Geneva Auto Show Preview - Smart Crossblade

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Smart Crossblade
The Smart, a highly efficient city car, has turned out to be very popular as a company car — not for executives, but for delivery and rolling advertising. The Smart Crossblade debuted last year in Geneva as a prototype and it will be at the Salon’s stage again as a limited-edition production version — albeit without doors or a roof. Although the Crossblade only has a half-windshield, Smart promises the safety through the roll bar behind the seats. The Crossblade will be equipped with the same three-cylinder engine as the standard Smart, but tuned to 70 hp. Its top speed is limited to 84 mph.




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Geneva Auto Show Preview - Ferrari 575M (515HP)

There’s no doubt Ferrari will show its new GT, the 575M, at the Geneva Show, since the car debuted last month alongside the new Ferrari Formula 1 car for a large press crowd in Maranello. The 575M is the first 12-cylinder Ferrari with an F1-like six-speed gearbox. The M does not stand for Maranello, as many people believe, but for modified, to underscore the fact that this car has been heavily modified. The styling of the 550 is left fairly untouched, save for the air intakes in the front, a new spoiler, different wheels, and xenon headlamps. The rocket-like performance of the 575M comes from the 12-cylinder engine found in the 550. With higher capacity, higher compression and new intake manifolds and other changes, power has been increased to 515 hp at 7250 rpm and a maximum torque of 345 ft-lb at 5250 rpm, an increase of 30 hp and nearly 15 lb-ft.
The six-speed gearbox has been placed in the rear axle, and can be operated by buttons on the steering wheel.




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Geneva Auto Show Preview - Mercedes Benz CLK 2003

The new 2003 CLK will make its debut in Geneva, a few weeks after official photographs were released. The new CLK has a new suspension and new sheetmetal, a range of reworked engines, and a stouter, roomier body. Top of the line will again be the CLK55, now boosted to 367 hp; eight-, six-, and four-cylinder engines abound down to the 163-hp supercharged four-cylinder found in the CLK200. A diesel engine also will be available, while base U.S. cars likely will continue to offer the 215-hp, 3.2-liter V-6. Body rigidity is up 40 percent while drag is down to 0.28. Front, side and curtain airbags are standard, as are anti-lock brakes.


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Re: Geneva Auto Show Preview - Audi RS6 (450HP!)

The sporting elements on its flanks give away that this Audi RS6 is a seriously fast car. It is equipped with the 4.2-liter V-8 that debuted last year and that has been tuned for more power (450 hp) and torque (413 lb-ft at 1950-4500 rpm). The engine has two turbochargers, five valves per cylinder, hydraulic variable intake camshafts and a two-stage intake manifold. The motor is mated with a five-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission and supplies its power to the quattro all-wheel-drive system. The 0-60 mph sprint is a 4.7-second blur, Audi claims.




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Geneva Auto Show Preview - Ford Fusion

This is the final version of the Ford Fusion that was last seen at the L.A. and Detroit Auto Shows as a concept car. The Fusion is based on the new Fiesta, and will compete in Europe with a new model based on GM’s Opel Corsa that will debut in Geneva as the Concept M. Ford says the Fusion is designed for people living in rural areas: the seats are placed higher than in the Fiesta for better view and easier parking. The body is also higher than normal, providing more ground clearance so that the infamous European speed bumps and other obstacles are easier to conquer. The car will be available with the 1.4- and 1.8-liter Duratec engines and a 1.4-liter Duratorq TDCi turbodiesel.




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Geneva Auto Show Preview - Check This Out! 2-Seater Stretches Into 4!

Swiss-based Rinspeed will unveil the Presto, a small two-seater that can be stretched into a four-seater via a mechanism centrally mounted in the car. The ties of Rinspeed with Mercedes-Benz are obvious: headlights and rear lights are from the C-Class Coupe and the dashboard is taken from the small A-Class, whereas the seats are from the Smart.




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Geneva Auto Show Preview - BMW CS1 Concept (Can You Say 1-Series?)

The very big news at the Geneva show will be on the BMW stand, where the company is showing its CS1 concept. A smooth little four-seat convertible, the CS1 is interesting because it’s said to be a direct pointer to the small ‘1-Series’ car that the Munich company is planning to put into production in 2004. Designed to attack the vast European market segment currently dominated by the VW Golf, the 1-Series will, if the CS1 is any guide, be unique in having a front-engine rear-drive format. According to BMW, the CS1 marks a new trend in the company’s styling policy. Current BMW’s have a family resemblance, with the 3-, 5- and 7-Series cars all having shapes that are reminiscent of one another. In the future, each Series will have its own design identity, although the CS1 is notable for its readily identifiable BMW grille. It’s unlikely that the twin ‘kidney’ air intakes will disappear.




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Re: Geneva Auto Show Preview - Most Outrageous Car? Maybe This One!

Vying for the title of the most colorful car in Geneva will be the Rover 25 supermini customized by British fashion designer Matthew Williamson. Wiliamson has dressed such celebs as Madonna, Elizabeth Hurley, Kate Moss and Jade Jagger, but you have to wonder whether the girls would go for what is called an ‘art car’ that features gold bodywork with pink instead of chrome accents. But the exterior looks restrained when compared with the interior, which has pink plush seats, tapestry-patterned door trims and carpets, and enough pink leather to dress a Gay Pride marching band. On a more serious note, MG Rover is promising to unveil a concept that will point the way to a new medium-size sedan based on a shortened floorpan from its Rover 75.




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Audi RS6 (450HP!) - The Cayanne Killer!

Porsche doesn't even have a clue.
 
Looks like a Ford verions of the Cayanne!

And just as ugly. Porsche doesn't have a clue.
 
Wow, dude.

Sounds like you have some personal demons you need to work out. hehe.

The RS6 is a car. It's not a fair comparison. Besides the fact that the Cayenne will hold it's own, I'm guessing. I've heard 0-60 in 5 flat and 0-62 in 5.6 and then later 0-60 in 5.6. My guess is that somewhere some 0-60mph and 0-100kph figures got confused. Anyway, I also saw 8:30 on the northloop and that's a far more interesting figure. Can't wait for the 1/4 mile numbers. I'd be surprised if the RS6 has any advantage over that distance at all.

Porsche came out and just flat out made the best SUV ever. Period. Maybe you wish they hadn't made one at all, but let's be openminded enough to appreciate that their first attempt is a homerun.

I'm sure the RS6 will be an awesome and very desirable car as well. But why all the animosity against the Cayenne? Just curious.
 
Re: But why all the animosity against the Cayenne?

I'm just shocked. Shocked, I tell you.
 
I'm guessing you're "shocked" because YOU COULDA HADA V8!...

Instead you've got a Boxster and a 911..

Please don't tell me you're one of those Cayenne SUV bashers. I'm not sure there's enough cheese to go with all that whine!

It's blasphemy I tell you - Porsche shouldn't make an SUV waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah


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I think a Porsche SUV is a fine idea but

that thing is fugly!
 
I like it.

I mean if you HAVE to have an SUV, the Cayanne sucks even less than nearly all the other cheezy pokey POS alternatives on the market. What better choice for towing your yacht to Mulege for the summer season?
 
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