Written By Jade Sermon
Credit crunch, recession and economic crisis were three phrases banned from the Geneva Motor Show's most up-market exhibitors as the likes of Aston Martin and Ferrari showed the world that while ordinary folk feel the effects of the current fiscal climate, the rich are still rich and will still buy the most exclusive new models. Take Aston Martin for example. The British-based group maker did little for the cost conscious when it revealed its new super-exclusive supercar. The name is one-77. The price? Well, it's yours for a snip - just $1.4m. Only 77 will be produced and Aston is certain there are enough buyers out there. For their $1.4m, they will get a bespoke, uniquely individual car meaning no two cars will be the same. They will, however, all have a 7.0-litre, V12 engine and a likely top speed in excess of 200 mph. Aston wasn't the only luxury brand seeking to tempt the super-rich to open up their increasingly tightly sealed wallets. We also got to see somewhat more of the so-called `Green' 204mph Bentley. We don't know how much it's going to cost yet, but it'll be less than the Aston for those with a little less to spend. The continental supersports will hit 62mph in just 3.9 seconds and produce an eye-watering 621bhp from the twin- turbocharged W12 engine. Despite the cracking performance, the Supersports is a green step forward for Bentley. It will be the first model from the Crewe-based maker to run on any mix of petrol and E85 bio-ethanol. Bentley's engineers have developed the engine to maintain maximum power and torque regardless of the mix of fuel in the tank. Therefore, owners can feel a little better about themselves by filling up on E85, as, according to Bentley, it reduces CO2 emissions by a whopping 70 per cent. For the track enthusiasts among you Ferrari revealed something rather special, the 599xx. The car is aimed at speed-addicts and uses the latest F1 technology to make this an extreme track car. Modifications to the standard 599, which is the prettiest Ferrari I think I've ever had the pleasure of driving in, include a boost to maximum revs of 9,000 rpms, which will squeeze all the power possible from the vast V12 700-bhp engine. Due to go on sale at the end of this year, Ferrari will give each lucky buyer the opportunity of participating in a series of dedicated track days around the world. Again, no price as yet, but expect something in excess of $243,300. And last, but by no means least, was the baby roller. The BMW owned marque, still a by-word for the ultimate in luxury, may have been nick-named as a baby, but you'd need a huge great womb to produce it. The 200EX, is still officially an "experimental car" but the company says the production model, due at the end of the year, will be almost identical. At the moment, Rolls is keeping the precise details of the car close to their chests, but we can expect a new BMW-built V12 engine tucked into the near 4.5m long body. I told you it was quite some `baby'. There's nothing juvenile about the predicted cost either. We can expect prices to start at around $233,450. So, there you have it. Despite the gathering economic storms the luxury carmakers are still bringing a smile to the faces of those who make money in the bad times, as well as good.
