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From YourSITE.com Events Coverage Every March, the eyes of the auto industry turn to Switzerland where the self-described land of neutrality puts on one of the most radical of industry shows. The Geneva Motor Show, the first major European event of the year, tends to be much less traditional with its heavy mix of mainstream car manufacturers, specialty niche manufacturers, independent-and-often-Italian design houses, prominent European tuning firms and more. In a down market when many marques are either in jeopardy of fire sale or wholesale extinction, the oft-exotic Geneva Motor Show can served as both beacon of the future and a warning of present dangers. For Audi, it was more of the former.
Volkswagen Group ‘Night of Driving Ideas’ The Geneva calendar began with the traditional ‘Night of Driving Ideas’ corporate preview of the Volkswagen Group. This year, spending on the event seemed a bit more conservative, with a location that was less arena-like than the past and presentations limited to one car from each brand. Dialed-down it may have been, but the event still bested that of any other car company in Geneva. One major highlight of the evening included an appearance by the pop star known as Pink. The American singer was thematically tied in by Volkswagen for the Polo presentation and played a set of several songs including her single Trouble and a cover of Janis Joplin’s Me and Bobby McGee AUDI:
Audi TTRS Front and center from Audi is the TT RS coupe and roadster. Under its aluminum hood, the TT RS takes Audi back to its rally roots with a new 340 bhp 2.5-liter 5-cylinder turbocharged FSI engine. The mill shares much in the spirit of the original ur-quattro that also debuted here in Geneva in 1980. Some things it seems, like turbocharged 5-cylinder engine configurations, haven’t changed (save plenty of new tech like FSI), but in other ways the TT is a much different animal than the iconic quattro coupe. For one, the engine’s mounted transversely (East-West) and is mated to the latest Haldex all-wheel drive system as per the TT’s A-chassis architecture. For another, the TT benefits from an aluminum space frame just like the flagship Audi A8. Keeping it light and powerful pays off in performance. According to Audi, the TTRS coupe can rocket from 0-62 mph in just 4.6 seconds. Even without RS trademark features like wider fenders, the TTRS has the most aggressive presence of any of the TT range. The lone TTRS show car was painted in Suzuka Grey, with body matched accent trim on the inside on the door handles, center console, glove box and the backs of the car’s shell seats.
Just like the R8 V12 TDI design study shown last year, the production TTRS also featured leather on the door panels and seats with white perforations spelling out the italic “TT” logo in a modern and more premium take on the old ‘quattro’ script interiors from the earlier 5-cylinder engine era. Under the aluminum hood resides the much anticipated 5-cylinder with a bit of a visual break from Audi’s modern engine design. Ingolstadt decided to forego the usual plastic covers that hide just about everything nowadays and instead accentuate the actual engine components. The valve cover is finished in bright red, while the intake manifold is a dark textured grey with an aluminum-framed carbon fiber label containing only the four ring Audi logo and the script “TFSI” moniker. The only cover of any merit was also made from carbon fiber, covering a few bits around the oil cap. No doubt the buyer of a TTRS will appreciate the beautiful components rather than plastic pieces that would otherwise cover them up.
Elsewhere in the, two other TTRS wheel designs were also found. One, a split 5-spoke design, is an 18-inch diameter that may be the base wheel for the European market. The other, a 19-inch 5-spoke, appeared to be an all hyper silver painted version of the titanium finished one with machined accents shown on the displayed TTRS coupe. Audi of America remains coy when mentioning the TTRS. “Unconfirmed” and “not yet approved” are terms that are being brandied about, but we’re fairly certain the TTRS will get the nod for North American sale. If or when it does, the other question is whether American cars will get the show car’s brilliant shell sport seats. We hear from other sources outside of Audi that the investment in the seats for American airbags has been made. This could green light their availability in the TTRS if our sources are correct.
Audi A4 allroad When Audi launched the second-generation allroad several years ago, we had it on good word that an A4 version was coming. That the second-gen car had changed its name slightly to include the ‘A6’ designation was also a good hint. At the time, we heard the A4 allroad would hit the sport utility wagon friendly US market for sure… and why not? The original allroad outsold the A6 Avant during the same period multiple times over, and similar products from Subaru (Outback) and Volvo (XC70) also shatter sales of their respective station wagon counterparts. At Geneva, the A4 finally saw light and it is a handsome deviation from the A4 Avant. The allroad design language slightly evolves on the A4 and elements like its front fascia, with their more elegantly integrated lower openings, show good direction for the allroad sub brand. One car was on display at the show – the same spec if not the very same car as the one shown in the earlier ‘Night of Driving Ideas’ presentation. This 3.0 TDI version was painted Ibis White. Its black leather interior and aluminum trim appeared much more sporting than the slightly more traditional A6 version. No doubt this will be a successful addition to the European Audi lineup. Alas though, the A4 allroad will not come to North America. Costs unfortunately are too high. The Q5, already showing up at US dealers, will sell in higher numbers and as such Audi is able to sell them more competitively than it could the very niche A4 allroad. A rumor from one source is that an A4 allroad A4 2.0T would likely cost as much or more than a similarly equipped Q5 3.2. For this reason and probably others, the A4 allroad has not been approved for North America.
Audi A5 Cabriolet and S5 Cabriolet Photos of Audi’s new convertibles have been out since December, so this isn’t exactly late-breaking news. But, the handsome A5 and S5 cabriolets made their first official auto show debut here at Geneva even as Audi is finishing the last few waves of journalist test drives in Monaco. Cars on hand in Geneva were limited to just one of each. A red S5 with light tan leather interior sat on the main show stage, while an A5 version with brown metallic paint and Audi Exclusive khaki leather interior with brown piping was showcased in an Audi Exclusive lounge above the stand. It is a testament to the design of the A5/S5 offerings just how cohesive the lines work in addition as a cabriolet. When Walter da Silva launched the A5 coupe, the Italian designer said it was the most beautiful car he’d ever penned. Unlike other similar offerings, the Cabriolet loses nothing to the coupe, remaining just as striking. Unlike BMW and Volvo who’ve moved to heavier mechanical hardtops, Audi felt no need to add the complication. The brand has become quite proficient with quiet and refined fabric tops and it will continue with that strategy for the foreseeable future. Configurations for the A5 are as you’d expect and won’t differ much from A5 packaging in both Europe and North America. Of note, a 2.0T model will be added in both coupe and convertible for 2010 in the USA. The drop top version of the S5 will get the S4’s supercharged 3.0T engine for its 2010 model year debut and the S5 coupe will follow suit for the 2011 model year.
Audi Stand Audi’s show presence was much as usual. Changes that may have been done for cost-cutting like the absence of decorative halo-like lighting used in Geneva in years past were virtually imperceptible. As usual, predominantly white cars mixed with several featuring bold colors chosen to bring attention to those particular vehicles. Looking past the star debut cars, there were plenty of other stories for the more discerning eye.
One of the older cars in the Audi fleet is the A8 and the corresponding S8, so it was a bit of a surprise to open the door of an Ibis White S8 show car and find a rarely seen carbon fiber trimmed interior package from Audi Exclusive. Where wood normally sees duty on the performance Q-ship’s beltline trim, the carbon weave, paired with a row of satin aluminum, made for a big visual impact. The center console area had a top of carbon fiber, with sides made of hand stitched leather. Seat centers were red leather and much of the car’s accent stitching was in matching red.
Even more singular interior trim pieces were noted on other cars. An RS 6 Avant had the thus-far Euro-only shell seats in black leather and contrasting white stitching. More likely to be painstakingly retrofitted by hardcore owners on these shores is the new TTS-style S tronic shifter found in the lone S3 Sportback on display.
One last Audi Exclusive tailored car spotted was an R8 V10 hidden within the stand in a quattro GmbH lounge. Also painted Suzuka Grey, the 5.2 liter R8 also had a unique burgundy leather interior with matching luggage for the front compartment.
Audi Accessories was present with two cars – an A4 Avant and a Q5. The white A4 featured a body kit tailored for the new A4 and aggressive black painted 5-spoke alloys. The Q5, on the other hand, showed off the crossover’s off-road body with a new set of accessory alloy wheels.
As is usual at Geneva and other European auto shows, Ingolstadt’s stand also included a shop where Audi brand merchandise can be purchased. Most new items spotted inside fell into the scale model car category. From Minichamps came 1:43 scale versions of the R8 V10 and A5 Cabriolet. Via more expensive 1:43 scale resin models, offerings such as the Q7 V12 TDI, S3 Sportback, TTS coupe and roadster, S6 sedan and Avant, and B7 S4 were also shown.
Of course, Audi continues to celebrate their 100th birthday this year. For Geneva, this celebration saw the addition of 6-foot rectangular displays representing milestones from Audi’s past. The anniversary presence was topped off by the display of a painstakingly recreated Auto Union Type C Streamliner. Not to be shown up by Volkswagen on the celebrity front, the Audi presentation was star studded if you are into sports of multiple varieties. The TTRS was driven onto stage by Audi’s eight-time Le Mans winning driver Tom Kristensen.
After parking the TT, Kristensen then acted as official over the choice of soccer (football) match-ups in this year’s first-ever Audi Cup to be held at Munich’s Allainz Arena. Tom was joined on stage by players Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Wes Brown (Manchester United) and Willy Sagnol (FC Bayern Munchen), as well as Carlos Bianchi, manager for Atletico Boca Juniors. For soccer fans, the tournament will begin with the Atletico Boca Juniors pairing off against Manchester United and FC Bayern vs. AC Milan. PRODUCTION MODELS: NON-AUDI
Bentley Continental SuperSports Even though it wears no four rings, this car definitely qualifies as a corporate cousin. The Bentley Continental series sits on a steel version of the Audi A8's corporate D-chassis and is powered by a twin turbo version of the W12 that also comes normally-aspirated in the A8. For Geneva, Bentley revealed they were dusting off the SuperSports badge for a 621 bhp version of the Continental GT coupe. Bentley has, thus far, decided to forego hitching its future to the TDI proficiency that runs deep in the more Germanic corners of the corporate family. Instead, this latest and greatest Continental sports flex-fuel compatibility. It also features elements like blackened brightwork paired with white paint. The look is something more likely to be seen of late at a GTI show, but the Bentley carries it off in a surprisingly elegant way. It’s not just about show though. The latest flex-fuel tune of the biturbo W12 engine boosts power up to 621 bhp. That added grunt means this two-door with a Fort Knox-like curb weight will still tackle 0-60 mph in all of 3.7 seconds as it blasts on up to a top speed of 204 mph.
Lamborghini Murcielago LP 670-4 SV As the Lamborghini Murcielago enters the twilight of its production run, the brand of the raging bull is set on building the most potent versions thus seen. Case in point is the latest and greatest – the LP 670-4 SuperVeloce. Power for this mean-looking Murcielago has been increased to 670 hp, while weight has been dropped 220 lbs. The result is just 5.1 lbs. per hp, which makes it capable of 0-62 mph sprints in just 3.2 seconds. It’ll also touch 212 mph if you have the courage. SPECIALTY MANUFACTURERS WITH AUDI POWER Artega GT There were no new special editions on display, but this German manufacturer remains an interesting offering. The car pairs the same 3.6-liter V6 from the Q7 with a 6-speed S tronic transmission, mounted amidships in a handsome design penned by none other than Henrik Fisker. Two GTs sat on the stand in the not-terribly traditional sporting hues of rose and dark navy blue.
Gumpert Apollo Speed With a designation borrowed from Bentley and an engine from Audi, the 4.2-liter turbocharged Gumpert Apollo Speed breaks new performance ground even for the ridiculous level the German marque is known for. The Speed version of the Apollo can be ordered in 650, 700 and 800 hp versions, with performance for the middleweight 700 hp version reported at 0-62 mph in 3.0 seconds and a top speed of 224 mph thanks to aerodynamic improvements and carbon fiber covers on the wheels. KTM X-Bow Motorcycle manufacturer KTM continues with the rollout of its 2.0T-powered X-Bow – the company’s only four-wheeled offering. Several flavors have now been announced. The most vanilla of these is the ‘Street’… far from luxurious or boring, but perhaps the most tame. The ‘Clubsport’ version drops weight with more liberal use of carbon fiber in the tub and adds a mechanical limited slip differential, performance suspension and more. The Mad Max-inspired ‘Super Light’ gets carbon weave on the body as well. Finally, the ‘GT4’ is made to the GT4 spec and gets race equipment like an optional air jack system.
Spyker C8 Aileron While the business affairs of Spyker remain as plot-laden as a Texas-based soap opera starring Larry Hagman, the swooping Dutch Audi-powered sports cars they build continue on as some of the best showings of modern artistic automotive craftsmanship in the industry. At Geneva, Spyker pulled the wraps off of a prototype version of their C8 Aileron coupe. While this may look like simply a facelift for the C8 range, Spyker says the car has an all new aluminum space frame that’s more torsionally rigid than the car currently on sale. As before, the new C8 Aileron uses Audi’s 4.2-liter V8 and pairs it to either a 6-speed Getrag transmission or a new ZF 6-speed automatic complete with handsome polished aluminum shift paddles mounted behind what appears to be an airbag steering wheel sourced from the same OE supplier and of similar design to Audi or Lamborghini. TUNING FIRMS
Abt Sportsline Audi AS5-R Kempten, Germany-based Abt Sportsline is perhaps one of the most storied tuning houses in the Audi aftermarket. The tuning line is just one aspect of the Abt family’s Audi-focused business, with dealerships in their portfolio and a successful A4-based racing team in the DTM series. The firm has been in the business for a while too… making go-fast bits for Audis since the days of the ur-quattro. More recently, Abt’s line of Audi tuning has gone more visually wild. Immediately identifiable as Abt product regardless of which Audi model it is on, the radical looks have garnered as many critics as admirers. Looks are subjective, but we’ve found with Abt that its radical body kits and paint jobs often steal the thunder of their mechanical prowess. This is a company that sold 2.7T-fitted A4s into the B6 and B7 generations and it’s also less known for a supercharger setup made to fit Audi’s 4.2-liter V8 engine family. It is precisely this supercharger package that puts their Geneva-debuting AS5-R on our radar. Style hounds may grouse at two-tone paint and quarter panel vents, but it’s likely no one will argue with 510 hp and 0-62 mph in 4.5 seconds.
On the Abt Sportsline stand, the AS5-R was flanked by a Q5 with full Abt body work and a black R8 with the firm’s body treatment and a polished supercharger under the sportscar’s glass engine cover. Caractere Audi A3 Facelift Belgian Audi tuner Caractere used Geneva to announce its new body treatment for the latest facelifted A3. Caractere has been on a roll lately with clean-for-the-aftermarket designs that benefit from detail work normally skipped by body kit manufacturers such as injection molded inner vent segments on their front spoilers. The new A3 design, which is compatible with 3-door, 5-door Sportback and Cabriolet models, bears a strong resemblance to the Audi A4 and likely uses the same fascia vent inserts. If so, that’s a smart way to amortize the investment in the added parts that has also paid dividends in a developing brand look for Caractere. We never did find a Caractere A3 at the show, though an A4 sedan was found on the stand of the firm’s Swiss importer.
Hofele Audi A8 Hofele has long been known for its conversion kits where older Audis are fitted with the latest shield grille design from Ingolstadt. Late model Audis need no such update, but Hofele has come out with a design for the mono-grille A8s just the same. Some elements, like LEDs daytime running lights from the S6, look semi-factory, but others like the Mercedes-inpired vents on the quarter panel are far from OE-looking.
Rieger Audi A5 Wild body kit treatments have traditionally been the trademark of the Rieger tuning firm. While certainly not plain or subtle, a new A5 fitted with Rieger treatment on display at the stand of their Swiss importer is certainly a move more toward a more OE style of look that seems to be coming more popular. At the front, the A5 design mimics the fascia of factory cars, though in a more animated way. Sideskirts get Rieger’s trademark inset stripe that leads to a rear brake vent duct and the rear valance takes on more of a motorsport appearance.
Sportec RS700 Audi RS 6 This is the home show for Swiss Audi and Porsche tuner SPORTEC. Performance nuts often prefer the brand’s much more understated visual approach, with a greater focus on performance. Visual changes for the RS 6 are limited only to a carbon front splitter and rear diffuser in addition to their 22-inch Mono/10 wheels. Power on the RS 6 is bumped to 700 hp and thus the RS 700 nomenclature. The increase comes thanks to a software upgrade and a Sportec exhaust. Said boost in power helps the RS 6 sprint from 0-62 mph in just 4.0 seconds. On hand in Geneva was a black RS 6 sedan fitted with the full catalog of RS700 upgrades, including a 30mm lowered suspension designed to work with the RS 6’s electronic dampers. SUMMARY No question, the Geneva Auto Show was the most healthily attended since the world economy began its steep decline. If this show is a litmus, perhaps the market has turned a corner. Ingolstadt may not have bothered with a costly concept car or overhead lighting, but a closer look at Audi shows a brand that remains very strong thanks to a large number of new model launches and the youngest product range in its segment. Look further in the show and the Audi story continues. Marques such as KTM, Spyker, Artega and Gumpert choose Audi engines for their dominant performance and technology. The brand’s aftermarket also remains wide and varied, with several of the key European design firms more than ready to display their latest products based on Audi models. While the economy may have derailed, the locomotive that is Audi seems to have lost little if any speed.
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