2014 Geneva Motor Show In Photos and Video

Press days have ended in the Swiss city best known for hosting fine timepieces and one of the most exotic auto shows on the continent. The 2014 Geneva Motor Show marked the introduction of an entirely new concept in propulsion for a certain storied Italian automaker, introduced the concept of an Italian Jeep, and saw the name of one of the highly vaunted Maserati brothers attached to a gorgeous concept car.

Given all the news from Italia, maybe it should have been the Roman Auto Show, but there was  considerable amount of news from other quarters as well. Mercedes-Benz introduced a beautiful new coupe, Infiniti revealed its most powerful engine offering ever, and Audi showed the next generation of one of its sports cars. Bentley has a new open model, and going back to Italy, we got our first official look at the new “baby” Lamborghini.

Weighing but 132 pounds more than the closed version of the small Alfa sports car, the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider is powered by a 240-horsepower 1.75-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine producing 258 ft-lbs of torque, just like its closed counterpart. A six-speed dual clutch transmission will port the engine’s output to the rear wheels, just as God and Enzo Ferrari intended. Zero to sixty is quoted at 4.5 seconds, top speed is coyly estimated to be in excess of 155 miles per hour. The mid-engine sports car is reported to have a 40/60-front/rear-weight distribution. We’re told the 4C Spider, along with its coupe sibling, will eventually grace showrooms here in the United States.

The third generation of Audi’s TT coupe was revealed with an evolutionary design of the current iteration of the car. So evolutionary, you almost have to see the two cars side-by-side to get the changes. This is in sharp contrast to the differences in appearance between the first generation of the car and the second. We expect to see the new Audi TT offered with three engine choices at launch; a 184-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder diesel capable of generating 280 ft-lbs and a reported 56 miles per gallon; a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline fired powerplant producing 230 horsepower and 272 ft-lbs of torque, and a deep breathing version of the 2.0T cranking out 310 horsepower and 280 ft-lbs for the new Audi TTS. Naturally all-wheel drive will be offered, and in all probability a front-drive only version as well, with the lower powered 2.0T and perhaps the diesel.

(Be apprised, the audio accompanying the video below is in German…)

Bentley showed the new Continental GT Speed, the fastest ever production Bentley offered to date. The Continental GT’s highly vaunted 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged 12 cylinder engine has been tweaked to generate 626 horsepower, 604 ft-lbs of torque, and run the car to 60 miles per hour in four seconds. Its top speed is 206 miles per hour. In addition to the performance enhancements, Bentley has reworked the look of the car to include body color for the front splitter, side skirts, and rear diffuser, giving the GT Speed more of a monochromatic look for the first time ever. The interior treatment has been addressed as well, with contrasting accent stripes on the doors, rear panels and dash. A “Speed” badge has been added to the dash, and hand stitching in the contrasting color is applied where appropriate.

Bentley continues its V8 initiative by installing them in its four-door Flying Spur sedans, based on the Continental Coupe. The 4.0-liter V8 is capable of generating 500 horsepower and 487 ft-lbs of torque. In other words, the new entry-level Bentley sedan is anything but sedate. The Flying Spur V8 is said to accelerate from zero to 60 in 4.9 seconds and is capable of attaining a top speed of 183 miles per hour. Like all the Continental-based Bentley models, the all-wheel drive powertrain employs an eight-speed automatic transmission. Air is the medium of choice for the suspension system. Like other Bentley models, if plush isn’t enough, you can go palatial with the Mulliner Driving Specification trim package. This will net diamond quilting for the leather seats, power adjustable rear seats, a leather headliner, and a mean looking set of 20-inch wheels.

OK, so now they got everybody thinking even numbers for two doors (435i) and odd numbers for four doors (335i) here comes the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé with—yeah—four doors. WTF y’all, seriously? Basically following the same concept as the 6 Series Gran Coupé, the styling of the 4 Series has been stretched to accommodate an extra pair of doors, with the flowing Coupé roofline everyone finds so sexy these days. Powertrains carry over from the 4 Series models, meaning there will be a 428i Gran Coupé and a 435i Gran Coupé as well.

The US will finally get a diesel version of the BMW X3. The SAV will be powered by the same 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder turbodiesel currently motivating the BMW 328d. Output for this application will be 180 horsepower and 280 ft-lbs of torque. According to BMW representatives this should be sufficient to accelerate the diesel-powered X3 to 60 miles per hour in right around eight seconds. Pricing has been announced as well, starting at $42,825 plus $925 in destination charges for a total of $43,750. Fuel economy numbers have yet to be announced. In other X3 news, for the first time, the model will be offered in sDrive as well—at a lower price point; $39,325. However the rear drive models get the gasoline fired 240-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter. For those of you unfamiliar with BMW-speak, sDrive means a rear-drive X3 will be coming to market with the 2015 version of BMW’s mid-size SAV. Completing the package is a styling update, which, is most readily discernable in the front-end of the new X3.

Boldly going where but one BMW has gone before, the BMW X4 is essentially a shrunken version of the company’s X6 Sport Activity Vehicle. Now, given the X6 has been lampooned in many a journal as the answer to a question nobody asked, we have to wonder how well received the X4 is going to be. Two engine choices will be offered, both feeding all-wheel drive powertrains incorporating BMW’s eight-speed automatic transmission. The xDrive28i version of the new crossover will feature BMW’s 240 horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, while the xDrive35i will carry the 300-horsepower turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six. Pricing has been announced as well, the xDrive28i will start at $45,565, while the xDrive35i will open at $48,925.

For the first time ever, a turbocharged engine finds its way into the engine compartment of a roadgoing Ferrari. The new Ferrari California T will feature a 3.9-liter turbocharged V8 producing 560 horsepower and 557 ft-lbs of torque. The Ferrari’s zero to 60 time is quoted at 3.6 seconds. Ferrari officials insist the turbo will be all but transparent, they claim drivers will experience virtually no turbo lag and further the engine note will be just as quintessentially Ferrari as any emanating from one of Enzo’s progeny has ever possessed. In addition to the new engine, the California’s styling has been updated with a new front end and the top has been reworked to open or close in fourteen seconds. Further, the steering box has been changed to improve accuracy. Also, the magnetic suspension system and traction control systems have been recalibrated for more responsive behavior.

Hard to believe it, but the current Focus is one of the oldest cars in Ford’s lineup (save the Taurus). With all the other models flaunting some version of the new Aston-esque face of Ford, it was about time the Focus got a nip and tuck too. Which is precisely what Ford showed at the Geneva show—just as we predicted it would in our Geneva Motor Show preview. A new headlight treatment accompanies the new grille, giving the Focus an even “faster” look—as well as a set of super bright bi-xenons. The updated version of Ford’s Sync telematics system uses a new smart voice interface to have the car find directions to a restaurant if you simply say “I’m hungry.”

Hot Honda hatches have considerable appeal, and if they bring one that looks anything like this to the U.S. market, Honda’s going to have a huge hit on its hands too. The gloriously flowing bodywork hides a 276-horsepower version of Honda’s new direct injected turbocharged inline four displacing 2.0-liters. In addition to the outré avant gardé rear spoiler, grilles, and vents, a set of 20-inch wheels is tucked under those humongous fender flares. This Civic looks ready to seriously throw down. We can only pray the production version looks nearly as good. We got deeper into the details on the car in our Geneva Show preview.

Upon revealing this car at the Detroit Auto Show in January, Infiniti were very quiet about the engine powering the new sedan. At Geneva it was revealed the car is powered by the 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6 currently found in the engine bay of the Nissan GT-R. Infiniti spokespeople still maintain he Q50 ER is just a concept, but by all appearances, it’d be pretty easy for them to produce the car. The V6 is good for 560 horsepower and 443 ft-lbs of torque, which would make this the most powerful Infiniti model ever offered for the street. The GT-R’s all-wheel drive powertrain is fitted too. Zero to 60 is estimated in the four-second range and top speed is said to be 180 miles per hour. And while production has yet to be confirmed, Infiniti Motor Company Limited Johan de Nysschen’s made this statement earlier when asked about the Infiniti nomenclature change to incorporate the letter “Q” in every model designation; “It would be a bit odd to have a powerful, luxurious and refined V8 powered Infiniti M56, then position a new high-tech 550+ horsepower performance flagship for the Infiniti M range above it, using a potent charged induction V6, but then call it Infiniti M30, which we would be obliged to do, following our current naming logic.”  From where we’re sitting, this 3.8-liter engine bears a strong resemblance to the one he referred to in that statement. So yeah, it’s coming y’all, just be patient.

(Eau Rouge concept from the 2014 NAIAS pictured above)

Striving to be more competitive across the board, Jaguar is once again trying its hand at a small sedan in the vein of the A4, 3 Series, and C Class entry luxury saloons. Yes, we’ve been down this road with Jaguar before. But this time, there’s no Ford management team forcing a warmed-over Ford product into Jaguar showrooms. This will be a purpose-built Jaguar model, and if the new F-Type is any indication, this may well prove to be quite the formidable offering. The Jaguar XE is slated to debut in the U.S. as a 2016 product. It’s all still rather sketchy, but we do have a few more details in our Geneva Motor Show preview of the new Jaguar.

Don’t let the cuteness fool you, Jeep’s spokespeople say the new Renegade is 100 percent Jeep through and through. Meaning it will ford streams, scrabble over rocks and sand, and slog through mud and snow. In other words, yes—it will be a four-wheel drive trail rated product. All of its prowess notwithstanding, most people will probably cop the cute ute just because it’s, uh, cute. However, pretty much the full range of Jeep’s four-wheel drive expertise is being applied  to the first Italian Jeep ever. Power comes from a choice of the 1.4-liter turbocharged four currently found in the FIAT 500, or the 2.4-liter normally aspirated inline four currently found in the Dodge Dart. The Renegade will also be the first small SUV to offer a nine-speed automatic transmission.

(To get directly to the description of the Renegade in the video below scroll to 7:01.)

While pictures of the Lamborghini Huracán (pronounced “ Ooh-ra-cahn”) have been floating about for some time now, the model’s official introduction took place at the Geneva Motor Show. Lamborghini’s Gallardo replacement will feature a 5.2-liter V10 engine tuned to produce 610 horsepower and 413 ft-lbs of torque. All-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual clutch transmission complete the powertrain. This thoroughly modern Lamborghini boasts Audi-like attention to detail in the interior, while surpassing that vaunted brand’s accommodations in the sheer lushness of the surroundings. The new Lambo’s zero to 60 is quoted at 3.2 seconds and its top speed is said to be in excess of 202 miles per hour. As is typical of Lamborghini parlance, a Spanish fighting bull, just as with other Lamborghini models, inspires the Huracán’s name. Huracán the bull fought in 1879 and was particularly well known for its courage. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that it also looks like the word “hurricane”.

When a Range Rover product gains the “Autobiography” tag, its luxe level jumps manifold. The new Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Autobiography Dynamic shown at the Geneva Motor Show bears this out completely (in addition to one seriously long-ass name). Outside, a set of 20-inch wheels give the baby Range Rover more street cred, while inside a broader array of leather details with embossed headrests adds more substance to the interior. But it’s about more than just looks, Land Rover engineers also managed to eke 285 horsepower and 295 ft-lbs of torque out of the Evoque’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. This is up from 240 horsepower and 251 ft-lbs. Paired with a nine-speed automatic, this should pump the performance quotient considerably. And that’s just the beginning. You’ll find all the details in our Geneva preview story on the new Land Rover.

By all accounts, the Alfieri presages the successor to the current range of Maserati GranTurismo–based cars. Further, the Alfieri boasts the same 460-horsepower V8 the GT uses, but mounted in a smaller and lighter package. Brembo calipers on the show car clamp carbon ceramic rotors, while a six-speed sequential shift gearbox routes power to the rear wheels. Like the GT, the Alfieri is a very luxuriously outfitted 2+2. By the way, Alfieri Maserati was the founding member of the firm, and eventually employed five of his brothers. While Maserati’s people aren’t committing to producing the Alfieri as it sits, they are hinting the next new thing will be remarkably similar. Says Lorenzo Ramaciotti, Maserati head of Global Design;  "The Alfieri is a transition point between 100 glorious years of history and the future opening up before us. I sincerely can't say we'll see this car in production in two years-time, but I'm certain we'll see something very similar."

The smart money says the Mazda Hazumi concept is rough approximation of what we can expect from the next Mazda2. Details are scant, but what we do know is Mazda also plans a new 1.5-liter diesel to go with it. You’ll find more information about the Hazumi Concept in our Geneva Motor Show Preview.

In its continuing quest to offer a full range of exotic mid-engined sports cars, McLaren unveiled the new 650S at the Geneva Show. With a power output of 641 horsepower and 500 ft-lbs of torque from a 3.8-liter twin turbocharged V8, this new McLaren will run to 60 from rest in three seconds. Its styling a nice blending of the two models it is intended to sit in between, the McLaren 650S bears more than a passing resemblance to the P1 and the MP4-12C. Top speed is quoted at 207 miles per hour. The 650S boasts carbon ceramic brakes, satellite navigation, Bluetooth telephony, wireless WiFi tethering, voice control, and Alcantara trim. It might look like an exotic sports car, but the McLaren is outfitted more like a grand tourer.

Easily one of the most dynamically styled Mercedes-Benz models to be shown in quite some time, the new S Class Coupe has more surface detailing than any production car we’ve seen from the storied automaker—perhaps ever. As you might imagine, the interior treatment comes straight out of the new S Class sedan. A panoramic sunroof ensures a bright and airy environment. The big new technological innovation coming to market with the S550 Coupe is being termed “the active curve tilting function”. According to Thomas Weber, Daimler AG board member; "The vehicle leans into bends much like a motorcyclist, thereby reducing the lateral acceleration acting upon its occupants. On country roads in particular, this means greater driving pleasure and ride comfort for our customers." The first version of the car we’ll see here in the United States will be powered by the company’s 4.7-liter twin turbocharged V8. Badged S550 Coupe, the car will boast 449 horsepower and 516 ft-lbs of torque. A seven-speed automatic transmission will route the output of the engine to the 4MATIC (all-wheel drive) powertrain.

The entry-level Rolls-Royce model has been deemed due for an update, and so it was revealed at the Geneva Show. Among the changes are a revised front-end treatment with new LED headlights, and a resculpted hood to give the Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament the appearance of having a trailing wake. The front bumper has been retooled to give the car a lower—more planted look, while simultaneously conducting more cooling air to the front brakes. WiFi has been added to enable a more productive working environment, along with Satellite Aided Transmission. Power emanates from a 6.6-liter 12-cylinder engine producing 563 horsepower and 575 ft-lbs of torque—the same engine found in Ghost Series I.