New C-Class Coupé with sporting ambitions
There is nothing modest about Mercedes in Geneva. The 125th anniversary of the birth of the automobile is being celebrated by the direct heirs of its inventor. It is only fitting, therefore, that Mercedes should have the biggest stand by far at this year’s event. With much ado the manufacturer is presenting four new models, including the enlargement of the C-Class family. To the sedan and the estate car version a coupé has now been added. The successor to the somewhat unfortunate sport coupé CLC is targeted at a new kind of buyer. Younger drivers are to be incited to look away from the established suppliers of sports coupés to discover what the brawny and dynamic C-Class Coupé offers as an alternative. The top motorization takes the shape of the V6 C 350 Blue Efficiency with 306 horsepower. Van it be coincidence that this is a power plant closely resembling the top six-cylinder from BMW?
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- In order to remain leader of the pack in the compact premium roadster segment Mercedes have packed the new SLK with any number of gimmicks, one being the ‘Magic Sky Control’ panorama vario roof.
Performance and the environment
As well as the C-Class Coupé Mercedes also show the new C63 AMG. Here there are now 487 horsepower under the bonnet but the auto uses ten percent less fuel. But Mercedes are resourceful: They can deliver not just power and speed but also economy and environmental responsibility. And they manage this, too, not just in a normal sedan but in a super sports car like the SLS AMG E-Cell, with an electric motor doing the hard work. This is an auto intended to combine the pleasure of motoring with a green conscience. The model will start to be seen in Mercedes dealerships in 2013. The fourth Mercedes highlight this spring is the third generation of the SLK roadster. In order to remain leader of the pack in the compact premium roadster segment Mercedes have packed the new SLK with any number of gimmicks, one being the ‘Magic Sky Control’ panorama vario roof which can be set to be transparent or opaque. The new four and six-cylinder engines with start-stop systems as a standard feature are said to use on average 25 percent less fuel.
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- Its name is misleading. No roof, hardly any wind-shield to speak of and in the back a zero-emissions electric motor: That’s the story told by the Smart Forspeed in Geneva.
Smart Forspeed
No roof, hardly any wind-shield to speak of and in the back a zero-emissions electric motor: That’s the story told by the Smart Forspeed in Geneva. This is the perfect fun car. The concept also gives a hint of the performance potential of future electric Smarts. With its 41 horsepower it accelerates to 60 kilometres an hour in 5.5 seconds. But its top speed is only 120. The lithium ion battery packs should enable a range of 135 kilometres and can be re-charged at any domestic power outlet.
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- The rivals from Ingolstadt have three new models to show. The most important of these is the Audi RS3 Sportback.
Audi RS3 sportback and the new A3
The rivals from have three new models to show. The most important of these is the Audi RS3 Sportback. With is characteristic front and back fenders and the big roof-edge spoiler it is immediately recognizable as an RS. The compact five-door model gets 340 horsepower from its 2.5 litre five-cylinder engine. As one might expect from Audi the power goes to all four wheels. In 4.6 seconds the small sportster reaches a hundred. To be noted is the fact that the ESP can be de-activated. Later this year the RS3 Sportback will be on sale for 49,900 Euros. Audi gives us also a glimpse of what the new A3 could be like. The four-seater notchback A3 Concept is loaded with all the technology Audi has recently developed. Highlights or the optimized functionality of the MMI system, the high-end infotainment installation and last but not least the motorization. The five-cylinder turbo delivers a considerable 408 horsepower.
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- Audi claims that its new Q5 HybridQuattro is the most lively hybrid SUV currently on the market.
Large and extra-large
Audi claims that its new Q5 HybridQuattro is the most lively hybrid SUV currently on the market. The two-litre four-cylinder engine with 211 horsepower is supposed to have the power output of a six-cylinder. The two-litre TFSI and the electric motor and as parallel hybrid systems mounted one behind the other. Audi have given priority to the development of a higher proportion of the traction coming from the electric motor. Up to a hundred kilometres an hour the Q5 HybridQuattro can rely exclusively on electricity. Even with all the hybrid components on board the weight of the auto has only been increased by 130 kilos. The extended wheel-base A8 is an armoured vehicle with a whole range of security features installed behind the reinforced body panels. It meets the standard for bullet-proof and bomb-proof vehicles and has been given the approval of the German firearms and munitions authorities.
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- Opel brings to Geneva the next generation of what they call a “lounge on wheels” in the form of the Zafira Tourer concept.
Zafira Tourer concept
Opel brings to the next generation of what they call a “lounge on wheels” in the form of the Zafira Tourer concept. By Opel standards the Zafira has a notably luxurious appointments and is very roomy, in particular for the passengers in the rear seats. Opel's claim that the body styling of the Zafira has something to do with sculpted energy leaves us a bit in the dark but the new interior certainly deserves respect.
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- The design of the Opel Ampera cannot be called very appealing but compared with the Toyota Prius it is a step in the right direction.
Opel in the vanguard
Far more significant than the Zafira concept is the world première of the Opel Ampera. And this time Opel have really appeared to get it right. The interest in electrically powered automobiles in many European countries, including Germany, can be termed modest, due to the fact that the purchase does not benefit from fiscal advantages and the vehicles available are either expensive or impractical or both. But Opel intends to lead the way by bringing the Ampera onto the market before the end of the current year. For journeys of about 40 to 80 kilometres the Ampera can rely exclusively on electric power. When the battery charge get low the petrol engine functions as a range expender feeding the batteries with generated power. This means that the driver need have no fear of coming to a stop on account of empty batteries. However recharging is also possible in only four hours from a normal household 230 volt power plug. The top speed for the 150 horsepower Ampera is just 160 kilometres an hour, in our opinion a velocity which is at odds with today’s expectations. Nevertheless the Ampera marks for Opel a really important launch in to the European market for electrically powered autos. The design cannot be called very appealing but compared with the Toyota Prius it is a step in the right direction.
