It's raining bhp at the Geneva Motor Show. In a time when Hypercars are inching closer to be a routine, the Geneva Motor Show was a playground for all several manufacturers.
The Geneva Motor Show is our Christmas and these are our presents:
1) Pininfarina Battista
Pininfarina marked its entry into the big boys club. The 1900-hp Battista turned eyes and dropped jaws at this year's Geneva Motor Show. The 120kWh battery in the all-electric hypercar pushes it to triple-digit speeds in less than two seconds, with a 300kph coming in under 12 seconds.It is built on a carbon fibre monocoque chassis with batteries behind the occupants and along the sides in a T format. The electric powertrain is developed alongside Rimac. While there aren't a lot of rivals, the Battista is reported to be the heaviest of them all.
2) Aston Martin RB-003
The baby Valkyrie is here. The RB-003 stands as the third car emerging out of the partnership between Aston Martin and Redbull Racing. More than just a hypercar, the 003 exemplifies the powertrain that will feature in Aston Martin's future models.The British manufacturer has decided to ditch the Cosworth-developed V12 engine for a hybridised turbocharged V6 engine that is being developed in-house. We have been told that the car will use the same Nexcel sealed oil system as the Vulcan, meaning you can change the said oil in about 90 seconds.
Aston Martin aims to produce 500 examples of the 003, which is considerably more than what the company plans for the Valkyrie. However, we are not sure how many of these will be seen roaming the streets.
3) Lamborghini SVJ Roadster
A week after Lamborghini graced us with the drop-top version of the new Huracan EVO, the Italian company has left us in aw once more. The SVJ Roadster is arguably the new best looking car in the open-top motoring scene.For about AED 2,500,000 you will 759hp out of a naturally-aspirated 6.5-litre V12 engine. The car reaches a ton in 2.9 seconds and goes on to hit the wall at 350kph. Lamborghini also managed to keep the weight gain limited to 50kg over the record-setting SVJ Coupe.
Downforce is up by 40 per cent compared to the Aventador SV Roadster. The technology, courtesy of ALA (Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva), is mind-boggling and effective at the same time. All the capability on proud display makes you wonder how fast it would go around a racetrack.
4) Ferrari F8 Tributo
More than a distinct echo aimed at its rival in Woking, the Ferrari F8 Tributo is the most powerful mid-engined V8 Ferrari till date.Getting a bump of 50bhp the F8 Tributo is rated on par with the 720S at 710hp. This comes from the same 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 engine that the company lauds after winning International Engine of the Year Awards for three years in a row.
'Without the slightest hint of turbo lag”, the tribute cracks a ton in a brisk 2.9 seconds and goes on to top-out at 339kph. The Tributo scales 40kg lighter than the 488 at 1330kg. It also comes with new tech that is derived from the 488 Pista for better management of heat.
5) Koenigsegg Jesko
The hypercar war is heating up and Koenigsegg is leading its own army spearheaded by the new Jesko.The Swedish company made sure a lot of jaws dropped at Geneva Motor Show 2019 with the amount of technology packed in the Jesko. For starters, the thundering 5.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 sits inside the hypercar produces 1,600hp when fed with E85 biofuel. However, feed it regular fuel and you still get 1,280hp.
The engine also features what Koenigsegg claims is the world's lightest production V8 crankshaft. Weighing in at 12.5kg, it is milled from a single billet of Swedish Dievar steel.
Another interesting element that makes the Jesko rather special is a new transmission. It is a nine-speed gearbox with a total of seven clutches! One can't help but wonder about the extreme ends of Koenigsegg transmission design. Contrary to expectations, this seven-clutch gearbox is significantly lighter than DCTs because it eliminates the need for synchro rings.
