One of the main attractions for many at a motor show are concept cars. At the 79^th Geneva Motor Show, there was no shortage of concept vehicles. However some will never see a traffic light, and some are within months of going into production.

Giugiaro Frazer-Nash Namir Concept

Here is a list of some of the interesting concepts from this years show.

We start off with the Fioravanti LF1, which is certainly the type of vehicle every car enthusiast would want. Think of it as a Formula-One race car for the streets, literally.

Fioravanti LF1 Concept

Designed by Leonardo Fioravanti, who has designed many Ferrari road cars, this is his idea of the fusion between the road and track.

The full-size concept wasn’t functional and Fioravanti didn’t name any specific engines for it, but that is probably because this concept is never likely to see the light of day. But it sure would be great to have a car like this in my fantasy garage.

From a fantasy to a nightmare, and that is exactly what came to mind when I first saw pictures of the Aston Martin Lagonda Concept.

Aston Martin Lagonda Concept

Aston Martin typically gets their styling right, and personally being a fan of the quirky yet interesting Lagonda from the 1980’s, I was really looking forward to this new one. Until I saw what was brought to the Geneva stage. This looked like something designed by Dr. Frankenstein, not Marek Reichman.

Due to the global economic downturn, even Aston Martin are cautious to go any further with this concept, and trust me, that is for the better. This four-wheel drive monster deserves to be shot at birth.

Unlike the Infiniti Essence Concept, which deserves to be given life and brought to the market.

Infiniti Essence Concept

Not only is the Essence breathtakingly beautiful, it is somewhat green too, as this is a gas-electric hybrid. However, despite its hybrid drivetrain, I don’t think this 3.7-liter, twin-turbo V6 coupe, producing 592 hp, will give you the gas mileage of a Toyota Prius.

The exterior design has some resemblance of Maserati’s and Jaguar’s, but that is no bad thing. The interior is all original and very high-tech. Lets just all hope and pray that this gorgeous coupe will one day replace the current Infiniti G37 coupe.

Nissan Qazana concept

Same goes for the Nissan Qazana concept. Think of it as a replacement for the Nissan Rogue, as it is about the same size, only much better looking. Nissan is looking to introduce a new cross-over in the European market, let’s just hope they don’t forget about those who live on this side of the Atlantic.

Speaking of something huge (like the Atlantic Ocean), Rolls Royce brought out their latest concept in Geneva, called the 200EX. Many are calling it the ‘baby-Phantom’ but don’t think it’s a small car, infact it is longer than a BMW 750Li.

Rolls Royce 200EX concept

Don’t think this is just a concept car either, this is production ready, and will be rolled out for consumption later this year. Maybe Rolls Royce timed it right, because now if you can’t afford the big Phantom, perhaps you’ll make do with this smaller one.

The 200EX however seriously disappointed me with its engine, a new V12. Come on Rolls Royce, you should have used this opportunity to bring out a hybrid, or perhaps a clean-diesel, which would have suited this car just fine. So for me, the 200EX gets a thumb down.

From thumbs down, to thumbs up, which is what the Frazer-Nash Namir concept gets from me. This concept is designed by Giugiaro, and while it might resemble some of their previous efforts, this car still looks wild, just like a supercar should. However, this supercar is not out to destroy the planet, because it is a hybrid. Thanks to its 814cc, rotary engine, that gets help from four electric motors (370 hp produced in total), this car, according to the manufacturer, can sprint from 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds, and top out at 300 km/h. If those claims are proven true, this will be the fastest hybrid in the world.

Giugiaro Frazer-Nash Namir Concept

Apart from the concepts brought by design houses and major manufacturers, there were plenty of interesting cars from component manufacturers and coachbuild companies, like the Rinspeed iChange, the EDAG Light Car, and my personal favorite, the Sbarro Alcador GTB.

There were way too many concepts at this years Geneva Motor Show and if every single one is described, I’d have to write a book. Hope you enjoyed a look at some of the interesting ones.

It has been one of the longest running, single generation vehicles in the North American market.

The current Ford Ranger pick-up truck that is still being sold in North American showrooms, has been with us since 1993. In the last 16 years, Ford of America has done little to change the vehicle, limiting it to just minor cosmetic and mechanical changes.

Ford Ranger Euro

Looks like times are about to change, as the Ford Ranger Euro made its appearance at the Geneva Motor Show.

This handsome looking truck has four full-sized doors, and has a 72-inch bed, so while it might not be ideal for a construction site, it sure will be ideal to carry your dirt-bikes, quad-bikes and jet ski’s.

The Ranger Euro gets a choice of two common-rail diesel engines, a 2.5-liter (143 hp) or 3.0-liter (156 hp) Duratorq V6.

Both engines can be had with either a five-speed manual or a five-speed automatic transmission. You can also pick from a 4×2 to a 4×4 drivetrain.

The Ranger Euro goes on sale in Europe this month. Ford of America is planning to launch a new version of the Ranger for the home market in 2011.

Other than the wild and wacky Tokyo auto show, Geneva is the auto event where dreams become reality, or at least take on 3D metal and plastic form. In this particular case the creator is the I.DE.A Institute, an engineering and consultancy company based in Turin, Italy.  

I.DE.A Institute ERA Concept

The new ERA concept is a two-door, two-seat roadster with gull-wing doors, a real design statement that should provoke interest from automakers. Seemingly inspired by Ferrari, Maserati, Osca and other 1950s racers, even under the skin where it uses a classic tube-frame chassis, it’s an elegant design, with a unique front fascia that could potentially be adopted by an Asian manufacturer in need of an image update.

Engine stop-start systems are becoming more common and not only on hybrid-powered vehicles. Until now, carmakers had used the conventional starter or a starter-generator to restart the engine. Now Mazda engineers have come up with a simple, ingenious and effective way to do it better. 

In Geneva, Mazda officially introduced i-stop, now standard with the 2.0-litre MZR gasoline engine, becoming the first stop-start system to use combustion energy to restart the engine. Combined with the engine’s direct injection system and some aerodynamic tweaks, i-stop can reduce fuel consumption by up to 14 per cent, for a combined fuel economy rating of 6.8 L / 100km on the Euro cycle.

Mazda3 i-stop

The principle is quite simple. Using a crankshaft angle sensor that can measure rotation in both directions, the i-stop system accurately determines piston position and lets the engine rotate in the reverse direction ever so slightly after it stops, to prepare it for an instant restart. Mazda says the restart takes 0.35 second which is twice as quick as other start-stop systems.  

The engine is then restarted by injecting fuel in the cylinder where the piston has been carefully positioned at the ideal spot for compression. Combustion then pushes the piston down and gets the engine going with brief assist from the starter.

No official word from Mazda Canada yet but i-stop will undoubtedly soon be included with the Mazda3’s 2.0-litre engine here too.

1) Aston Martin One-77

This $1 million-plus supercar is either a widely inappropriate project for today’s economic climate, or a great way to kick today’s economic climate in the cajoines. I’ll go with the later

Aston Martin One-77

2) Chevrolet Spark

Spark’s oversized grille gives it teeth. The world needs more angry small cars, because, as you know, nothing is more entertaining than an angry small person with an axe to grind. 

Chevrolet Spark

3) Mercedes-Benz E Class Coupe

If you’re diligent at your craft, and God knows the Germans are, you can eventually solve many disparate elements into one vehicle. The E Class Coupe is such a work: lots of heritage yet looks new; substantial yet fuel efficient with two new, very advanced four-cylinder engines (gas and diesel); a five-seater with one of the lowest coefficient of drags (0.24) in the business.

Mercedes-Benz E Class Coupe

4) VW Polo

The first Polo to be sold in North America. A sure sign that hell is thawing, just a little, and maybe Canucks and Yanks will see that the smallest class segment is not about “cheap” or “size for the money” but about competent, fully-equipped cars that happen to be of a certain, tidy size. And maybe we don’t all need to be driving SUVS.

Arnold Schwarzenegger inside a VW Polo

5) Zagato Perana Z-One

On the surface this looks like another one of those cars people or firms build because they like old-school, beautiful sports car, and damn it, that’s what we’ll make, and let’s worry about the business model later. Well, this case there is an actual and interesting business model. By using a fiberglass body on a tubular chassis, Zagato intends to undercut those who make such svelte machinery with expensive hand-made bodies. Price should be under 50,000 Euros (about $80,000), for each of the 999 units they intend to make each year. Power is by way of a Corvette engine producing about 440 hp.

Zagato Z-One

At the 79^th Geneva Motor Show, the Dutch car builder Spyker unveiled their new car, and it is a stunner. It’s called the C8 Aileron.

While mechanically this new version isn’t any different from their previous offering, hence it still has an Audi sourced 4.2-liter, V8, producing 400 hp. Thanks to its 354 lb/ft of torque it can propel from 0-100 km/h in just 4.5 seconds, and onto a top speed of 300 km/h.

It still delivers the power to the rear wheels only, but now you get a choice with transmissions. Base is a six-speed Getrag manual gearbox, or now you can opt for the six-speed ZF automatic that comes with paddle shifters for your driving pleasure.

Spyker C8 Aileron

The new car gets a new chassis, which is wider and longer than before, and hence improves cabin space. Spyker fans will be happy to learn that the exposed, polished gear linkage is kept on this model too. However, you get much more gadgets to play with, including a built in navigation system, Bluetooth interface, iPod connectivity and a new Kharma sound system.

Outside, you get this gorgeous, sculpted body that would make any car enthusiast go weak in the knees.

How much you ask? Base price for the manual is US$229,000, automatic is an extra US$10,000, and the tasty options can run an extra US$30,000.

Spyker’s have been selling cars around the world since 2002, and this year they can add Canada to the list.

Yes ladies and gentlemen, Spyker has an official distributor out of Calgary, Alberta, and they will be displaying two models at the Calgary International Auto and Truck Show, from March 11 to 15. If you can, go there to see these magnificent cars in person.

Aston Martin was showing three new cars in Geneva, in addition to the Lagonda Concept (see other story). Profitable for the past four years and led by a dynamic private consortium since 2007, it has obviously not been hit by the recessionary tide wave, yet.  The guys from Newport Pagnell are even mounting an assault on Le Mans with a brace of Lola-Aston Martin LMP1 racers to try and repeat Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori’s historic win in a DBR1, on its fiftieth anniversary.

At center stage was a ‘technical showcase’ of Aston Martin’s ultra exclusive new sports car, the One-77. As the name implies, only seventy-seven will be built and are all spoken for already, at a price of about $1.5 million. Shown in public for the first time were a full model of the car and its complete rolling chassis, dubbed Number 1. The actual car will have ‘hand-rolled’ aluminum panels, in true Aston Martin tradition, but everything underneath will be thoroughly leading-edge.

Aston Martin DBS

One-77 project manager Chris Porritt says that his team studied “the most technologically exciting front-engined, rear-wheel drive cars in the world,” those from the famous German DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft) ‘touring car’ series and then applied the “principles and technology” to a “road car application.” This One-77 is thus built on a lightweight and “immensely rigid” carbon-fibre monocoque chassis that was designed jointly with Multimatic, a Toronto-based engineering firm recognized by Aston Martin as a “world leader in carbon composite technology.”

The new über-Aston’s double-wishbone suspension is a racing-style inboard design with pushrods like F1 cars and fully-adjustable Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve (DSSV) dampers, a first for a road car. These are likely Multimatic which also happens to be among the world’s best in suspension and shock absorber design. The suspension on each One-77 will be tuned exactly to its owner’s wishes: “from settings suitable for the ultimate long-distance GT to a machine capable of conquering the Nürburgring Nordschleife (circuit).”

Aston Martin One-77

With a projected weight of 1,500 kg, a naturally-aspirated, Cosworth-tuned 7.3-litre V12 that will deliver more than 700 horsepower, standard carbon-ceramic brakes and Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres (in front/rear sizes of 255/35 ZR20 and 335/30 ZR20) the One-77 should undoubtedly be up to the task. Aston Martin predicts 0-60 mph (96.5 km/h) sprints in 3.5 seconds and a top speed of more than 320 km/h (200 mph). Next in the One-77’s progressive disclosure is the interior, with the delivery of a first car before end of year.

Sharing the spotlight in Geneva were the new DBS Volante and V12 Vantage. The Volante is the drop-top version of the DBS. Its cloth top retracts under a tonneau cover in only 14 seconds at speeds up to 50 km/h. The standard 13-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system is designed to adjust the ‘sound stage’ to compensate for extra wind noise in open-top motoring. 

Aston Martin V12 Vantage

Under the hood is a 6.0-litre, naturally-aspirated V12 that produces 510 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque, coupled to a rear-mounted six-speed manual gearbox or the optional six-speed automatic with manual mode. The newest Volante should be good for a 0-100 km/h dash in 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 307 km/h. Probably with the top up.

The third Aston Martin unveiled In Geneva gets the same V12 engine as the Volante in the closed shell of a coupé. The V12 Vantage is a more potent version of the V8 Vantage, which has been a huge sales hit since launch. It reportedly gets to 100 km/h a tenth of a second quicker than the DBS Volante but tops out at 305 km/h, a smidgeon less. Aston will only ever build a thousand copies of this V12 Vantage, which will ensure exclusivity.

Maserati is committed to introduce a new model at every international auto show. That’s got to be a challenge for a specialty marque, like Maserati. So some shows will apt to get the “minor” revision reveals, and such was the case at Geneva.

Maserati GranTurismo S Automatic

The new model on display was the GranTurismo S Automatic. Until this baby came along, you could only get an automatic on the “regular” GranTurismo models, which feature the 4.2-litre V8. S models have the larger, more powerful 4.7-litre V8. The automatic in question is 6-speed made by ZF.

Actually, we don’t care if Maserati brings a new car out for every auto show or not, as long as they bring along their famous hostesses — always elegant, never too hard on the eyes.

Alfa Romeo chose Geneva to debut the mid-cycle updates to its beautiful 159 series of sedans and wagons. 

The car line is Alfa’s entry in Europe’s high-volume C-segment but sales are wanting; the new Giulia is expected to replace the 159 sometime late next year. 

Alfa Romeo 159

In addition to some face-lifting, the refreshed 159s feature will be available with two new Euro 5 compliant engines: the 170-hp 2.0-litre common-rail turbo-diesel; and the 200-hp 1.75 litre TBi petrol powerplant. The latter is said to hustle the 159 from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.7 seconds, and will top  the car out at 235 km/h. 

The sedan is offered in a TI sporting edition, featuring lowered geometry, bigger tires on 19-inch rims, miniskirts and large aluminum brakes with red calipers. 

A show of hands — who would like to see the proposed Chrysler-Fiat entity bring Fiat’s Alfa Romeo brand back to North America?

Aston Martin stunned the press in Geneva not so much by confirming the return of the Lagonda brand – which had been announced by CEO Ulrich Bez in Paris last September – as by unveiling a bold, bodacious Lagonda Concept that basically is… a luxury SUV. To top it off, one powered by a V12 gasoline engine. The outcry of purists was instantaneous. How could Aston Martin build any kind of vehicle with ‘utility’ in its job definition?

Well, that’s exactly the point: it is not an Aston Martin but a Lagonda. And this marque, now a century old, first came to prominence with a victory in one of the most gruelling motoring events of the time: the Russian Reliability Trial. This endurance drive took entrants to St-Petersburg, Riga, Kiev and Moscow. American-born Wilbur Gunn built the first Lagonda in 1909 and won the event in 1910 with his 16/18hp Lagonda Tourer.

Aston Martin Lagonda Concept

Lagonda went on building cars with a reputation for robustness and reliability, plus a taste for effortless trans-continental drives, for decades. In 1935, a lightweight version of the Lagonda M45 also won the 24 hours of Le Mans. Lagonda was sold to then Aston Martin owner David Brown in 1947 and cars bearing this distinct name were quietly produced until the late 80s.

Following Aston Martin’s return to profitability and the impressive expansion of its model portfolio, the consortium is reviving the Lagonda marque that has been dormant for twenty years in order to expand its reach. Astons are sold in 30 countries but the plan is to sell Lagonda vehicles in 100 countries, including Russia. The undeniable success of the Cayenne (the 250,000^th has just rolled off the assembly line) and its substantial contribution to rival brand Porsche’s bottom line has obviously not gone unnoticed. 

The Lagonda Concept is a four-seat luxury touring vehicle with exterior design inspired by Lagonda’s long heritage as well as the design of modern speedboats. In keeping with the times, the production version of this concept will likely be available with other propulsion technologies such flex-fuel engines, clean diesels and hybrid systems.

After sitting in the stands for 20 years, reknowned BMW tuner, Alpina, returns to the starting grid in 2009, and will do so with a very tricked out 6 Series — the B6 GT3.

BMW Alpina B6 GT3

Alpina will field two race cars in the FIA GT3 European Championships and selected 24-hour endurance races (we’re guessing, but the latter looks like Nurburgring and Le Mans). But as the B6 GT3 will be available to “clients and collectors and race teams alike,” expect to see more than just that pair on racetracks this season.

The car is obviously modified with a lots of go-faster stuff, including race-ready electronic control systems, and various safety and areodynamic parahphenlia. The B6′s 4.4-litre V8 will be fitted with a unique radical compressor, based on a similarly-designed unit in the BMW Alpina B6 S. Net result is 530 horsepower and 725Nm of toque.

You’d think the brains at Germany-based GUMPERT could be more gamefully employed at some other endeavor than trying to make really, really fast cars for really, really rich people, but we’re glad they’re not. We get to behold creations like the GUMPERT Apollo Speed, which the specialty firm unveiled at Geneva.

While the other models in the franchise (Apollo, Apollo Sport, and Apollo Race) are said to be optimized for “performance for racetracks, lateral acceleration and grip in all situations,” this new toy is about top end speed. Hence the modfications to reduce drag, such as the lowered body, the removal of the rear wing, fixed wheel covers, fully enclosed underbody, revised tail section, and smaller, roof-mounted intake.

GUMPERT Apollo Speed

Like all Apollo models, power comes from an Audi V8 fitted with dual turbochargers, available in three states of stupendous tune: 650 or 700 or 800 horsepower. Maximum speed is said to be over 360 km/h.

But for all its high-end shanagens, the Apollo Speed is still a street car, with leather or Alcantara interior, a/c, DVD player, etc. And the removeable steering wheel makes it easier to get settled into the driver seat (embedded in the monocoque) and get strapped into that four-point harness. Such luxury.

Well, if you’re known for building 1,000-hp plus super cars, and you figure you need to roll out something green, it probably won’t be an electric moped. So no big surprise then, I guess, to see Swedish mojo maker, Koenigsegg, join forces with NVL Solar AG, to eventually produce the all-electric high-performance NVL Quant.

This sexy number will seat four, and ingress and egress is by way of two, huge gull wing doors. The bodywork incorporates aluminum and carbon-fibre body panels. Combined with a carbon-fibre chassis, the Quant is expected to weigh less than 4,000 lbs.

NLV Quant

The two motors connected to the rear wheels make a combined output of 512 hp and 527 lb-ft of torque, so motivation should be, well, electricfying. The motors will be getting juice from NLV’s proprietary battery system.

According to Koenigsegg, it should take only 20 minutes to fully charge the batteries. Helping to get the expected range of 300 or so miles, is a four-wheel regenerative braking system, and a clear photovoltaic coating on the car’s exterior, to capture solar power (the latter only to be used to power accessories).

The car displayed at Geneva was not running, but apparently running prototypes are presently being assembled.

Most people would be very content with the performance of BMW cars, especially any of their ‘M’ models.

However, some yearn (and can afford) a lot more. That is where Alpina comes in, a company that has been modifying BMW since 1965. Their models are now even covered under BMW’s warranties.

In Geneva, they launched their latest road-rocket, the B7 Bi-Turbo. This is based on the new BMW 750i, and tunes it’s 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V8 to 507 hp.

BMW Alpina B7 Bi-Turbo

Power is fed to the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic gearbox. When provoked, it will sprint from 0-100 km/h in 4.7 seconds and onto a top speed of 280 km/h, that won’t make the O.P.P. very happy if you try it here.

Visual differences on the Alpina include a tasty body kit and truly massive 21-inch rims. Instead of run-flat tires, you get higher performance conventional rubber, so just pray that you won’t get a flat.

Inside, Alpina dresses things up with their own selection of leather and wood trim, and you can bet every gadget you could possibly wish for is available on this car.

The previous generation B7 was sold in North America, so here’s hoping this one will be too.

Concepts are all about visual impact and yet, the most important elements of Magna Steyr’s ‘mila ev’ concept are the bits you cannot see. In fact, the concept is simply a showcase for the fully-developed propulsion platform that lies beneath.

The platform was developed by Magna Steyr, the vehicle engineering and assembly division of Magna International, one of the world’s largest automotive suppliers, based in Aurora, Ontario. Magna claims that the platform can be used as a fully-integrated system to build an electric vehicle without any “modification, retrofitting or conversion of an already existing concept”. Better still, thanks to flexibility built into the platform, the end product can be powered by “natural gas, fuel cells or hybrid drive.”

Magna Steyr mila ev concept

The mila ev concept itself is about 4 metres long, on a 2.5-metre wheelbase. It is powered by a 67-horsepower electric motor fed by lithium-ion batteries developed by Magna Steyr. It can run up 150 kilometres on a 2.5-hour charge. There are solar cells on the roof to corral more electrons and side mirrors have been replaced by wind-cheating rear-view cameras.

There you have it. Go ahead. Create a snazzy new concept and Magna Steyr will fit it with the powertrain of your choosing – including full electric propulsion – and even build it for you with its proven Flex Plant technology. It’s that simple. 

Hype and fiction, you think? At the Detroit show in January, Magna and Ford announced that they had struck up a ‘development partnership’ to launch a lithium-ion battery-powered electric vehicle in 2011. These guys are serious.

Big coupes are making a big comeback, and here’s one from Mercedes-Benz, who has a long history of making them.

Obviously based on the new E Class Saloon, which debuted in Detroit, the E Class Coupe shown in Geneva cuts a great profile, thanks to no B-pillars, and fully retractable side windows.

Mercedes-Benz E Class Coupe

The automaker contends that, with a Cd-figure of 0.24, this model is “the world’s most aerodynamically efficient series-production car.” It offers all the technical pyrotechnics of the sedan, such as AGILITY CONTROL suspension, which adjusts automatically to driving conditions.

The big news under the hood is two new four-cylinder engines. The diesel in the E 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Coupe features two-stage turbocharging, piezo injectors, and the latest common-rail technology. It is purported to offer 36 percent more power than the previous four-pot diesel, while consuming 17 percent less fuel (approximately 5.3 L/100 km).

Under the hood of the E 350 CGI BlueEfficiency Coupe is the newly developed direct-injection “petrol” four-cylinder engine, rated at about 7.0 L/100 km. E Class Saloons and Coupes will continue to also offer V6 (diesel and petrol) and V8 powerplants.

The sleek coupes will effectively replace the CLK. Look for E Class convertible and station wagon models to debut later this year at the Frankfurt show.

When it comes to powertrain developments, tuning firms make it their business to be ahead of the curve. So no surprise then, that Ruf, a Porsche specialist, is planning to build a series of electric-powered 911s, to become one of the first electric sports cars to come from Germany.

The Ruf Greenster on display at Geneva features a 270 kW Siemens electric motor with 695 lb-ft of torque, but a future version of the car could have a twin motor set-up.

RUF Greenster

The lithium ion battery pack is compact enough that the car still has good storage space in the front trunk.

The firm claims that the battery pack can absorb and release power very quickly, enabling more regenerative braking capacity and the ability to fully charge in only one hour, from a 400V outlet.

Styling is in the “speedster” mode, with a chopped windshield and other minimalist aesthetics. They’re planning to have examples ready by 2010.