependence on its sliding steeply, Ghosn needs the new, with cars of every color this year. But innovations start, to the volume BMW will show an X5 SUV with fur- main North American market and third-generation Megane to be a hit. only one shade really matters: Green. sectors, where most cars are bought. ther developments of its EfficientDy- give the brand a global footprint. Industry watchers say the current Pressured by EU legislators to cut Megane’s quirky styling was a turn- CO2 emissions and by consumers Getting serious Three to see off for some buyers in the conserva- worried about climate change, au- tive lower-medium segment. tomakers need to show they mean This year’s Geneva exhibition will Geneva visitors will study the con- business when they talk about reduc- provide some strong examples of cept to see if Renault’s designers have ing the automobile’s effect on the en- how volume carmakers are getting heeded Ghosn’s demand that they vironment. serious with their efforts to curb CO2. place functionality and customer And that’s what they are expected  Ford will highlight a version of its tastes ahead of extravagant styling to do in Geneva. new Fiesta small car with CO2 for new models. Major auto shows have been rapid- emissions of less than 100g/km. ly shifting focus from big cars with big The news is significant because the Dacia announcement engines to lighter and smaller cars small-car segment is Europe’s with more full-efficient powertrains. largest and Ford’s sub-100g/km Fi- The Dodge ZEO concept Renault says it will make a major The trend was clear a year ago in esta will offer car buyers a low- is powered by a 200- announcement about the future of its Geneva. It was reinforced last Sep- emissions car at an affordable price. kilowatt electric motor Romanian brand Dacia in Geneva. tember at the IAA in Frankfurt. And  Volkswagen will show a concept of that produces 268hp. Dacia, which makes the hit Logan green technology was again featured a Golf diesel-hybrid that the com- low-budget car, is increasingly im- prominently in January in Detroit. pany says will burn only 3.4 liters of portant to the French carmaker. By diesel per 100km. 2011, Renault aims to sell 1.4 million Center stage  Fiat’s 500 Aria, powered by a 1.3- Logans annually. liter diesel, will show how new tech- Initially launched as a low-cost Key world production debuts nologies can help bring CO2 emis- Ford for developing markets, the sions down to 98 grams/km from Ford’s new Fiesta has a Logan is becoming a model family  Alfa Romeo 8C Spider 111g/km for the cleanest 500 now sleek design to make it with , pickup and van  Ford Fiesta on sale. stand out in the hotly con- variants. Dacia will show its Logan-  Ford Kuga  will introduce the iQ tested small-car segment. based Sandero in Geneva.  minicar and the Urban Cruiser Two Chinese brands will be in  Infiniti FX small SUV. Both models are aimed Geneva. BMW partner Brilliance Jin-  Lancia Delta at reducing Toyota’s average CO2 bei Automotive will show large-seg-  Renault Koleos emissions in Europe. ment and lower-medium cars that  Skoda Superb will appear in European showrooms  Toyota iQ More premium technologies in the summer.  Toyota Urban Cruiser BYD Auto, which sold 2,566 cars  Volkswagen Scirocco Premium carmakers will also show in Russia last year, will announce  Volvo XC60 in Geneva that new technologies, its ambitious sales plans for the rest previously reserved for their top-of- of Europe. Key world concept debuts the-line models, are going into high- ’ stand in Geneva nor- er-volume products. Tata mally is one of the less frequented  Meriva Forget the hype about hybrids. displays. This year, auto executives  Renault Megane Measures such as downsized engines The Tata Nano will be will head there to examine the Nano,  Seat Ibiza and weight reduction will be more the world’s cheapest car a modern, roomy vehicle that will  Saab 9-1X important in helping the German when it launches in India be the world’s cheapest car when  TDI Hybrid premium carmakers make the big re- by the end of the year. it launches in India by the end of ductions in CO2 emissions that EU the year. ANE PAGE 18 · www.autonewseurope.com March 3, 2008

Want another copy? Geneva auto show For a printer-friendly PDF version of the Geneva preview, go to: www.autonews.com/geneva BYD 8C Spider to lead US launch China’s BYD Auto will unveil a hatch- back variant of its F3 sedan called the F3R. The lower-medium F3R could be sold in Europe. BYD plans to sell cars in F1 western Europe within 12 months, industry sources say. BYD also will dis- plants in China with a combined play its F1 small car, large-segment F6 300,000-unit annual capacity. Last year and gasoline-electric and plug-in elec- its unit sales in Russia, its only European tric cars. BYD has two car assembly market, rose 51 percent to 2,566.

Cadillac

Cadillac will show a hybrid version of its concept for a CTS that likely will Escalade premium SUV that will go on go on sale in Europe starting in mid- sale in the US in the summer. 2009 to help the US luxury brand com- The Escalade hybrid has a 6.0-liter pete better against BMW, Audi and V-8 gasoline engine and an electric Mercedes-Benz. Cadillac also will show 8C Spider motor that can power the car at low its second-generation CTS-V high-per- speeds in cities. formance sedan and Provoq zero-emis- Alfa Romeo will unveil the 8C Spider, a starting in July. US sales of the 8C Spider They use an Alfa version of Maserati’s Also on show will be a near-production sion concept. version of its flagship 8C will begin early next year. Alfa also plans 405hp 4.2-liter V-8 engine with displace- Competizione coupe that went on sale in to start selling its 159 and Brera cars in ment increased to 4.7 liters and horse- Europe last October. the US by the end of next year. power to 450hp. The 8C Spider will go on sale in Europe ear- Alfa will build just 500 units of the 8C Spi- The Junior, Alfa’s first small car, will not ly next year, priced at about €200,000. The der. The carmaker also plans to build just be shown. It will go on sale starting in 8C Competizione costs €165,000 in Italy. 500 units of the 8C Competizione despite September and will be unveiled in Turin The 8C models will lead the Italian sports receiving almost 2,000 orders for the in June. car brand’s return to North America. The coupe. Both cars are based on a shortened 8C Competizione will go on sale in the US version of the Maserati GranTurismo. Luca Ciferri

Debuts for diesel TT and A4 Avant

Audi will show a diesel version of its TT . The TT and coupe will get a 168hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel. Aveo Sales will begin shortly after the show. The carmaker also will unveil its fourth- Chevrolet expects its Aveo small car plant with UkrAVTO in Warsaw, Poland. generation A4 Avant. The station wagon to become its best-selling European The Aveo replaces the Kalos in western will be sleeker and sportier than the cur- car this year, overtaking the Matiz, the Europe. Chevrolet plans to build rent model because it has a lower brand’s top seller last year with a 100,000 Aveos annually in the Warsaw roofline and more aggressively styled 70,877 volume, according to JATO plant. headlights and taillights. Dynamics. Chevrolet also will show its Corvette ZR1 Like the new lower-premium A4 sedan Helping Aveo sales will be a three-door supercar. With a top speed of 320kph, that went on sale last November, the A4 hatchback that debuts in Geneva. the Corvette ZR1 will be GM’s fastest Avant also has LED daytime running A4 Avant The five-door Aveo hatchback was production car. Powered by a 620hp lights as standard. The car’s high-tech unveiled at the IAA in Frankfurt last 6.2-liter, V-8 engine, the ZR1 will go on options include adaptive cruise control, September. Both cars are built in sale in Europe later this year targeted at lane-departure warning and blind-spot ’ joint-venture FSO 911 and Ferrari 599 buyers. warning systems. The A4 is Audi’s best- The car will have a folding softtop and The car goes on sale in western Europe selling car in Europe. will challenge BMW’s 1-series convert- this month, priced at €27,950. Audi also will give its new A3 convertible ible. Audi aims to build 20,000 A3 cabri- a show debut. olets a year in Gyor, Hungary. James Franey Citroen BMW will debut fuel-efficient X5 SUV

BMW will debut a mild hybrid concept based on its X5 premium SUV. The car will be packed with BMW’s latest Effi- cientDynamics technologies to cut CO2 emissions and improve fuel economy. Powered by a four-cylinder 204hp, 2.0- liter , the concept has CO2 emissions of 172 grams per kilometer and fuel consumption of 6.5 liters per 100km. Among its fuel-saving measures are a C5 Tourer stop-start function that turns off the X5 Vision EfficientDynamics engine when the car is at a standstill and Citroen will show its new C5 in sedan gen Passat, and a generator that recycles energy from The concept also will debut a new eight- European debuts after they were first and station wagon variants. Citroen Opel/Vauxhall’s forthcoming Insignia. braking to boost torque, acceleration speed developed with ZF. shown at the Detroit auto show in January. wants to sell 150,000 units a year of the The new C5 is longer and heavier than and power electrical devices. BMW will also give the fourth-genera- The X6 is a SUV/coupe based new C5, about 3,000 more than the the current car. A high-capacity lithium ion battery in the tion M3 convertible a world debut. It will on the X5. It will target customers who current version sold in its peak year. In Unlike the model it will replace, it concept’s stores energy captured be the first M model to feature a want a high-ride vehicle like an SUV but 2002 the C5 had its best year with sales has a trunk instead of a hatch. The C5 during brake regeneration. retractable instead of a softtop. also sporty, coupe looks. The X6 will go of 146,678 units. This followed the sedan will go on sale just after the The concept also has solar cells covering The M3 convertible is the third high-per- on sale in Europe starting May 31. X6 arrival of the station wagon variant. Geneva show. 1 square meter on the roof. The cells formance version of the 3-series range prices in Germany will be between But quality problems have hurt C5 Station wagon sales begin in the sum- generate power to operate devices such from BMW’s M in-house tuning division €56,800 and €73,800. sales. Citroen sold 47,845 C5s in Europe mer. The wagon will be sold under the as audio equipment, a mobile phone following the coupe and a sedan. The 1-series coupe will go on sale in last year, according to JATO Dynamics. name C5 Tourer. charger or a cool box. The M3 convertible is powered by a Europe shortly after the Geneva show with The C5 mainly will be aimed at business Citroen also will debut a new passenger The concept’s mild hybrid module is 420hp 4.0-liter gasoline engine mated to prices in Germany starting at €28,550. fleets and will compete with cars such version of its Berlingo, a car-derived van based on technology developed by BMW a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. I as Renault’s new Laguna, the Volkswa- based on the C4 Picasso platform. in its hybrid partnership with rival Daimler. BMW’s X6 and 1-series coupe will have James Franey March 3, 2008 www.autonewseurope.com · PAGE 19 Geneva auto show

Brilliance to expand lineup Dacia

Brilliance Jinbei Automotive will unveil production versions of the BC3 coupe, BS4 sedan and a face-lifted BS6. Sales of the BS6 stopped last July and August after the large-segment sedan did badly in crash tests conducted by 11 national auto clubs, including Ger- many’s ADAC. Brilliance has redesigned 65 BS6 parts to improve its safety. Spanish independent tester IDIADA crashed BS6 prototypes to Sandero EuroNCAP standards and says the sedan would get a three-star rating. Production of the BS6 and BS4 will start Dacia will unveil the Sandero, a five- €7,200 in Germany. The Sandero in April or May at Brilliance’s factory in door hatchback version of its Logan already is built in Brazil and sold in , near China’s border with sedan. The Sandero will go on sale in South America. European models will North Korea. In Germany the BS6 will western Europe in the summer priced be built in Dacia’s factory in Pitesti, cost €19,900 and the BS4 €16,900. The above the Logan sedan, which starts at Romania. cars will start arriving at European dealers in the summer. BS4 Douglas A. Bolduc Dodge

Chrysler will show electric

Chrysler will give a European debut to its EcoVoyager, a minivan concept powered by a 268hp electric motor and a small fuel cell stack. The electric motor has a range of 60km ZEO on a single charge. The fuel cell stack supports the motor and extends the range to about 480km. The EcoVoyager was first unveiled at the Dodge will show its ZEO concept for an produces 268hp. Dodge says the ZEO Detroit auto show in January. electric-powered sports car. The 2+2 car concept’s 64 kilowatt per hour lithium is powered by a 200 kilowatt electric ion battery pack gives it a range of James Franey EcoVoyager motor mounted on the rear axle that about 400km.

Kuga, Fiesta will lead the way for Ford Fiat

Ford will launch two new cars, the Kuga and Fiesta, that will play an important role in keeping the carmaker profitable in Europe. The Kuga will be the brand’s first Euro- pean-developed SUV. Its task will be to win new customers in the fast-growing medium SUV segment. The Kuga will replace the US-built Maverick SUV, which sold just 2,553 units in Europe 500 Abarth 500 Aria last year, according to JATO Dynamics. Ford will build 45,000 Kugas this year in its Fiat will show contrasting versions of its The Abarth 500 will go on sale in July, Saarlouis, Germany, plant. Fiesta 500 minicar in Geneva. One will be the priced at €18,000, about €3,500 more With the Kuga, Ford will be the latest car- 500 Aria, a concept car that will show- than the second-most powerful 500, maker to challenge the Toyota RAV4’s case fuel-efficient technologies. the 100hp Sport variant with a 1.4-liter domination in the medium SUV segment. The other is the Abarth 500, which is a normally aspirated engine. Volkswagen, Peugeot, Citroen and Opel sporty version of the highly successful The Abarth 500 is powered by a 135hp have launched RAV4 rivals in the past 18 production 500. Powered by a 1.3-liter turbocharged 1.4-liter gasoline engine. months and Renault will debut its Koleos diesel engine, the 500 Aria has features Fiat has not released details of its CO2 medium SUV in Geneva. such as a stop-start system and an auto- emissions. The Kuga will go on sale from June mated with longer Fiat reintroduced the Abarth brand with prices starting at about €27,000 gear ratios. That will help cut CO2 emis- with the Punto Abarth at last year’s in Germany. sions to 98 grams per kilometer from Geneva show. By 2009, the Italian Ford has given the new Fiesta a sleek, 111g/km emitted by the cleanest 500 carmaker hopes to sell about 10,000 aggressive design to make it stand out in currently on sale. Fiat has not said Abarth 500s a year and about 7,000 the hotly contested small-car segment. whether it will build the 500 Aria. to 8,000 Punto Abarths. Its look is closely related to the Verve concept that the automaker unveiled at the 2007 IAA in Frankfurt. The new Fiesta will have a variant with CO2 emissions of less than 100 grams Fioravanti per kilometer. The version will be the latest Ford after the Focus and Mondeo to be sold under the ECOnetic label Fioravanti’s Hidra concept showcases a that the company uses for its most Kuga safe design for vehicles with alternative fuel-efficient cars. powertrains. ECOnetic models use measures such as The five-door concept has a large space aerodynamic changes, longer gear ratios, in the middle for hydrogen tanks if it is tires with low roll resistance and low-fric- powered by a fuel cell powertrain or for Hidra tion oil to improve fuel economy. batteries if the car has a hybrid propul- With nearly 373,000 Fiestas sold in Fiesta production will begin in Ford’s in China starting later this year and in sion system. in case of a road accident. Their low cen- Europe last year, according to JATO Cologne, Germany, factory in the autumn North America starting in 2010. This means the potentially dangerous ter of gravity also means the car’s han- Dynamics, the Fiesta is Ford’s No. 2 seller and in Valencia, Spain, early next year. tanks and batteries are better protected dling is good. in Europe after the lower-medium Focus. The new Fiesta also will be built and sold John Revill PAGE 20 · www.autonewseurope.com March 3, 2008 Geneva auto show

Honda Infiniti will unveil flagship

Honda has added sophisticated technolo- Infiniti is ready to challenge BMW, Mer- speeds on Germany’s autobahns. The FX gy to its new Accord to make it more cedes-Benz, Audi and Lexus in Europe. will target the Porsche Cayenne and attractive to luxury-car buyers. The Japan- Nissan’s premium brand, which was intro- BMW’s X5 and X6 models. Challenging ese carmaker will debut sedan and station duced in the US 20 years ago, is being BMW’s X3 will be the Infiniti EX while the wagon versions of the upper-medium car expanded globally. Infiniti will give its sec- G sedan and coupe will rival cars such as in Geneva. One new feature is electric ond-generation FX flagship a world debut the BMW M3 and . Infiniti will not power steering linked to the car’s elec- Photo: Automedia in Geneva. It plans to sell three models say whether its other models – the QX tronic stability control. The system helps Accord station wagon from its five-car lineup in western Euro- SUV and the M upper-premium sedan – the driver to steer correctly in difficult dri- pean markets starting in October. Nissan’s will come to Europe. Infiniti was launched ving conditions. The new Accord sedan more fuel-efficient than the current FX European technical center in London has in Russia last year. has a sloping rear end to give it a engine and comes with a particulate filter. given the cars a harder suspension and look. The station wagon looks sleeker Honda also will give European debuts stronger brakes to cope with the fast Bettina Mayer because the current version’s square rear to its FCX Clarity, the world’s first pro- end is replaced by a tapered tail. The duction hydrogen fuel-cell car and its sedan will go on sale starting in June, fol- CR-Z hybrid sports car concept. lowed by the station wagon three The FCX Clarity, a four-seat sedan, will months later. Both cars will be offered be available to lease in the US this sum- with 2.0- or 2.4-liter Euro 5-compliant mer at $600 (about €400) a month. aims Soul at young buyers gasoline engines or Honda’s new, second- The CR-Z concept is a design study for generation 2.2-liter diesel engine, which is Honda’s planned hybrid sports car.

Hummer

Hummer needs a small SUV to help boost its modest European sales. The HX concept previews what could be Hummer’s smallest vehicle. It is about the same size as the Jeep Wrangler. Hummer says the HX is the brand’s most fuel-efficient model. Its 3.6-liter V-6 gasoline engine can HX run on environmentally friendly bioethanol fuel. vehicles in Europe, up from 698 If built, the HX likely would go on sale as the year before, according to JATO the H4. Last year Hummer sold 1,208 Dynamics.

Soul Hyundai

Hyundai’s HED-5 concept previews a Kia will unveil three versions of its Soul The production version of the five-seat Kia will sell five- and three-door versions six-seat minivan planned by the Korean concept for a boxy crossover aimed at hatchback/SUV crossover will debut at as well as a station wagon variant of the carmaker. Based on the lower-medium the “young and young at heart.” the Paris auto show in October. The car Eco-Cee’d starting in December. i30, the minivan likely will go on sale in The concepts are updated versions of a will go on sale in Europe starting in the At the 2007 IAA in Frankfurt, Kia showed Europe starting in 2010. design study Kia first unveiled at the spring of 2009. a three-door Eco-Cee’d powered by a The concept uses lightweight materials 2006 Detroit auto show. Kia is not saying if the production model 1.6-liter diesel engine that reduced fuel to cut CO2 emissions by 29 percent Kia has only released details of one of the will be called the Soul. consumption by 17 percent to 3.9 compared with similarly sized models. HED-5 three Geneva concepts, the Soul Burner. The Korean carmaker also will show its liters/100km and CO2 emissions by 8.4 Hyundai did not release details of It says the Soul Burner is the “bad boy” of new Eco-Cee’d range in Geneva. Eco- percent to 104g/km compared with the the materials but it cooperated with a hybrid concept and an 800cc gasoline the three concepts with a satin-black fin- Cee’ds will be fuel-efficient versions of equivalent standard model. suppliers Recaro, Bayer and LG to engine. The i10 replaces the Atos and ish and gloss dragon tattoos. the Cee’d lower-medium car. The Eco- Face-lifted versions of Kia’s Sportage develop the concept. will go on sale shortly after the show. Kia says the production Soul will offer Cee’d will have stop-start technology, medium SUV and Picanto minicar also Hyundai also will show fuel-efficient A face-lifted Matrix minivan also options that will allow buyers to person- six-speed manual transmissions with will debut. variants of its new i10 minicar including will debut. alize the car, a perk that it hopes will longer gear ratios and improved aerody- appeal to younger buyers. namics to reduce fuel consumption. John Revill

Italdesign-Giugiaro Italdesign Giugiaro’s Quaranta concept highlights ways in which new technolo- will show entry-level SUV gies can be used to produce a fast, fuel- efficient sports car. The 3+1 seater is powered by Toyota’s gasoline-electric hybrid technology and can reach speeds up to 250kph. It also has solar panels that can power the cockpit air condi- tioning system and recharge vehicle’s electric battery. Quaranta means 40 in Italian. Italdesign Giugiaro chose the name for the concept to mark the com- pany’s 40th anniversary. Quaranta

Jeep

After its Detroit auto show debut in January, Jeep gives its Renegade concept a European intro- duction in Geneva. The Renegade has a lithium ion battery pack pow- ering twin electric LRX motors, one attached to each axle. The range is extended by a 1.5-liter, three-cylin- Land Rover will give a European debut to offering. Based on a shortened version of for the brand. Land Rover also will show a der diesel. the LRX concept that was first shown at the Freelander platform, the LRX is the 60th anniversary edition of its iconic the Detroit auto show in January. If built, first vehicle to be done under the aus- Defender SUV. Renegade the model would give the Land Rover a pices of new design director Gerry sporty looking three-door entry-level McGovern. It previews new styling cues Tony Lewin March 3, 2008 www.autonewseurope.com · PAGE 21 Geneva auto show Lancia’s Delta will target 2 segments Lancia aims to attract buyers from the To attract lower-medium buyers, Lancia sales to 300,000 units by 2010. Lancia lower- and upper-medium segments has designed the Fiat Bravo-based Delta hopes to sell about 70,000 Deltas a year, with its new Delta. as a sleek, sporty-looking hatchback. about half of them in its Italian home In the lower-medium segment, the Ital- It has also stretched the Bravo’s wheel- market. ian near-premium brand wants to win base by 100mm to 2700mm and length The Delta goes on sale in Continental back customers similar to those who by 165mm to 4500mm to offer more Europe starting in June. A right-hand- bought 664,221 units of the first- and passenger and luggage space than in drive version will be launched in the UK second-generation Delta cars that were most lower-medium to by year-end, marking Lancia’s return to sold between 1979 and 1999. appeal to station wagon buyers. that market after a 14-year absence. In the upper-medium segment, Lancia The Delta is the first all-new Lancia since Lancia plans to sell 10,000 Deltas outside wants to attract people who bought the the introduction of the Musa minivan in Europe, including Japan and Australia. Lybra station wagon that was discontin- 2004. The car will play a major role in the ued in 2005. brand’s ambitions to double its annual Luca Ciferri Delta

Lamborghini

Lamborghini will unveil a new Gallardo with a more powerful engine. The Gallardo LP560/4 will go on sale starting in June priced at about €180,000 in Italy, €15,000 more than the current Gallardo coupe. The LP560/4 will have a 560hp, 5.2-liter V-10 engine, compared with a 519hp, 5.0-liter V-10 in the current model.

Lexus

Lexus will give a European debut to the LF-A roadster that was first shown at the Detroit auto show in January. The con- cept previews a potential range-topping supercar for Toyota’s luxury brand. Lexus also will launch its F badge for high-per- formance cars in Geneva.

Mazda

Mazda2 3-door hatchback

For the first time, will sell a three- door variant of its Mazda2 small car. The Japanese carmaker hopes the three-door will attract younger buyers because it will be sportier and cost less than the five- door that went on sale in September.

Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi’s Proto- type-S concept previews the design of the Lancer five-door hatchback that will go on sale Prototype S concept starting later this year. The concept’s aggressive-looking front end and wide, low proportions showcase the Japanese carmaker’s new sportier design.

Nissan

Nissan will show its new GT-R supercar and Murano medium SUV alongside the Pivo 2 quirky Pivo 2 concept. Powered by a 480hp, 3.8-liter, V-6 gasoline engine, the GT-R will be the brand’s top model when it goes on sale in Europe in March 2009. European sales of the second-generation Murano will begin in October. Nissan says the zero-emissions Pivo 2 con- cept is an innovative solution to future transport needs. The concept has by-wire brakes, steering and as well as a rotating cabin so the driver can always face forward in the direction of travel. 20080303-0022_23-ANE.qxd 2/29/08 12:35 PM Page 22

PAGE 22 · www.autonewseurope.com March 3, 2008 Geneva auto show

Peugeot Mercedes debuts its fuel-sippers

To maximize sales of its new 308 lower- medium car, Peugeot will show new variants in Geneva. The 308 RC Z will be a near-production concept for a two- 308 SW seat sports car that Peugeot will launch as a low-cost rival to Audi’s TT coupe. seven-seat options. The 308 SW’s The French brand also will debut a sta- is 100mm longer than the tion wagon variant of the 308, called hatchback. Its panoramic roof is C 350 CGI BlueEfficiency sedan the 308 SW. The 308 SW will go on sale 27 percent larger than the glass roof starting in the summer with five- and on the 307 SW that it will replace.

Pininfarina

Pininfarina’s Sintesi concept for a coupe-styled four-door car shows how to produce a vehicle with a bulky fuel cell powertrain and still offer the legroom normally found in premium Sintesi cars. The concept has an extremely long wheelbase at 2990mm. In the Sin- the vehicle frame near the wheels. A Vision GLK Bluetec Hybrid tesi, Pininfarina has placed an electric central tunnel houses a motor into each of the wheels, while and a reformer that transforms the Mercedes-Benz will debut the first up will be more important than hybrid Mercedes also will show its new CLC-class four fuel cell stacks are positioned on biofuel into hydrogen. production cars that feature its new fuel- cars to help Mercedes cut its average CO2 entry-premium coupe, which goes on saving BlueEfficiency technologies. fleet emissions in Europe. sale in Europe in June with prices in Ger- The BlueEfficiency label is Mercedes’ Mercedes says the CO2 emissions of its many starting at €28,113. Mercedes will Rolls-Royce answer to BMW’s EfficientDynamics Vision GLK Bluetec Hybrid are lower than assemble the CLC from kits at its under- technologies. any production SUV currently on sale at used factory in Juiz de Fora, Brazil. Mercedes also will unveil a mild hybrid 157g/km. The concept uses 5.9 liters of Mercedes also will debut new high-per- Rolls-Royce is finally on a sales roll. concept of its new GLK class. diesel per 100km. formance versions of its SL coupe from its Last year the British ultraluxury brand Mercedes will unveil versions of its Powered by a 224hp, 2.2-liter diesel in-house tuner AMG. The SL 63 AMG and sold 1,010 cars, passing the 1,000 high-volume C 180 Kompressor, C 200 engine, the GLK Bluetech Hybrid concept more powerful SL 65 AMG will be the first annual sales target parent company CDI and C 350 CGI sedans that will be uses fuel-saving features such as brake Mercedes cars to feature a new seven- BMW set when it relaunched the brand Phantom Coupe sold under the BlueEfficiency label. regeneration and stop-start. speed dual-clutch transmission for faster in 2003. To help boost sales even To reduce fuel consumption and CO2 Mercedes will unveil the production GLK shift times.The SL also will be shown in more, Rolls-Royce will unveil in Geneva The two-door four-seat coupe is little emissions by up to 12 percent, the cars class at the Beijing auto show in April. Geneva with a face-lift that includes a the Phantom Coupe, the third Phan- changed the 101EX concept first feature downsized engines, better Sales start in Europe in October and in restyled hood, front fenders and head- tom variant after the longer sedan and shown at the 2006 Geneva auto show. aerodynamics and lighter construction the US next January. lights and a new single-bar grille. Drophead Coupe softtop convertible. Worldwide deliveries start in June. materials . The GLK class will be built in Mercedes’ Fuel-efficient versions of its existing line- plant in Bremen, northern Germany. James Franey & Matthias Krust Saab

Saab will preview concepts for two new source said. It will be built in Saab’s cars. The General Motors subsidiary home plant in Trollhättan. Renault will unveil Megane concept hopes that by expanding its lineup it After its unveiling at the Detroit will become profitable. The 9-1X pre- auto show in January, the 9-4X Renault’s first SUV and a concept for the views a new entry-premium car that Biopower concept is shown for the new Megane will be the important cars will challenge BMW’s 1 series and Vol- first time in Europe. on the automaker’s Geneva stand. vo’s C30. The production 9-1 will not The study previews a new SUV-style The Megane concept will show how go on sale until after 2010, a company crossover planned for production. Renault plans to refresh its key lower- medium range to boost falling sales. The Megane is Renault’s No. 2 seller in Europe after the Clio, but the Megane’s Skoda sales dropped to 268,246 last year from 298,919 the year before, according to Skoda’s second-generation Superb will JATO Dynamics. be more upscale to make it more Geneva visitors will be watching closely attractive to buyers than the slow-sell- Superb to see if Renault designers have toned ing current model. The new Superb will down the carmaker’s quirky styling for Koleos be the first Volkswagen group car to allows the entire tailgate, including the the third-generation Megane. The cur- get an adaptive front lighting system, rear window, to be opened to load large rent Megane’s extended rear end was which changes the angle of the head- items. For smaller loads, just the trunk widely criticized as too extreme in the SUV. When it goes on sale starting in year, with about 60 percent of produc- lamp beam to suit different driving lid can be opened. conservative lower-medium segment. June, the Koleos will be the French car- tion going abroad. conditions. Another upscale feature is a The car will go on sale starting in July. Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn has told his maker’s first SUV. The Koleos will offer The Koleos will be sold with a Renault touch-screen interface. The Superb also A station wagon variant will follow design teams that customer taste and all-wheel-drive technology developed for 2.0-liter diesel engine with 175hp or has a new tailgate opening system that next year. functionality must replace extravagant the Nissan X-Trail. 150hp or Nissan’s 170hp, 2.5-liter gaso- styling in new models. Designed at Renault’s technical center in line powerplant. The Geneva design study will be a Guyancourt, near Paris, and developed by Renault also will debut the Laguna GT, a Seat prototype for a two-door coupe that Nissan engineers in Japan, the Koleos will high-performance version of its new likely will replace the Megane three- be built in Renault Samsung's factory in upper-medium Laguna, and the Twingo New Seat design director Luc Donker- at the 2007 IAA in Frankfurt. The Gene- door hatchback. Busan, Korea, and exported to Europe. Renaultsport, a performance version of wolke’s fresh styling direction for the va car will be a near-production con- The production Megane will debut at the Renault’s Korean subsidiary plans to its Twingo minicar. Spanish brand will be shown on a cept. A five-door production version of Paris auto show in October. build 100,000 units of the Koleos and its coupe-styled concept for a new Ibiza in the Ibiza will debut at the Madrid auto Renault will show the Koleos medium sister model, the Samsung QM5, this Wim Oude Weernink Geneva. The fourth generation of Seat’s show in June and go on sale in the sum- No. 1 seller likely will have some of the mer. A sportier three-door Ibiza inspired sharper lines and well-defined shapes by the Geneva concept likely will debut that debuted on the Tribu SUV concept at the Paris auto show in October. Opel aims to stay ahead with stylish Meriva

Subaru Opel’s Meriva concept has rear-hinged its sales fell to 134,000 last year from rear doors that open wider than front- 166,000 the year before, according to Subaru’s third-generation Forester is hinged doors to make it easier for pas- JATO Dynamics. taller, longer and wider than the cur- sengers to get in and out. The Meriva concept transfers the brand’s rent model and is now closer in size to The concept’s front and rear doors can new design language to a minivan and its Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 open independently of each other. Rear- enhances it further, Opel says. medium-SUV rivals. The new Forester hinged rear doors already on the market The concept has the distinctive tick- will go on sale with a gasoline engine Forester can only be opened after the front door shaped lines that appeared on the GTC starting next month. In the autumn, a has been opened. Coupe and Flextreme concepts last year. version will be offered with Subaru’s back station wagon. Subaru also will If Opel decides to keep the doors for the The rear lights echo the Insignia, Opel’s new 150hp 2.0-liter boxer diesel exhibit its R1e plug-in electric 2+2 production Meriva, the feature could help new upper-medium car that will go on engine. Subaru also will show diesel minicar and its G4e concept for a five- the minivan to stay ahead in the competi- sale in Europe starting in the autumn. versions of the Legacy sedan and Out- seat, plug-in electric minicar. tive European small minivan segment. The Meriva still leads that segment but John Revill Meriva concept 20080303-0022_23-ANE.qxd 2/29/08 12:35 PM Page 23

March 3, 2008 www.autonewseurope.com · PAGE 23 Geneva auto show

Nano will be a head-turner in Geneva

It will not be seen on European roads Suzuki’s Concept A-Star previews a anytime soon, but Geneva show visitors minicar that will replace the Alto. will get a chance to have a close look at Suzuki says the production A-Star will the Nano minicar at Tata Motors’ stand. have CO2 emissions of 109 grams per Rival automakers were initially skeptical kilometer or less using a new Euro Concept A-Star that Tata could produce such a low- 5-compliant, 1.0-liter gasoline engine. cost car. Now they are keen to see how First shown at the New Delhi auto year of the car for Nissan to sell in Tata has managed to create a modern, show in January, the A-Star will be built Europe. Suzuki will also show its roomy vehicle that will be the world’s in India and exported to Europe start- design studies for a new upper-medi- cheapest car when it launches in India ing early next year. um car, the Concept Kizashi and Con- by the end of the year. Suzuki also will build 50,000 units a cept Kizashi 2. Tata will sell the Nano in India at prices starting at 100,000 rupees (about €1,700) plus value-added tax and trans- portation charges. Last month, Girish Toyota Wagh, head of Tata’s busi- Nano ness, said the Indian carmaker could sell a Toyota will debut production versions second-generation Nano in Europe. of the Urban Cruiser small SUV and iQ “We will develop a successor model in market for two to three years before 104kph to 105kph. It uses 5 liters of minicar. The five-door Urban Cruiser four years time that will meet the Euro 5 considering exporting the Nano to coun- gasoline per 100km. will be positioned below the RAV4 emission regulations and the crash stan- tries in Africa, Latin America and South- Tata said the Nano will be equipped with medium SUV and will target small dards in Europe,” Wagh told German east Asia. bigger engines, including diesels, and SUV buyers in cities and large towns. iQ weekly magazine Focus. The Nano meets India’s current frontal- more advanced features. At 3100mm, The Yaris-based Urban Cruiser will go Tata has said it initially will produce crash safety test standards and Euro 4 the four-door Nano is about 440 mm on sale in the first half of the next about 250,000 Nanos a year, possibly ris- emissions standards. The base car is pow- shorter than Fiat’s Panda minicar. year. The 3+1 iQ will go on sale in Jan- ing to 1 million units. ered by a 33hp 624cc two-cylinder uary 2009. The minicar has an unusu- The automaker will focus on the home engine that gives the car a top speed of Staff report al seating arrangement: two adult- sized seats in front and one in back, plus a child’s seat behind the driver. Toyota plans to sell 80,000 iQs a year in Europe. It will cost about €13,000. XC60 will be safest Volvo Urban Cruiser

Volvo says its new XC60 SUV-styled buyers looking for the high ground clear- crossover will be the first car to offer a safe- ance of an SUV and the sporty looks of a Volkswagen ty system that helps the driver avoid low- coupe. speed accidents common in city traffic. The XC60 will compete in the fast-grow- Called City Safety, the system automati- ing niche for premium SUVs. It will rival XC60 Volkswagen will debut its new Scirocco sale in Europe starting in June. Scirocco cally brakes the XC60 if it is about to have the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLK class coupe and a Golf diesel-hybrid concept. prices likely will start at about €21,500 a front-impact collision. The system is and Audi Q5. XC60 sales begin in Europe in the sum- The Scirocco will be more of an image in Germany effective at speeds of up to 32kph. Volvo hopes to sell 50,000 XC60s a year. mer and in the US early next year. booster than a volume seller for VW. The Golf TDI Hybrid has a diesel engine “The XC60 is the safest car Volvo has ever Its five largest markets are expected to be The XC60 will be built at the Volvo’s fac- VW plans to build 28,000 Sciroccos a and an electric motor. The car can run produced,” Volvo CEO Fredrik Arp said in the US – with projected annual sales of tory in Ghent, Belgium. year at its Setubal, Portugal, plant, on electric power alone and uses a statement. 15,000 to 20,000 units – Germany, the industry insiders say. The car goes on 3.4 liters of fuel per 100km. Volvo says the XC60 will target urban UK, Russia and China. Wim Oude Weernink