If you’ve got too much money to spare and too few supercars in your garage, you may be interested to see what new kinds of bling machines Porsche, McLaren and Lamborghini brought to the Geneva Motor Show.
Between winged doors and pure horsepower, there was no shortage of lightning-fast sports cars and luxurious SUVs for those looking to splurge.
THE MOST EXPENSIVE: ASTON MARTIN VALKYRIE
Aston Martin, a brand renowned not least for its regular roles in James Bond films, is set to bring Formula 1 technology to the streets. The technical know-how for the Valkyrie is provided by the Red Bull Formula 1 racing team, but the British automaker has yet to make public any technical specs.
Even so, a spokesperson has suggested performance of 1 horsepower per kilogram, which could mean around 1,000 horsepower for a vehicle expected to weigh between 900 and 1,000 kilograms.
Meanwhile, the price is said to lie between two and three million pounds – that is, up to 4.25 million dollars. Don’t get your heart set on one just yet, though: all 150 planned models are already sold out, with the first deliveries scheduled for 2019.
THE FASTEST LUXURY: BENTLEY CONTINENTAL AS COUPE AND CONVERTIBLE
The Bentley Continental, a four-seat saloon from the British VW subsidiary, has been unveiled as both a coupe and a convertible, each powered by a six-litre double-charged W12 engine with 710 hp.
With the coupe having a top speed of 336 kilometres per hour and the convertible a tad slower at 330 km/h, Bentley has boasted of creating the fastest luxury four-seater and four-seat convertible in the world. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h will take 3.5 seconds for the coupé and 3.9 seconds for the convertible, while prices will start at about 280,000 dollars and 310,000 dollars, respectively.
THE WING-DOORED WONDER: MCLAREN 720S
McLaren has revealed its new super series in Geneva: the successor to the 650S will be called the 720S and, according to the manufacturer, will hit markets in mid-2017 at prices starting at about 260,000 dollars.
The two-seat carbon coupe features wing doors with hinges pushed further up into the roof, and its name hints at its impressive performance figures: the new 4.0-litre V8 turbo comes in at 720 hp, with acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 341 km/h.
The larger door sections are designed to facilitate entering the vehicle and also require less space on either side of the car when opening the doors and exiting.
BETWEEN THE EVERYDAY AND THE RACE TRACK: PORSCHE 911 GT3
With the 911 GT3, Porsche is looking to strike a balance between everyday tasks and trips to the race track. With its massive carbon rear wing, the GT3 is designed as a two-seater with hidden rear seat recesses.
The 4.0-litre six-cylinder boxer engine boasts 500 hp at 8,250 revolutions per minute. Compared to the 911 Carrera S, the GT3’s sports suspension moves the car 25 millimetres closer to the asphalt.
Top speeds are 318 km/h with a standard seven-speed dual clutch transmission, or 320 km/h with an optional gear shifter and six gears. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes 3.4 seconds for the automatic transmission, and 3.9 seconds for the manual. The new Porsche will start at about 160,000 dollars and will make its market debut in mid-May.
THE RECORD-SETTER: LAMBORGHINI HURACAN PERFORMANTE
Lamborghini’s new Huracan Performante is entirely focused on performance and sleek styling. According the Italian automaker, in a test drive on the famous Nuerburgring race track in southern Germany, the car set a new track record for a production model.
The 5.2-litre Lamborghini V8 engine brings 640 hp to the track, with a sprint from 0 to 200 km/h – yes, 200 km/h – taking just 8.9 seconds. The shorter 0 to 100 km/h sprint will take a mere 2.9 seconds.
At the same time, perforated carbon-ceramic brake discs bring the Huracan Performante from 100 km/h to a standstill in only 31 metres. Lamborghini has stated that the new model’s top speed will be in excess of 325 km/h. The all-wheel-drive speedster will start at a price tag of some 246,000 dollars.
THE LUXURY SUV: MAYBACH LANDAULET
At the Geneva Motor Show, the Mercedes G-Class is better known as the Maybach Landaulet. The ultra-luxury Mercedes brand has extended the wheelbase of the SUV by 58 centimetres, which allows for two reclining seats and plenty of legroom in the back seat.
An electric soft top sits above the rear seats, and can be folded up in just 30 seconds. The 5.35-metre long Maybach G650 Landaulet is powered by a V12 engine with 630 hp and has almost half a metre of ground clearance.
At the push of a button, a glass divider can come up to separate the driver from the rear passengers, and a further push can tint the glass. The overall production total of just 99 vehicles is as good as sold according to company data, at prices of about 795,000 dollars. (DPA)
