Extreme Car Concepts

While Switzerland is a neutral country and has no indigenous automaker of its own, independent design

houses the world over have adopted the Geneva salon as their “home” show. As a result, the annual gathering

throws a spotlight on some of the most innovative concept cars you’ll ever see.

Geneva Auto Show 2008......

Based in Turin, just on the other side of the Alps from Geneva,
Pininfarina created a new take on the fuel-cell/electric hybrid in the
Sintesi. Rather than design the body around the mechanicals, it formed
the drive package around the interior and exterior shape to come up
with one of the most stunning 4-door sedans in recent memory.

Sometime a concept is about something more than just its exterior design. The Fioravanti Hidra is one such

car. While it looks futuristic, the real showstopper here is the lack of windshield wipers. A special coating,

including something called “nano dust,” keeps the glass clean and protects the interior from harmful UV

light.One of the grand masters of design is Giorgetto Giugiaro, who celebrates his 40th year designing cars with

the Italdesign Giugiaro Quarantra. This sleek showcar incorporates Toyota’s Synergy Hybrid Drive system in a

mid-engine layout and promises to be one of the fastest hybrids ever with a top speed of 155 mph.It’s not just design houses that show their chops at shows, but also manufacturers. Magna Steyr, which

produces vehicles for BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Chrysler
in nearby Austria, offered its take on a futuristic off-roader call the
MILA Alpin. This tiny off-roader is said to be able to negotiate
inclines as steep as 45 degrees.Frank Rinderknecht has raised the art of bringing extreme concepts to Geneva to a high art. The Rinspeed

sQuba is no exception. This Lotus Elise-based show car is actually a submersible with electric drive both on

land and under the sea.

Geneva Auto Show 2008......

Source: autos.yahoo.com