The best cars at Beijing Motor Show 2012
If there’s been a common theme running through recent international motor shows, that theme has been green. Hybrids, electric cars and all manner of innovative efficiency improvements for our old friend the internal combustion engine have packed the stands.
In light of this apparent obsession on the environment that the car industry’s been exhibiting of late, Beijing 2012 has come as quite a surprise. There are plenty of economy-focused offerings, of course, but we’ve also been treated to a series of headline-grabbing cars that major in obscene power, unbridled luxury or both. To be honest, the optimism and extravagance around this Beijing show made a nice change.
Just when you thought that the Range Rover Evoque had dominated all the headlines and won all the awards that it was going to, the marketing men struck again at Beijing. We were treated to this limited-edition model designed with the help of Victoria Beckham.
Only 200 of these opulently specified cars will be built. They’re all based on the Evoque’s three-door coupe bodystyle and the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine. Prices open in the region of €100,000.
The number of high-end car brands that don’t have an SUV on sale or in the pipeline is getting conspicuously small. The latest to take the luxury 4×4 plunge was Lamborghini and it hasn’t held much back with the 600hp Urus. It’s just a concept at present but Lamborghini is planning on selling 3,000 of these monsters a year from 2016.
Here’s one by China’s growing band of home-grown car manufacturers. The Lithia is a sharply styled, all-electric sports car by CH Auto. Do we detect a hint of Audi R8 about those side vents?
This one makes the Lamborghini Urus look sensible. It’s another super-SUV, this time with a twin-turbo V8 delivering over 600hp and a €300,000 price tag. The car is based on Porsche’s Cayenne Turbo but with extensive modifications including one of the most tasteless steering wheels yet conceived by man.
The idea behind the Ghost Six Senses concept from Rolls-Royce is that it employs the highest quality materials to stimulate every sense. It certainly sounds good and the walnut and leather-lined reality must be even better. An upgraded stereo system, a bespoke luggage set and etched champagne flutes come as standard.
The Honda range could use a breath of fresh air and the Concept S looks well-equipped to provide it. The car hints at a new compact car that will be sold in emerging markets around the globe. Power comes from a hybrid system promising strong fuel economy.
Mercedes is hoping to replicate the success of its CLS four-door coupe with a compact car. The CSC concept shown at Beijing points the way to the CLA production car that will challenge sportier versions of Audi’s A3 and BMW’s 1 Series.
The DS range has been successful in rejuvenating Citroen’s brand image and the Numero 9 concept shown at Beijing 2012 suggests that it could soon be getting a luxury flagship model, and a rather handsome one at that. With 21-inch wheels, a glass roof and measuring nearly five metres long, the car has made a big impact on the Citroen stand.
In celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee this year, Bentley is building 60 of these very special Mulsannes, one for each year she’s spent on the British throne. The cars have a suitably lavish specification including gold-stitched leather and veneered tables with a design depicting the royal carriage on them. There are even some very fetching cushions to make the rear seats cosier.
Power comes from the Mulsanne’s 6.75-litre V8 and prices will certainly top the €275,000 needed for a standard car.
You can bet that the forthcoming Volkswagen Beetle Convertible will look a lot like this E-Bugster concept from Beijing. The electric concept car is a folding roofed version of the E-Bugster first shown at Detroit and shares the sleeker looks through which the Beetle is looking to gain a more up-to-date image.
The high performance Audi RS range is expanding again. This time it’s the Q3 compact SUV that’s getting the treatment and true to form, Audi has gone the whole hog. The car’s got 360hp pumping from a 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine, which is enough to take the car to 62mph in 5.2s. Also featuring are the S-Tronic dual-clutch transmission system and a full RS bodykit.
MG is going places under its new Chinese-owned guise and the Icon showcases that ambition. It’s been conceived as a rival for Nissan’s trend-setting Juke supermini-sized crossover, a car which seems to have influenced the Icon’s designers quite heavily.
A GTS version of the latest Porsche Cayenne was on show at Beijing with a 20hp power advantage over the standard Cayenne S model. The GTS takes a more hardcore approach with ECU remapping designed to give a sharper throttle response, lowered suspension and active dampers as standard.
BMW’s forthcoming range of lightweight i-badged eco cars was plugged again at Beijing by this i8 Spyder concept. Using BMW’s latest EfficientDynamics engine technology and advanced carbonfibre construction, it’s a hybrid sports car with an eco-conscience.
One of the most luxurious cars the British marque has ever built took pride of place on the Jaguar stand at Beijing 2012. The long wheelbase XJ Ultimate is targeted at the international jet set and features fully adjustable rear seats, a champagne chiller and a 15-channel 20-speaker surround sound stereo.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Nissan’s ESFlow concept but it’s a fine piece of design that’s worth a second look. Powered by an electric motor, it gives a glimpse of what a future successor to the 370Z coupe might look like.
This is Fiat’s version of the Dodge Dart compact saloon, a car the Italian marque hopes will give it a foothold in the important Chinese market.
One of the most adventurous concept cars at Beijing came courtesy of Chinese manufacturer Chery. The @Ant is actually a road train system which allows cars to connect together to save fuel then decouple at will. The cars communicate with each other to find others that are heading in the same direction then link up to share the workload. Up to ten @Ants can join together in a single train.
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