Geneva Car Show 2010 – The Weird and the Wonderful
It would appear motor manufacturers see the Geneva Motor Show as the ideal event to launch new models and 2010 was no exception. It is not our intention to seek out the debutantes as that is the role of true motoring publications. However what we did discover was Geneva also reveals the weird and wacky side of the motor car industry. There are many ways to get yourself noticed in today’s celebrity driven lifestyle and possibly Premier League footballers on astronomically high wages are top of the league when it comes to purchasing ‘off the wall’ bling vehicles. Perhaps the person who purchased a 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost and commissioned Mansory to paint it metallic purple and gold is not a soccer player but whoever he/she is should be arrested for assaulting the world’s most magnificent motor car. The modification do not stop at the paintwork as the engine’s output has been boosted from 570bhp to 720bhp with an eye-watering torque of 752lb ft. This rockets the car from 0-62 mph in 4.4 seconds and continues to 192 mph. While we cannot reveal the identity of the owner we can tell you a bit about the company responsible for this abomination, Mansory.
They are an aftermarket tuning company that specialises in the modifications of prestige British motor cars. Founder Kourosh Mansory became keen on these vehicles when he resided in the UK before moving to Germany where he established his tuning shop in the city of Brand in Bavaria. To date, Mansory has performed extensive cosmetic surgery on such refinery as the Bentley Continental GT, Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, Aston Martin V8 Vantage and Aston Martin Vanquish. However what made the name Mansory so well known in the world of tuning was their decision to modify a Rolls Royce Phantom and unveiled it at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show. It was painted matt black and nick-named the ‘Conquistador’. The vehicle was featured in countless motoring magazines where it also became known as the Black Banshee. Most notable comment about the Conquistador was that it was more sophisticated and more beautiful and even more luxurious than the original Rolls Royce, and it was stated Mansory had beaten Rolls Royce at their own game. Unlike most German tuning companies, Mansory’s main business is not on horsepower but on aesthetics. Through the use of new aerodynamics, wheels and luxury interior treatments, Mansory transforms already exclusive vehicles into ‘one of a kind’ automobiles. Needless to say, all this is no excuse for producing a brand new Rolls Royce Ghost painted in the style of a 1990’s Subaru Impreza rally car.
My first taste of a Porsche Cayenne was when Nico Bertels, former water-ski racer and head honcho of Bernico International drove me from his workshops deep in the heart of Belgium to Brussels Airport. I was worried because my flight was due to take off in 90 minutes and the airport was 50 miles away from Nico’s office. We climbed into his Cayenne and after what can best be described as a white-knuckle ride and a half; we arrived at the airport with time to spare. Although Porsche were trying to keep details of their latest 2011 Cayenne under wraps for as long as possible, the new SUV was unveiled at this year’s Geneva show. The addition of a hybrid to the Cayenne range was the most notable debutant on the Porsche stand. The Cayenne S Hybrid is powered by a 333bhp supercharged V6 petrol powerplant assisted by a 47bhp electric motor. Capable of running short periods at up to 40mph on electricity alone, the Cayenne S Hybrid achieves 34.4 mpg and 193g/km of CO2 on the official combined consumption cycle. While the hybrid model returns the lowest emissions, the new Cayenne Diesel betters its economy with a combined figure of 38.2 mpg. Porsche has managed to achieve economy savings of as much as 23% by adding stop-start technology, reducing weight and introducing an efficient new automatic transmission.
The badge on the Cayenne bonnet gives it serious credibility around Le Mans, Porsche being among the most successful brands ever to compete at the Le Mans 24 hour race. The 911 might be responsible for that but no 911 has the range to get to Le Mans and back to the London on a tankful of fuel. The Cayenne diesel does, thanks to a 100 litre fuel tank and an incredibly economic 3 litre turbo diesel. Drive it at a respectable speed and it should deliver its claimed combined fuel consumption of 35.8 mpg. That will give the Porsche a potential range of 784 .48 miles. Available from late May, the Cayenne range starts at £41,404 and rises to £81,589 while the Cayenne S Hybrid costs around £57,610.
