2017 Geneva Motor Show: Preview

Car manufacturers around the world are getting their concept/production versions ready as they will be soon showcased at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. Considered as one of the most important automobile events, the 87th edition of this event will be held from March 9-19, 2017. The media previews are scheduled between March 7-8, 2017. The automakers attending the 2017 Geneva Motor Show include Tata Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW, Honda, Renault and Toyota. We take a look at the different launches/unveiling that are expected to happen in this iteration of the event.

Audi

RS Q8

The Audi Q8 will be based on the MLB Evo platform that also underpins the Bentley Bentayga. The same will also be seen under the next-generation Q7 and the Porsche Cayenne. In terms of powertrain options, Audi has not revealed any information. The Audi Q8 will be positioned completely above the existing range. In addition, Audi is expected to bring in a crazier version of the SUV in the form of an RS Q8 concept. More details about the all-new Q8 here.

RS3 Sportback

The 2017 Audi RS3 Sportback doesn't look strikingly different from its sedan counterpart. The RS3 Sportback also features the new Matrix LED headlights as an optional package. The rear gets an updated spoiler, diffuser insert along with the RS oval exhaust pipes. Powering the 2017 Audi RS3 Sportback is the same 5-cylinder 2.5L motor that is seen under the Audi TT RS. This motor makes 400PS/480Nm and is paired to a 7-speed S tronic transmission. Audi claims that the 2017 RS3 Sportback can do 0 to 100kmph in 4.1 seconds and can reach a maximum speed of 250kmph. More details of the Audi RS3 Sportback here.

BMW

5 Series Touring

The BMW 5 Series Touring comes with four different engine options which can be paired with the standard 8-speed Steptronic transmission. Its 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine produces 252PS and 350Nm of peak torque and will sprint from 0 to 100kmph in a claimed 6.5 seconds. The 3.0-litre 6-cylinder in-line petrol engine generates 340PS and 450Nm of peak torque and can do 0 to 100kmph in a claimed 5.1 seconds. The diesel line-up gets 2.0-litre and 3.0-litre mills developing 190PS/400Nm of torque and 265PS/ 620Nm of torque respectively. The 2.0l can be mated to either a standard 6-speed manual gearbox or an optional 8-speed Steptronic transmission. BMW has also equipped the 5 Series Touring with new assistance systems and functionality like crossing traffic warning and priority warning, lane change assistant and lane keeping assistant with active side collision protection, and the evasion aid. More details on the 2017 BMW 5 Series Touring here.

4 Series

In addition to the 5 Series Touring, BMW will get updated 4 Series. It gets the newly designed wider air intakes along with the new LED headlights and tail lights that comes standard in the sedan. The rear profile of the new 4 Series has gone through a design update. BMW will offer the 4 Series in Coupe, Convertible as well as Gran Coupe versions. BMW also claims that the handling of the 4 Series has been improved with stiffer suspensions paired with high-performance tyres.

i8 Protonic Frozen Black Edition

BMW will be maintaining its tradition of bringing limited-edition models based on its hybrid i8 supercar. This time it's called the Protonic Frozen Black Edition, and as the name suggests it gets loads of black all over the exterior design. Even though it is a limited-edition model, this i8 does not look as special as the regular version. BMW has also said that once this model is rolled out at the motor show, the company will bring the i8 Protonic Frozen Yellow Edition.

Chevrolet

Camaro Track concept

The last time we told you about a fast Chevrolet Camaro, it was the 800PS/1017Nm supercharged fitted with a custom forged aluminium engine block along with a forged aluminum piston. This project was developed by Specialty Vehicle Engineering (SVE). However, this particular Camaro Track concept will be made by Chevrolet. The only bit, if generic info available about this special Camaro, is that it will combine the dynamics of track performance with the practicality of everyday driving. Whether it will be a performance pack or just drive modes will only be clear once Chevy gets the Track model.

Dendrobium

Hypercar

We will be seeing a new hypercar concept that has been designed in Singapore. Yup, that's very unusual. William F1's parent division Williams Advanced Engineering has collaborated with Vanda Electrics, a company that specialises in electric transportation, to make the Dendrobium EV. The electric hypercar is rumoured to produce around 500PS and do a 0-100kmph in about 2.6 seconds.

Ferrari

812 Superfast

The Ferrari F12M or the 812 Superfast will be an important model for the Italian manufacturer as it is believed to be the last naturally aspirated model. Seen as the possible replacement of the F12 Berlinetta, the Superfast gets the a spruced up version of the 780PS/705Nm making 6.3L V12 motor that also does work in the F12 tdf. The performance numbers too are expected to be as impressive as the limited run tdf models.

Jaguar

XF Sportbrake

The Jaguar XF Sportbrake is the British carmaker's answer to the BMW 5 Series Touring which also debuts at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. The new Jaguar XF Sportbrake retains all the engine options offered on the sedans. The previous model was powered by all-wheel drive diesel engines. The 2017 Jaguar XF Sportbrake will compete with the Audi A6 Avant and the Volvo V90 Cross Country. With the rising popularity of estates in Europe, the XF Sportbrake might help Jaguar get a sizeable portion of the segment.

I-Pace

The Jaguar I-Pace is the company's first all-electric performance SUV. It will compete with the likes of the Faraday Friday FF91 and the Tesla Model X. Though the latter models come with autonomous tech, the I-Pace is powered by two electric motors, one on the front and one on the rear, giving it all-wheel drive capability. The combined output from these motors is an impressive 400PS and 700Nm. The torque figure, in fact, is similar to that of the F-Pace SVR's motor. Jaguar claims the I-Pace can sprint from 0-100kmph in 4 seconds. More details on the Jaguar I-Pace here.

Kia Motors

New-gen Picanto

The third-generation Kia Picanto has gone through a design makeover along with the updates in cabin. It also features the new turbocharged 1.0-litre GDI motor that debuted in the international-spec Hyundai Grand i10. Powering the 2017 Kia Picanto will be three engine options. The first two - 1.0-litre and 1.25-litre naturally aspirated multi-point injection (MPI) engines - have been carried over from the outgoing model. The company said that both these motors have been tweaked to deliver better efficiency and driveability. The highlight, however, will be the new 100PS/172Nm 1.0-litre T-GDI turbocharged petrol motor. All the engines will be paired with a 5-speed manual transmission. More details on the new-gen Kia Picanto here.

Stinger

Kia Motors will be bringing its most powerful and premium offering, the Stinger, to the Geneva Motor Show. Based on the 2011 concept, the new-gen Kia Stinger looks all ready to take over competition from its European grand tourer segment rivals, especially BMW and Audi. At least from images, it looks a lot promising as the aggressive design teamed with upmarket-looking interiors seem to be a great combination. Will we see Kia cars coming to India? That's a yes but which models, in particular, is unclear. Let's hope if we can get more information from the motor show.

Land Rover

Defender

There isn't any substantial detail about the new-generation Land Rover Defender except for the fact that it will enter production after a year. However, we expect Land Rover to drop a hint of things to expect from the new-generation SUV. A design sketch perhaps. Let's not speculate much and wait for stronger details from the motor show.

Range Rover Velar

The new SUV that is expected to be present at the Land Rover's pavilion will be called the Range Rover Sport Coupe or Velar. The later in Italian means 'veil' or 'cover'. The name dates back to the 1960s when Land Rover started developing early Range Rover prototypes under the project name Velar. The Land Rover Velar will be taking on the likes of the BMW X6 and the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe. However, we expect it to mainly compete with the Porsche Macan post its global launch. The upcoming Land Rover Velar gets a lightweight aluminium body similar to that of the Range Rover Sport and Jaguar F-Pace. The SUV will be assembled at the Solihull plant in West Midlands, England. More details on the Land Rover Velar here.

Lamborghini

Huracan Performante

Lamborghini is gearing up its most radical version of the Huracan, called the Huracan Performante that debuts at the motor show. The Performante, as claimed by Lamborghini, might be the fastest sportscar on the Nurburgring. The Lamborghini Performante weighs 40kg lighter than the regular Huracan. This was achieved by employing a new exhaust system that itself contributes to 11kg. In addition, the Performante will come with forged carbon composite along with a new rear wing, both have which contributed to the weight reduction of the sportscar. More details on the upcoming Lamborghini Huracan Performante here.

Lexus

LS 500h

Toyota has confirmed that the Japanese car manufacturer will bring in the twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 petrol motor-powered LS 500h. This will the company's flagship sedan and is expected to arrive at international dealerships later this year. Lexus is also bringing the 2017 RC F GT3 racing car along with the LC, RC, RC F, RX and the NX line-up of models.

McLaren

P14

The new supercar, tentatively called the McLaren 720S, will be based on an all-new carbon-fibre Monocage II body structure. Built under the project name McLaren P14, McLaren states that the ultra-lightweight, carbon-fibre central structure of the new super series will be more rigid and weigh less than the carbon-fibre and metal cockpit architecture of the first-generation Super Series. The Monocage II, as McLaren calls the new platform, contributes to a dry weight of 1,283kg for the upcoming supercar that makes it 18kg lighter than a similar -pecked McLaren 650S. More details on the McLaren P14 here.

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Maybach G 650 Landaulet

This the G 650 Landaulet will be the first off-roader from the Mercedes-Maybach brand. It will be offered in AMG G 63 6x6 and G 500 4x4 versions. A total of 99 units of this off-road luxury monster will be rolled out.

Mercedes-AMG E 63 estate

That's the new Mercedes-AMG E63 estate. And yes, it won't be coming to India anytime soon. However, the 4.0?litre V8 biturbo engine puts out 612PS/850Nm and can do an acceleration 0f to 100kmph in 3.5 seconds, claims the company. The motor is mated to a 9-speed dual-clutch transmission.

E-Class Convertible

The 87th edition motor show will see a world premiere of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet. The open four-seater is the fifth member of the German car manufacturer's model range.

Mitsubishi

Eclipse Cross

Mitsubishi is bringing an all-new SUV, Eclipse Cross, which will be positioned between the ASX (also known as the Outlander Sport) and the Outlander. The new-age Mitsubishi SUV will bridge the large price gap between these two SUVs. Whether Mitsubishi plans to equip the Eclipse Cross with a plug-in hybrid too is something that would be cleared at the time of its production debut. It is very likely that Mitsubishi will offer conventional engine options on the Eclipse Cross, similar to that of the ASX with a different state of tune.

Nissan

Qashqai facelift

Nissan's popular crossover, the Qashqai, will be getting a facelift and the same is expected to be showcased at the Geneva Motor Show. The changes, at least from the spied images, aren't substantially different from the Qashqai's current form. It is believed that the facelifted model will draw inspiration from the Qashqai Premium Concept that was shown at the last year's motor show. We don't expect the mechanicals to get any update except for the ProPilot autonomous tech.

Pagani

Huayra Roadster

The roadster version of the Pagani Huayra will finally make a debut after it was first showcased at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. Measuring 80kg lighter than the coupe, the Huayra Roadster is powered by the Mercedes-AMG 6.0-litre V12 engine. This motor puts out 765PS and 1,000Nm that is mated to a 7-speed automated manual transmission. Pagani states that the suspension of the Roadster model is 25 per cent lighter than the coupe.

Porsche

911 GT3 facelift

Image source: Paultan

The facelifted Porsche 911 GT3 gets a styling revision in the form of more aggressive air intakes, front spoiler and LED lights. It also gets an updated diffuser at the rear. The 911 GT3 facelift gets subtle additions and updates over the previous model. The new GT3 gets a large rear wing along with centrally positioned twin exhausts. Under the hood, the Porsche 911 GT3 facelift continues to be powered by the naturally aspirated 3.8-litre motor that does duty in the current model. This motor puts out 467PS and 440Nm and do a claimed 0 to 100kmph acceleration in 3.5 seconds. The 911 GT3 can do a top whack of 315kmph.

Panamera Sport Turismo

The new Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo has already been doing rounds on the Nurburgring circuit, clocking faster laps than the previous model. The updated design seems to take inspiration from the concept shown at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. There won't be any major changes except for a longer roofline, a large rear spoiler and also a brake light. Details on the powertrain doing duty in the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo will only be out at the motor show.

SsangYong

XAVL concept

We have seen interesting concepts from SsangYong in the past and this year too we will get to see some more. The first of which will be the "eXciting Authentic Vehicle Long (XAVL) SUV" concept. This one is built on the concept that SsangYong has showcased at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. The XAVL is believed to be a 7-seater SUV that will be the flagship offering. The production version of the SsangYong XAVL concept is expected to arrive in early 2019.

Skoda

Kodiaq Scout

The Kodiaq is an important SUV for Skoda for multiple reasons. Based on the group's MQB platform, it will be a flagship 7-seater offering. The petrol variants will be powered by a turbocharged 1.8-litre motor, whereas the diesel versions will make use of a 2-litre unit that puts out 177PS/350Nm in the Superb. The Skoda Kodiaq will be launched in India later this year. It will compete with the Ford Endeavour and new Toyota Fortuner. Additionally, it is for the first time that Skoda enters the premium car segment. We hope to get information on pricing for the India-spec model at the launch.

Suzuki

New-gen Swift

The new-generation Suzuki Swift that was revealed globally last year will be showcased at the motor show. It gets new projector headlamps, with LED DRLs, which are sleeker than the previous-generation Swift and the large Audi-like hexagonal grille. All this lends the Swift a new face. The updated Swift rides on the same platform that also underpins the Baleno. In India Maruti is expected to employ the same 84.3PS/115Nm 1.2-litre K-Series petrol motor and the 75PS/190Nm 1.3-litre DDiS diesel engine. The feature list of the new-gen Swift also includes Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto-compatible infotainment system. More details on the new-gen Suzuki Swift here.

Subaru

XV

Subaru has already released a teaser image of its upcoming new-generation XV crossover. It will be based on the Subaru Global Platform that was unveiled last year. Subaru states that the new platform will offer better straight-line stability due to an increase in rigidity, which is 70 to 100 per cent more than the existing models. The new-gen Subaru XV is expected to get a tweaked version of the 2.0-litre petrol and turbodiesel engines. It is also believed that Subaru will offer a new hybrid powertrain in the new-gen XV crossover.

Tata Motors

Nexon

We believe Tata Motors will choose the motor show as a global platform to unveil the production version of its most anticipated crossover, the Nexon. The Indian automobile manufacturer had already showcased the concept at the 2016 Auto Expo. It has been already confirmed that the Nexon will get new-gen petrol and diesel engines with a choice between manual and automatic gearbox. The Tata Nexon will be riding on a modified version of the X1 platform that does duty under the Tata Bolt and the Zest.
The Tata Nexon will rival the likes of the Ford EcoSport and the Mahindra TUV300. More details of the Tata Nexon here.

Tamo Hybrid Sportcar

Earlier this month, Tata Motors unveiled its performance sports sub-brand Tamo which is a shortened version of Tata Motors. A glimpse of the first Tamo product that will be a mid-engined two-seater sportscar will be shown at the motor show. It has been speculated that the car would be called Tamo Futuro. The Tamo Futuro will be based on a new platform and has been co-developed by the Tata Motors European Technical Centre (TMETC) and Engine Research Centre (ERC). The Futuro will be powered by a bigger Revotron motor that is expected to produce a not-so-significant (for a sportscar) 200PS. All details of the Tamo Futuro here.

X451 hatchback

Tata Motors will showcase an all-new generation hatchback code-named the X451 premium hatchback that will take on the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno and the Hyundai Elite i20. The Tata X451 is a ground-up design. As seen in our artist's impression of the car, the X451 will have a design language similar to the Nexon. Inspired from the upcoming compact crossover Nexon, the X451 will wear sleek headlamps with projector beam lamps and low-set fog lights. More details of the Tata X451 Hatchback.

Volkswagen

Arteon

The Volkswagen Arteon is the brand's latest premium saloon and is likely to replace the ageing Phaeton. Unlike the Chinese-only Phideon saloon, this one is going to different countries. It might also make its way down to India. VW had already released one teaser image of the car which shows its side profile. It showcases the coupe-like roof, sharp window line, wraparound tail lamps and what looks like 19-inch wheels. Volkswagen hasn't released any other details about the car, but expecting its vision of electrifying the range pretty soon, there will be a plug-in hybrid and also a full electric option. More details about the upcoming Volkswagen Arteon here.

Up! GTi

That's right, Volkswagen is bringing an enthusiastic version of its Up! hatchback and it also wear the GTi badge. The newly developed 3-cylinder motor puts out 88PS, which is 13PS more than the regular version, while the GTi-badged Up! will make around 118PS. Test mules have already started doing rounds on the Nurburgring track clocking 100kmph in 8 seconds and reaching a maximum speed of over 200kmph. We will be bringing more details from the motor show.

Volvo

XC60

Image source: Carscoops

The new-gen Volvo XC60 - like the all-new XC90, S90 and the V90 - will be based on the lighter, more-efficient but compact version of the Scalable Product Architecture. The new-gen Volvo XC60 will take styling inspiration from its elder siblings and will also sport the futuristic Thor hammer LED lights along with the chrome grille. Volvo might also introduce new turbocharged engines in the Volvo XC60. It is also being said that Volvo will bring in a T8 plug-in hybrid variant. More details of the Volvo XC60 here.

XC40/S40

Remember the 40.1 and the 40.2 concepts that Volvo has showcased? The company is expected to bring in the production versions based on the same concept. The 40.1 concept will take the shape of a crossover XC40, whereas the 40.2 concept is believed to be a notchback that could form the S40 compact luxury sedan. Both the concepts are based on a Compact Modular Architecture. Their primary targets will be the compact luxury models from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, viz. the A3/Q3, 2 Series and CLA-Class/GLA-Class. More details of the Volvo Xc40/S40 here.

Read more stories on the 2017 Geneva Motor Show here.