Pictures copyright Alessandro Gerelli
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While some of us (including the Editor) sit around and mope for the old days and own cars that can't stop, can't accelerate and can't corner, there is
a brave new world of simply awesome automobiles at our doorstep. The pricetag
is heavy, but since when was it not? Here are Mr. Gerelli's photos from
Geneva 2004, in full color. Perhaps the most exciting is the Maserati MCC and its roadgoing sister, the MCS. Both are derivatives of the Enzo but in many respects are distinctly Maserati. The MCC will compete in a full scale race effort in the European FIA GT series in 2005. It bodes well for the survival of Maserati.
Alfa Romeo presented a prototype in-house designed Alfa Competizione model and the Giugiaro designed Visconti, both beautiful beyond words.
Gerelli gathered the following information on the two Alfas:
The Alfa Romeo 8c Competizione was designed and built by the "Centro Stile Alfa".
The name given to the car recalls the sport tradition of the brand: 8c recalls the Jano 8 cylinder engine of the 30s and 40s, while "Competizione" harkens back to the 6c 2500 coupè with which Fangio and Zanardi raced the Mille Miglia of 1950.
The new 8c has a 4.2 litres 8 cylinder engine that allows the car to do from 0-100 kilometres an hour in only 4.2 seconds.
There are rumors that the car will be built in small series.
The Alfa Romeo Visconti is an Italdesign prototype that Giugiaro defined as "an Alfa Romeo flagship that moves beyond the conventional".
The basis for this car is the new Premium Platform developed by Alfa Romeo for the next generation 156, while the engine is the twin turbo V6 3.2 litres with 405 hp and an automatic 6 gears gearbox, all-wheel drive with rear wheel steering as well.
But will Alfa
return to the US? Doubtful.
Alfa Romeo
continually surprises. Would we buy the Alfa 8c Competizione? You bet.
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Giugiaro's Visconti
pales by comparision, but nevetheless is striking despite the Edsel grille
treatment. Pucker up.
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Ferrari 575 GTC.
brings back the excitement of the F40.
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Also featured
at Geneva was the new 612 Scaglietti, one of the most impressive road
Ferraris ever produced.
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Lamborghini Murcielago Spider. Unlimited vision for a very limited few.
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Yellow seems
to have become the official color of Lamborghini; here, the Lamborghini Gallardo.
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The Italians have not lost the art of artful casting, as exemplified by the Lamborghini V12.
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Lancia Mazel group concept car. Show cars and prototypes have always been part of the
magic of Geneva.
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World premier
of the new Lancia Musa--meaning "muse, or inspiration." Indeed.
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Maserati brought
the Quattroporte, which will probably suffer the same fate as the
many earlier versions of the Quattroporte.
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Now called
the Gran Sport, the two door Maserati still lacks grace.
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Maserati's road going Enzo is right in your face. Nothing subdued here.
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We shall not
comment about the front end treatment.... We shall not comment about the front
end treatment...we shall not comment about...
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But it looks
better camouflaged in racing livery.
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The way things were.
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