This year's Geneva show was not the usual spin about green ideals but concrete examples of how the industry is looking to the future. Michael McAleer, Shane O'Donoghueand Paddy Comynreport
ALFA ROMEO BRERA AND SPIDER
Most of the changes to the Brera and Spider - which have been slow sellers despite their good looks - are on the inside. There are new front seats, a revised dashboard, weight-saving aluminium in the suspension brackets, brake callipers and the wheels are lighter. The engine choices include 185bhp 2.2-litre and 260bhp 3.2-litre petrol and a 20-valve 2.4-litre diesel is available too.
ALFA ROMEO 8C SPIDER
Arguably one of the most beautiful cars of the Geneva Show is the convertible version of the Alfa Romeo 8C, the 8C Spider. Under the bonnet is the same 450bhp 4.7-litre V8 with a six-speed F1-style paddle-shift gearbox putting power to the rear wheels. A dashboard-mounted button opens the two-layered roof. Like its coupé sibling, just 500 units will be produced and are likely to be sold almost immediately.
AUDI A4 AVANT
Audi launched a new version of its Audi A4 Avant and it returns with, Audi claims, the largest-in-class load bay. The new model comes with a vast 1,430-litre load bay thanks to a longer wheelbase. This also means increased legroom and an optional powered tailgate. We should see the car arrive in Ireland this summer.
AUDI TT DIESEL
Audi will bring low emissions and decent fuel economy to the sports car market when its diesel-powered versions of the TT hits the market this summer. The diesel TT Coupé and Roadster models made their debut at the Geneva Motor Show and are powered by a 170bhp 2-litre engine. This is 20 per cent more CO2 efficient than the petrol equivalent and packs 350Nm of torque, helping the diesel TT to 100km/h in 7.5 seconds in the Coupé and 7.7 seconds in the Roadster, while returning 5.3l/100km and CO2 figures of 140g/km in the Coupé and 5.5 l/100km and 145g/km of CO2 in the Roadster.
This means the TT Roadster in Ireland will fall into Band B, with a VRT rate of 16 per cent, and annual road tax of just €150 per year when it goes on sale here this summer.
BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE
Hot on the heels of the M3 Coupé and saloon comes the M3 Convertible, featuring a retractable hard top and the same 420bhp 4.0-litre V8 engine, but the big news is the new seven-speed double-clutch sequential gearbox which is said to enhance performance while reducing fuel consumption. The double-clutch gearbox is fitted with a system called Drivelogic, which includes 11 preset shift programmes, five in automatic mode and six in manual mode.
CITROËN C5 TOURER
While we have already reported on our first drive in the C5 at the start of last month, Citroën is expanding the line-up to include an estate version. While dramatically increasing the practicality of the car, it retains many of the styling cues from the saloon model.
FORD FIESTA
The Ford Fiesta makes it debut at the Geneva Show and the sixth-generation car has stayed quite true to the Verve concept car that had been previewed at previous shows. This is a really good-looking small car and is much more coupé-like than before.
The car is similar in length to the existing Fiesta but is lighter and more rigid, meaning it will be fuel-efficient and still fun to drive. Ford has really stepped up the interior quality of the Fiesta and there is a very clever instrument panel that is inspired by mobile phones.
Engines for the new range will include 60 and 80bhp 1.25-litre, 91bhp 1.4-litre and 115bhp 1.6-litre petrol engines, plus 1.4-litre TDCi diesels with 68 and 90bhp. Later in the year a version giving CO2 emissions of less than 100g/km, a badged Fiesta Econetic, will join the range. We are likely to see the Fiesta on sale in Ireland in October of this year.
HONDA ACCORD
The new Honda Accord made its debut yesterday at the show in both saloon and tourer body styles. The new car is wider and slightly lower than the model it replaces, and has a slightly muscular design. It also features a second-generation diesel engine, the i-DTEC, offering almost 150bhp and lower emissions than before, though it is still not below the 140g/km threshold. This new diesel will be offered alongside an improved 2.0-litre 156bhp petrol and a 200bhp 2.4-litre petrol. All three engines get a six-speed manual transmission and an automatic transmission comes with the diesel in early 2009. Honda is promising BMW levels of agility from the new model as well as a host of standard safety improvements. The car is expected to go on sale in Ireland in the autumn.
MITSUBISHI I CAR AND PROTOTYPE S
The I Car has been around for some time, though outside the public gaze. The small city car is on sale in Britain as part of a European feasibility study but is due to go on sale in Ireland in late 2009 with a 1-litre petrol engine. An electric version is on show at Geneva and it too will go into production in late 2010. Meanwhile, while it was listed as a concept, the Prototype S is actually the new Lancer hatchback. Arriving in Ireland in late October, it will come in 1.5-litre and 2-litre diesel formats. Unfortunately, there will not be an Evolution version, but a 225bhp Ralliart version is planned.
PEUGEOT 308 GT
Peugeot has taken the 175bhp 1.6-litre turbo engine, which is used to great effect in the Peugeot 207 GTi and Mini Cooper S, and placed it in its new 308 to give us the 307 GT THP.
As well as the upgraded engine, which is good for 0-100km/h in 8.3 seconds, the GT gets a different front bumper, a rear spoiler, special steering wheel, an aluminium gear knob and pedals. It also sits lower than the standard car. Sales are due to start in Ireland in the summer as a special order car and details on pricing will be revealed then.
RENAULT KOLEOS
When is a Renault not a Renault? When it's a Samsung. You might associate Samsung with your TV or DVD player, but it is part of the Renault alliance and will provide the basis of Renault's entrant into the compact SUV market.
Designed by Renault, developed by Nissan and manufactured in Renault Samsung Motors' Busan plant in Korea, Koleos is the fruit of extremely close collaboration. The end result is a car that doesn't have the striking looks of some of its rivals, particularly other French newcomers such as the Citroën C-Crosser or Peugeot 4007, both, incidentally, also created in a partnership, this time with Mitsubishi.
Renault's Koleos will be available with the latest-generation 2.0 dCi Euro 4 diesel engine (M9R) - offering 150hp or 175hp. The car's four-wheel-drive technology comes from Nissan's X-Trail. The new model should arrive here in Ireland this summer.
ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM COUPÉ
With so many brands showing off their green credentials at the Geneva Motor Show this year, one firm that seems to have paid little attention to this is Rolls Royce, which unveiled its 6.75-litre V12 Phantom Coupé. With 453bhp and 720Nm of torque on tap from its mammoth engine, the coupé is set to be the most driver-orientated model in the Phantom line-up. At the core of the Phantom Coupé is an advanced aluminium chassis, which is lightweight and exceptionally strong.
SKODA SUPERB
Skoda has unveiled a handsome new upgrade for its flagship Superb model. The new Superb is 35mm longer and 18mm wider and this was already quite a substantial car. Six engines - three petrol and three diesel - will be offered, with outputs ranging from 105bhp to 260bhp, plus the option of manual or DSG (direct-shift) gearboxes. The new car features a revised interior and a twin-door tailgate opening system which allows users to open just the boot lid or the entire tailgate, depending on the load. That means you can have a saloon format or hatchback. The car is expected to go on sale in Ireland in September of this year.
TOYOTA URBAN CRUISER
Despite the silly name, the Urban Cruiser is a production model and will go on sale in Europe in spring. Toyota says this SUV, which will sit below the Rav4, is an "environmentally responsible SUV" and it promises low emissions of 140g/km and good fuel economy. Based on the Yaris platform, it is likely to be powered by engines such as a 1.4-litre petrol engine and will come in front-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive formats.
TOYOTA IQ
If Smart had problems prior to Geneva, it will have serious concerns now that Toyota has entered the microcar market. The car giant has launched a production version of the iQ and it is one of the stars of the show. The three-plus-one seating format means the little cheeky Toyota can accommodate two adults up front, plus another behind the passenger seat, with room for a child or more shopping behind the driver. The trick is that the front dash is designed to allow the passenger seat to be moved forward a lot further than the driver, without compromising legroom. Behind this sits an adult.
The car measures in at less than three metres long, similar to a Smart car, but offers a lot more interior room. Engine power comes from a 1-litre engine that will have emissions below 100g/km.
Toyota has stuffed the car with nine airbags to overcome any doubts buyers may have about the safety of these small cars. Some journalists had already christened the little car the "Toyota Airbag". Coming with ESP and ABS as well, it's likely to earn the desired five-star EuroeNCAP rating; an amazing feat for a car this size.
Prices will be between Aygo and Yaris and it is targeted as a premium city car purchase, with safety obviously at the forefront but also practicality well above the likes of the Smart. It will be launched at the end of this year with sales starting in Ireland in early 2009.
VOLKSWAGEN SCIROCCO
In a lavish event the night before the Geneva Show opened, VW unveiled its star exhibit, the keenly anticipated Scirocco coupé. The showroom-ready model retains the distinctive upright rear end of the 2006 Iroc concept car, though it loses some of that car's visual drama. However, the Scirocco trades on practicality as much as it does style, the rear seats actually being usable.
From launch, the engine line-up will include both TDI engines and the Golf GTI's turbocharged unit, the latter being significant, as the Scirocco is being marketed as an alternative to a hot hatch. Prices are likely to start at €35,000, with Irish buyers getting their hands on cars as early as September this year.
Engines will start with 120bhp and 160bhp turbocharged petrol engines.
Elsewhere at the show, VW continued to push its BlueMotion brand, with the advent of the parsimonious Sharan MPV, along with the Passat EcoFuel, which has been developed specifically to run on compressed natural gas. The show also featured the European debut of the Passat CC and a four-wheel-drive Golf 4motion.
VOLVO XC60
This was one of the surprise stars of the show: a very smart five-seater "crossover" that's similar in stance to the current XC90, but with far more striking features. Of note is the LED running lights front and back, along with the larger, more distinctive grille. According to designer Steve Mattin, it's all about "turning up the volume" on Volvo's design and making the brand stand out in the crowd. The new car will come to Ireland initially with Volvo's D5 engine, followed by its 2.4-litre diesel 163bhp engine. It has the same four-wheel-drive system as the recently launched XC70.
Aside from its smart looks, the XC60 is notable for its safety systems, in particular the new City Safety System, which will be standard on all models.
According to David Baddeley, Volvo Ireland's managing director: "This could have been specifically designed for M50 users." Using a radar at the top of the windscreen, it scans the road ahead at speeds below 30km/h. If the driver is distracted and is not taking action while the XC60 is about to hit a vehicle or object in front, the car will brake automatically below speeds of 15km/h or at least start to apply the brakes automatically at speeds between 15km/h and 30km/h.The car is expected to go on sale in Ireland towards the tail end of 2008.
FIAT 500 ABARTH
As if to signify that Abarth is much different from the regular Fiat, the Abarth stand was located in a different hall from its parent and alongside the likes of Bugatti, Lotus and within eyeline of Ferrari. Not quite on the same par as a Ferrari 599, the high performance version of the cheek-pinchingly cute Fiat is powered by a 1.4-litre 16v petrol Turbo engine, which delivers a maximum of 135bhp at 5,500rpm and a peak torque of 206Nm at 3,000rpm in 'Sport' mode.
In 'Normal' mode, torque is reduced to 180Nm at 2,500rpm. The dramatic styling is not just for show, as the body kit and spoilers reduce drag and increase high-speed stability, while the side skirts improve the Cd figure. Inside, the 500 features special instrumentation, with the addition of an analogue gauge to measure turbo pressure.
MERCEDES
On the face of it, Mercedes' display in Geneva didn't contain a wealth of exciting new models, with the debut of the mildly updated CLS, revamped CLC and a facelifted SL, but an extravagant show by a troupe of Chinese performers was the lead in to significant announcements from the company regarding reducing fuel consumption and emissions.
BlueEfficiency is the new tagline under which Mercedes-Benz will launch 20 new models developed specifically to save fuel and reduce emissions. Mercedes will improve aerodynamics, utilise low rolling resistance tyres, reduce weight and install smart alternators in a bid to improve efficiency. The first example of this approach is the C-Class 200 CDI, which uses just 5.1 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle. The same technology will be applied to petrol-powered models in the near future.