For those Automotive Addicts who just want the top line – this is our edited version of what was new and what was hot a this year’s Geneva Motor Show:
First-up – Singapore’s first hypercar, the all-electric Dendrobium concept, made its global debut, the high performance zero emission two-seater comes from Singapore electric mobility experts Vanda Electrics. Boasting a top speed in excess of 200mph and 0-60mph in 2.7 seconds. Vanda Electrics’ technical partner is Williams Advanced Engineering, (of Williams F1 expertise in Abingdon, Oxfordshire) so expect it to work!
Alpine revealed its production car: the new A110. A mid-engined two-seater sports coupe is true to the spirit of its predecessors and the A110 ‘Berlinette’. The new car will be built in the Alpine factory in Dieppe and deliveries will start late 2017 in Continental Europe, (UK Deliveries will start in 2018.) A Premiere Edition will be also be built limited to 1955 cars, (the year Jean Rédélé launched Alpine).
The Première Edition will be the one to buy and a potential future classic, a lightweight, performance enhanced version with racing inspired details such as Sabelt one-piece sports seats and the ‘Triolore’ blue, white and red badging throughout. Suggested costs are set at 58,500 Euros TTC (VAT included) in France 64,000 Swiss Francs (VAT included) in Switzerland. But final prices will be confirmed at the start of formal orders in mid-2017.
This was my favourite unveiling, the kings new clothes! – It is the latest offering from RUF Automobile GmbH – a new CTR – This is the first RUF sports car to be based on a chassis completely of the firm’s own design (Really? – looks like a Porsche 964 to me) with a body that pays tribute to the 1987 CTR “Yellow Bird.” – So basically its a 964 Turbo ‘Yellow Bird’ but built in Carbon, with 200 more hp (but only 12 mph higher top speed) than the original. Sounds great, but don’t pretend you have reinvented the Porsche 911! – Pl-eee-ase!
This latest RUF supercar pays homage to the 1987 CTR Yellow Bird in both form and function. A weight-to-power ratio of only 3.5 lbs per horsepower, a first-ever rear-wheel drive bespoke carbon fiber monocoque chassis and extensive use of modern materials offers a dry weight of 1,200 kg. Matched with a 3.6-liter twin-turbo flat-six built by RUF and inspired by the design of the engine in the original Yellow Bird. Total output is 522 kw (710 PS) at 6,750 RPM and 880 Nm (649 lb-ft) at 2,750 RPM, allowing acceleration from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) under 3.5 seconds and 0-200 km/h (125 mph) under nine seconds. Top speed is 360 km/h (225 mph).
Ford showed off its Ford GT’ 66 Heritage Edition (Quite fancy one of these, if we had the time, money and space for such luxury but we have none of the above.) The model honours Ford’s 1966 Le Mans victory, offering a Shadow Black exterior in either gloss or matte finish with silver stripes and exposed carbon fibre. The customisable 10″ digital dash screen (as with all models) features text and race-inspired graphics intended to help reduce driver distraction, and automatically reconfigures itself based on five unique Drive Modes: Normal, Wet, Sport, Track and V-Max mode.
The Ford GT’s 3.5-litre V6 EcoBoost engine is SAE rated at 647hp and 550lb per ft of torque in U.S. specification. A top speed of 216mph makes the Ford GT the fastest Ford production vehicle on the track ever.
The new McLaren 720S was unveiled – the supercar from the McLaren brand incorporates a carbon fibre chassis based around Monocage II central structure – key to the 1,283kg lightest dry weight. A new, twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine produces 720PS and 770Nm, with power-to-weight ratio of up to 561PS per tonne. Offering a 0-60mph in 2.8 seconds (0-100km/h 2.9 seconds), with 0-200km/h (124mph) reached in 7.8 seconds and maximum speed of 212mph (341km/h). Braking from 200 km/h to standstill in 4.6 seconds, covering 117m – that is an eye-socket stretching distance! Deliveries start in May if you have a handy £208,600.
The Renault Trezor (is this the French version of the Trevor -or TVR I wonder? ) the Trezor won 2016’s Concept Car Design of the Year, the award was presented at a gala ceremony in Geneva. Laurens van den Acker, senior vice-president of Groupe Renault corporate design commented: “It’s an honour to receive this award, because it’s voted by our peers, and that’s the hardest audience to satisfy. It’s great for our design team and their creativity, and I think it only makes us hungry for more, it stimulates us to continue.”
Finally, on the electric city car front – I suspect Auto Addicts readers will be the last people on earth to succumb to a fossil-fuel less life, but this one is different, an all electric concept offering from Honda.
FirstlyIt certainly looks futuristic, the Honda NeuV car, apparently has a ’emotion engine’ – and before you ask – it learns from the driver to inform of future actions. Absolutely no-idea how this works, but we wondered if perhaps we can train it to fetch the tyres or the racing fuel in the Paddock?
Editor – SBB – Opinions are like socks, everyone has at least two – some of them have holes in!
