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2005 Geneva Auto Show:
Car Shows European Style (continued) |
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Not to be outdone, Ferrari's trotted out the F430 Spider, a 483-horse, open-top version of the prancing horse's entry-level sports car. With a 0-60 time of 4.1 seconds, the Spider doesn't dilute the hardtop's sporting character at all.
And finally, Aston Martin's long-promised 911-fighter made its debut here. Perfect for James Bond on a budget, the entry-level Aston is expected to carry a pricetag of $120,000. Smaller and lighter than its siblings, the two-seater V8 Vantage eschews the usual vestigial rear seats for a trimmer size and near-perfect 49/51 weight distribution. Boasting 380 horses under the sculpted hood, the Vantage should manage performance (0-60 in 4.8 seconds) similar to the Carrera S.
And for those with oodles of dough and a family to transport, three ultra-lux sedans met the plebian public. The Rolls Royce Phantom LWB (Long WheelBase) adds an extra ten inches of rear seat room-actually accentuating the car's profile-for a $56,000 premium over the base car's $329,000.
For another take on automotive prosperity, examine the after-effects of the corporate surgery that separated Siamese-twin Bentley from Rolls. At $159,000, the sleek and sporty new Flying Spur is a total departure from the direction Rolls has taken. Essentially a four-door version of the runaway hit Continental GT, this sedan makes 552 horsepower from its turbo V12. All-wheel-drive keeps the car stable all the way up to the 195 m.p.h.
Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz's resurrected Maybach brand presented the 57S, the high-performance version of the short-wheelbase car. With a startling 604 horsepower and 738 lb/ft of torque from the AMG-sourced twin-turbo V12, this German land-yacht is made to accelerate and handle like a Porsche. The interior remains replete with luxury features even your house lacks-if you've never sat in one, you can't imagine the sheer opulence four hundred grand can buy. NBA ballers and rap superstars rejoice; your rides are here.
Of course, even the working class needs wheels. Not quite as sexy as the high-end Brits and Germans models, the new Rio5 is nonetheless bound to sell in numbers that'll far eclipse the above vehicles. Another model in the increasingly popular five-door-hatch configuration, the taller, wider Rio5 promises good interior space in a package that's ultimately shorter than the previous Rio. Motivated by a 1.6-liter four-banger, the Rio promises frugality and economy-and if quality is on par with recent entries from the Korean upstart automaker, it could be quite a value.
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