Italdesign Presents Lamborghini V10-Powered Parcour Concepts

Even Italdesign can't stray away from the SUV-mindset that has taken over the Volkswagen Group lately. At the Geneva Motor Show, the Italian design house, which passed into the ownership of the VW Group in 2010, will debut two new concept models for a high-performance crossover running on Lamborghini power.

Named  after the modern sport of Parcour (or Parkour) that's focused on moving around urban obstacles with speed, Italdesign developed both a coupe and a roadster version of the concept, which combines elements of crossovers and sports cars, wrapped in an outfit that could easily pass for a Lamborghini model.

Both cars offer space for two people and are fitted with a 542hp (550PS) 5.2-liter V10 engine sourced from the Lamborghini Gallardo mounted behind the passenger compartment. A 7-speed double-clutch automatic automatic transmission drives all four wheels (on 22-inch rims).

The concepts measure 4,530mm long, 2,070mm wide and 1,335mm high, and tip the scales at 1,550kg or about 3,417 pounds.

Italdesign quotes a 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint time of 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 320km/h (199mph).

Updated Hyundai i20 WRC Looking Good for the Geneva Motor Show

While Kia has chosen to build and sell actual sporty versions (the Cee'd and Pro_Cee'd GT) of their regular road-going cars, in order to boost the sporting credentials of their brand, sister-brand Hyundai has chosen a slightly different approach in order to achieve the same basic goal – participation in the World Rally Championship.

Their i20 WRC is being worked on and incrementally-improved in preparation for the car's official debut onto the world rally stage, which is set to take place next year.

First revealed at the Paris Motor Show, last year, the i20 WRC has since received several upgrades, and while it's not really finished, it really looks the part with the latest body upgrades and a revised livery, which combines Hyundai's trademark light-blue color with traditional Korean script.

Aside from the cosmetic and aerodynamic alterations, the car has also had its suspension setup retuned, under the supervision Michel Nandan – a WRC veteran. He now heads the newly-created Hyundai Motorsport GmbH, which operates out of Alenzau, Germany and has developed the car along with Hyundai's own research and development team, based in Namyan, Korea.

No technical specifications have been released, but it will most likely be powered by a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine, with just under 300 hp, powering all four wheels. Private test sessions will be arranged at various locations around Europe later in the year and more details will be provided along the way.

New McLaren P1 Bows and Wows at the Geneva Auto Salon

The old adage about racing improving the breed certainly applies to this year’s Geneva Motor Show. We’re not referring to the gorgeous 911 GT3 that will form the basis of Porsche's new racer but the two Formula 1 arch-rivals that launched their new hypercars at the Swiss show.

That will be Ferrari and McLaren, then. Both boast outlandish horsepower figures in excess of 900HP, sub-3.0-second 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration times, a level of technology unseen until now in production cars and will be produced in limited numbers and, of course, priced accordingly.

Only one of them has a really daft name though… Evo magazine’s Henry Catchpole gave the other a very close inspection and was kind enough to share his thoughts with the rest of us mortals.

You can watch Henry stroke and caress the McLaren P1 in the way only a true petrolhead would, and also get behind its lovely Alcantara and carbon fiber trimmed wheel in the video that follows right after the break.

Subaru's Viziv Concept Previews Future Design Direction and New Diesel-Electric Hybrid

Whenever you hear the words Subaru and crossover in the same sentence, images of the brand's much-loved Forester come to mind, a car for which stylish good looks take a back seat in favor of interior space, practicality and simplicity.

However, with the Viziv crossover concept, revealed at the Geneva Motor Show, Subaru is announcing a much more style-oriented approach for its future models and its design direction in general.

The concept features a "Subaru Boxer Diesel Hybrid" system, which uses the company's 2.0-liter horizontally-opposed turbo diesel engine in conjunction with two rear-mounted electric motors. With various selectable modes, the system ensures the car has adequate grip in slippery conditions, while at the same time being at home in town.

From a design standpoint, the Viziv concept is rather successful, we say. With clean, flowing lines and a prominent front fascia, the car heralds the arrival of a much better-looking range of Subaru vehicles.

Hopefully, the modern design of the interior will also serve as inspiration for future road-going models, as this is an area where the Japanese automaker's offerings have never really shined.

The hybrid powertrain will also make its way into future production models, but will it mean the end of fun-to-drive Subarus? After all, remotely controlled electric motors can't really be a substitute for a prop shaft sending the engine's power to the wheels, at least not in terms of driver engagement and the overall experience of driving a car.

New 2014 Corvette Stingray Convertible

The new Corvette Stingray Convertible made its first public outing at the 83rd Geneva International Motor Show today, and we must admit, it looks as good, if not better, in the flesh than what the renderings (?) and the official studio shots hinted at.

Chevrolet says the new Corvette Stingray was designed from the get-go to be offered as a convertible model, and as a result, the only structural changes compared to the coupe are limited to accommodations for the folding top and repositioned safety belt mounts.

According to Chevrolet, since no structural reinforcements were required for the convertible, both Stingray models share almost identical power-to-weight ratios.

"With the all-new Corvette Stingray, we designed and developed the coupe and convertible simultaneously," said Ed Welburn, GM vice president of global design. "As a result, the Corvette Stingray offers an open-top driving experience with no compromise in performance, technology or design."

The Corvette Stingray Convertible is fitted with a fully automatic top that can be opened or closed remotely using the key fob from the outside, and at speeds of up to 50 km/h (31mph) when inside.

Like the coupe, the soft-top version is powered by GM's new LT1 6.2-liter V8 delivering an estimated 450 horsepower and 450 lb-ft (610 Nm) of peak torque, paired to either a 7-speed manual gearbox or an automatic transmission driving the rear wheels.

Customers can also fit the convertible with the track-capable Z51 Performance Package, which includes the following items: an electronic limited-slip differential, dry-sump oiling system, integral brake, differential and transmission cooling, as well as a unique aero package to improve high-speed stability.

"We wanted the driving experience of the Corvette to live up to the performance expectations that come with the ‘Stingray’ name,” said Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer. “Because it was designed from the beginning as an open top car, the Corvette Stingray delivers an exhilarating, connected driving experience - no matter what configuration you choose.”

Both the Corvette Stingray coupe and convertible will arrive in global markets in late 2013. According to GM, changes for Corvettes destined for export "vary only in equipment required to accommodate the respective markets’ regulations, such as lighting, headlamp washers, and outside mirrors".

Koenigsegg Celebrates 100th Car Built in 10 Years With One-Off Hundra Special

Starting a car company is a task for the brave at heart. Christian von Koenigsegg’s achievement is even more admirable as, after only 10 years, he has managed to shift 100 of the ultra-fast, and ultra-expensive, hypercars that bear his name.

To commemorate the event the Swedish company decided that the 100th production car built, an Agera S destined for a well-off client based in Hong Kong, would be something special and would be unveiled at this year's Geneva Motor Show.

Enter the Hundra, which is Swedish for “100”, an Agera S with hand laid and swirled 24-carar gold leaf inlays in its carbon bodywork. The latest version of Koenigsegg’s supercar is powered by a turbocharged 5.0-liter V8 that puts out 1016HP and sprints from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 2.8 seconds.

“A lot has happened in the last 10 years”, said von Koenigsegg, adding that the company does not rest on its laurels: “On the contrary. The Koenigsegg range still stands proud, head to head against the greatest new car onslaught in hypercar history.”

So he’s not afraid that the new wave of rivals, like the Ferrari LaFerrari, McLaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder will upstage his own models?

Actually no, not a bit: “Our team can’t even wait to get their creation of passion measured against all the latest and greatest hypercars currently being launched.”

Honda Civic Wagon Concept Officially Debuts in Geneva

Let's get two things straight: the Honda Civic Wagon Concept, revealed at the Geneva Motor Show, is not really a concept, as it is more of a pre-production car with some fancy bits bolted on – these exact body panels and its shape will be carried over to the actual production model.

The second thing is that Honda really needs to make it work, as sales of the latest UK-built Civic hatchback have been less than satisfactory.

Getting back to the first point we made, and the fact that the basic shape of this concept will carry over to the production car, that is a very good thing, since one of the reasons for the hatchback's modest sales numbers was its somewhat awkward styling, an issue we say the estate thoroughly corrects, and once out, will have one of the most distinctive estate shapes in its class.

It will also come with an all-important small-displacement diesel engine, in the form of Honda's new 1.6-liter unit, with 118 hp (120 PS) and 300 Nm (221 lb-ft). Sure they had the trusty 2.2-liter diesel before, but most buyers don`t usually opt for the bigger units, and now that a smaller one is available, it will most likely make up the bulk of the sales.

Also, it needs to improve on the rather uninspiring driving dynamics the hatch has been criticized for, especially when it faces very talented competition in the class, in the form of the Ford Focus Wagon and, of course, Volkswagen, with their new Golf Variant. Also, there's the estate version of the new Toyota Auris (another Japanese car built in the UK) for Honda to worry about.

Infiniti Q50 Lands in Europe with Merc's 168HP 2.2-liter Diesel and 359HP Hybrid Version

The brand-new Infiniti Q50, which made its world debut at the Detroit Motor Show last January, made its European premiere in Geneva and, according to the manufacturer, it is its “most significant car yet for the European marketplace”.

That’s because the rear-wheel drive sedan is designed to compete in the compact premium class where it will face some stiff opposition. Since most Europeans opt for diesel engines, the Q50 will be available in the Old Continent with a 2.2-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel that puts out 168HP (170PS) and 400Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque.

In spite of a pretty respectable 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration time of under 9 seconds, Infiniti announces an average consumption figure of just 4.4 lt/100 km (53.5 mpg US, 64 mpg UK) and less than 115g of CO2 per km.

This engine is the first fruit of Infiniti's collaboration with Mercedes-Benz and will be available with either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed auto transmission, both tailored to Infiniti’s own specs.

Clients wishing more oomph can opt for the second version of the Q50 that will be offered in Europe, the 3.5 Hybrid that, thanks to its 359HP (364PS) output sprints from a standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than 5.5 seconds.

The Q50 Hybrid uses the same dual-clutch Direct Response Hybrid and seven-speed auto transmission as the M35h “big brother” but with an extended EV-only range and improved performance and efficiency: its average consumption is 6.2 lt/100 km (38 mpg US, 45 mpg UK) and it emits less than 145 g/km of CO2.

The diesel Q50 will be offered only with rear-wheel drive while the Hybrid will be available with AWD, too. Both models will go on sale from autumn, depending on the market, in standard and Sport versions.