We gather up five of the most drool-worthy rides at this year’s Geneva International Motor Show.
We gather up five of the most drool-worthy rides at this year’s Geneva International Motor Show.
ASTON MARTIN DB11
As gorgeous as the outgoing Aston Martin DB9 was, underneath the cosmetics – like an ageing superstar – is a creaky set of bones. The DB11 (the DB10 being a one-off model for the Bond film Spectre), though, is the first product to enjoy a modern platform that includes new technology such as a glued structure, making it competitive once again with other supercars such as Ferraris and Lamborghinis. And this being an Aston, expect lots of exquisite touches, such as “broguing ” on the leather trim like a gentleman’s shoe.
BENTLEY MULSANNE GRAND LIMOUSINE
While the long-wheelbase versions of most luxury cars give you at most a couple of extra inches, Bentley dishes out a full metre with the Mulsanne Grand Limousine. But then again, Bentley isn’t “most luxury cars”. This bespoke model has fenestration that frosts up at the touch of a button, when you tire of pedestrians gawking at you in your land yacht, as well as a tannoy to communicate with your driver – presumably because it would take too long for sound to otherwise travel the marathon distance from back to front.
BUGATTI CHIRON
Billionaire oil sheikhs rejoice. Thumbing its nose at the electric vehicles elsewhere at the fair, Bugatti has unveiled a 2.4 million euro (S$3.7 million), 1,500bhp monster of a supercar. The world’s most powerful sports car has a dizzying top speed of 420kmh from a 16-cylinder engine boosted with not one or two, but four turbochargers. Fuel economy be damned. Its predecessor, the Veyron, would empty its fuel tank in 12 minutes driven on full chat; one could just imagine how much quicker this car, with 50 per cent more power, would consume petrol...
MASERATI LEVANTE
Finally, an SUV done well from a sports carmaker. The new Levante loses little of Maserati’s delicious sinewy lines – in fact, the muscular shoulders of the Quattroporte sedan translate rather well onto this 4x4. The best part, though, is the interior, with upholstery tailored in a delightful silk spun at Ermenegildo Zegna’s mill, no less. Our only beef: the name, inspired by a warm Mediterranean wind, sounds like something belonging to a Hyundai.
MORGAN EV3
This boutique British manufacturer is famous for its retro-looking models, so it isn’t too surprising to see this electrically powered steampunk three-wheeler at its stand. Its styling is 1930s race car-meets-fantasy automatons, but underneath the handcrafted exterior is all cutting-edge electrics, with a drivetrain that gives the car a 240km range and a maximum velocity of 144 kmh – although the lack of a windscreen or a roof would encourage all but the most intrepid to go quite a bit slower.
