Geneva Motor Show 2009

Opening of the 2009 Geneva Auto Show last weeks was a pedal-to-the-floor event, a glittering showcase awash in six figures supercars. Long known for its emphasis on the glamor, the Geneva show seemed determined to stay this year, providing little sales confirmation Grim results being announced as the final touch even were added to the automaker displayed.
Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Pagani, Rolls-Royce, Spyker - and the list continues - and all sexy Featured souped-up sports cars in November in their shows here. Others, like Koenigsegg Quant Concept, which is solar-powered, or Frazer-Nash Namir, a hybrid style of Giugiaro, at least nodded to a possible shift towards more sustainable forms of mobility in the future. The show, which opened to the public Thursday, two days after the press preview, go through March 15 at the Palexpo Convention Center. Beyond the fancy machines and playthings, it was easy to find the substance exhibits. Volkswagen has offered one of the few meat-potatoes with its latest models econocar Polo. This is one of the biggest sellers VW, a large volume model in Europe, also, VW hopes to bring in the United States. Ford offered Max Iosis study design, a preview of the next generation Focus.
Opel, General Motors’ European arm, showed Amper hybrid plug-in (in the lexicon of GM, has extended a range of electric vehicles) due to go on sale in late 2011. There is a big “if “here: The company said its survival could be measured in weeks, if more than 4 billion U.S. dollars in aid requested by the European governments did not come through. (more…)