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Geneva motor show stars

The 82nd Geneva motor show exhibited expensive, fast, luxurious - as well as the green crop of hybrids and battery cars that has characterised all-important motor shows for the past five years.
2 min read11 Mar '12
Staff WriterStaff Writer

The 82nd Geneva motor show played host to an array of vibrant concepts and production models, from evolutions of electric and hybrid drive, to a radical Bentley SUV, a one-off road-ready Lambo, and the rebirth of an icon in Peugeot's 208 GTi concept.

Here is a list of the rest of the Geneva show stars:

Aston Martin Vantage

The biggest raft of changes to hit the Vantage since 2008 includes cosmetic tweaks, engineering revisions, and an entirely new body in the form of the V12 Vantage Zagato. The Vantage V8 gets upgrades from the Vantage S to boost agility, while 150 Zagatos are slated for production.

Audi A3

The all-new, lighter Audi A3 sports more aggressive styling than the current car, and promises greater luxury and efficiency, too. It's based on a new VW Group platform that will yield a wide range of future models. A saloon will be built for select markets (which includes India), and five-door and cabrio variants will join the three-door shown at Geneva.

Bentley EXP 9 F concept

As long as a Range Rover, but lower and much more powerful, the Bentley EXP 9 F concept shows off the marque's tentative plans to built a super-luxury SUV. In production W12 form, it can reach 290kph, though a diesel V8 and petrol V6-based plug-in hybrid are also touted.

Bentley Mulsanne Driving Specification

For those seeking additional agility from their 2.5-tonne saloon, the Bentley Mulsanne Driving Specification pack adds a Sport button to the existing Drive Dynamics control system, yielding more focused responses from the steering and air suspension. New 21in wheels and exterior and interior styling tweaks complete the pack.

BMW M550d

More M Performance fayre, this time in pioneering diesel form. The BMW M550d and M550d Touring are expected to appear in October, following the X5 M50d and X6 M50d's June launch. All use a triple-turbo six-cylinder diesel engine that'll boast more torque than the M5, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

BMW M6

The BMW M6 has been unveiled in coupe and convertible forms. BMW claims supercar-levels of performance for their fastest-ever two door cars: with a twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 producing 552bhp, they have a top speed of 304kph.

BMW X6

The facelifted BMW X6 includes exterior and interior changes, plus a choice of new paintwork shades and leather options. Three petrol and two diesel variants will be available when the refreshed model is released alongside the M Performance diesel X6.

See Geneva motor show image gallery

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Geneva motor show stars - Introduction | Autocar India