The Geneva Motor Show has started and as you can imagine there is a whole plethora of new models and unveilings. I did not go unfortunately (one day prehaps) but I have been following the event with keen interest. With so many on show it's difficult to write about all of them but here are some of the cars that stood out for me:
I'm going to kick off with one of my favourite car brands, Aston Martin. Pictures of the DB11 were leaked a few days ago but today we saw the real thing in the metal. The DB11 replaces the DB9 which has been around for some time now so it seems natural to replace it. Why no DB10? Well this was the car featured in Spectre and was not for public sale. Aston's new work of art will be powered by a 5.2 litre engine twin turbo V12 engine and will be the most powerful DB car yet. I must confess though I'm still not keen on the styling on the back but I'm nitpicking.
Bugatti unveiled their new hypercar, the Chiron which will cost 'only' £1.9million. Sitting under the bold two tone body is a gigantic 8.0(!) litre W16 engine with no less than FOUR turbos! What does this mean? Well put simply, it means a power output of 1478 bhp and 1180lb feet of torque. So if the ever planet ever stops spinning this might just be able to jump start it! Top speed of 261 mph and 0-62 mph time of 2.5 seconds make this a true hypercar.
Ferruccio Lamborghini would be 100 this year if he were still around and what better way to celebrate it than a new model? The Centenario is based on the Aventador but will produce 759 bhp, costing near to £1.64 million. Only 40 will be made but they are already sold out. The 40 models will be split into 20 coupes and 20 roadsters.
We continue the theme of hypercars with the Techrules Turbine-Recharging Electric Vehicle (TREV). The Chinese company was presented in 2 designs; the first is called the AT96 and is a track focused model. The second design, called the GT86 will be for the road and will run on fuel such as Biogas. The company says that the system is sealed for life and will require almost no maintenance, with just the air filter needing to be replaced. The TREV will be sold in low numbers over the next few years.
Now for something a bit more down to earth now, in the form of the Abarth 124 Spider. It has been quite some time since Fiat released a 2 seater roadster and not only do we have the 124 Spider - built in partnership with the award winning Mazda MX-5 - we now have an Abarth version. It has black bonnet and bootlid which is a reference to Abarth Spider of the 70's with more aggressive styling than the standard 124. It's 1.4 litre engine will produce 178 bhp and a limited slip diff is on offer as well.
Honda showcased their new Civic Concept which gives us a glimpse of what the next model could look like which will arrive in showrooms February next year. This is billed as the sportiest Civic ever and will be the 10th generation model. It will feature Honda's new 1.0 litre and 1.5 litre VTEC Turbo engine alongside the existing 1.6 litre i-DTEC engine which has been improved.
Sticking with Honda, they also unveiled the NSX which will return last this year. A lot has changed since the last model however as this is now hybrid. Don't think it has gone soft however as you still get a twin turbo V6 engine which is coupled with an electric motor and will be mounted to a 9 speed DCT gearbox. It will cost around £130,000 and will be here in Autumn.
Had your eye on a DB9 but thought that it wasn't showy enough? Well then you're in luck as Kahn have produced a car based on the DB9 with only 5 being made. Pretty much all the panels are new but it does keep the Aston's 5.9 V12 engine which produces 510 bhp. My opinion? Kahn should have left the DB8 alone as this is a bit too 'bling' for me, I think the radiator grille looks ghastly...
Ah..... This is more like it... The simply beautiful Disco Volante Spyder made by Touring Superleggera. Despite looking like the perfect car to cruise about the alps it does have rather formidable performance figures with a top speed of 180 mph and 0-62 in 4.5 seconds . This power comes from a 4.7 litre V8 Maserati engine. The roof was made with help from Alfa Romeo and comes in two pieces, each one weighing just 3.5kg.
Morgan unveiled their all electric three wheeler which is a radical move for a company that appears to be stuck in the early 20th century! It is based on their 3 wheeler sports car
and will have a 62 bhp electric engine instead of the 80 bhp V-twin engine. It is called the EV3 an has a top speed of 115 mph with 0-62 coming in a modest 8 seconds.