The things that made us go “heh” at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.
Land Rover Electric Defender
It’s a fairly simple concept: Land Rover has taken a Defender and put a 94bhp electric motor in it, in order to assess electric power trains in more arduous terrains than just the road. But the dichotomy appeals to us – Land Rover’s oldest current model with a state-of-the-art futuristic powertrain. It’s a bit like giving Grandad a bionic hip.
Gulf-liveried Morgan 3 Wheeler
The Morgan 3 Wheeler has garnered quite a fan base since it broke cover in 2011, putting a modern twist on the cars it produced in the 1910s, ’20s and ’30s. And in Geneva, Morgan showed one with the iconic Gulf Racing livery. Do things get any cooler than this?
Renault Twizy
The Twizy isn’t new, having been around for a while in Europe, but this was the first time we’ve had a chance to have a poke around it as it’s not sold in the Middle East. This little electric runaround seats two, one in front of the other, and is designed for zooming around urban areas. It took this author a bit of squeezing to get in, but once in, the seating position is comfortable and there’s even a single-seater vibe going on. There’s no gearstick, just a three-way rocker switch for forward, reverse and neutral. The interior materials are cheap as chips, but the Twizy definitely has character and I even managed to fit in the back: the lack of legroom isn’t an issue, as you can just put your legs either side of the driver.
Delphi Sbarro F1for3
This is another vehicle that isn’t new – the F1for3 was actually debuted at Geneva last year. But we weren’t there then. So here it is once more. It’s a concept car from American automotive systems supplier Delphi, designed to showcase what it can do, with a little help from Recaro (seats), OZ (wheels) and Brembo (brakes). Does it work. No idea. But it’d be fun to find out.
This guy’s camera rig
Shooting video at a motor show attracts a variety of approaches. We went for the handheld option, and you can see the fruits of our efforts in a week or two. Others had tripod-and-slider setups, or even lightweight dollies. But this chap had really gone to town, putting together this robotic contraption for his DLSR. It features wheelchair wheels, an iPad, storage space for equipment, and is operated remotely by a joystick. Good work sir, good work.
