Geneva 2004 Preview

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			March 12

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Geneva Motorshow 2004

By Kyle Fortune

Here are our top ten Geneva production cars for you to enjoy – just in case you can’t make the show.

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The 74th Geneva International Motorshow is underway. It's always a spectacular event; especially as manufacturers often choose it to show off their futuristic concept models. But it’s also an opportunity to go along and view some cars that will be seen on the roads soon. Some will become familiar. Others, like the new Ferrari, will always be a rare sight.

Audi A6
Audi’s executive model has always been a bit of a wallflower; great beneath the surface but failing to win many buyers from BMW and Mercedes. Now the all-new A6 has an in-your-face face dominated by a massive grille and taught, flowing, almost coupe-like lines. There’s a new Audi look inside too, with the instrument panel and the centre console slanted towards the driver to form one common unit. In addition to all that is a new steering wheel design. Engines are

Audi A6

familiar from current Audis, with a choice of three petrol and two TDI engines initially, with more to follow. Six-speed gearboxes, manual or auto, plus quattro four-wheel-drive are also on offer. Audi reckons the A6 will be the sportiest, most dynamic car in it class (rivals may have something to say about that). The A6 signals the look that all future Audi’s will take, so you’d better get used to it.

Delve deeper into the Audi A6 range

Mitsubishi Colt
Mitsubishi hasn’t been really successful in the small car field in Europe. While the off-roaders have always had a strong appeal, the Colt supermini has never offered the right package. Until now, that is. The new car unveiled at Geneva is targeted much more at European requirements, particularly in terms of the interior, engines and the way it drives. Thank DaimlerChrysler for that – it effectively owns Mitsubishi.

Mitsubishi Colt

This Colt has a great deal in common from an engineering perspective, if not style, to the new Smart 4/4. It means that for the first time a Colt gets decent packaging with more room than ever before and a wide range of engines.

More from Mitsubishi

Ferrari Scaglietti
A new Ferrari is always an exciting event, but the launch of the Scaglietti promises to be more exciting than most. Named in honour of the Modenise stylist and coachbuilder, and replacing the 456T, it carries through its predecessor’s four-seat coupe concept along with the front engine position, but otherwise it’s all new. Significantly it gets aluminium spaceframe and body construction like the 360 Modena.

Ferrari Scaglietti

Coupled to a development of the engine from the 575M, the 540bhp and lower weight ensure the explosive acceleration for which Ferraris are renowned – but have to become even more explosive with each new model. As a four-seater – nominally at least - comfort and luxury are there in abundance; being a new Millennium Ferrari, there is an even greater emphasise on safety features and dynamic chassis controls. How things change.

Why not check out Ferrari's 575M Maranello?

Mercedes SLK and CLS
Can the new SLK build upon the success of the original? You bet! That magic roof seduced buyers of the first SLK, but now you get the looks and promise of vastly improved driving pleasure to go with it. Borrowing its style from the costly SL, there are now powerful new engines, a sportier suspension set-up, more direct steering and a precise six-speed manual transmission.

Mercedes SLK

And even, amazingly, heated head rests that blow warm air on your neck. Engines range from the admirable supercharged 1.8 to the scary 360bhp V8 in the AMG model. The forthcoming CLS is much more practical and follows a new trend towards four-door ‘coupes’, a trend that no one seemed to be asking for but manufacturers seem keen to build. Expect lots of wood, leather and V8 engines to go with that swooping roofline.

More of the Mercedes SLK-class range.

Mini Convertible
It’s spring so convertibles are in the air. Chopped versions of the Chrysler Crossfire, Nissan 350Z and Aston Martin DB9 will all be making their debuts at the Geneva Motor Show, but none are as affordable as the Mini. You can even argue that the roofless Mini holds its own against the others in the style stakes too, for this is a very neat conversion that bears none of the horror connotations association with convertible Minis of the past.

Mini Convertible

Initially available in One or Cooper form with the Cooper S convertible to follow, the roof operates in two stages. Press the button once and the roof slides back 40cm creating an ‘open sunroof’. Press the button again and the roof retracts fully, neatly folding down into a compact arrangement behind the rear seats. Let's hope we get a warm spring and great summer!

Check out the MINI range here

Click here for the next 5 cars in our Top 10 »