Of all the international motor shows, Geneva certainly has to be one of the best; its right-sized halls harboring just the right combination of mouthwatering concept cars and box-fresh production models. Of course in-between all the stands of dream metal you’ll also notice plenty of gorgeous display girls and many well-to-do European sophisticates all mingling and networking and gesturing over flutes of expensive champagne. All very cosmopolitan. Today was my first taste of this unique motoring experience and after practically walking the soles of my feet flat I was left most impressed by the scope of vehicles I shot through my camera lens. I thought I’d share a few of my favorite concept cars with you, so here – in no particular order of course – are just a few that’ll be battling for wallpaper supremacy over the next few days…
Protoscar Lampo2
I’d never heard of the Protoscar Lampo before this morning but it’s bold styling and Ford Mustang-like nose immediately made me stop in my tracks. Swiss-designed, this matte yellow roadster is 100% electric and runs on two electric motors. Juiced by the same number of lithium-ion battery packs, they allow the Lampo to scamper to 100km/h in under five seconds and hit a maximum speed of 200km/h – certainly enough to give Mr. Tesla a few heart palpitations. At the moment it’s purely a concept car, so don’t expect to see it in Lolly Jackson’s garage anytime soon.
Bertone Pandion
Bertone, a company that has a history shaping Alfa Romeos, absorbed thousands of camera flashes today thanks to their incredible Pandion concept. Low and sleek in profile, it’s the first of its ilk to utilize something called dematerialization; a process of purposefully disembodying the design of the front and rear of the sections of the car to create the illusion that its actually breaking up or pixellating before you. Look closely and you’ll see that the nose and especially the tail have been formed using hundred of crystal-like blades of steel cut into different styles and shapes. One of the most radical and intriuging automotive designs I’ve seen in years.
Porsche 918 Spyder
Another eye-sizzling prototype, this sexy German sports car has been built specifically to showcase Porsche’s latest plug-in hybrid technology. Bolted to a honey of a 3.4-litre V8 engine and a duo of electric motors driving both the front and rear axles, the new 918 is capable of achieving radical performance figures as well as exceptional fuel economy. The 0-100km/h sprint, for instance, takes just 3.2-seconds while its maximum speed is quoted as being no less than 320km/h. This means it’ll lap the Nordschleife of Nürburgring in less than 7:30 minutes – faster than its sister, the Porsche Carrera GT. Drive it with a little more consideration, however, and the Porsche 918 will sip just 3l/100km and huff out a 70g of CO2 per kilometer. Most impressive me thinks.
Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid
The Lotus Evora is already one cool ride but this 414E Hybrid Concept fashioned by Lotus Engineering helps takes it to a whole new tier. A showcase of the firm’s latest hybrid technology, the 414E plug-in hybrid comes loaded with two electric motors on each rear wheel as well as a conventional 1.2-litre three-cylinder internal combustion engine. Kicking out a useful 152 kW and 400Nm, driver involvement has been enhanced by the incorporation of something called HALOsonic. Devloped in association with Harman International, this system allows you to tune your otherwise silent 414E to sound like it’s been bolted to a conventional V6 or V8. Not only does this sound great inside the cabin but it also warns pedestrians of your presence when coming up behind them. Another trick feature lies in this Evora’s Sports Mode function that, when initiated, makes the two single-speed reduction transmissions simulate a conventional seven-speed, paddle shift gearbox. This allows for exceptional driver involvement previosuly unseen in hybrid sports car segment.
Citroen Survolt
Fusing the estranged worlds of fashion and motor racing, French manufacturer Citroen have come up with this wicked Survolt concept. Inspired by the Revolte Concept that debuted at Frankfurt in 2009 and blended from materials like chrome and aluminium, it’s 100% pure fantasy and looks like something you once tried in vain to design in the back of your high school maths textbook. Though not hooked up to an engine, the Survolt’s intriguing shape, evil grille and predator-like LED headlights make it stand out like no otehr car on the show. Believe me when I say the photo doesn’t quite do the real thing justice.
The government unveiled a plan to invest almost 20 billion dollars over the next decade to transform the embattled Russian car industry into a major global player.
