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Geneva Motor Show

If all the recent industry focus on emission targets, mpg figures and alternative fuels has you worried about the future for us petrolheads, fear not – a visit to this years Geneva Motor Show would have soon put that to rest!

Tartan Tarmac visited the show last week and impressions were that the car enthusiast hasn’t got much to worry about just yet.

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It’s been awhile since I’ve visited a major motor show and it was promising to see the amount of new performance orientated models on display. Sure, there were the usual array of gazillion horsepower hypercars made from exotic materials & six figure price tags, but there was also a decent amount of exciting cars, which the average enthusiast actually has a chance of owning.

Let’s get the mad stuff out the way first. Here, the track only Aston Martin Vulcan must come pretty close to the top of the pile. Based on the One-77, it’s got a 800+bhp 7.0 litre V12 and a £1.8 million price tag! Also, by the size of the rear wing, it’s got some serious aero going on. It looks amazing.

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In comparison, the 750bhp £285K Aventador SV seems a bit of a bargain (relatively). The SV gains 50 horsepower, sheds 50 kilos of weight and looks stunning. No doubt a Huracan is more useable on UK roads, but for me this is what a Lamborghini should be like.

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A bit less mainstream was the Glickenhaus SCG 003, manufactured by American tycoon James Glickenhaus. Road and race versions are planned of this carbon chassis supercar along with various engine options. Prices start off at around £1.5 million and previous Glickenhaus projects include the Ferrari Enzo based P4/5 which he commissioned Pininfarina to build.

I wonder if Batman is in the market for a new car…?

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If you find the standard P1 a wee bit boring and slow, then the McLaren P1 GTR is the car for you. Providing you already own a P1 road car that is, as this track special is only available to existing customers. Less weight, more power and more downforce, it comes in at just under £2 million if you are interested. This does include membership to the McLaren P1 driver programme, similar to Ferrari’s XX programme, bargain!

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McLaren also had a gorgeous F1 GT Longtail on display to tie in with the release of their 675 LT.

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Ferrari’s new 488 GTB was one of the stars of the show. Its most talked about attribute is the new 3.9 litre, twin turbo charged V8. Sadly, it’s the end of an era for the high revving, naturally aspirated V8’s so it will be interesting to see how this new motor compares. With 660bhp, there’s no arguing with the numbers and if I had to bet on anyone getting it right, it would be Ferrari.

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Back down to earth a wee bit… Lotus had the new Evora 400 on display, named after its increased power output – thanks to a new supercharger and better cooling. It looks more aggressive and the lower/narrower sills make it much easier to enter/exit. Inside there’s plenty of room (even for all 6′ 5″ of me) and no doubt it will drive superbly. Priced at approx £70K I can’t help but think it’s a little high…

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Which brings us to the £65K Cayman GT4. Not much needs to be said about this car. It’s the car folk have wanted Porsche to build for years and it’s now here. The 3.8 litre 380bhp engine from the 911S, GT3 suspension, a manual gearbox and limited availability mean its status as a future classic is probably already guaranteed. What’s not to like? Well, unfortunately (and unsurprisingly) all the UK allocation is already sold.

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Honda had the new NSX on show, which for some reason I just found a little dull, the same couldn’t be said for the new Civic Type R. Much has been talked about the Type R with its Megane beating ‘Ring lap time and 167mph top speed. It’s not so subtle looks might not be for everyone but if the front wheels deploy the 306bhp without too much torque steer then it could be a riot.

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Along with the Golf R400 and Focus RS, the hyper hatch wars look set to continue apace. By contrast, the Focus RS looks a little tame – certainly when compared to its predecessor. Lacking the big arches and rear wing, some might prefer it’s more restrained appearance, but I think it looks a bit too ‘ordinary’ for an RS model. It shouldn’t have any problems with power transfer though, thanks to being 4WD for the first time and given Ford’s recent form with the Fiesta/Focus ST, it should be a cracker. It will be interesting to see how it compares to their original turbo 4WD hatch, the Escort Cosworth, and hopefully Tartan Tarmac will be able to make that comparison later in the year.

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Also on the Ford stand was the new GT. Having seen pictures beforehand I wasn’t convinced of the styling but in the metal it definitely grew on me (although I still think I prefer the looks of the previous version).

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While the new Mustang has the potential to be a bit of a performance bargain with the 412bhp 5.0-litre V8 model starting £32,995. Plus, for the first time, it will be available with the steering wheel on the right side.

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Next up, the new Mazda MX5 and the first thing that struck me on seeing it is its size – it’s tiny! This fourth generation MX5 is the smallest yet being 10cm shorter and 100kg lighter than the outgoing model. It’s great to see a new car which shuns the trend of new models always being bigger and heavier. With 1.5 litre 130bhp and 2.0 litre 160bhp engine options, it’s not going to be the fastest thing on the planet but I suspect it will be great fun and no doubt a huge seller.

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The tuning & customisation companies were also out in force at Geneva with names such as Mansory, Brabus, TechArt, Kahn, DMC and RUF all displaying their latest creations. Some more tasteful than others!

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Brabus had an interesting mix of machinery, from the 900bhp (yep, 900!) S65 AMG based Rocket 900, to some stunning classics.

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While if you really want to get noticed, the not so subtle Kahn 6 wheel Defender based Huntsman should do the job!

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Easily my favourite was RUF, with their gorgeous 964 coupe and both modern and classic variations of the 911 Targa.

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If you fancy going next year, it must be one of the easiest international motor show to attend. The Palexpo exhibition centre is right next to Geneva International Airport, which in turn is a short EasyJet flight away. Do it as a day trip and you can avoid any daft Geneva hotel prices too.

Might see you there next year!

Mike.

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