2010 Citroen Metropolis Sports Car Concept

Citroën Metropolis will be on show in the French Pavilion at the Shanghai World Fair from 1st May to 31st October, 2010. Citroën has revealed the spectacular new Citroën Metropolis Concept - a sleek and muscular concept car that pays homage to China's extraordinary development. Created by Citroën's international design team - based in Shanghai since 2008.

2010 Citroen Metropolis

Citroen is one of the most creative and adventurous car makers in the world. Just a quick look at some of their past concept, and production, vehicles proves that. However for the Citroen Metropolis concept the company have decided to keep things a little more grounded in reality. It's still a fine looking machine, but it's not quite as crazy as some of their recent stuff.

Reflecting China's avant-garde status, grandeur and vitality, the sleek limousine concept immerses itself in 'Créative Technologie', balancing environmental responsibility with luxurious comfort and driving pleasure. Incorporating a plug-in hybrid drivetrain and Hydractive suspension, Citroën Metropolis produces CO2 emissions of just 70g/km - approximately one fifth that of a conventional engine with equivalent performance.

Citroën Metropolis Concept's distinctive silhouette is a vision of creative and sophisticated luxury with an imposing stature (5.3m long, 2m wide & 1.4m high), reflecting the dynamism and ambition of China in the 21st Century. Powerful and engaging, Citroën Metropolis' subtle 'Pearl Silk' body colour changes under different light conditions, revealing the model's generous curves and ultra-honed detailing.

Citroën Metropolis blends taut lines with smooth surfaces, evidenced particularly at the front where the sculpted, incisive wings and kite-shaped grille merge with the harmonious contours of the bonnet. The streamlined headlamps have an imperious and steely look, giving Citroën Metropolis a natural air of authority.

Citroën Metropolis' powerful hybrid drivetrain utilises an optimised 2-litre V6 petrol engine and a 7-speed, dual-clutch electronic gearbox. At low speeds, Citroën Metropolis runs in Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mode, with its electric motor developing a continuous 55bhp (40kW), peaking at 95bhp (70kW). At steady speeds on main roads and motorways, the petrol powerplant efficiently provides 272bhp (200kW) and 375Nm of torque. When additional performance is required, such as during overtaking, the car uses both the electric motor and the combustion engine to deliver a maximum power output of 460bhp (345kW) and 430Nm of torque - equivalent to a 4-litre V8 petrol engine. There's also a four-wheel drive mode for when extra grip is needed.

Delivering a smooth and cosseting ride experience, Metropolis is specified with Citroën's renowned Hydractive suspension, which dampens even the roughest of road surfaces and improves the car's aerodynamic performance - further helping to reduce CO2 emissions.

Chinais the world's largest automotive market and Citroën's second largest outside Europe - having been established there for 20 years. The Shanghai World Fair is the perfect opportunity for the brand to reassert its international character and to show, once again, the importance it places on the needs and expectations of this rapidly developing market. With Metropolis, Citroën demonstrates that a blend of Chinese and French sensibilities can create a beautiful vision for the future.

2020 Minotauro Lamborghini Sports Car Concept

Concept cars never cease to fascinate car enthusiasts. If you claim to be a Lambo fan than this latest sports car concept creation is definitely for you. Andrei Avarvarii, a student at Milan's Scuola Politecnica di Design, with assistance from Lamborghini’s design head Filippo Perini, designed this amazing electric 2020 Lamborghini Minotauro concept.

2020 Lamborghini Minotauro concept

The duo worked to achieve three different goals:

1. Aesthetic goal – Explore soft shapes for a new Lamborghini design language,

2. Technical goal – Redefine the Lamborghini supercar as an electric vehicle and

3. Functional goal: Integrate the new vehicle in the reality of the year 2020.

Designed tasty electric sports car concept Lamborghini, uses four electric motors and power sharing 30% / 70% front to rear. 2020 Lamborghini Concept Minotauro designed by a student getting a master’s degree in Milan Scuola Politecnica in Design, Andrei Avarvarii with the help of Filippo Perini head of Lamborghini Design. Li-Tec A flat-cell batteries in the rear and front of the KERS system will provide power.

A breathtaking beauty on wheels imagined for the year 2020, it mesmerizes you with both its looks and features. The concept creation would utilize four electric motors and split the power 30%/70% front to rear while a Li-Tec flat-cell battery out back and a KERS system in the front provide the power.

The Minotauro has two asynchronous 75-horsepower (56-kW, 76-PS) electric motors at the front that provide 30% of the car’s power, and two 175-horsepower (131-kW, 177-PS) electric motors at the rear. The system runs on a Cerio Li-Tec Flatcell battery, with a Kinetic Energy Recovery System also in place.

The press release goes on to explain the bonus of no big V12 out back: The absence of a big V12 engine in the rear creates enough room for a third passenger in a central position, like the legendary Mclaren F1.  While the driver’s door would be normal, the passenger side’s would be bigger to provide access to the back seat.

What is more, the absence of the powerful V-12 engine in this concept creation makes room for a third passenger. Keeping this in mind, the passenger’s door would be bigger in order to provide access to the back seat. 

But what are sure to appeal to every Lambo fan are the concept’s triangular intakes/exhausts that are not just visually pleasing but serve for battery cooling and act like the tubes of a subwoofer, channeling the sound of the electric motors, placed behind them.

A hi-tech creation, the owners would also be able to upload their own track ghosts to an online community. And if a real racetrack has been / is being covered, the GPS would record car placement / track time, allowing people worldwide to challenge an owner's record.

Guess when it comes to concepts, sky is the limit for the designers.

2011 Ferrari 599 GTO Sports Car Concept

The Ferrari 599 GTO is, in fact, the company's fastest ever road car. It is an exclusive limited edition special which, in true Ferrari tradition, is a completely new concept, albeit inspired by a production car. In fact the Ferrari 599 GTO is based on the 599XX, the advanced experimental track car, and can be considered almost a road-going version. The Ferrari 599 GTO is reserved for just 599 clients who seek the maximum expression of high-performance driving. The Ferrari 599 GTO benefits directly from the technological transfer from racing and set a record lap time at Fiorano in 1'24".

2011 Ferrari 599 GTO

The Fiorano lap time provides just one indication of the potential of this car. Just as significant are the technical specifications - 670 hp in a 1495kg car represents a weight-to-power ratio of just 2.23 kg/hp, and ensures a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of just 3.35" as well as a top speed of over 335 km/h.

As is Ferrari's policy, every new Ferrari features new solutions for a road car. Thus the Ferrari 599 GTO is equipped with the latest, second-generation carbon-ceramic brakes which are lighter and offer better performance, new aerodynamic innovations, such as the wheel doughnuts which increase aerodynamic efficiency as well as improve brake cooling, and the Super sport tyres developed by Michelin include a wider front tyre for greater roadholding. The driver-car interface is also new with the adoption of the Virtual Race Engineer (VRE) which provides the driver with instantaneous information on performance.

The GTO (Gran Turismo Omologata) moniker instantly calls to mind two Ferraris that have entered the collective imagination as symbols of performance. After the 1962 250 GTO, which swept the boards in GT racing categories in the 1960s and is now a highly prized collector's car, came the iconic 1984 GTO, which basically invented the entire modern supercar genre.

The web special includes photos, videos and interviews on the new car, while an exclusive preview for a small number of Ferrari clients will be held on April 14th at the Military Academy in Modena. The public debut of the Ferrari 599 GTO will instead be at the Beijing International Motor Show at the end of April.

The Ferrari 599 GTO's engine is directly derived from the 599XX unit implementing, however, the necessary modifications for road-going homologation. It thus complies with Euro 5 and LEV 2 standards. The 5999 cc 65-degree V12 engine punches out 670 CV at 8250 rpm with maximum torque of 620 Nm at 6500 rpm and there is a smooth, constant rush of power all the way to the redline with no loss of flexibility even at medium and low revs. This result was obtained by working on the fluid-dynamics and components to reduce internal friction and by adopting, amongst other things, the 599XX's redesigned crankshaft. The car also has a racing-type intake system with a new manifold with diffuser-type intake geometry and short inlet tracts designed to improve power delivery at high revs and reduce losses. To maximise volumetric efficiency per cylinder, a connection between the two plenums at the front compensates for variations in the volume. This is how the engineers managed to achieve maximum performance at high engine speeds. The engine sound inside the car is carefully controlled to balance the intake sound with the exhaust, which features a 599XX-derived 6-into-1 manifold.

The Ferrari 599 GTO inherits much of the development work - using the same principles as employed in F1 - that went into making the 599XX such an extreme performance car. Reducing weight was a vital objective and the result was the widespread use of composites and components manufactured with technologies more akin to racing specifications. The areas involved include the bodywork and greenhouse (with thinner gauge aluminium and thinner glass), the brakes, transmission and exhaust system. The result is a dry weight of 1495 kg and a weight-to-power ratio of just 2.23 kg/hp, a very significant figure that underlines the GTO's performance potential.

The Ferrari 599 GTO's aerodynamics have benefited significantly from Ferrari engineers' experience in F1 and with the 599XX which allowed downforce to be greatly increased without impacting on drag. Thanks to solutions transferred from the track car to the road-going version, the GTO generates downforce of 144 kg at 200 km/h. The entire car was honed, including the front, the sides, the flat underbody and cooling flows. In the latter instance, the GTO can count on improved ducting to the brake discs and pads, and the adoption of wheel doughnuts - a disc positioned outside the brake disc that ensure that hot air exiting the wheelarch stays as close to the body of the car as possible to reduce drag.

The new CCM2 braking system is lighter and even more consistent in high performance situations. Its consistent coefficient of attrition meant that the ABS could be calibrated to a particularly high performance level, further reducing lap times, thanks to improved deceleration and shorter stopping distances. In fact, the Ferrari 599 GTO boasts an excellent 100 to 0 km/h braking distance of just 32.5 metres. As well as their role in improving aerodynamics, the Formula 1-derived wheel doughnuts also improve braking efficiency by optimising brake cooling.

The car-driver interface was designed to maximise car and driver performance with a layout of the main commands that ensures absolute efficiency and minimum distraction. The Racing manettino also puts the emphasis firmly on sporty, track-specific driving settings by offering the driver full choice with regard to the electronic control parameters. The ICE position on the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano has been replaced by CT-Off (traction control off). The GTO is also fitted with bespoke, longer carbon-fibre F1 paddles for easier use in high-speed driving. In addition the GTO also features the Virtual Race Engineer, a system that monitors the status of the car and gives the driver immediate visibility of vehicle performance.

2010 Sbarro Autobau Sports Cars Concept

Swiss performance car and replica builder Sbarro introduced another new concept at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show this year.  Powered by a 500-horsepower 12-cylinder engine from Ferrari, the Sbarro Autobau is certain to tear up the pavement.

2010 Sbarro Autobau

Whether you love it or hate it, the Autobau is the only car of its kind at Geneva. While we mention the three-pointed front end, a la Speed Racer, it has also been compared with the Cylon Raider from Battlestar Galactica and the Pink Panther-mobile.

Designed by Frank Sbarro, the one-off concept is just wrong from every conceivable angle. The recessed front end looks like something out of a horror film, complete with what appear to the naked eye as limb-shearing saw blades. The flat windshield. The flaring nostrils. The up-swinging cockpit entry. Wrong, wrong and wronger.

The only thing right about the concept is the 550 hp Ferrari V12 engine fitted in back. But even that waste of a good engine should be construed as indisputably wrong.

Wow, we thought we’d seen some weird, head-jerking concepts and sports cars in Geneva already, but this one takes the pie–probably the entire bakery. The car was built as a piece of hate-art an homage to Swiss racing legend Fredy Lienhard.

Some of us were just barely mastering our Big Wheels back in the 1970s, but we imagine most of the concepts at those Salon de Geneves all looked hairy and wild. You know what we're talking about. Star Trek meets George Barris design language, lower than your waist, nonsensical ingress/egress mechanisms, $5 afterthought interiors and colors pulled from the center of only the finest quaalude trips. Kinda like SEMA cars actually, but with European sensibility and sophistication.

Meet the Sbarro Autobau, a concept car we know almost nothing about but really enjoy looking at. Yes, it's totally non-conventional (hey, it's a Sbarro), and according to the Francais-only marketing material the Autobao is a tribute to Swiss racing stud Fredy Lienhard. It's also (supposedly) packin' 12-cylinders, 500 horses and weighs about 3,200 pounds.

Sbarro designed the 1,500-kilogram car in the memory of his friend, Fredy Lienhard. The Swiss driver of car races has competed since the 1970s. He has had outstanding victories at the 24 Hours of Zolder in 1997 and 24 Hours of Daytona in 2002.

2010 Touring Superleggera A8GCS Berlinetta Sports Cars Concept

Touring Superleggera A8GCS Berlinetta was revealed in the flesh at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show after being previewed at the Concours d'Elegance. At the Festival Automobile in Paris last month, a panel comprised of designers, car experts and former Formula 1 driver Alain Prost awarded the Maserati A8GCS Berlinetta Touring the most beautiful supercar of the year. Television network Eurosport fielded over one million votes from viewers for the competition. Viewers’ choices included the Bugatti Sport Veyron, BMW 750i and Lotus Evora.

2010 Touring Superleggera A8GCS Berlinetta

Now this is how it's done. The Touring Superleggera A8GCS Berlinetta is a Maserati Gran Turismo rebodied with classic GT proportions and shapes. The result is classically beautiful, like a 1950s Maserati re-interpreted with 21st century technology.

Based on the Maserati Coupé GranSport mechanics, the A8GCS Berlinetta Touring represents the high performance sports car concept, with small dimensions, state-of-the-art constructive technology and perfect stylish synthesis between factory tradition and advanced aesthetic criteria.

Unlike the Bentley Flying Star shooting brake that's also from Touring Superleggera, the Berlinetta isn't destined for a well-heeled car nut. The company created it specifically to showcase its coachbuilding skills. If they have their way, they'll be turning the Maserati Gran Turismo and other exotic cars into vehicles that are even more exclusive, luxurious and personalized.

The new A8GCS Berlinetta Touring has been designed by the young Belgian designer Louis de Fabribeckers, in charge of the Touring styling department. The A8GCS Berlinetta Touring lines are not affected by time or fashion: the car is characterized by a soft aggressiveness originated by the perfect balance between the front end, directly derived from competitions, and the harmonious and fluent flanks reminding of the extraordinary Alfa Romeo, Isotta Fraschini and Lancia Flying Star of the Thirties, an exceptional series created by Touring and still considered the best interpretation of Marinetti and Boccioni’s Futurism.

The Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera style is first expressed through perfecly balanced volumes (reduced front overhang, front central engine and large rear overhang). The result is a dynamic form that doesn’t need a lowered waistline. Moreover, the horizontal development of lines create a natural elegance.

The sporty look of the car is underlined by the combination between bonnet and front grille. An element dashing forward the other volumes. Hence the lateral lines of the body: the lower line ends on the rear wheelarch and the upper line dissolves in the rear end of the car. Together they create a dynamic sail shape, as on Flying Stars.

Of course, also the most successful car design is not enough to make an alive and complete object. It must be combined with excellent dynamic qualities, derived from state-of-the-art technical solutions. For the prototype A8GCS Berlinetta Touring, Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera studied and designeda body in advanced composite materials, able to give the car lightness, structural strenght and performance typical of top granturismo and obviously respecting all international safety and environmental rules. The result is clear: the style protoype A8GCS Berlinetta Touring is able to enter small series production, gaining immediately a top place among the best sports cars.

The A8GCS is a strict two-seater, unlike the car on which it's based which features a 2+2 seating layout. Touring Superleggera have made extensive changes to the car's bodywork while still retaining similar proportions. The styling details like the minimalist chrome trim and classic wire wheels give the car a distinctive retro vibe, while also not being unnecessarily nostalgic.

"We wanted a strong project" - says the Belgian Head of Design of Touring Superleggera, Louis de Fabribeckers - "I drew from the stylistic heritage of Touring the work of surfaces and also this sinusoidal line across the side of the Berlinetta".

The Touring Superleggera A8GCS Berlinetta is 4.2 metres long and only 1.2 metres high. The engineers are aiming for a 1,500 kg (3,307 lb) weight for the finished car - 180 kgs (400 lbs) lighter than the Maserati GranSport.

2011 Pagani Zonda C9 - Pagani Exotic Sports Cars

A decade later, Pagani Zondas remain near the top of the exotic sports car list. They've been tested fast in a straight line, reaching 0–60 mph in the mid-3-second range and proved able to get around the Nürburgring in a video game-quick 7:27.82.

2011 Pagani Zonda C9

Every Zonda features another highly prized quality among exotic cars: rarity, with fewer than 100 in existence.

2011 Pagani Zonda C9

While lacking the classic, flowing beauty of a Pininfarina-designed Ferrari, the Zonda's shape is an attention-getter. It stops you in your tracks. We didn't think the design would age well, but a decade down the line it still rivets attention and holds it — from that low nose with its four small headlamps back to the big center exhaust port corralling four outlets. A photographer's dream.

2011 Pagani Zonda C9

The attractive interior is a mix of modern (carbon fiber), retro (toggle switches) and art deco (the design of instruments and controls) accented with aluminum and fine leather.

2011 Pagani Zonda C9

That Zonda body style is done as a sports coupe or a roadster in three levels, all with a mid-mounted 7.3-liter AMG/Mercedes-Benz V-12. The S version comes in at 555 bhp and 553 lb.-ft. of torque, the F with 602 bhp and 561 lb.-ft., and the F Club sport dynos at 650 bhp and 575 lb.-ft.

2011 Pagani Zonda C9

All use 6-speed manual transmissions, Brembo disc brakes and have the sort of A-arm suspensions you'd expect in a race car. Plus the level of suspension and aerodynamic tuning that allows 210-plus-mph top speeds.

2011 Pagani Zonda C9

Being in a Zonda at speed is a pure exotic-car moment. Like a Ferrari Enzo, there are nicely crafted touches from the museum-quality carbon-fiber finish to air conditioning that keep this from being a race car on the streets. Still, you are not cushioned or coddled or kept from enjoying the unfiltered fun of a truly fast machine. One with a price that likely will soak up $500,000 or more.

2011 Pagani Zonda C9

Sadly, the Zonda is nearing the end of its run. But don't mourn the supercar too much as the next step Pagani takes is pointed at the U.S.

2011 Pagani Zonda C9

Zonda production will round out at 100 with an added model called the R, a track-oriented version in the image of Ferrari's FXX. Looking like a still-more-aggressive Zonda — if you can imagine such a thing — the R will have a 750-bhp version of the AMG V-12.

2011 Pagani Zonda C9

While that project is being wrapped up in the original factory in San Cesario sul Panaro, both a new factory and car are being prepped for 2009. Code-named the C9, the new Pagani will be a carbon-fiber machine, possibly powered by a Mercedes/AMG V-8, so how about the SLR's supercharged V-8 with its 617 bhp and 575 lb.-ft. of torque?

2011 Pagani Zonda C9

Here's the best news: Having been frustrated in attempts to certify the Zonda in the U.S., Pagani will design the C9 for sale worldwide. We might see the new car at the 2009 Geneva show. Although there haven't been any concept drawings yet, we can count on the new Pagani being exciting...and fast. And expensive.

The Zonda nears the end of its run, but a new exotic is in the offing from Horacio Pagani.