BETTER PARTSSmall car at Geneva Motor Show Small and very finely
Small and very finely
Not infrequently it is just the smallest cars that make it big out. Especially if they offer more than affordable basic engine and already conjure the premiere audience a smile on your face. Traditionally, the best way to do this charm offensive all Minis in the spotlight at Geneva.
They mobilize all the nations, winning hearts as fashionable shopping bags or toxic power dwarfs. Iconic Small cars are the automotive kings when it comes to the combination of maximum benefit at minimum cost, a lot of emotion but should not it stay on track. The light from the big wide world see the little ones prefer in Switzerland, the neutral playground for all newborn Minis from Europe or Asia. The stage is set for the little ones of all time top ten in the Geneva exhibition halls!
# 10: Seat Arosa 1997
With micro car seat was once the engine of Spain succeeded. According tense waiting the premiere guests at Geneva on the first seat mini, which had been developed under the umbrella of Volkswagen. The Arosa they should not disappoint, he was even a harbinger of Volkswagen Lupo. First, however, made , named after the Spanish city of Villa de Arosa Streaker headlines as a record hunter. Thus in 1998 there were an entry in the Guinness Book of Records as the most economical production car in the world. As the Arosa VW Lupo 3L twin brother TDI 1999 hit the headlines with a rather strange practice standard fuel consumption of 2.99 liters per 100 kilometers, put the seat after. With an average of 3.18 liters overcame an Arosa 1.4 TDI, the 6367 km long distance from the North Cape to Tarifa in southern Spain. Was ended the duel between brothers only through the end of production without compensation decreed by Wolfsburg of Arosa.
9th place: Toyota Starlet 1978
He was the first mini-star in the big Toyota program. With the Starlet, the Japanese pulled an ace out of his sleeve, which significantly zusetzte the European small car builders., Requiring only a modern design, the practical tailgate and unparalleled reliability in breakdown statistics. Starlet driver registered satisfied that statistically, had to drive 1,000 Starlet free span over four million kilometers before one of them hit a defect. This resilience of the Toyota was able to console himself with rear live axle using the simple technique. Who the standard 33 kW/45 hp was not enough power, could qualify for the start in the first German brand trophy series for Japanese small car with the resharpened starlet. Leading the way in the small class was a station wagon version.
8th place: Citroen Ami 8 / M 35 from 1969
He has earned a place of honor among the automotive eccentrics. Despite quirky designs conquered the two-cylinder type Citroen Ami 6 first place in the French homologation charts. Successes Starcouturier Robert Opron with the evolutionary stages Ami 8 and M should extrapolate 35. First surprise here: Not glamorous as usual in Paris, but on the design fell Geneva Motor Show Citroen unveiled its fresh spring collection hatchback dress, which took nearly 800,000 buyers Ami 8. Meanwhile caused the M35 for entirely different sensation as the smallest car with hydropneumatic suspension and the first French series Rotarians. The production was the single-rotor Wankel engine in comotor, a specially founded by Citroen and NSU companies. Before starting the mass production testing in the M Coupe should be 35, which was sold only to selected customers. However, there were just 267 fans, because the small experimental coupe cost around 14,000 francs almost as much as the " divine " DS.
7th place: BMW Isetta 1955
Even the first-nighters called the tiny Motocoupé lovingly bubble car. The BMW Isetta even offered space for a small family - just like the popular Italian street fleas with which the Bavarian basic engine (initially 12 hp from 250 cubic centimeters ) shared her roots. In fact, the Isetta from an iso license was (known as Super sports car maker ) and brought everything that was necessary for affordable driving pleasure. These included four wheels - other brands put on kippfreudige Three Wheeler - low fuel consumption (Tester awarded the Isetta the status of a "three-liter car " ) and a pre-highway-capable Vmax of 85 km / h With the BMW Isetta was a mass producer again. The pipsqueak with original front door led the manufacturer of " Baroque Angel sedans " and V8 coupe to new heights, especially since even Hollywood stars like Cary Grant enthusiastic for the Isetta. Worldwide, more than 160,000 were sold Isetta - best value for a vehicle of this type
6th place: Opel Corsa B 1993
With a whole parade of new Corsa in round - feminine forms Opel led the flower-filled shores of Lac de Genève, the era of global Biodesigns the zenith. The fresh Corsa left the already elderly Polo II and also the angular - stiff Ford Fiesta no chance. Its award-winning design and a motor program from economical to sporty - including an innovative downsizing three-cylinder - the smallest Opel made in this country for seven consecutive years the number 1 in its class. Support the Corsa received it through the chic sports coupe Tigra and the introduction of a combo as a family and company vans. On other continents, the Corsa was even offered with additional, individual body variations, this. Mainly as a pick-up, station wagon and sedan with brand logos from Chevrolet, Buick or Holden
5th place: Fiat Panda 1980
He was a Fiat, as all loved him italophile fans and the press. The original as well as pragmatic Panda was showered with media prices and almost led Fiat to new heights. Made a decisive contribution designed by Giuagiaro body in cost-reducing simplicity. The Italian star designer created angular shapes without fashionable flourishes that mutated in advertising " gallery box". A box with pithy marketing slogans like " Muffensausen in Zuffenhausen " immediate cult. Fiat's Smallest was a classless bestseller, the Italian mountain farmers ( there was even a 4 × 4 version ) as well loved as students and intellectuals. The latter saw in the maximum of 33 kW/45 hp strong boxes often a successor to the Renault R4.
Seat 4: NSU Prinz TTS 1967
"Go prince and you are king " was the first advertising slogan for the only new German small car series of the Swinging Sixties. Rather emperor as king were the buyers of the engine TT and TTS. Named the extra fast Mini Racer goods by the Tourist Trophy ( TT ) on the Isle of Man, the toughest bike race in the world. With sporty twin headlamps and a bold lettering on black background rally the sultry TTS admitted in 1967 into the fast lane free. Not missing was allowed at the 51 kW/70 hp payable NSU the oil cooler under the front bumper and the rear hood easily established on the model of the hot tail motor sportsman of Abarth. In fact, the TTS showed in sprint tests from a standstill to 80 even the Porsche 912, the established rear hood. Even the then most powerful production motorcycle in the world, up to 220 km / h Münch "Mammoth " was fired from 74 kW/100 hp four-cylinder developing TTS. While the rear-engined NSU today Sprint only in historic motor sport on the pole, placed NSU Heritage Audi TT and TTS legendary type abbreviation of sports coupes and roadsters on top places in the relevant sections of the registration statistics.
3rd place: Suzuki Swift SA 310 1984
His Japanese premiere had the small Japanese is already celebrated at the Tokyo Motor Show and yet he caused surprise in the Geneva exhibition halls. Swift should now be called the Suzuki. Sensational at the ancestor of the current Suzuki Swift, of course, was not his time yet unobtrusive Allerweltsdesign, but his mission as a small world conqueror. Finally, the only 3.58 meters measured three-door model to do with three-cylinder engine and optional three-speed automatic as the first Japanese mini on all five continents with its own production career and also win with several GM brand logos the hearts of otherwise rather size love Americans. In Europe, the tapes until 1992 ran at Esztergom in Hungary, as the Swift was already in the second generation at the start and as a sharp GTI Cabriolet beautiful and extravagant Speedster a popular alternative to the established European small cars. And Suzuki Swift catapulted into the top ten of the auto giants.
2nd place: Volkswagen Polo 1975
With the Volkswagen Polo was the first time in the small class profile. This was achieved by the Audi 50, a Mini, which forms the star designer Bertone had drawn and even drove with powerful engines midrange models before it. But above all, was the father of the Audi VW Polo. Four years later there was only the Polo, for a small Audi saw the marketing strategists now no more room. There was the Wolfsburg Billigheimer - initially even without standard disc brakes or fuel gauge - become itself part of the father of a family of models that almost everything from cheap to luxury hotels could. However, it had also become necessary in order to offer always new competitors Paroli, a discipline that the Polo to the present day perfectly mastered.
1st place: 1275 Mini Cooper S from 1964
The youngest child in the group of the British Motor Corporation ( BMC) was only five years old when it really hit the gas again. This means a motor retrofit that thundered like the sonic boom of an early jet aircraft by the automotive industry. John Cooper blew up the mini power plant for 1275 cc infernal machine - but BMC chief George Harriman refused to series production. The aged small mini motor could not tolerate such a power boost, argued the BMC boss. Only when John Cooper wanted to cease cooperation with BMC, Harriman relented. A decision that made the Mini an immortal legend. With up to 96 kW/130 hp, the youngest Cooper Development to rocket on wheels that could add it to the acceleration values with almost all supercars of those years and in the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally, even the all-powerful American Ford Falcon was hit. A Monte - Triumph, the whole of Great Britain was proud. Indeed, even Enzo Ferrari, a pilot of the English Racers. "If he were not so ugly, I could fall in love with the kids ," Enzo Ferrari reportedly said, according to legend, after he had brought his new racer in person the creator of the original Mini, Alec Issigonis.