Alternative view of Geneva.

[SCOTT27]

I was bored for an interview and decided to blog my comments and reactions to the new cars debuting here.
This is the alternative view afterall everybody is entitled to an opinion and some were ruthless than most even to the designers face. Let the fun begin.



Gushing ' need a tissue moment?
The Press conference was drawn out that I noticed some journalists were falling asleep with phrases like "When I was a boy" zzzz... to instill some emotion as a famous (independent) designer stated that the new E-Klasse is complicated as a design too technical with zero emotion. And a further step backwards for premium manufacturers to the designer of the car.

Well it's different - said designer to BMW Concept 5er GT.


Them and Us celebrity special:
Audi done their usual bring on a celebrity to the fact that they are promoting their cars when they only want one model (R8).
And the fact that these are individuals who get paid several thousand or in some case hundreds of thousands of euros each week to kick a ball would probably stick in the throat of the potential audi customers who can no longer afford to purchase that Audi.

Maybe they should have used bankers.

Blind to their brands capabilities:
Geneva 2007 : I assure you the new A5 drives as well as it looks - it dosen't.
Geneva 2009 : I assure you the new TTRS drives as well as it looks - hmmm....

Dance extravaganza of the show
Not by far the campest that goes to the Volswagen Polo - maximum campness as the car drove out and lots of people covered in bright day-glo costumes danced to disco music as the crowd watched horrified and covered in Glitter and confetti.

Horrifed look of the show : Maybach director at the Rolls-Royce 200EX.
Had a look of "we are so ****** , Dieter".

People who just embarass their self for the hell of it?
Someone walks up ( I think English or american) snaps his fingers and waves his hand points at the 5er GT and says FAIL!
Not deterred by the comment , the hostess turns and says What the **** was that?


Chinese copyright infringement coming soon : no 1?
Chinese manufacturer Brilliance labels their cars Brilliance M3 and Brilliance M6 - We will see about that - M Division spokesman.

Chinese copyright infringement coming soon : no 2?
It looks like a Mazda , Ford , smart , BMW , Mercedes-Benz , Lexus....

Copyright Infringement no 3
It looks like a BMW or a Mercedes?- actually it's a Lexus.

 

[Deleted member 25]

 

[Centurion]

Now on to the food please. Jaguar had preparing amazingly fine food at the London Motorshow and Nissan had a massive buffet I killed. Was proper food and USB sticks served despite the economic slowdown?

 

[SCOTT27]

If you want to see what goes on after the Press day arranging the cars for the public , finish dressing the stage etc.


Here is an interesting view of what is happening now. Click on Impression to view the webcams.

Messe > Unternehmen > Volkswagen Deutschland

Currently it looks if someones crashed a Golf into two other Golfs.

 

[Mr Robert]

People who just embarass their self for the hell of it?
Someone walks up ( I think English or american) snaps his fingers and waves his hand points at the 5er GT and says FAIL!
Not deterred by the comment , the hostess turns and says What the **** was that?

That person must have been about 14 years old. I hate all these "internet terms" used by people who, clearly, are indifferent enough not to care that they sound like utter fools.

"Oh, I was like FAIL! to the guy when I owned him"... bloody innits.

English is a second language to me but I'm not deliberately trying to sound like a moron.

 

[martinbo]

The use of the term "Epic Fail" only serves to reinforce my belief that someone is intellectually challenged - irrespective of their native tongue.

 

[SCOTT27]

Alternative view of Geneva Episode II.

Amphibiamera

I managed to enter a Panamera Preview with a friend. Inside I have no complaints either with the front of the design but the rear is too high for it's intentions. A friend shared an interesting opionion on how he regards the design of the latest Porsches. Much to the amusement of the hostess but the Porsche man did not.

Porsche Cayman - It looks like someone took a frog and put an engine up it's ass.
Porsche Panamera - It looks like someone stood on the Frog (Cayman) squashed it allowing it's engine to be pushed forward.

My friend thinks all Porsches look like frogs. Which if you look at the side profile of a frog and 911 they do seem similar.

Lifestyles of the style conscious.

Checking out the new Polo today , seems it's a very well built car and more adventurous than the Golf which is not too difficult.
The hostess lays that the new Polo will be very style concious amongst buyers especially with (In Germany) our tax reduction towards a new car if you scrap an old one). But if the Polo is "Style Concious" as they say perhaps they should have paid more attention to their media work.

 

[chonkoa]

Copyright Infringement no 3
It looks like a BMW or a Mercedes?- actually it's a Lexus.

That must the Lexus LS 460. The front looks like an S-Class, and the side and rear profile looks like a BMW.

 

[JadeVetti]

"My friend thinks all Porsches look like frogs. Which if you look at the side profile of a frog and 911 they do seem similar"


Funny. I always thought the same thing, but had no word for it. Now I see why--

 

[VroomVroom]

But if the Polo is "Style Concious" as they say perhaps they should have paid more attention to their media work.

Well if you look at the intended market for the Polo it is the new young generation, not for old folks going to the shops so obviously VW have to market this car for the more more younger stylish people will buy the Polo. So with the car being sleek and stylish they have tried to relate that to the younger generation by the use of smart casual clothes so we can relate ourselves to that image then want to buy the polo. But they could have used better clothes than what that guy is wearing, looks like he's raided his fathers wardrobe. But I can see the style VW was aiming for young, smart and sleek

Much better

 

[EnI]

ROFL!



Spot on! Yet you forgot the hat ... this one would fit perfectly ...

 

[VroomVroom]

ROFL!



Spot on!

Should I take up automotive advert designing

or stick with the day job?

 

[martinbo]

Geneva – the Observer-from-a-Distance view

Geneva – the Observer-from-a-Distance view

Being stuck down here in sunny SA doesn’t present the opportunity to traipse the glamorous halls of international motorshows all that often. Thanks to the internet however, our access to online media coverage of these exciting events is unprecedented of late. In the not-too-distant future I’d bet that you’ll subscribe to an online walk-through of the exhibition; the virtual show-goer being able to drift through the halls, walk around cars and even poke a head in through a window. Notwithstanding this, our online experience of the international motorshow has never been better. As such, we’re able to form a fairly realistic and representative opinion around the goings on at this year’s Geneva Auto Salon.

I’ve had my own thoughts and views on this year’s show and, I suppose, it’s appropriate to post them here in Scott’s view-of-the-show thread. So, sorry Scott if this seems like a thread hijack – it isn’t, it’s just another opinion.

The pre-eminent impression in my mind is the surprising proliferation of supercar and performance car launches or previews. Bugatti’s Centenaire edition is by no means a surprise – limited edition runs of the Veyron must surely be verging on one for every car that rolls off the auto chateau’s show room floor. Instead, a brazen Mercedes AMG showed the internals of a car that must arguably be the tri-star’s most mechanically advanced performance car ever. Aston Martin delighted technophiles by showing a truly special foundation for the One-77 supercar, Pagani’s Zonda Cinque marks a triumphant and fitting epitaph to the most passionately conceived of all supercars and Lamborghini once again upped the ante with the maddest Morth yet. Ferrari presented a limp-wristed effort called the 599 GTB HGTE that, for all I could see, just got a set of blingy rims, dropped springs and stiffer dampers. It’s evil, trackday-only, twin – the 599XX - made an altogether different, if not resolutely elitist, statement. The residue of fat R & D budgets of the pre-Crunch glory years brought with it a neat little aftershock for supercar fans it seems.

Volkswagen was a quiet star of the show in my opinion. The new Polo, penned by Walter de’Silva, exudes the highest concentration of “premium” I’ve seen in a small hatch. In typical VW fashion, it simply dispenses with the frivolity of over-styled shapes and surfaces and looks every bit the consummate VW – the perfect foil to Ford’s flamboyant Fiesta. With it, VW released a delightfully punchy yet economical little 1.2 litre TSI engine; a clear indication of VW’s progress and commitment toward frugal performance. But if this was indicative of any obligation to the health of the planet then the Bluemotion Golf 6 must surely represent outright leadership in the pursuit of maximum economy and minimum emissions. A premium quality 5 door family hatch that does 3.8 L / 100km and emits only 99 g/km of CO2 in a viable, sustainable and low total carbon footprint package is not just commendable but also pinpoint relevant in these times. I’m even prepared to overlook the fact that it’s a diesel. To conclude this topic, I have to express that VW are still on top when it comes to mass appeal, people’s cars.

Audi on the other hand, showed clunky allroad models that have none of the styling panache of Volvo’s XC70 or rugged usability of a Subaru Outback. In a clear attempt to appeal to anti-SUV lobbyists, Audi appears to have resurrected a concept that the world no longer needs, or – more to the point – wants. An eco-friendly, utilitarian Q5 with bare bumpers and cloth seats would’ve done just fine I say. In another, seemingly one-step-too-far move, Audi released extreme versions of the TT – the TT-aRSe. The latter said because that’s first thing people look at when contemplating a rather dubiously styled (apparently optional) rear spoiler. I can see the reviews now already: the TT RS will be blisteringly fast but altogether too planted and uninvolving to get its 5 star ratings. Maybe I’ll be proven wrong. Still care less for the car though... I was hoping to see a fast-tracked, production version of the A1 – however unrealistic that expectation.

Did I miss something or did perpetual nutcases Rinspeed not make a “splash” this year?

And then there’s BMW. Mighty, confident, perennially profitable BMW. BMW neither dazzled with heady M-Powered dream machines nor showcased any new, ground-breakingly green technology under the auspices of its new Efficient Dynamics program. Even the internet coverage of BMW’s stand seems sparse. There’s not much hype at all around “BMW at the Geneva Auto-Salon”. Watching from afar, we didn’t see any information on the technology or format of the mooted hybrid technology, we didn’t see a new, dynamically efficient four cylinder turbo petrol engine with Piezo direct injection and brake regenerative energy saving. Nor did we see anything new on the diesel front barring a now-familiar 3.0 diesel engine being mounted in a new F01 7 series. It’s claimed fuel consumption figures of 7.3 litres per 100 km is impressive but as a concept, nothing new. 730d’s have been around now for a while and so too have S320 CDIs. For the performance enthusiasts, well, we saw nothing new either. No wacky Z4 M Coupe concept, no 135 tii production model with 240 kW, 450 Nm, six-pot brakes, CFRP roof, stripped out interior and lightweight two-piece alloys. Nothing. Nada. Zip.

Instead, BMW showed a large, plutocrat-purpose only “Grand Tourer” that’s almost as big as a 7er and features a driving position that appeals neither to keen drivers of regular BMWs or to loftily predisposed SAV snobs. BMW tells us that the vision behind this is “Progressive” and that those who disagree are ostriches with their heads in the sand. The interior, on the other hand, is magnificent in both its form and attention to detail although it has to be said that it didn’t match the metallic golden-brown exterior finish. Still, the seat inserts featured a new flat-woven cloth made from horse hair. Neigh – I kid you not. Right, puerile attempts at humour aside, the 5er GT did give us BMW fans something. If what they’re telling me is correct, the 5er GT presents pretty much what is the face of the forthcoming F10 5 series. If you’re prepared to take in just the first half of the car – ignoring the horrid, eco-warrior style roofline slope – and simply appreciate the elegant rake of the headlights and the chiselled jaw-line then subtly, BMW’s message hits home. Intended or not. If the new 5 series builds on this graceful, sporty look and manages to culminate this with a properly executed derriere, then the new 5er won’t just be the most dynamically capable car in its class – it’s also going to be the most beautiful by a country mile. And to my mind that means that the F10 will retrace the E39’s footsteps as the best all-round car on the market at the time.