CYGNET: The Toyota that thinks it's a sports car
WHO’D HAVE Genev’d it — even Toyota looked hopeful at last week’s opening of the swish Swiss international motor show as the world’s carmakers drew a line on the past, and marched bravely towards the future.
Like a couple of last year’s models the two great Rs of yesterday — Recessions and Recalls — were parked carefully by all but the very bitchy as the industry’s eyes settled instead on the middle-distance.
It’s been a tough couple of years for the world’s carmakers and there isn’t a brand that hasn’t felt the biting winds of the recessions — with some unfortunates like Toyota, GM, Nissan, Mazda and several others also having to deal with that other R word for good measure.
But car shows are all about looking forward — and promising much about promising futures for both the carmaker and the car — and this year’s Geneva show is no different.
The event closes this Sunday and — despite the current recession — is expected to be one of the most successful in its 80 years.
Much of this is due to the down-to-earth nature of many of the new models being unveiled.
Yes, there is exotica like Porsche’s 918 Spyder and Ferrari’s 599 Hybrid.
But cars like these are mere eye candy to the majority of visitors who want to see Opel’s new Meriva with its ‘suicide’ doors, or Alfa Romeo’s Giulietta or Audi’s game-raising A1.
Bread and butter models like the new Ford Focus and the new Nissan Micra are also making their public debut at Geneva.
R-weary Toyota meanwhile unveiled their hybrid Auris and their facelifted RAV4, both of which get here this summer.
Nissan’s Juke — a little brother for the Qashqai — impressed us with its chunky design.
So too did Mitsubishi’s ASX and Hyundai’s iX35 — both of which will challenge the Qashqai when they go on sale here before the summer.
MINI meanwhile are offering a bit of rough with their tough new Countryman crossover.
It’s the first MINI to get four doors but its grunty design is a bit of an acquired taste.
Volvo’s new S60 on the other hand looks particularly smart with its slick coupe looks and is sure to make an impact when it rolls into Irish showrooms in the autumn.
And what was it that gave Toyota particular reason to be optimistic?
It was Aston Martin’s unblinking belief that they can sell their new Cygnet for €40,000 — despite it being a Toyota iQ decked out in upmarket go-faster bling.
The Toyota suits weren’t saying it but we knew what they were thinking: Surely if a small British carmaker can feel that bullish about having just one Toyota model to sell — how confident should the giant Toyota feel with a whole range to market?