Ford, Renault and Alfa Romeo in Geneva
At the end of our virtual tour of the fair, the focus is on two dream cars at a reasonably feasible price and a refreshing small car concept from France. Ford shows us the new, even sharper Mustang in Geneva, matching the 50th anniversary of the original model.
And somehow you finally heard the pleading of the fans. The new Mustang will be, for the first time in a long time, not about free importers, but to be officially around the corner from the Ford dealer. The Mustang will be available as a coupe and as a convertible. For Europe, a supercharged four-cylinder with 2.3 liters of displacement and 309 PS under the hood to work. Whether it will make the babbling 5 liter V8, the only engine for the true fan, in the official price lists, I dare to doubt.
Either way, the Mustang looks sharp and is one of the eye-catchers of Geneva.
Alfa 4C Spider
Alfa! In the exhibition catalog he is announced as 4C Targa, the naming was just as provisional as the picture in the catalog. Since Alfa could not deliver, the normal 4C was shown, with the note for the reader, that one should try his imagination.
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That says a lot about the condition of the brand, presumably the 4C will listen to the traditional name Spider. Because the name Targa is already occupied by Porsche. Alfa Romeo has died beautifully for years, which is sad. Alfa 4C and 4C Spider are beautiful cars, they are built by Maserati and brought to the fan base in small doses ... which will hardly be enough to revitalize the brand.
The widely announced comeback is regularly announced and canceled, it is a drama without end. Fiat is simply drying up one of the most legendary brands in the world. The 4C Spider or Targa, whatever the name is, is one of Geneva's most attractive cars.
The little one with the rear engine
Small cars sound like reason, less fun and usually move below my perceptual limits. There are exceptions. An invigorating small car concept comes from France. The new Twingo comes with rear engine and rear-wheel drive. Not bad for a small car. But the concept is not a French idea, but the cooperation with Smart owed. The new Smart four-door will use the same platform. The Twingo, in the first edition a design revolution, in the second edition arbitrary, gets in the third generation by a new, sharper profile.
The rear engine promises us a handling like the kart, as well as a lot of space on the smallest area and a small turning circle. Modern assistance systems take the horror of the past from the vehicle with engine in the trunk.
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The new Twingo is thus a smart alternative for the city, a source of fun for the country road. And proof that driving pleasure doesn't necessarily have to be linked to a large budget.
As a hot Gordini version, the rear engine Twingo would have real fan potential and would be the true successor of the legendary, rear-wheel drive R8 Gordini from the 60er years. Hello Renault, yes please, bring the world back but a Gordini who deserves the name!
Geneva was fun for us, even if there was little that was groundbreaking. The manufacturers are doing well, at least for the Germans. There is little desire to burn your fingers with revolutionary concepts. If we had one wish, then we would like a Saab booth next year. Because we plan to be there again in 2015 when Geneva calls!
Text: tom@saabblog.net
Images: mark & yves for saabblog.net
Back to the Future?
Optically, the new Twingo succeeded so well, but by the cooperation with Smart one sets now on rear engine. After Smart the next time bomb on wheels.
Although the car may be a bit more mobile than the small Smart because of the long wheelbase, but such cars are a security risk and do not belong on the road. Especially since they are driven mainly by people who deal less with the driving behavior of their mobile. What is good in an expert hand can be a catastrophe for a novice driver.
When I look at the many single accidents that happen to the Smart in the “Smart Town” area, then I shudder about the future. The public only learns of the fatal accidents and here the numbers of Smart are higher than those of all the others combined!
A suspension that can only be kept on the road with the help of electronics is not part of public transport.
I do not think the Smart Fortwo is directly comparable to the Twingo. And what is the problem with a rear engine? If the argument goes up to rear-wheel drive I could still understand that, and thanks to the electronic helper here no more problems should exist. But with the rear-wheel drive, I do not understand.
I find it a bit exaggerated to call the Twingo a mobile time bomb.
The problem is called physics. The box has about 2,5m wheelbase and is 1,47 m high with underfloor rear engine. Since the emphasis is damn high. Despite the electronic helper flies the smart z. B. disproportionately often. The worse the starting condition, the more work the helpers have, because the physics remains the same. The Twingo starts at 75 PS and in Geneva there were engines with over 150 PS, that's amazing. Because such small cars rarely drive people who can control a car.
I have an acquaintance with the newspaper, which is always called when spectacular accidents happen. When there are solo accidents and no one knows why the box made the departure, it is far more than 50% Smart. Even electronics can not pick up the physics.
Detlef, I absolutely agree with you, today every misconstructed cucumber is straightened out again with “indispensable” assistance systems.
The Twingo reminds me of Smart next to the Beetle, which came through in the winter everywhere, but some curve was an experience.
But not everyone has had this experience here…. 🙂
I'm really looking forward to the new Ford Mustang. Even though I will not buy it for sure (the family carriage goes by) it is a worthy 50-year successor to the original Mustang. Because of the design Ford has finally gone back a few steps and has made the Mustang not so pretentious. All new models were for me like the successor to the 69-71er Mustang. Thick, muscular and doing big pants. That is not the original destination of the Mustang.
The 2014/2015 model has become slimmer again. So it combines the design of the original Mustang with modern (sometimes even SciFi-like) design elements. And Ford is apparently doing a similar thing with the technology. A V8 like this may be all well and good, but for a real Mustang fan (I count myself among them) that's not an obligation. Of course, the V8 and the Boss / Shelby /… models are awesome. But a Mustang is also desirable for me with the basic engine. And here Ford seems to be combining retro with modernity again - you take a 2.3l engine - as it was already available in the Mustang in terms of displacement and was also used in the Ford Escort Cosworth / Mercury in the USA - and you develop the engine according to modern conditions (e.g. . Charging) and thus receives an engine that is sure to be a grenade. I also assume that Ford will also work with sound actuators, so that the R4 engine will probably only differ slightly from a V6 or V8.
Oh, and the 426PS from the V8 is also very easy to get - Geiger Cars will probably show it.
I can say “hats from Renault” to the new Twingo. The new Twingo is by far the most stylish Twingo or even car (apart from the current Laguna Coupe) that Renaul has ever built. And the Renault people almost deserve a knee for the interior. Whoever made the decision finally chose something good looking. The earlier cockpits were always a horror. It would be great if there were a design line that would be based on the TwinRun study. Because here you can certainly lure one or the other sporty, modern customer with them - even if you have to do without the 320hp 3,5l V6 from the study.
And Alfa Romeo? Yes, they show a convertible of the 4C - madness. They should rather expand their Giulietta with a station wagon variant and introduce their Giulia to the world public, instead of adding a convertible to some small sports car.