Every March sees the world’s newest,
best and worst cars unveiled at the Salon International de l’Auto et
Accessoires Genève.
Geneva 2013
For the journalists attending the first
press day of the Geneva motor show on 5 March, one car was a stand-out.
Everyone that Octane spoke to picked it as their favorite. Was it the new
hyper-Ferrari, the hyper-McLaren or the hyper-Lamborghini, all of which were
being revealed for the first time at Geneva? No. It was a Range Rover covered
in pink mirror film. Hang your corporate head, Hamann, for taking ‘bling’ to
hitherto unplumbed depths of depravity.
But that’s what we like about Geneva. For
every worthy or beautiful or technically innovative new car on display, just
around the corner will be something so awful that even its mother couldn’t love
it. Sadly, the infamous ‘Hall of Shame’ that used to be our favorite
destination – the place tucked away behind the escalators, where all the really
awful stuff was quietly concealed – no longer exists. There was nothing this
year to match previous highlights such as the Argentinian replica of a pre-war
Mercedes SSK dubbed the ‘Susan’, or the eight-wheeled electric limo from Japan
that had a claimed top speed of 200mph (yes, really).
Reliable Geneva jaw droppers such as Sbarro
and Fornasari didn’t disappoint, however, the former displaying a
student-designed hot rod in matt black that looked as though it was built from
Lego, while the latter presented something spookily reminiscent of the 1980s
Lamborghini LM002 featured on page 118. And don’t get us started on the Land
Rover Defender that had been ‘improved’ by the addition of a pastiche Series
III grille from the early ’70s. In God’s name, why? The craze for matt-finish
paint doesn’t seem to have faded yet, either: there were numerous examples of
very expensive cars made to look as though they’d spent a couple of years
abandoned in a desert.
Frivolities aside, there were some
genuinely exciting new models unveiled at Geneva this year. Vying for
showstopper status were the aforementioned Ferrari, which turns out to have
been dubbed LaFerrari – great car, shame about the name – and the McLaren P1.
You can read more about the ‘Ferrari the Ferrari’ on pages 106-110. We loved
the completely barking Lamborghini Veneno, too; if you’re paying $4 million for
a car (and three people have, for the trio of production Venenos have been
sold), then you want something that actually looks like a hyper car, and the
Veneno doesn’t disappoint. Here we present a few of the more interesting
exhibits from this year’s show – there were even one or two classics. It’s a
great melting pot, Geneva, and if you love cars, you can’t help loving this
motor show.
McLaren’s P1 was the must-see at Geneva,
with irrepressible design chief Frank Stephenson giving personal guided tours
of the petrol-electric, 903bhp hyper car. Equally exciting, but in a
diametrically opposed way, is the Volkswagen Xl1 ‘hyper eco-car’, which
promises well over 300mpg from its twin-cylinder turbo diesel and electric
drivetrain. It looks amazing, it’s going into limited production and we’ll have
a full road test next month.
Equally
exciting, but in a diametrically opposed way, is the Volkswagen Xl1 ‘hyper
eco-car’, which promises well over 300mpg from its twin-cylinder turbo diesel
and electric drivetrain.
As mentioned opposite, the Hamann Mystère
is an object lesson in how to ruin a Range Rover, while Lamborghini’s Veneno
hyper car is even madder, but in a good way.
Lamborghini’s
Veneno hyper car is even madder, but in a good way
The
Hamann Mystère is an object lesson in how to ruin a Range Rover
Considerably more affordable than the
Veneno will be the Jaguar F-type roadster
Octane travelled in one to Geneva and liked
it a lot. Again, a full road test next month. Who knows, we may even get to
drive the Giugiaro Parcour V10-engined concept– it’s said to be a runner.
Who
knows, we may even get to drive the Giugiaro Parcour V10-engined concept
No such doubts about the roadworthiness of
the Rolls-Royce Wraith coupé, which combines classic GT looks with a 624bhp
V12. It’s the fastest-ever Royce.
No
such doubts about the roadworthiness of the Rolls-Royce Wraith coupé, which combines
classic GT looks with a 624bhp V12.
Alfa Romeo’s 4C ‘junior’ supercar is one of
the most eagerly awaited new releases for 2013, given that it promises 250bhp
in a car weighing about 950kg and selling for $75,000.
The Bertone Jet 2+2 shooting brake is also
a production reality; it’ s based on an Aston Martin Rapide and has already
been sold to a collector.
The
Bertone Jet 2+2 shooting brake is also a production reality
Porsche had a huge 911-centered display in
this 50th anniversary year , where the 901 prototype made a fascinating
contrast with its new GT3 road-racer. The latter gets 468bhp and rear-wheel
steer to improve stability in corners; yours for $150k.
Whoever at German styling house Startech
thought that slapping a Series III Land Rover grille onto a new Defender was an
improvement should be shot; but we do like another re-interpretation of a
design icon, Touring Superleggera’s Disco Volante. Based on an Alfa 8C chassis,
this is currently a one-off but Touring will gladly build more provided the
customer can supply their own 8C to be cut up…
