RUMOUR HAS IT...
Remember the Maserati Alfieri concept from 2014? Well, the company hasn’t given up on the car that bears its founder’s name.
In a conversation with one of the Maserati product planners, Motor News learnt the company plans to introduce the Alfieri as a production model in 2020. However, unlike the concept, it looks likely to be a plug-in hybrid or fully-electric model. Bentley has followed up the V8 version of the Bentayga with the reveal of a plug-in hybrid version.
Using an electric motor and a new V6 petrol engine, the company claims an electriconly range of 50km and emissions of just 75g/km of CO2. Bentley also says that the battery can be charged in just 2.5 hours. The company says the hybrid version will only be available in selected international markets from late in 2018, so it remains to be seen if it will come to SA. Hyundai has announced a new design direction with the reveal of its latest concept in Geneva.
The company says it is moving to a theme of “Sensuous Sportiness” and showcased it with the reveal of the Le Fil Rouge concept, which we have to say looks remarkably like it was inspired by a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti from 2004. Still, if you want sensuous sportiness then Ferrari is a good place to start. As night follows day, a higher performance Lamborghini Huracán inevitably means a higher performance Lamborghini Huracán Spyder.
Lamborghini courted controversy in 2017 with the Huracán Performante and its record-smashing Nordschleife lap, but there are fewer doubters now after independent testing.
The Huracán Spyder Performante’s straight-line performance isn’t demonstrably different to the standard car, but Lamborghini promises its cornering pace will be.
It leverages the midmounted, 5.2l, naturally aspirated V10 for 470kW of power at 8,000r/min and 600Nm of torque. Lamborghini claims that’s good for a 3.1 second sprint to 100km/h, 0-200km/h in 9.3 seconds and a 325km/h top speed.
The maximum torque doesn’t arrive until 6,500r/min, but Lamborghini counters that 70% of the torque peak is already underfoot at 1,000.
The 1,507kg supercar hangs 57% of its weight over the rear axle and hauls down from 100km/h in just 31.5m. abandoning the fuel.
Toyota Europe CEO South African Johan van Zyl insisted this week that the brand would dump all its dieselpowered passenger cars and crossovers in Europe by the end of 2017.
A statement from the car maker clarified that it would retain diesel power only for its LandCruiser, Prado, Hilux and its light commercials.
Toyota insists fewer than 10% of its cars and crossovers in Europe use diesel power, with its hybrid strategy, expected to take up any shortfalls. More than 40% of Toyota’s European sales were hybrids last year, dominated by the C-HR’s 80% hybrid mix.
The push into crossovers has hurt Toyota’s chances of meeting the EU7 limit of 95g/km of CO2 by 2021, and missing that target will automatically bring huge fines for carmakers.
“The more hybrids we sell, the better our chances,” Toyota Europe chairman Didier Leroy insisted. “For us, mild hybrids wouldn’t be a step forward,” he said.
More Geneva Motor Show stars on pages 4 and 5