Geneva Motor Demonstrate two thousand seventeen preview, Motoring Research
Geneva Motor Demonstrate two thousand seventeen preview
This year’s Geneva Motor Showcase throws open its doors to the public on nine March, by which time we’ll have delivered all the latest news, photos and views. In the meantime, we’ve compiled a preview of the top twenty cars expected to make their debut at Geneva’s Palexpo.
Range Rover Velar
It’s one of the largest exposes of the Geneva Motor Showcase, but it’s not the largest Range Rover. The fresh Velar will slot into the gap inbetween the Range Rover Evoque and Range Rover Sport, going head-to-head with the Porsche Macan. The global debut will take place on one March, before the Velar goes on display in Geneva.
Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer
It’s lighter, longer and far more attractive than the car it’s substituting, but will this be enough to inject some much needed flair into the Vauxhall Insignia? The Sports Tourer will be launched alongside the Grand Sport hatchback and promises to be packed with features, including Vauxhall’s OnStar concierge service. A case of ‘move over BMW five Series’? We’ll see.
Honda Civic Type R
All eyes will be on the Honda stand, where the next generation Civic Type R will be unveiled. Production of the Swindon-built hot hatch will commence in the summer and it’s the very first time a Honda-badged Type R has been sold in North America. If the styling is anything to go by, this will be no shrinking violet.
Ferrari eight hundred twelve Superfast
The eight hundred twelve Superfast is “the fresh benchmark in the mid-front-engined sports car segment,” says Ferrari, not to mention the most powerful front-engine car it has produced. Not a bad way to feast seventy years of the Prancing Pony. The fresh 6.5-litre V12 engine produces 789hp and will hit 62mph in Two.9 seconds.
Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet
From the sublime to the, er… ridiculous? Not in our wildest fantasies did we think that Mercedes-Maybach would be launching an open-top G-Class. And yet, here it is, the “strictly limited” G650 Landaulet. Stringently limited, we suspect, because few people would need/want a luxury off-roader with a V12 engine and rear seats in the open air. Production is limited to ninety nine units.
McLaren 720S
The second-generation McLaren Super Series – rumoured to be called the 720S – will be unveiled in Geneva. McLaren claims the replacement for the 650S will “redefine expectations of supercar capability with phenomenal stopping spectacle equal to its extreme acceleration. Reaching 124mph in 7.8 seconds, McLaren’s fresh supercar can then brake to a standstill in just Four.6 seconds and one hundred seventeen metres.” McLaren has also worked with Pirelli to create a bespoke P Zero Corsa tyre.
Lamborghini Huracan Performante
Lamborghini is expected to unveil a fresh lightweight, track-focused version of the Huracan (pictured). Spy shots have shown the Huracan Performante being given a workout on the famous Imola circuit, along with a movie hinting at a very swift Nurburgring lap time, possibly a fresh lap record.…
Italdesign Automobili Speciali
Well, this one has divided the internet. The Italdesign Automobili Speciali is a carbon-bodied supercar powered by a Five.2-litre V10 engine and capable of hitting a top speed of 205mph. As for the styling: some folk claim that it looks like a Chinese copy of a Lamborghini, while others think that it looks like something you’d find in a PlayStation game. Others are less positive…
Aston Martin AM-RB 001
The Aston Martin AM-RB one will make its European debut in Geneva, which is set to be a busy showcase for the Gaydon-based carmaker. The hypercar is powered by a mid-mounted non-turbocharged V12 engine and will have a 1:1 power-to-weight ratio. In other words, 1hp per kilo of weight. A maximum of one hundred fifty road-going versions will be built, along with twelve track-only specials.
Suzuki Swift
From one car you very likely won’t drive to one that you might. The current Suzuki Swift is one of our favourite modern superminis, so we’re a little excited about the prospect of the fresh one. You can expect the next-generation to be larger than the outgoing version and packed with an array of safety kit and tech. We’ll be driving the fresh car in March, so stay tuned for our very first drive review.
Toyota Yaris GRMN
Do not adjust your set: this is indeed an arousing Toyota Yaris. Inspired and influenced by Toyota’s come back to the World Rally Championship, the Yaris GRMN looks like it has spent a few days in a gym, consuming nothing but energy drinks. With a 1.8-litre supercharged engine, this Yaris produces in excess of 200hp, making it more powerful than the Fiesta ST200. Bring it on.
Volkswagen Arteon
Volkswagen is set to unveil an “avant-garde gran turismo” in the form of the fresh Arteon. Think it of as a replacement for the CC model, which will sit above the Passat in the Volkswagen range. The German hard is promising an “exceptionally spacious” interior and driver assistance systems usually reserved for luxury cars.
Alpine A110
The production Alpine A110 will look almost identical to the Alpine Vision Concept of 2016, which is no bad thing. The mid-engined sports car gives a subtle nod in the direction of the original Alpine A110 and is likely to go on sale later this year. Still want that Porsche seven hundred eighteen Cayman?
Aston Martin Vanquish S
This is the global motor showcase debut of the fresh Vanquish S – the most powerful version of Aston Martin’s Super GT. The 6.0-litre V12 engine produces 600hp, enough to propel the GT to 62mph in just Trio.Five seconds, before reaching a top speed of 201mph. We’ve driven it and concluded: “It asserts the Vanquish’s range-topping status in the face of such stiff internal competition from the brilliant DB11”.
Citroen C-Aircross
The Airbump is spreading! Very first the C4 Cactus, then the C3 supermini and now this: the Citroen C-Aircross. At this stage it’s merely a concept, but it provides a hint of what the replacement for the C3 Picasso will look like when it arrives later this year. Don’t be fooled by the SUV styling: we expect the production version to be front-wheel drive.
Ford Fiesta ST
How do you go after a modern excellent? You can’t accuse Ford of playing it safe, as the two thousand eighteen Fiesta ST is likely to be entirely different proposition. Gone is the turbocharged 1.6-litre engine, substituted by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo, producing the same amount of power as the outgoing ST200. A three-cylinder hot hatch: it’s like a Daihatsu Charade GTti for a fresh generation.
Jaguar XF Sportbrake
Proof that there’s life after the F-Pace, Jaguar will unveil a fresh XF Sportbrake in Geneva. It’ll share its engines with the standard XF (pictured), meaning a choice of Two.0 and Trio.0-litre petrol and diesel units.
Kia Picanto
The all-new Kia Picanto has already been unveiled, but this is the very first time the city car has been shown to the public. Kia is promising a quieter, more spacious cabin, along with the largest cargo capacity in its class. Other highlights include Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, the Picanto’s very first ever turbocharged petrol engine, plus torque vectoring.
Mercedes-AMG E sixty three S Estate
The Mercedes-AMG E sixty three S Estate: the spectacle car your dog has been waiting for. The Four.0-litre V8 biturbo engine develops 612hp, enough to propel this superfast wagon to 62mph in just Three.Five seconds.
Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster Edition 50
Meantime, Mercedes-AMG will feast fifty years of the spectacle brand from Affalterbach with a series of special editions. The aptly-named GT C Roadster Edition fifty is the standout model and will be available in a choice of two colours. Production is limited to five hundred cars worldwide.
