Crossovers and 4x4s had a solid presence at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, anchored by the global debuts of some extremely rugged off-roaders
The Geneva world premiere of the Audi Q7 e-tron quattro follows the debut of the all-new Q7 at January's Detroit auto show (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
According to Audi, the 373-hp diesel-electric Q7 e-tron quattro is the world’s first plug-in hybrid car with a six-cylinder diesel engine and permanent all-wheel drive (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The Q7 e-tron quattro offers close to 35 miles (56 km) of all-electric range (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Seat S0V20 Concept (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The Seat S0V20 previews new design language (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The Dacia Duster is ready for a ski trip to the nearby Swiss Alps (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Jeep Wrangler Black Edition II (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Another Jeep Geneva debut, the Wrangler Black Edition II will be available in Europe with turbo diesel and petrol engines (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The Jeep Renegade Trailhawk "Hard Steel" show car debuts in Geneva (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The Hard Steel Renegade gets a trailer with matching brushed steel livery, a touchscreen display and a speaker system (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The Mitsubishi Concept XR-PHEV II debuts in Geneva (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The XR-PHEV II concept is an urban crossover with front-mounted plug-in hybrid system (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Mitsubishi intends to make a XR-PHEV II-inspired vehicle its second plug-in hybrid model (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The Suzuki iM-4 mini 4x4 concept debuts in Geneva (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
We don't like this "mini 4x4" quite as much as Suzuki's long-running LJ/SJ/Jimny/Samurai lineage, but it's a cute, little concept (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Suzuki says the iM-4 can navigate snow and unpaved roads skillfully thanks to a combination of 4WD, high ground clearance and high hip point (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The iM-4 is powered by a 1.2-liter Dualjet engine with SHVS mild hybrid system (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Crossovers and 4x4s had a solid presence at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, anchored by the global debuts of some extremely rugged off-roaders
The Mercedes G500 4x4 Squared borrows portal axles from the G63 6x6 and military vehicles (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The portal axles deliver higher ground clearance and increased fording depth (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The G500 4x4 Squared concept is powered by a 422-hp 4.0-liter V8 (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The G500 has three lockable differentials (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The G500's side exhaust tips (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The G500 Squared rides on 22-in wheels and Mercedes also mentions a beadlock wheel package for off-road use (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
A look through the rear door (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The G500 4x4 Squared is a show car, but we hope there's enough interest for Mercedes to pursue a limited production run (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Kahn Design teases its six-wheeled, Land Rover Defender-based Flying Huntsman prior to its press conference (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Jeep doesn't have anything quite as dramatic as the G500 Squared, but it debuts the Wrangler Rubicon "Rocks Star" by Mopar in Geneva (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The 2.8-liter turbo diesel-powered "Rocks Star" features a number of Mopar accessories and graphics, including the LED light bar on top and the US Army star on the hood (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Aston Martin experiments with a sportier type of all-terrain machine (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The DBX Concept provides a look at a sporty, all-electric AWD GT
Inside the Aston Martin DBX Concept (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Inside the Aston Martin DBX Concept (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Aston Martin seems serious about pursuing a DBX-style model (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
It may not look nearly as foreboding as the Peugeot 2008 DKR, but this MINI won it all at this year's Dakar Rally (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Thanks to January's Dakar Rally, the Peugeot 2008 DKR looks much more bruised and battered than it did when we last saw it at the Paris Motor Show (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Stéphane Peterhansel and Jean-Paul Cottret piloted the Peugeot 2008 DKR to an 11th place finish (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Peugeot returned to Dakar in 2015 after a 25-year absence (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Peugeot 2008 DKR (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Peugeot 2008 DKR (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Crossovers and 4x4s had a solid presence at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, anchored by the global debuts of some extremely rugged off-roaders
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Bentley focused its attention on revealing an all-new concept coupe at this year's Geneva Motor Show, so there was no Bentayga SUV as we thought there might be. That's not to say that utility vehicles didn't have any presence in Geneva, though. While they weren't as strong a fleet as sports cars or concept cars, crossovers and 4x4s had a solid presence anchored by the global debuts of some extremely rugged off-roaders.
The hard, square lines of G-Classes and Wranglers provided the perfect yin to the yang of voluptuous sports car curves so prevalent in Geneva. A few highlights:
Mercedes-Benz released the details of the 422-hp, portal axle-vaulted G500 4x4² a couple of weeks before the start of the Geneva show, so we knew what to expect. Kind of. Nothing quite readies you for seeing such a big, mean 4x4 amidst a sea of shiny, pretty cars. It was like a ripped, hulking giant towering over top a crowd of fair, petite women and children. That's due in no small part to the 18 inches (450 mm) of ground clearance, which made getting a picture of the concept-defining portal axles a very quick task.
We loved the original G 63 AMG 6x6, but all that off-road capability packed into a smaller, nimbler 4x4 package is even better. Hopefully, Mercedes flicks the green light on.
The only vehicle that could compete with the sheer imposing presence of the G500 - not counting its big, 6x6 brother, which appeared at Brabus' booth as the Brabus 700 - was the all-new Kahn Design Flying Huntsman, the latest Land Rover Defender 6x6 conversion. Kahn stretched the Defender by just under 4 feet (1,200 mm), added a new set of driven wheels and dropped a 430-hp GM LS3 V8 into the extended engine bay. No portal axles, though.
The Hard Steel Renegade gets a trailer with matching brushed steel livery, a touchscreen display and a speaker system (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
A G-Class, a Defender ... seems like the only proper way to round things out is with a Jeep Wrangler. Jeep did debut a pair of Wrangler packages at the show, but they were rather underwhelming compared to the Renegade Trailhawk "Hard Steel". Described as a show car, the Hard Steel wore a smooth brushed steel suit shared with the teched-out trailer hitched up in back. It also featured larger tires, raised suspension, Mopar accessories and a restyled interior.
Check out our gallery for the rest of the on- and off-road utility vehicle action, including the Dakar winner, the latest plug-in hybrid production and concept SUVs, and a few more thought-provoking show cars.
Chris joined the New Atlas team in 2011 and now serves as the automotive and campers editor, traveling extensively to gather the latest news on cars, outdoor sports gear and other innovations designed to help people experience and enjoy the greater world around them.
1 comment
Tom Lee Mullins
I think the trailer that matches the tow vehicle is really nice.