Set to debut in Geneva (really really soon) is the Lamborghini Murcielago SV's little brother. Called the Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera, it's set to carry some of its older sibling's feature characteristics (loud colors, swoopy graphics, big wing, and that black lower-body trim) while developing 570 horsepower. Unofficial numbers are claiming a...
During a pre-show event in Geneva, Ford confirmed the development of a high-performance version of the new Focus that will be powered by a version of its 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine family that features both turbocharging and direct-injection and will be offered in all markets. "We want to reassure enthusiasts of Focus performance models that we...
We've been hearing a lot about Ferrari's Geneva-bound 599 Hybrid concept model for quite some time now, but the Italian supercar maker apparently can't keep it under wraps anymore as the first photos of the prototype model made it onto the web today. Photos aside, we asked around and our sources gave us some inside information on the hybrid...
Superleggera round two begins the same way the first one did.
Lamborghini’s chief rival, Ferrari, might be charting new waters by unveiling a hybrid at the Geneva auto show, but the bucking-bull brand is sticking to tried and true formulas with its news. The Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera follows exactly the recipe laid out by its predecessor: less weight, more power. But now that the basic Gallardo LP560-4 puts out 552 horses, the total for the Superleggera sneaks up to 562, courtesy of a more liberal engine-management programming. The power peak still occurs at a siren-song 8000 rpm, and torque remains 398 lb-ft at 6500 rpm.
Lambo says 0 to 60 mph will take only 3.4 seconds, with 124 (200 km/h) passing in just 10.2. Terminal velocity is 202 mph. However, a regular-strength Gallardo we tested recently needed only 3.2 seconds to hit the 60-mph mark. That car also took a mere 11.2 seconds to trip the quarter-mile timing lights at a speed of 130 mph, which suggests that the new Superleggera will land safely among the quickest production cars we’ve ever tested. Lamborghini’s e-gear automated manual transmission will be standard, although we expect that, like the previous car, the Superleggera will offer the gated six-speed manual as a no-cost option. With e-gear, fuel economy is said to be 14 mpg in the city, 20 on the highway. Good luck finding the restraint to achieve those figures.
Keep Reading: 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera – Official Photos and Info
Walter Röhrl waves from the passenger seat as the 918 Spyder concept rolls down the runway of VW’s dedicated show pavilion here in downtown Geneva. In the driver’s seat, Porsche chairman Michael Macht detaches the steering wheel before hopping out.
Low, wide, shod with 935-style dinner-plate wheels, and with two giant exhaust tips exiting just past each door, the 918 Spyder looks like the demon spawn of a Carrera GT and the RS Spyder racer. But what the hell is this thing?
It’s Porsche’s take on the plug-in hybrid. Röhrl claims that the 918 Spyder goes around the ‘Ring in under 7:30, and Macht says it consumes less than 3 l/100 km (about 78 mpg). It can go more than 15 miles on just electric power. The engine is a mid-mounted V-8 and puts out more than 500 hp. Three electric motors add a combined 218 hp.
When? The company hasn’t made a decision yet. But keep in mind that Porsche has never shown a concept that hasn’t been built.
Alloy-ed and alluring, the new XJ transports Jaguar to an altogether different place.
Above all things, Jaguar desires to be different. That’s why the new 2011 XJ flagship has the flamboyant lines of an Italian torpedo, the driving manners of a German autobahn cruiser, and is tuned for Buckingham Palace fleet duty. Cultures collide in spectacular ways in this luxury limo.
Keep Reading: 2011 Jaguar XJ – First Drive Review
Even with a base motor, this Alfa still qualifies as a hot hatch.
Alfa Romeo will be introducing the most important model in its history at the Geneva auto show . Alfa has been in a tailspin for the last decade or so, and Fiat—and Chrysler—head honcho Sergio Marchionne has made it clear that the brand, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, won’t live to see many more birthdays unless it can prove itself worth sustained support.
The most important Alfa ever is not the next iteration of the 8C supercar, nor is it a ground-breaking new microcar. No, the car upon which the future of the brand hinges is the pedestrian 2010 Giulietta. About the size of the Volkswagen Golf, the Giulietta is the first vehicle to be based on Fiat’s new C-evo platform, an architecture that will underpin a number of Fiat and Chrysler models.
Keep Reading: 2010 Alfa Romeo Giulietta – Official Photos and Info
Stuttgart debuts a do-all, mean, green machine.
With four other debuts planned for this year’s Geneva auto show, Porsche saved one surprise for just before the show opened. Behold the 918 Spyder concept, a radical Carrera GT–like supercar that employs Porsche’s latest take on enviro-firendly performance technology.
The Supercar of Tomorrow
Moving in the same direction as Ferrari with its 599 Hybrid concept, Porsche is laying its cards on the table with this dual-purpose supercar plug-in hybrid. Said to “combine high-tech racing features with electric mobility to offer a fascinating range of qualities,” the 918 Spyder concept borrows the mid-mounted 3.4-liter V-8 engine from the RS Spyder race car, singing a symphony of 500 hp up to a 9200-rpm redline. That covers the race portion of the equation, while electric motors found at both the front and rear axles that combine for an output of 218 hp handle the electric mobility. These motors, able to move the car on electric power alone, make the 918 a full hybrid, which Porsche claims has a range of 16 miles using the liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery found behind the passenger compartment. Porsche claims the concept is capable of hitting 62 mph in under 3.2 seconds, topping out at 198 mph, lapping the Nürburgring in 7 minutes and 30 seconds (faster than a Carrera GT), and achieving fuel economy of up to 78 mpg, but certainly not while laying down those figures.
Keep Reading: Porsche 918 Spyder Plug-In Hybrid Concept – Auto Shows
Porsche 918 Spyder concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
Here you go, have your cake and eat it too. Porsche is looking to prove that the best of both worlds don't have to be mutually exclusive with the 918 Spyder concept scheduled to debut tomorrow at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. Looking a bit like a Carrera GT evolved, the 918 Spyder is powered by both a 500-horsepower V8 and a pair of electric motors (one for each axle) producing an additional 218 hp or 160kW. At full gallop, the concept can theoretically reach 62 mph in 3.2 seconds and nip 198 mph on the high end. On the flip side, Porsche says it can also achieve 78 miles per gallon and emit just 70 grams of CO2 per kilometer.
How does a supercar have such range? Well, the 918 Spyder concept is a parallel hybrid just like your mom's Prius (well not just like). That means the two powertrains, gas and electric, can operate together or separately to motivate the wheels into motion. There are no less than four modes that configure the powertrains for anything from maximum efficiency to maximum performance and everything in between. The E-Drive mode means pure electric power, and the car can reportedly last up to 16 miles on electrons alone. Next up is Hybrid mode, which is just what it sounds like and would probably be the mode for everyday around town driving. The Sport Hybrid mode again uses both powertrains, but tips the needle a bit more towards performance with most power reaching the rear wheels. Finally, the Race Hybrid mode means all systems are go for the lowest lap times possible (Porsche says it can do the Nordschleife in less than 7:30 minutes). There's an even a push-to-pass button (if only it were that easy) that adds a bit of E-boost on the straights and, of course, regenerative braking is present and accounted for.
Lastly, take a good look at the interior because Porsche says it offers a glimpse at future interiors from the automaker. Sounds good enough to buy so far, right? Too bad, because it's just a concept. We'll bring you live shots of the 918 Spyder concept tomorrow after it debuts in Geneva, so sit tight.
