The 15 best cars at the Shanghai Motor Show 2013: Mercedes GLA
The
Mercedes GLA is one of the main draws at the 2013 Shanghai Motor Show -
and this is incredibly close to what we'll see in Mercedes' dealerships
in 2014. The GLA is the next addition to the A-class family, Merc's
smallest model range.
The GLA, which is tipped to cost from around £25,000, is a rival to the burgeoning ranks of compact SUVs - an alternative to the successful Range Rover Evoque, in other words. On this first viewing, the baby Merc mud-plugger looks like a svelte and stylish baby 4x4, bristling with the latest tech and gizmos.
The GLA, which is tipped to cost from around £25,000, is a rival to the burgeoning ranks of compact SUVs - an alternative to the successful Range Rover Evoque, in other words. On this first viewing, the baby Merc mud-plugger looks like a svelte and stylish baby 4x4, bristling with the latest tech and gizmos.
On
the one hand it must be devilishly easy to grab headlines and
photographers' lenses when you're promoting Lamborghini. How can you
ignore a bright yellow missile like the Aventador at a motor show? But
on the other hand, this is a model which is more than two years old -
and we're still gawping at it as if it's a new arrival from Mars.
In 50th Anniversario trim, the Aventador is certainly an eye-grabbing prospect. With a regular 720hp V12 amidships, all four wheels are driven and it comes with a slew of special touches to mark Lamborghini's 50th year. This is our candidate for most shocking car of the show.
In 50th Anniversario trim, the Aventador is certainly an eye-grabbing prospect. With a regular 720hp V12 amidships, all four wheels are driven and it comes with a slew of special touches to mark Lamborghini's 50th year. This is our candidate for most shocking car of the show.
Proof,
were it needed, that Chinese carmakers are becoming bolder by the year.
At the Shanghai Motor Show 2013, homegrown manufacturer Icona presented
the new Vulcano - a 950hp petrol-electric hybrid supercar manufactured
in Shanghai.
Don't expect Ferrari and McLaren to be quaking in their boots just yet, however. The Icona Vulcano is, for now, a one-off and the Shanghai carmaker is reportedly seeking a buyer willing to stump up around £2 million for the privilege of owning one of the country's first pukka supercars.
Don't expect Ferrari and McLaren to be quaking in their boots just yet, however. The Icona Vulcano is, for now, a one-off and the Shanghai carmaker is reportedly seeking a buyer willing to stump up around £2 million for the privilege of owning one of the country's first pukka supercars.
If
a Chinese-made supercar is not your thing (and it probably isn't if
you're Chinese and affluent), then you can do worse than come over to
the Ferrari stand and pore over the LaFerrari. It's still one of the
most talked-about cars of 2013.
We've already seen the hybrid hypercar in action at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, but the LaFerrari is no less stunning in its Shanghai setting. Ferrari sources remain tight-lipped on the subject, but it seems likely that several of these limited-run extreme Ferraris are destined for Chinese collectors.
We've already seen the hybrid hypercar in action at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, but the LaFerrari is no less stunning in its Shanghai setting. Ferrari sources remain tight-lipped on the subject, but it seems likely that several of these limited-run extreme Ferraris are destined for Chinese collectors.
Rescued-from-its-deathbed
British brand MG had one of the genuine surprises at the 2013 Shanghai
Motor Show: this CS compact SUV concept car. It's proof that MG, now
owned by local company Shanghai Automotive, is bouncing back under
Chinese rule.
The CS is the company's first SUV. When based at Longbridge in the UK, MG Rover could only dream of developing a 4x4 - but now that prospect is becoming much more likely. It was styled by the company's Britisih design chief, Anthony Williams-Kenny, and was shown alongside the production-ready MG 3, a hatchback destined for sale in Europe. Although a minnow for now, MG remains a brand to watch...
The CS is the company's first SUV. When based at Longbridge in the UK, MG Rover could only dream of developing a 4x4 - but now that prospect is becoming much more likely. It was styled by the company's Britisih design chief, Anthony Williams-Kenny, and was shown alongside the production-ready MG 3, a hatchback destined for sale in Europe. Although a minnow for now, MG remains a brand to watch...
Another
big coup for Shanghai was the world premiere of the Maserati Ghibli.
Designed to slot under the existing Quattroporte in Maserati's sports
saloon range, the Ghibli is a (very fast) rival for the likes of the BMW
5 Series and Mercedes E-Class.
The name revives a classic Maser badge last seen in the 1990s. The Ghibli is built around a shortened architecture borrowed from the Quattroporte, so will be available with a mix of rear- or four-wheel drive and a slew of mostly V6 engines, including - whisper it - the first diesel engine ever offered in a Maserati.
The name revives a classic Maser badge last seen in the 1990s. The Ghibli is built around a shortened architecture borrowed from the Quattroporte, so will be available with a mix of rear- or four-wheel drive and a slew of mostly V6 engines, including - whisper it - the first diesel engine ever offered in a Maserati.