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Bentley, Suzuki, Lexus and Kia set pulses racing at German motor show
publication date: Sep 13, 2011
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author/source: Robin Roberts
The world premiere
of the new Continental GTC convertible at the International Automobile
Exhibition opening today in Frankfurt comes as Bentley's sales rebound around the
globe.
Despite recent economic uncertainty, sales increased year-on-year in
major markets, demonstrating the incredible interest in the new Bentley model
range.
|  | With the new GTC convertible set to go on sale in the last quarter,
Bentley expects to deliver an overall sales increase of around 40 per cent for
2011.
For the year to
August, Bentley sales increased by 31 per cent with 4016 cars delivered to
customers worldwide. For the first time ever, over a thousand Bentleys were
sold in the Chinese region - a remarkable increase of 67 per cent year-to-date
- with this milestone achieved before the end of August.
However, it is not
just China that is showing renewed vigour. Bentley's biggest single market
remains the US and with sales of 1195 cars to the end of August across the
entire Americas region, the brand is up by 36 per cent on 2010. Europe too is
showing increased confidence, up 35 per cent overall and led by a resurgent
Germany where Bentley sales are up by two-thirds.
The Bentley
Continental GTC is now available to order and first customer deliveries will
begin in late 2011. | | |  | An exciting new
Swift Sport is the highlight of the Suzuki line up at the Frankfurt motor show
opening today.
The Swift Sport
is the performance flagship of the Swift model range and offers higher levels
of tuning, steering and braking performance than the standard Swift on which
it's based. The previous model first went into production in Japan in 2005 and
in Hungary in 2006 and it will go on sale here early next year. | | | The new Lexus GS
450h full hybrid makes its world debut at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show from
today, marking the start of further expansion of the GS range in the near
future.
The GS has an
all-new exterior and interior which reflect development of Lexus's L-finesse
design philosophy. The bold and dynamic exterior design includes a stronger
frontal treatment which gives the new GS a commanding road presence that is
appropriate for a Lexus performance saloon. |  | Inside, the
next-generation interior design theme is carried forward, with an ergonomically
designed, driver-focused cockpit with advanced human-machine interface
technologies to help keep the driver alert and everyone on board comfortable
over long periods of time.
Several highly
innovative technologies are making their first appearance in the new GS: a new,
energy saving air conditioning system with S-Flow and ‘Nano-e' technologies; a
second-generation Remote Touch Interface (RTI) linked to the world's largest
on-board multi-information display screen; and a choice of audio systems that
offer unparalleled power and clarity.
The GS 450h
uniquely uses a V6 Atkinson cycle petrol engine, with a two-motor hybrid system
in a front-engine/rear-wheel drive configuration. | | |  | Powerful,
dynamic and forward-looking, Kia's new concept car signals the company's distinctive
new design direction.
This four-door
sports sedan with a rear-wheel drive layout - a Kia first - marries sleek and
muscular proportions with a sophisticated and elegant four-seater cockpit. |
Although work on
the Kia GT concept first started in November 2010, the idea of a powerful
rear-wheel drive Kia saloon had been percolating in the minds of Kia's European
designers for some time.
"This concept allows us to explore exciting
new design directions, as using a rear-drive layout creates very different
proportions compared to a front-wheel drive car," says Peter Schreyer,
Kia's Chief Design Officer. "The classic front-engined, rear-wheel
drive layout of a performance saloon has distinct appeal not just for the
domestic Korean audience, but also for the European and American markets." |
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