A picture of The Infiniti Essence coupe is AutoWeek Editor's Choice Best in Show winner for the Geneva motor show. Infiniti celebrated its 20th anniversary with the Essence coupe at the Geneva motor show--a concept so striking that it handily won the nod as the AutoWeek Editors' Choice for Best in Show.
The other Editors' Choice award winners from Geneva are:
-- Best Concept: Ford Iosis Max
-- Most Significant: Volkswagen Polo
-- Most Fun: Audi TT RS
Infiniti Essence: Sleek, 600-hp hybrid
Elegant, purposeful and promising sledgehammer performance, yet sensible economy from its 600-hp hybrid powertrain, the Infiniti Essence takes AutoWeek's Best in Show honors by a good margin.
"The Essence is the best car in the Geneva show by a wide margin," managing editor Roger Hart said.
Other contenders may offer a new level of luxury or race-car style engineering, but the Essence wins because of its simple message to enthusiasts--style, exciting performance and good fuel economy can be part of our automotive future.
The Essence will feed Infiniti's global ambitions with a more international styling theme, and we see more than a shade of European design classic in the Essence. Think Maserati, Jag and Ferrari.
We hear that Nissan will have the courage to make that gaping grille, the sculpted front end and dramatic headlamps the flavor of the next generation of Infiniti coupes and sedans. And we applaud that.
Design chief Shiro Nakamura personally directed the unusual, scooped-out C-pillar. It's a bold feature, with overtones of another great sports car--the Ferrari 308, whose flanks featured similar deep sculpting.
The Essence also reinforces Infiniti's message that hybrid powertrains are coming to every model in its range over the next few years. Let's also hope that the 600-hp mix of 3.7-liter V6 and electric motor is high on Nissan's product plan wish list.
Other finalists considered in this category were the Rolls-Royce 200 EX concept and the Aston Martin One-77.
The Ford Iosis Max previews the next-generation Ford Focus. |
Ford Iosis Max: The Focus of the future
Hatchbacks are boring, right? That's a preconception that the Iosis Max sets out to change. This is the new Ford C-Max, a Europe-only, high-roofed five-seater sitting on a compact-car footprint.
"Not only is the Iosis Max cool, it offers not-so-subtle hints about the next-generation Ford Focus," Hart said. "The Iosis project leader even hinted the multipurpose vehicle could come stateside. We sure hope so."
Today's C-Max is a blocky, wedgy-looking thing. Next year's model will get the whiz-bang look of the Iosis Max.
What distinguishes the Max from other contenders is its relevance to future North American car design, its dramatically rising beltline for a minivan, crisp sheetmetal and dramatic interior.
Of course, to scoop best concept, there has to be more than a touch of fantasy, and the Iosis delivers that with its reverse-hinging doors, mesh seats and complex-hinging rear tailgate.
Other considered were the Nissan Qazana and the Kia No. 3.
The Volkswagen Polo will come to the U.S. market in 2011. |
Volkswagen redesigned the Polo small car with the U.S. market in mind. Expect to see this car in the States within a couple of years.
"This is the first Polo that will come to the U.S. in Volkswagen's effort to capture more of the youth market by building a car smaller than its Golf/Rabbit," said Hart.
That plan pits the Polo against vehicles such as the Honda Fit, the Nissan Versa, the Toyota Yaris and the upcoming Ford Fiesta.
The new Polo carries design language from Walter de'Silva that first appeared on the new Scirocco and Golf models.
When sales in Europe start this spring, VW says the new Polo will carry nearly the same price as the current Polo.
Other considered were the Chevrolet Spark, the Bentley Supersports and the Tata Nano.
The Audi TT RS revives the automakers high-performance inline five-cylinder engine heritage. |
Audi TT RS: Watch the heritage speed by, if you can
The latest evolution of Audi's TT roadster takes a step back into company heritage.
The heart of the TT RS is a turbocharged inline five-cylinder engine package, which memorably powered the Audi Quattro of the 1980s.
"Three hundred and forty horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque! It goes from 0 to 60 mph in four seconds. It has a six-speed manual transmission and quattro all-wheel drive!" Hart said. "Sounds like a Most Fun award winner to us, hands down!"
Audi says that the TT RS has not been approved for sale in the United States--yet. Audi executives in Geneva said that issue hasn't been decided for certain.
You know how we're voting on this one.
Other finalists were the Lamborghini LP670-4 Super Veloce, the Alfa Mito GTA, the Fiat 500C and the Mini JCW Cabrio.
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