Ciba Inc.
Klybeckstrasse 141, P.O. Box
Basel
4002
Switzerland
Tel.: +41 61 636 49 16
Fax.:
+41 61 636 25 59
Preview of the 79th Geneva International Motor Show - Passion-inspiring cars!
Previews
By Ania Dardas
Already sold out in December with potential exhibitors lining up to fill in any last-minute slots, the 79th Geneva International Motor Show is ready to wow its visitors with innovation and inspiration from March 5 to 15 at the Palexpo in Geneva, Switzerland. As the only European auto show that consistently exhibits every year, the Geneva auto show has built up a solid reputation with more than 10,000 print and broadcast journalists and more than 700,000 visitors from 110 countries and counting attending.
This year the show is leading with the color red and passion – a red heart framed by two hands symbolizes the long term love affair that many enthusiasts enjoy with their cars, as well as the passion they experience for those beautiful yet unattainable models which they can, nevertheless, admire from a distance.
Getting a preview of what will be on show is not easy, but a few snippets of information always find their way out. From Audi we will be seeing the new 2010 A5 Cabriolet with a cloth top and folding rear seat, which, according to Audi, saves on weight and interior room. A trio of engines is available for the cabriolet including Audi’s turbo four, V-6 and the new turbo-charged V-6 coming to the S cars from 2010.
The Renault Mégane is getting a sporty look based on the three-door Mégane coupé and the Mégane Trophy racing car. The Mégane will be going from 0 to 60 mph in an estimated 6 seconds, thanks to its turbo-charged 2-liter engine. Other performance enhancements include a double-axis front suspension, big Brembo brakes, optional limited slip differential and recalibrated power steering.
Moving in a completely different direction, the “Green Pavilion” will be dedicated to electric cars and cars using other forms of propulsion. Among these will be the electric ichange being unveiled by Frank Rinderknecht, which is mysteriously billed as a 1-2-3 seater. The explanation is cunning but simple: in its standard configuration the car seats one person – the driver - but an “electronic trick-tail” makes it possible for the back of the cabin to jack up and accommodate another two people.
We wait with bated breath.
