2016 GENEVA MOTOR SHOW
Opel will roll out the GT concept for a small sports coupe.
Supercars and SUVs will take center stage at this year’s Geneva auto show, with the Bugatti Chiron — billed as the world’s fastest production sports car — likely to be the showstopper.
Other automakers debuting high-performance models will be Lamborghini, Aston Martin and Jaguar.
The show also will highlight the increasing popularity of SUVs and SUV-styled cross-overs. Maserati dips its toes into the niche for the first time with the Levante. Audi, Toyota and Volkswagen also have cross-over debuts.
The show’s press days are March 1 and 2. Some key debuts:
> Alfa Romeo
Alfa is expected to unveil everyday versions of its Giulia midsize car after the Giulia Quadrifoglio, the sedan’s range-topping version, appeared in Frankfurt in September. The Giulia is likely to be shown with a 2.0-liter gasoline entry-level engine and a 2.2-liter diesel version unlikely to be sold in the U.S. U.S. sales of the Quadrifoglio will begin in the third quarter, with other versions arriving in U.S. showrooms in late 2016.
> Aston Martin
Aston Martin’s new DB11 coupe will kick-start a product offensive at the British sports brand, which has struggled since Ford Motor Co. sold it to an investors’ consortium in 2007. The DB11 debuts an all-new aluminum platform that will underpin future Astons, along with a V-12 engine that uses turbocharging for the first time in a production Aston model.
> Audi
Audi is expanding its lineup of SUV/crossovers rapidly, but the Q2 that debuts in Geneva as the brand’s entry-level crossover, sitting below the Q3, is unlikely to make it to the U.S.
> BMW
BMW will unveil the 600-hp M760Li xDrive, the flagship of its new 7-series range. The all-wheel-drive sedan is powered by a twin-turbocharged 6.6-liter V-12 engine and gets slight exterior tweaks. BMW also will show the 740e iPerformance, a plug-in hybrid 7 series.
> Bugatti
The Chiron replaces the brand’s sole model, the Veyron. Bugatti says the Chiron will be the world’s “most powerful, fastest, most luxurious and most exclusive production super sports car,” although the brand is not disclosing performance details until the Geneva reveal. Motoring press reports say the car is likely to get an upgraded version of the Veyron’s 1,200-hp engine with performance boosted to at least 1,340 hp.
> Ferrari
The GTC4Lusso is a face-lifted FF with a new name, a more powerful engine and exterior design tweaks to give it a more streamlined look. The FF was Ferrari’s first car with all-wheel drive. Rear-wheel steering is now added to improve high speed stability and cornering maneuverability. The GTC4Lusso has the same 6.3-liter V-12 engine as the FF, but horsepower has been increased by 30 hp to 680 hp.
> Ford
Ford is expanding its upscale European Vignale trimline to the S-Max large minivan and Edge.
> Fiat
Fiat will debut the Tipo compact hatchback and wagon, which will be sold in Europe, but not the U.S., as affordable, roomy, five-door cars at the lower end of the segment.
Honda Civic hatchback
> Honda
Honda will show a near-production prototype for the next-generation Civic hatchback. The concept has sporty styling tweaks such as central twin exhaust pipes and a swooping roof that may make it onto a high-performance Civic Type R that will be sold in the U.S.
> Hyundai
Hyundai will give its Ioniq hybrid car its auto show debut in Geneva. With the Ioniq, Hyundai aims to gain traction in the alternative-energy vehicles segment dominated by the Toyota Prius. The five-door Ioniq will go on sale in the U.S. in the fourth quarter. It will be sold in three electrified versions: a traditional hybrid and an all-electric variant at launch and a plug-in hybrid later.
Jaguar F-Type SVR
> Jaguar
Jaguar has given the F-Type sports car a performance upgrade. The F-Type SVR gets more horsepower and a top speed of 200 mph from an upgraded version of Jaguar’s 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 engine. The two-seater is the first series production Jaguar car to be developed by Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations unit.
> Lamborghini
To mark the centenary of founder Ferruccio Lamborghini’s birth, the luxury sports-car brand has developed the Centenario limited-run supercar. Lamborghini hasn’t released any specifications for the model, but reports have said it is based on the Aventador midengine coupe and powered by the brand’s 6.5-liter V-12 engine with horsepower upgraded to 759 hp from 690 hp. Lamborghini will build just 40 units — 20 coupes and 20 convertibles. All have already been sold to brand enthusiasts despite a price tag of $2.5 million, according to motoring press reports.
Lexus LC 500h
> Lexus
Lexus will unveil the LC 500h, the hybrid version of its LC flagship coupe. The car is equipped with Lexus’ next-generation hybrid powertrain, which the brand says has better performance, improved fuel efficiency and enhanced driving dynamics. Lexus unveiled the LC 500 at the Detroit show in January. The coupe is likely to go on sale next year as an image-booster to strengthen Lexus against its German luxury rivals.
> Maserati
Maserati will enter the rapidly growing segment of luxury SUV-styled crossovers with the Levante, a Porsche Cayenne rival. The Levante will have all-wheel drive and off-road capability, but its main appeal will be its sporty handling. The Levante will have front-end styling inspired by the much-praised Alfieri sports car concept unveiled in Geneva in 2014, reports said. A plug-in hybrid variant also is being developed.
> Mercedes-Benz
The Mercedes-Benz C class gets a convertible version for the first time. It is expected to have a fabric folding roof. The convertible will go on sale in the fall.
> Opel
Opel will get the Mokka X, a face-lifted version of the Mokka subcompact crossover. The Mokka X’s redesigned grille and front and rear lights are likely to appear on the Buick Encore, the Mokka’s U.S. sibling model. Opel will also roll out the Opel GT concept for a small sports coupe.
Porsche 718 Boxster roadster
> Porsche
Porsche will debut its 718 Boxster roadster in Geneva. It is renaming the Boxster roadster and Cayman coupe to mark a switch to turbocharged engines, along with a fresh styling that gives the models a wider and more sculptural profile. The sibling midengine sports cars will now be called the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman. The 718 designation harks back to the 718 racing cars built by Porsche between 1957 and 1962. The 718 Cayman will appear at the Beijing auto show in April.
> Subaru
Subaru will debut the XV Concept as a preview of its next-generation XV compact crossover, sold in the U.S. as the Crosstrek and Crosstrek Hybrid. The next-generation Impreza, on which the Crosstrek is based, enters production at Subaru’s Indiana factory later this year. The redone Crosstrek is expected to follow in 2018.
> Toyota
Toyota will broaden its SUV/crossover range with a production version of the C-HR concept that has been seen at recent auto shows. The production car is expected to retain much of the concept’s distinctive chiseled, angular styling. A hybrid will be shown in Geneva, but the U.S. version likely will have a gasoline engine.
> Volkswagen
Volkswagen is expected to debut a subcompact crossover that will sit below the Tiguan in Europe. It is unlikely to be sold in the U.S.
> Volvo
With the V90, Volvo shows its commitment to station wagons, whose sales are being hit hard by the boom in SUVs and crossovers. The V90, the wagon version of the S90 sedan, will go on sale in the U.S. before year end.
Luca Ciferri, Nick Gibbs, Douglas A. Bolduc, Hans Greimel, David Undercoffler, Amy Wilson and Gabe Nelson contributed to this report.
New in Geneva
World debuts slated for Geneva auto show press days
PRODUCTION VEHICLES
Alfa Romeo Giulia midsize car
Aston Martin DB11 coupe
Audi Q2 crossover
BMW M760Li xDrive
BMW 740e iPerformance
Bugatti Chiron
Ferrari GTC4Lusso
Fiat Tipo hatchback, wagon
Hyundai Ioniq hybrid
Jaguar F-Type SVR
Lamborghini Centenario
Lexus LC 500h hybrid coupe
Maserati Levante crossover
Mercedes-Benz C-class convertible
Opel Mokka X crossover
Porsche 718 Boxster
Toyota C-HR crossover
VW subcompact crossover
Volvo V90 wagon
CONCEPTS
Honda Civic hatchback
Opel GT concept sports coupe
Subaru XV crossover
You can reach Paul McVeigh at pmcveigh@crain.com.
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