Cars of 2008



The engineers and designers at Lexus continue to use their groundbreaking LF-A premium sports car concept as a medium for expressing their ideas about what a high-performance sporting vehicle not only can be, but should be. In this latest expression of the LF-A, they have removed the car's top to create a high-performance roadster.
The LF-A Roadster is based on the sturdy yet lightweight carbon-fiber and aluminum body used for the LF-A coupe, which helps maintain the structure's strength and rigidity even without a top.



With the Suzuki Splash, a new fresh and exciting small passenger car, Suzuki Motor Corporation intends to gain a significant market share in this growing market segment in Europe. The new flexible compact car combines the sportiness of Suzuki's successful model Swift with the technologies and immense know-how of the Japanese world market leader in the mini car segment. The Suzuki Splash is not the successor of any specific former Suzuki model, but a brand-new concept to satisfy the needs of demanding European customers in terms of roominess, compactness, modern design, aerodynamics, quality, driveability, performance and environmental friendliness. The safety equipment encompasses state-of-the-art features such as six airbags and an Electronic Stability Program (ESP®). It looks fresh, energetic, juvenile and emotional and thereby underlines the aspiration of its name Splash. Within the global growth strategy of Suzuki, the Suzuki Splash is already the fourth entirely new model within three years after the launch of Swift, Grand Vitara and SX4 which all embody Suzuki's unique 'Way of Life!'-philosophy



Clearly a Lamborghini, but nothing quite like it. A super car without equals: the Lamborghini Reventón is a road vehicle with an extreme specification and, at the same time, a limited edition masterpiece - a coherent style, angular with sharp lines, inspired by the very latest aeronautics.



The front seats are sculpted and conform to the body, and a driver's seat height adjuster is standard for optimised seat position and comfort. Sahara and Rubicon models feature cloth seats with YES Essentials fabric - an easy-care, soil-repellent and anti-microbial textile that protects seats from stains, odours and discolouration.



* Removable doors - easily removable pins in the exposed hinges allow the doors to be removed quickly - an appreciated feature of many serious off-roaders
* Removable fender flares - attached with quarter-turn quick-release fasteners, the composite fender flares can be quickly removed for additional trail/rock clearance, or if the flare is damaged during off-road driving

Cars of 2009



The 2009 Tokyo Motor Show will mark the debut of the Honda Skydeck Concept, an innovative 6-seater hybrid MPV. This is still a design study, but is a great example of how Honda's IMA technology can be placed in a range of different cars for different needs. To give the Honda Skydeck Concept the practicality of a conventional MPV, many of the hybrid system components - including the high power battery - are housed in the car's centre tunnel (rather than behind the rear seats or under the floor, as with previous production hybrids). This allows for greater cabin space, and the room for three rows of two seats. It also gives a lower centre of gravity.



The new seven-seater Hyundai ix55 luxury utility vehicle made its European debut at the 2008 Paris Mondial de l'Automobile. The flagship Hyundai ix55 sits ahead of the current Tucson and Santa Fe models and effectively completes the company's dynamic and engaging SUV range. Based on the acclaimed Hyundai Veracruz from the North American market, ix55 has undergone an extensive redevelopment program to prepare it for the European market. The single-model line-up is powered by a sparkling new V6 CRDi turbo diesel engine mated to a slick six-speed automatic transmission. Both the diesel power plant and the gearbox are firsts for Hyundai, and the refined and powerful V6 diesel power train has been tuned specifically for the European market.



* The top of the dashboard is movable up and down to provide an optimal driving environment for the driver according to driving conditions.
* A flat floor in the rear seat was achieved even with the implementation of AWD, for improved use and movement inside the cabin.
* Specialized shielding is incorporated in the windshield to reduce eyestrain on the driver.
* New leather covering developed with superior breathability and a ventilation function is used in the seats for improved comfort and texture.



To enhance the highly successful Mazda RX-8, Mazda engineers focused on innovation in three key areas for the new Mazda RX-8: styling, performance and packaging. "The enhancements made to Mazda RX-8's exterior, interior, packaging and performance takes it to a whole new level of visual and driving excitement," remarked Nakazawa.

2010 carz



The all-new 2010 Acura ZDX four-door sports coupe will arrive this winter at Acura dealerships with dramatic styling, outstanding performance and the latest in advanced technology. The segment bending Acura ZDX features stunning coupe-like styling with the added benefit of a commanding presence and flexible utility. Staying true to the prototype model that debuted at the 2009 New York International Auto Show in April, the production Acura ZDX will feature the key design highlights of a panoramic glass roof, hidden rear door handles and bold fender flares.



The world premiere of the Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde with 170 hp 1.4 MultiAir TBi takes place at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. The exclusive trim brings back a legendary symbol that over the years has appeared on some of Alfa Romeo's sportiest cars. Having always been synonymous with heritage, racing and victory, the "Quadrifoglio Verde" (four-leaf clover) now represents a new kind of sportiness that combines maximum driving pleasure with improved environmental qualities.



The latest incarnation of the Vantage family has been designed to provide a unique character, appealing to different driver tastes and complementing the other models in the current Aston Martin line-up.



With the performance and durability phase of the Aston Martin One-77's intensive development programme soon to commence, the 79th Geneva Auto Salon provides the perfect stage on which to reveal the remarkable engineering, advanced technology and exotic materials that lie beneath the Aston Martin One-77's extraordinary exterior.



The standard Drive Dynamic Control function is another BMW roadster first and allows the driver to alter the chassis configuration to suit their needs. Now the vehicle has the capability to morph between comfortable yet sporty cruiser through to outright performance car. Depending on model specification, the throttle and steering response, level of ride comfort, Dynamic Stability Control response and, on automatic or Double Clutch Transmission cars, gear change times can all be altered.



he Bentley Continental Supersports is the fastest and most powerful Bentley ever. It is the extreme Bentley, a muscular two-seater that delivers supercar performance and a highly focused driving experience. The Bentley Continental Supersports is also the first Bentley capable of running on both petrol (gasoline) and biofuel, pioneering the use of FlexFuel technology in the luxury sector. This represents stage one of the company's commitment to make its complete model range compatible with renewable fuels by 2012. Available worldwide from autumn 2009, the Bentley Continental Supersports will be FlexFuel compatible in the majority of markets from launch with North American cars offering the capability by summer 2010, following regulatory approval.



Although the Honda Insight design team started with a blank piece of paper - in that this was a brand new model with no history - they faced many challenges in creating the exterior appearance of the Honda Insight.
On the one hand, as a low emission hybrid car, it had to express environmental credentials - it had to look like a 'green' car - but on the other hand it had to appear dynamic and fun to drive; part of Honda's key design principles. Above all, in line with the positioning of Honda Insight, the design had to appeal to a broad range of people.
"We wanted the car to be widely accepted," says Creative Chief Designer, Motoaki Minowa. "If we just created an environmentally-friendly car it could have looked dull, or boring. We wanted to insert a sporty factor to make the car more appealing - and after all, sportiness is in Honda's DNA.