The recessionary pressure is bearing down on auto makers and that means that they have bare minimum marketing budgets. This translates into really bad news for the international auto show circuit which has already seen some cancellations. Now the 2010 British International Motor Show (BIMS) has been called off. England’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the official body that runs the event has communicated via an official release that the “economic downturn and unprecedented challenges facing the auto industry, both in the UK and around the world, have made it impossible for exhibitors to commit to a 2010 event”.

The BIMS is one of the world’s oldest auto shows, first held at London’s Crystal Palace all the way back in 1903. Another worrying factor for the auto show is that SMMT has shut its exhibitions department altogether which may mean that the show might not come back even when times get better. The problem is not entirely based on disinterest of exhibitors but also diminishing interest of show goers. Last year’s show had only 472,300 visitors, down from a high of 709,422 ten years earlier. That shows that since people have delayed vehicle buying decisions they are less keen on visiting auto shows. A row of auto manufacturers including Porsche, Volvo, Nissan, Ferrari and Rolls-Royce have already pulled out of many of next year’s auto events while many other auto shows are struggling to stay afloat.

Volkswagen AG of Germany and the Toshiba Corporation of Japan have inked a deal in Wolfsburg, Germany today under which they will jointly develop modern electric drive units and the accompanying power electronics for Volkswagen’s new range of electric vehicles. The two companies will also develop lighter and more efficient lithium-ion battery packs which can make electric vehicles more practical and convenient for various commuting needs. Volkswagen’s new generation of electric cars will all be developed using Toshiba’s proven expertise in electric systems. The chairman of the board of management at Volkswagen AG, Prof. Dr Martin Winterkorn, said “Volkswagen is forging ahead with the development of future drive technologies in many different areas. In order to further strengthen our position, Volkswagen is investing in the long term and is offering cooperation projects to other companies. One of the important components in this context is the cooperation with Toshiba. I am convinced that this will be a major step forward towards the development of series production electric vehicles for our customers.”

Volkswagen’s growing strength is evident in the way the company is investing in research and development and this joint initiative is a point in case. The alliance is likely to yield rich dividends for both partners in the future which is leading to environment friendly mobility.

Alfa Romeo will unveil the sport variant of the uber cool MiTo hatch, dubbed the MiTo GTA at next month’s Geneva Motor Show. The concept which will be displayed at the show is likely to go into production with almost the same specifications and looks, by mid 2009. Though some find the standard MiTo’s styling odd the car does have an air of exclusivity around it. The GTA version is a whole new beast altogether and looks ravishing from all angles except head-on. The sports hatch looks a stunner from the rear with those wide section tyres, large diameter dual exhausts complimenting the squat look.

The stylish hatch will be powered by a new 1.75 litre direct injection turbo petrol engine with 240 bhp, developed by Fiat Powertrain Technologies. GTA stands for Gran Turismo Alleggerito (Alleggerito means reduced weight in Italian), thus the car features many weight saving measures for improved power-to-weight ratio. That coupled with lowered centre of gravity, increased downforce through a carbon-fibre tailgate spoiler, roof and mirror fairings make the MiTo GTA an able performer.
Other upgrades include revised suspension setup which now includes an active suspension management system with advanced damper control and improved under-body aerodynamics.

Safety kit is extensive and includes multiple airbags, ABS, ESP and EBD as standard. The Alfa Romeo MiTo GTA would compete head on with the Mini Cooper JCW when it is launched in the middle of this year in Europe.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars will debut their latest experimental car, called 200EX and also known as the ‘Baby Rolls’ at the Geneva Motor Show on 3rd March 2009. The 200 EX is a design study which will lead to a contemporary four-door saloon named RR4, and will be positioned as the entry level Rolls-Royce. The relatively compact Rolls-Royce 200 EX is expected to go into production as the RR4 by 2010.

Many camouflaged test cars have already been spotted undergoing testing so the 2010 date seems very possible.
The baby rolls is not that little with a length of 5.4 metres and width of 1.95 metres. Also, it will be powered by a new V12 engine, which will give it long legs and owners some ego boost.

Rolls-Royce has tried to blend in effortless performance, unparalleled refinement, exquisite quality and confident design in the 200EX and the saloon is expected to be the best value Rolls-Royce ever. The concept follows the traditional Rolls-Royce design theme including the grille with the Spirit of Ecstasy, elevated prow, long bonnet, short front overhang, sharply raked A-pillar, rear hinged coach doors etc. The car is immediately recognizable as a Rolls-Royce.

The LED headlamps look arresting as do the 20 inch seven spoke wheels. The interior abounds with quality hide, chrome and wood veneer along with Cornsilk carpets and cashmere blend headliner making it a really plush place to park your rear in. More details are expected at the Geneva Motor Show.

The Maybach never got the response the company expected and many even labelled it as a bloated S-Class. So even though this is not an ideal time to launch a super luxury car, Maybach will launch the Zeppelin edition of the 57 and 62 sedans. The Zeppelin nameplate was earlier used by Maybach from 1928-1934 on its top of the line cars and its comeback might just bring some excitement back into the marque.

To be unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, the Maybach Zeppelin will feature a host of exclusive luxuries such as lavish ‘California beige’ interiors with black lining, piano black highlights, silver champagne glasses with engraved Zeppelin logo and an acrylic ball that infuses a fragrance in the cabin at the push of a button (comes in two fragrances and custom ones which cost $2,500 each). On the outside the Maybach Zeppelin with be painted in two-tone finish, ‘Rocky Mountain’ light brown on the top with ‘Taiga Black’ below. This along with new rear view mirrors and 20 inch dark chrome wheels make the Zeppelin look like a more exclusive Maybach.

The luxury yatch on wheels will be get an up rated version of the familiar 6.0 litre V12 twin-turbo engine which will produce 640hp (20 bhp more than the standard) and a whopping 1,000 Nm of torque.

Maybach will produce 100 numbers of the Zeppelin but considering the current scenario that might take a long time to reach. Prices for the Zeppelins (in Europe) will start at about $524,000 for the 57 and $610,000 for the elongated 62. Bookings start on debut in March’ 09 with first deliveries expected by September’ 09.

Mercedes-Benz is well know making solid built cars with bullet proof reliability. In a bid to make you feel even safer, the company and has unveiled an armoured E-Guard variant of the new E-Class. Soon to be a favourite with corporate honchos, movie stars and politicians the Mercedes-Benz E-Guard employs a host of safety measures to keep the occupants safely cacooned in the case of any eventuality like an assault, assasination attempt or even a terror strike. The safety equipment list includes bulletproof polycarbonate windows which can withstand up to .44 Magnum calibre bullets, blast-proof floor which can absorb a DM51 hand-grenade and run-flat 17 inch tyres which can run for 50kms at 80km/h even when flat. The windows can also be rolled up and down electrically like in a normal E-Class.

The E-Guard is almost indistinguishable from a standard E-Class as all the modifications have been fully integrated in a seamless fashion, typical of Mercedes. All comforts and luxuries of the regular saloon are carried over into the E-Guard. To deal with the extra weight of the safety equipment and armour, the E-Guard has a special Level II Air Suspension but engine options remain the same as on the standard E-Class. The new E-Guard is available in three engine variants, with an option of the basic ELEGANCE line or the AVANTGARDE line. The price to be safe is a hefty 10,000 Euros over the standard E-Class, which many would eagerly shell out to keep any danger at bay. The E-Guard goes on sale in Europe from April 2009.