Debuting alongside its Polo counterpart, Volkswagen has unveiled the CrossGolf at the Geneva Auto Show. The sixth model to be based on the Golf platform, the CrossGolf is infused with the style of a crossover. The specific CrossGolf model is based on the GolfPlus, but it gets a rugged exterior with new front and rear bumpers, side skirts, roof rails, fender flares and special 17-inch wheels. The car’s ground ground clearance has also been raised by 20mm to help in any off-road adventures. Volkswagen claims the car is a mix of SUV and MPV styling – although it’s really just a 5-door hatch with a higher center of gravity.

As for engines, the usual array of VW powerplants are available, including TSI and TDI. TDI engines include a 104-hp 1.6-liter and a 138-hp 2.0-liter with 236 ft-lbs and a rating of 44.4 mpg. Gasoline engines include 104-hp and 120-hp TSI mills as well as VW’s impressive 160-hp 1.4-liter TSI Twincharger with both a supercharger and turbocharger. The base gasoline engine comes with a six-speed manual, while all other engines but the Twincharger get a 7-speed DSG transmission. The Twincharger gets a more robust 6-speed DSG box. Fuel economy for the Twincharger is rated at 35 mpg.

And yet as sporty as that engine sounds, most folks are likely to opt for a diesel and care more about the car’s functionality – like cargo room. In that area the CrossGolf certainly delivers with a sliding rear bench that enables anywhere from 14 cubic feet to 19 cubic feet, or a total of 51.2 cu.-ft. with the rear seats folded flat.

Set to launch in Europe, it’s highly unlikely that this model will ever be offered in North America. U.S. customers aren’t likely to miss it either, but that Twincharger engine would be a great addition to the VW lineup on this side of the Atlantic.

GALLERY: Volkswagen CrossGolf

Audi really went all out to promote its new A1 at the Geneva Auto Show. Newly-signed brand ambassador Justin Timberlake gave Audi’s press conference star power, drawing one of the largest crowds on media day.

Unfortunately the pop star’s appearance was a little underwhelming in this reporter’s opinion.

Lesson #1: If you’re going to have one of the biggest stars on the planet promoting your brand, don’t stick him in a hole in the wall and out of sight of at least a third of the crowd. Just take a look in the gallery below. JT’s on the big screen, but if you look a bit to the left and squint, you can just about make out his hand holding the microphone.

Lesson #2: If you’re going to have a band set up on stage and you’re bringing in a pop star like JT, people will want to see him sing. They don’t want to see him introduce an alternative rock band from Sweden. Nothing wrong with Torpedo’s performance; they acquitted themselves quite well in fact. Personally, I wouldn’t want to be asked to perform when I’m the second most popular musical act on the stage.

Thankfully, the A1 put in a better performance than its co-star. Audi’s new sub-compact has MINI firmly in its sights. The small car (155.5-inches in length, 97.2-inch wheelbase, 68.5-inches wider and 56-inches tall) comes with four engine options.

Diesel options include two 1.6-liter versions with either 90-hp and 169 ft-lbs of torque or 105-hp and 184 ft-lbs of torque. Gasoline models get either a tiny 1.2-liter TFSI 4-cylinder with 86-hp and 118 ft-lbs of torque or a 1.4-liter TFSI with 122-hp and 147 ft-lbs of torque. Five and six-speed manual transmissions come standard, while a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is available.

But how does it perform? Let’s ask our man JT:

“It’s … fast. And, um … still an Audi.”

Lesson #3: Don’t let JT ad lib.

Gallery: Audi A1

Sitting next to the sporty Polo GTI model at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show is a crossover-styled CrossPolo. With new front and rear bumpers, side skirts and fender flares, all in a black plastic, the sporty hatch gets a rugged off-road look. To complete the look it also gets some roof rails, as well as some 17-inch wheels.

A total of six engines will be offered (three gasoline and diesel each), combined with a six-speed or 7-speed DSG transmission. Gasoline powerplants include 1.2-and 1.4-liter 4-cylinders as well as a 1.2-liter TSI engine with direct-injection and a turbo that makes 104-hp and can accelerate the car to 62 mph in 9.9 seconds while achieving 42.7 mpg on average. As for the diesels, all three engines offered are 1.6-liter units with power levels ranging from 74-hp to 89-hp to 104-hp, with all achieving 55-mpg on average.

Inside, the CrossPolo gets some unique and rugged trim items, while total cargo space is listed at 37 cubic feet with the rear seats folded flat.

With Volkswagen still yet to make a move on bringing the Polo to North America, it’s highly unlikely that the CrossPolo would ever see our shores. Even if the Polo does jump the pond, a standard and GTI model are likely the only versions we’ll see – which is really just fine by us. (We really do wish they’d hurry up and bring the Polo here).

GALLERY: Volkswagen CrossPolo

Official release after the jump:

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Hot on the tailpipes of the new A8 comes Audi’s A8 Hybrid, which has just made its world debut at the Geneva Auto Show. Rated at 38-mpg (average) using the European test cycle, it should be slightly lower with the less-generous U.S. cycle. Audi claims a fuel economy improvement of 20 percent in city driving.

Power comes from (what else), Audi’s incredible 2.0 TFSI engine, combined with an electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack for a total of 245-hp and 354 ft-lbs of torque. This enables not only impressive fuel economy, but also reasonably good performance (for a hybrid) with a 0-62 mpg time of 7.6 seconds.

The system is a full two-mode hybrid capable of running on gasoline, electric power or a combination of both. It can operate on pure electric power for over 1.5 miles at seeds up to 40 mph.

GALLERY: Audi A8 Hybrid

Official release after the jump:

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Nissan introduced the fourth generation of its Micra small car at the Geneva Auto Show, with hopes the compact car will help the company branch out into emerging markets.

The compact car is built on Nissan’s new V-Platform (V as in “versatile”), which provides Nissan with a base to adapt the Micra to the 160 different countries where it will be sold. The Micra will be manufactured in four locations: Thailand, India, Mexico and China.

Nissan will offer different engines for the Micra, depending on the market.  In Europe, the Micra will have two options, a 1.2L three-cylinder gasoline engine rated at 79 hp, and a supercharged 1.2L direct injection engine with a start-stop system. Both engines come with the option of a five-speed manual transmission or Nissan’s continuously variable transmission system.

Gallery: Nissan Micra

GALLERY: Nissan Micra Official Photos

Official release after the jump:

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Volkswagen kicked off the launch of the all-new second-generation Touareg SUV at the Geneva Auto Show with the introduction of a new hybrid model. The new Touareg Hybrid comes complete with a supercharged and direct-injection 3.0-liter V6, electric motor, battery pack and eight-speed automatic transmission. The result is a combined fuel economy rating of 28.6 mpg in the EU cycle, which is likely to be more like 24-mpg combined for the U.S. That’s good, but not as impressive as you might think, when compared to the current TDI model with a rating of almost 32 mpg. Other engines offered include a 3.6-liter V6, as well as a 335-hp 4.2-liter TDI V8 (which won’t be available in North America).

Expect big gains in fuel economy across the vehicle range due to the 8-speed tranny as well as a vastly lighter overall weight (by 460 lbs). VW says the new SUV is 20 percent more efficient than the outgoing model.

We have to say the SUV’s new look is impressive, with a sporty crossover style that includes the two-bar grille found on the current Golf.

And while it may look like a crossover, the Touareg remains an SUV with true off-road capability. Gasoline models get VW’s 4MOTION system with all-wheel drive, a Torsen limited-slip differential and an off-road driving program that increases the threshold for ABS, EDS and ASR, while activating Hill Descent Assist and adjusting the transmission shift points. The V6 TDI can be had with an optional Terrain Tech Pack with a more rugged transfer case, as well as reduction gearing and both center and rear locking differentials. Like the first-generation model, the new Touareg has a rotary switch to control the different off-road settings. The five modes include: On-Road; Off-Road; Low, which includes off-road plus reduced gearing, higher shift points and no automatic upshift in manual mode; The addition of the center differential lock; and finally the addition of the rear differential lock. VW makes the rather (and almost absurd) claim that this AWD system allows the new Touareg to, “conquer any terrain on Earth.”

We’re not sure about that, but the new style updates make a big difference and the improvement in fuel economy is always a plus.

GALLERY: Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid

Official release after the jump:

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With Infiniti having just joined the European marketplace in recent years, the luxury arm of Nissan is looking to make a big impression by introducing fuel efficient diesel models, as well as the brand’s first ever hybrid.

The M35 Hybrid is based on the new M platform and uses the previous generation’s 3.5-liter V6. This engine is then paired with an electric motor, lithium-ion battery pack and Infiniti’s 7-speed automatic transmission to deliver rear-drive performance, with improved fuel economy. While no engine or fuel economy numbers are available, the 3.5-liter V6 likely makes about 300-hp, while the electric motor adds 67-hp and 199 ft-lbs of torque.

As mentioned, no fuel economy numbers are available, but we should see a marked improvement over the new M37′s 18/26 (city/highway) rating.

Infiniti will bring the M35 Hybrid to market by the Spring of 2011.

GALLERY: Infiniti M35 Hybrid

Official release after the jump:

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Along with the launch of the new Audi A1 at the Geneva Auto Show, the automaker unveiled an E-Tron electric vehicle concept.

The A1 E-Tron is powered by a 102 hp electric motor with a range of 31.07 miles. A compact Wankel rotary engine kicks in when needed to recharge the lithium-ion battery, potentially extending the range to 124.27 miles.

According to Audi’s calculations, the fuel A1 E-Tron’s range extender gasoline engine has a fuel consumption of 123.8 mpg and produces 72.42 g/mile of CO2 gas.

Gallery: Audi A1 E-Tron Concept

Easily one of our to picks at this year’s Geneva Auto Show is Audi’s RS5 sports coupe. Based on the already stunning A5/S5, it is powered by the same 4.2-liter V8 found in the RS4 or R8, but output has been upped to a total of 450-hp at 8250 rpm, while maximum torque of 317 ft-lbs is available from 4000 to 6000 rpm. Combined with Audi’s S-tronic dual-clutch 7-speed transmission, quattro all-wheel drive and a 3,803 lb curb weight the RS5 can accelerate to 62 mph in 4.6 seconds – which isn’t quite as exciting as we might expect for a 450-hp car.

Featured for the first time on the RS5 is Audi’s new crown-gear differential, which allows for up to 70 percent of the power to be distributed to the front wheels, or as much as 85 percent to the rear wheels. Under normal operation, the RS5 has a 40:60 rear-bias. In addition, the RS5 features an electronic limited slip differential, that slows the inside wheel in a turn when wheel spin is detected. Plus, an optional sport differential will be made available, distributing power between the rear wheels.

The RS5 sits 0.79 inches lower than the A5 and comes standard with 19-inch wheels (20s are optional). Other highlights include 14.37-inch, 8-piston front brakes, as well as optional carbon-fiber brake discs. There’s also Audi’s drive-select program to control different levels of throttle response, steering, transmission gear changes, the sport differential and even the exhaust system. As for the big rear spoiler, it pops up at speeds above 74 mph and automatically retracts at 50 mph.

Take a gander through our gallery below and leave us your envious thoughts.

GALLERY: Audi RS5

With the matte-green 599 hybrid concept on display at the Ferrari booth at the Geneva Auto Show, the Italian exotic automaker didn’t have a lot to say about it, but the company’s CEO did make an important remark about the future of Ferrari hybrids. Luca di Montezemolo commented that the automaker is looking to reduce emissions by up to 35 percent in the next three years and one way it intends to do that is to offer hybrid versions of all of its models in the next three or four years.

The 599 hybrid concept (Vettura Laboratorio HY Kers) is the start of what di Montezemolo called a long project, which is sure to include several updates before it becomes a full production model. The matte-green Ferrari uses a Kinetic Energy Recovery System to give the model an extra boost of electric power – making it an even higher performer. The lithium-ion battery pack for the hybrid system is located low in the car, improving its center of gravity, while not intruding on the passenger compartment. It is hooked up to a dual-clutch 7-speed transmission and adds at least 100 extra hp (as Ferrari insisted every added pound was offset by at least one horsepower).

The electric energy generated under braking also powers the car’s batter and its accessories, and allows the car to run on pure electric power at times (although Ferrari doesn’t say how far or for how long).

See more on the 599 Hybrid Concept after the jump:

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