After proving in May that its GT9 supercar could run with the world's fastest supercars by topping out at 409 km/h at the Papenburg oval, 9ff is offering a limited production run of twenty cars. Loosely based on a Porsche 911 GT3, each GT9 comes with a heavily modified twin-turbo 3.6-liter flat-six producing 973 horsepower and 711 lb-ft of torque. Other unique items include a chopped roof line, integrated tubular roll cage, six-speed sequential transmission, an adjustable suspension system, and special Continental Vmax tires good for 410 km/h. The price?

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The main concern with cross country rallies is usually reckless driving at triple digit speeds. However, with the ever-increasing concerns over the environmental impact of cars, it was only a matter of time before someone raised concerns over 200 or so supercars traveling 3,000 miles with single digit fuel mileage. ABC News did, and calculated that the 200 cars in the rally generate nearly 650,000 pounds of CO2. To get an idea of how much that is, the Union of Concerned Scientists states the average American generates approximately 40,000 pounds of CO2 in an entire year. Rally founder Tim Porter askes, "Why can't car enthusiasts have a little fun?" Answer him in the comments below.

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Looking for a new "green" car but find it ironic you have to drive all over Timbuktu just to check out what's available? Perhaps you also want to talk with a lender about getting a special deal for choosing a hybrid over a Hummer. Veronica Rojas of the Tallahassee, Florida-based Envision credit union had her green thinking cap on and dreamt up the idea of hosting an exhibition of the top fuel-sipping vehicular choices from dealerships around the area to publicize the institution's special APR discount program (3.65%!) for vehicles getting over 30 mpg. Her boss liked the idea as well and so the Envision Go Green Car Show was born.

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Lotus launched its entry level 2-Eleven at Geneva this week, a car whose beefier brother was first unleashed at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show. 2-Eleven has apparently been a major hit with Lotus track day enthusiasts all over the world.

Now more affordable, the 2-Eleven features Exige’s 141kW 1.8-litre naturally aspirated metal box. It may not sound like much more than a whisper at a rap concert, yet seeing that 2-Eleven comes in at 720kg/ 1600 lbs on the bathroom scale, one realises the potential it has. Pace is not at a loss here as it covers the standard 0 – 60 mph distance in just 4.3 seconds, with a top end of 140 mph.

Lots of combinations are available for customers to customize each car to their own tastes and satisfaction, such that the usual “no two cars need be the same” line applies. The general agreement though is that perhaps, as lovely as a Lotus looks in Red Scorpion or Orange Bobcat, that perhaps is not the entire reason it exists. Lotus is lightweight, quick and nimble, especially around the track. It has semi-slick Yokohama tyres made for maximum grip and a double wishbone suspension like race cars.

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The Audi RS4 is a pretty badass car any way you look at it, but put it next to the A4 DTM and it looks remarkably pedestrian. With torquey turbodiesel versions of the R8 supercar, TT range and Q7 sport-ute all making their debuts at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show, Ingolstadt chose the most extreme racing version of its A4 to highlight at its press conference.

Unveiled by Dr. Martin Mühlmeier, Head of Audi Sport Technology; Audi Motorsport chief Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich; and reigning champion driver Mattias Ekström; the "project R14" A4 DTM represents over a year of development. The racing formula governing the DTM German touring car championship precludes Audi from showcasing any of its trademark technologies – like FSI direct-injection, TDI diesels or quattro all-wheel-drive – but that didn't stop Audi's racing engineers from working their magic, focusing on the car's aerodynamics. That much became immediately evident as soon as the veil was lifted off the new racer, decked out in more wings and fins than the San Diego Zoo and Sea World combined.

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Fiat showed a low emissions and low fuel consumption concept version of their tiny 500 at the Geneva Motor Show called the 500 Aria. The Aria is equipped with Fiat's 1.3L MultiJet diesel and the company's Dualogic transmission. The powertrain is topped off with an automatic start-stop system. The Dualogic transmission is an automated manual transmission that can shift automatically or the driver can determine when to shift. The clutch activation duties are always handled automatically. The full package delivers a ten percent improvement in fuel consumption compared to the standard 500.

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GM insiders say that Vauxhall’s new Meriva is very close to the real production car. It will appear in two years’ time, replacing a highly successful Corsa-based initial model. The big news is a system of rear ‘suicide’ doors hinged at the trailing edge - branded, inevitably, FlexDoor – that provide better access than ever to the rear compartment for people or large loads.

This Meriva is a around 40mm longer than the existing model, as the most recent Corsa was against its predecessor, and its unusual rear-door arrangement features a centre pillar, so the front and rear doors can be opened independently, as with a normal saloon. It also boasts automatic child locking.

The emphasis is nearly all on design and convenience, but GM’s engineers did let slip that the model is to be be powered by an all-new 1.4-litre petrol turbo unit. But the big seller is bound to be the1.3-litre turbodiesel, which is likely to have been updated by launch time.

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This year, at the Geneva Motor Show, the main attraction at the Seat stand was, no doubt, the Seat Bocanegra Concept. The Bocanegra previews the next generation Ibiza and also the new Seat saloon, which will be unveiled sometime in 2009. Seat’s president, Erich Schmitt said “the SEAT SportCoupé ´Bocanegra´ is a sporty, design oriented prototype, with which we want our brand´s position to stand out. At the same time, the ´Bocanegra´ is an outlook of the future design language of SEAT.”

Spanish for “Black Mouth”, the Bocanegra has an aggressive styling, with a large black front clad and cool LED lights (no wonder, since Seat is part of the VW, just like Audi, which began having LED lighting as a trademark). Besides those, the Bocanegra also features panoramic glass roof, side indicators at the tip of the door mirrors and 19 inch alloy wheels. The rear features a central tailpipe integrated in the rear bumper.

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Kia is showing its fun side at Geneva with three SOUL concepts designed to make life entertaining. Created by Kia’s European design team under the guidance of Kia’s Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer, the trio of concept cars is closely related to a new production car which will make its World Premiere at the Paris Show in September.

And to show how serious Kia is about reducing the impact of the car on the environment it will also debut two ‘eco-cee’d’ concepts that reduce emissions and increase fuel economy whilst losing none of the spirited driving characteristics that have marked the cee’d family out as a mainstream choice.

The concept cars – SOUL Diva, SOUL Burner and SOUL Searcher – are each designed to appeal to different consumers and clearly display the potential for personalisation that the new production car will offer buyers.

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One year after the five-door version of the Mazda2 debuted here at Geneva, now it’s time for the Mazda2 three-door version to be presented in world premiere at the Swiss show. The car presented at the Mazda stand looks good especially in the red mica color (like the Mazda Ryuga concept presented last year at Detroit) and with the exterior sports package featuring lowered suspension, wider tread, projector-type headlamps and 16-inch painted wheels. On the interior, the car has also sporty accents, with Recaro® seats in racy red and black two-tone, matching red stitching on the leather steering wheel leather inserts and panels on the door trims.

Under the hood, the Mazda2 three-door hatchback will be available with the same engines as the ?ve-door hatchback:
• MZR 1.5-litre petrol with maximum power of 76 kW/103 PS at 6,000 rpm, maximum torque of 137 Nm at 4,000 rpm
• MZR 1.5-litre uses only 5.9 litres of fuel per 100 km (combined), produces just 140 g/km of CO 2

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Renault chose the Geneva Motor Show today to take the wraps off of its Mégane Coupé Concept showcar, which previews a compact coupé to be released at a later date. Like its larger sister, Laguna Coupé Concept, which wowed the crowds in Frankfurt last September, it points to an evolution of more fluid, sportier styling from Renault.

The sleek and aggressive-looking Mégane Coupé Concept targets drivers who are not only drawn by the notion of driving pleasure but who also seek to express their personality through their car. Mégane Coupé Concept symbolises Renault's vision of what a genuine compact sports coupé should deliver, namely character and dynamism, two traits epitomised by the opening and closing movement of its spectacular doors.

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The Rinspeed sQuba Concept created a lot of buzz around it when it was first announced because it’s probably the first amphibian concept that doesn’t look like some crazy vehicle. And here are the first photos taken by us today, at Geneva, where they are making the final adjustments for the press days which will start tomorrow, so don’t mind the tarpaulin covering the car.

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The Saab 9-X BioHybrid concept that debuted in Geneva this week has been picked as the Best Concept in show by the crew at AutoWeek. The 9-X is a vision for a new small Saab coupe to slot in under the 9-3 based on the next generation of GM's Global Compact Car platform. Two years ago Saab won the same award at Geneva for their Aero-X concept. The 9-X has a 200hp 1.4L flex-fuel four cylinder engine paired up with GM's next generation mild hybrid system. A production 9-1 based on this design is highly likely within the next couple of years and the updated hybrid system will be all over GM starting in 2010.

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What started as an innocent crush last year in Geneva and blossomed into a budding romance in Frankfurt, has finally turned into a full-blown obsession. Our first introduction to the Artega GT proved love isn't blind, particular when Henrik Fisker pens it. The sensuous curves of the initial prototype had us drooling from across the room, and after seeing the production version late last year in Frankfurt, it quickly found a slot in our dream garage.

One year later, we're still smitten. The combination of the Artega's small footprint, 300-hp rear-mounted DI V6, and carbon fiber bodywork has us on pins and needles. And for the 99 lucky souls that got their orders in early, they'll be receiving a limited edition "Intro 2008" model swathed in either Vanillegelb or Tiefseeblau, a bespoke interior and lightweight, five-spoke alloy wheels wrapped in Pilot Sport PS2 Michelins. The cost of entry is just under 80,000 euros and if you've got the coin to purchase one of the 170 models Artega is expected to produce annually.

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The Geneva Motor Show marks the world debut of the Maserati Chicane, a concept developed by Istituto Europeo Di Design. The car is a 2+2 coupe, powered by a V8 engine placed in the front and features rear-wheel-drive. The Chicane concept is 4400 mm long, 1250 mm tall and 1850 mm wide and we must tell you that it looks awesome.

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