Future Car Preview

Tata always intended to sell a “proper” version of the tub-on-wheels Nano in European countries. The fact that the upgraded version actually looks nice is always a good sign that it might do well.

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Aston Martin made a big deal out of reviving their dormant Lagonda nameplate, to be slapped onto a new set of luxury models. At the 2009 Geneva Auto Show, it turns out their first model will be a crossover SUV, as hinted by this concept. While no one ever asked for an Aston Martin SUV, it looks set to become a hall-of-shame hit alongside the likes of best-sellers such as the Porsche Cayenne and the BMW X6.

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The American Chevrolet Volt has already been revealed, not quite ready, but confirming its final form when it does hit production in 2010. Now Opel, GM’s European arm, has revealed its own version of the Volt, calling it the Opel Ampera. While the play on the name is amusing, what is more interesting is the Ampera, just like the Volt, claims an electric-only range of 60 km, with a total range of 500 km aided by a small petrol engine.

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Mercedes-Benz has revealed that they are working on a new supercar called the SLS AMG. Announced at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show, the German manufacturer has confirmed that the car will feature gullwing doors similar to the classic 1950s 300SL, which eventually evolved into today’s SL-Class.

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The 2010 Toyota Camry will be out in the GCC by summer. The Camry models that come here are built in Australia, and now, that factory will add a hybrid model to their line-up. To celebrate the hybrid version of the Camry, Toyota Australia created this one-off concept for the 2009 Melbourne Auto Show, called the HC-CV.

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The 2010 Hyundai Equus supersized luxury sedan has been previewed in Korea, with early photos revealed on the web. Hyundai also says that plans are underway to see if the Equus will be sold in international markets.

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Rolls-Royce has released brief details and photos of its smaller new ‘RR4’ model. Dubbed the 200EX for now, the baby Rolls-Royce seen here is still in concept form, but the final production version should be almost the same as this one, with a traditional name. And it is still a very large full-size car.

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BMW seems to be hell-bent on creating cars that no one asked for. After the X6 and the X1, the latest example is the 2010 BMW 5-Series Gran Touring, to be shown at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show in near-production concept form. As with many previous BMW concepts, the confused car-crossover is a done deal for production.

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About a year ago, some research company contacted me to discuss the Hyundai Genesis and how it would fit in the GCC car market, while Korean executives directly from Hyundai viewed my opinions from another room, with no involvement from local dealers. Anyway, I told them that no one would pay much more than Dhs 100,000 for a Hyundai sedan in this region, no matter how good it might be. I said to work on building their brand image first, or to create a separate luxury brand for the Genesis. I told them to price the fully-optioned V8 Genesis at Dhs 130,000 maximum.

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The 2009 Detroit Auto Show, also known as the North American International Auto Show, is in full swing. Being among the largest shows of its kind, it suffered its own minor recession when some manufacturers pulled out, but there are still enough new car launches to keep it interesting. Following is a quick look at all the fresh models.

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