The most important international auto show, the 2015 Geneva Motor Show provided the usual endless stream of production and concept models for the world’s press at the Palexpo centre. From the great, to the good, to the downright bizarre we’ve seen super cars get supped-up, the electric revolution surging forward and a far-sighted passenger-first approach for some of the more forward thinking manufacturers. Swide brings you a roundup of the biggest trends in the automotive sector for 2015.
Lotus is back – high performance, affordable luxury for the Evora 400
The iconic British supercar brand has fallen someway behind as competitors stole a march in targeting new and emerging markets. There’s a long way to go for the company, but their repackaged flagship Evora 400 is a step in the right direction. A faster, lighter version with 60% new parts, significant front and rear restyling. The ‘400’ name comes from the horsepower output of a 3.5 litre V6 engine, but most importantly the Evora 400 comes in at a price of €100,000, offering a high level of luxury, prestige and performance you can find in a much higher priced car.
Aston Martin joins the electric revolution – DBX Crossover concept
One of the bigger surprises at Geneva was the unveiling of Aston Martin’s DBX Crossover concept. Many thought Aston Martin were too rooted in tradition to consider joining the electric revolution but the DBK proved that the company are willing to go for it whole heartedly. The DBX is a crossover SUV with an electric motor driving each wheel. The motors are not linked meaning there’s plenty more room inside the cabin and while, there’s a long, long way to go before we could see a production equivalent, this is aimed to show what a luxury Aston Martin sports car could look like by the end of the decade.
Ferrari 488 GTB do what they do best
It’s a little weird when you can say that the unveiling of a new Ferrari is understated. Although the Italian maker chose a light touch approach to design the Ferrari 488 was still the star of the show. The successor to the 458 Italia is the 488 GTB and it comes with a turbocharged V8 engine. Ferrari now that tinkering with perfection is risky business, instead they’ve decided bring turbocharged oomph to their smallest sports car, with 661 hp a step up from its predecessor. It does 0-100kph in 3.0 sec and a top speed of over 330 kph, so the 488 certainly isn’t slow.
The hot hatch is so hot right now – Honda Civic Type-R
For lovers of the iconic Honda Civic the new R-Type is like a dream come true. Designed to compete in the hot-hatch sector of small but feisty production cars that can burn the asphalt, the Type-R is fitted with an all new turbocharged 2.0 litre VTEC front-drive engine that produces 228 kW (306 hp) at 6500 rpm. It claims to be the fastest front-drive hot hatch on the market both in acceleration and top speed. Those specs might seem to make for handling issues but the Japanese manufacturer claims that this Civic retains the brand’s signature road handling features. Unfortunately, it’s not due to be available in the US, but if public reaction is anything to go by, drooling US Civic fans will see about that.
Tradition in the future- Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6
Bentley unveiled their EXP 10 Speed 6 with no information of drivetrain or details, it is however confirmed as a plug-in hybrid, but that’s all we know for now. Already working on the Bentayga plug-in hybrid SUV the EXP 10 Speed 6 could be next in line for production and we certainly hope so. It’s a muscular streamlined coupe that looks gorgeous and the interior contains some of the softest leather you’ll ever touch. It confirms the company’s commitment to an electric future following suit with most of the major luxury makers.
Lamborghini strip down for more
Lamborghini go back to basics in doing what they do best. While supercar makers are spending resources on designing the ‘luxury experience’, the flagship Aventador is focused on going as fast as possible without any unnecessary extras. The latest SV model has a redesigned version of the Aventador’s traditional 6.5-liter V12 at its heart producing 720 hp to its all-wheel drive system. The result is an awesome 0-100 kph in 2.8 sec and a top speed of 350 kph. All the standard luxury interior features have been stripped away for a racing style cockpit that will satisfy the speed freaks this car is aimed at.
Porsche Cayman GT4 proves the future is still far away
Porsche join other super car manufacturers in deferring their future proofing efforts in respect to their Cayman GT4. It’s a harder, faster Cayman with a 911 engine that looks to satisfy some of the GT3’s critics who said it fell short of ‘purist’. So Porsche have gone back to what they know and made an improved Cayman GT4. It’s a car for the here and now, and the fact they unveiled it alongside their fastest ever 911 ever shows their looking to treasure their brand values rather than opt solely to ride future trend waves. Its emblematic of the interesting auto times we’re in, the future seems close, yet far away. Still though the Cayman is a beautiful, fast, almost affordable car built by those who know exactly what they are doing. In true pragmatic German style, we’re reminded that you can’t build for the future unless you’re focused on the present.
Rolls-Royce borrow from the interior design world
The Rolls-Royce Serenity concept is all about the interior, the passenger experience lies somewhere between private jet and mobile conference room. The Rolls has always been a backseat car, and while artisan leather working and details have been around forever, it’s interesting to see their efforts to add real artistic flourishes to their interior at Geneva. The hand painted ceiling and creative dash working and upholstering are borrowed from the interior design world.
Lexus looks to urban future – LF-SA
The future is still urban, and as city populations are set to swell drastically in the next decade, a small high performance urban hybrid will be a staple for automakers for the short to medium term. Lexus unveiled their LF-SA designed to compete with the BMW i3. It’s an unusual looking city-dweller with a beach-buggy feel. The LF-SA will appeal to younger, more fashion conscious drivers.
Fiat go back to the future – Fiat Spider 124 roadster
We’ve known about this for quite some time, but we’re still delighted to see Fiat shed their small, affordable family car profile in favour of something that recalls the glory days of the Italian manufacturer. The two-seater Fiat 124 Spider roadster will be based on the Mazda MX-5 platform and may borrow a 1.4 litre MutiAir turbo engine from the Alfa Romeo Giulietta. We’re also overjoyed that there seems to be an Abarth 124 spider in the pipeline too. Fiat has big plans for the US market in the next few years and the company is rightly capitalizing on its heritage.
