2017 Automation Geneva International Motor Show

Looking ahead to New York, I have plans to introduce yet another new model or two. Probably something I had previously submitted for CSR, albeit revised… Or it could be something else entirely.

Also, why isn’t there already a thread about the Automation SEMA Show, where aftermarket tuners get to show off their wares in Las Vegas? I feel like there should have been one on the forums months ago.

That’s great to hear, but just a word of warning: New York isn’t until September

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I had a great idea for a show like SEMA and will likely host it in about two weeks

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I guess then ill have to get the 1960s show started soon, so there isnt any overlap

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Yeah, in fact we should just get the classics show running for a month or so, and then I’ll host mine. That actually is an even better plan because I’ll have considerably more time around then

The 1960s show will be perfect for my company lore, given how long I’ve been slacking…

I guess i should start now then.

EDIT: Just posted it, starts on the 27th so i guess we can begin designing :slight_smile:

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Yes it is very late, but now it’s time for the Espada and verdict!


# The Independent Review: Erin Berlose VS Zavir Espada Part 2


##Zavir Espada

Sitting in front of me is a ‘Coffee Brown Silk’ Espada Veloce, what Zavir call a ‘mid-range trim’. This car looks amazing. The front headlights fit perfectly, thanks to the styling from Luceat Studio, and while the car may seem quite cluttered, everything is arranged neatly, just as you would expect from Zavir. The chrome on the car just fits. Everything fits. This is a car that can be placed in Slough on a rainy day and it would still looks good. The high quality aluminium panels and glued aluminium chassis make for a comfortable, and weather resistant ride.

Unlike the Berlose which had an i6, the Espada comes with a nice, simple AS38EC 3.2L V6. Unlike the Berlose, the Espada’s engine is not turbocharged, and instead uses high quality performance parts and aggressive VVL timing. This however, makes the Espada have a much smoother power curve, and even with a smaller engine, the Espada makes more horsepower, 306hp compared to the 265hp in the Berlose. Along with the naturally aspirated engine, the V6 makes use of long tubular exhaust headers providing even more power.

Inside, much like the Berlose, the Espada is packed with technology. With a large touch screen in the middle of the dash and a surround sound system to listen to what ever music you want with studio like quality. In my case, how about some smooth jazz…Anyway, moving on, the Espada is also very spacious, with 5 seats and with a bootspace of 718L, its also very practical.

I guess the only thing left to do now is to take it round Silverstone. Driving it around the track, the Espada handled well. While equipped with Zavir’s ‘Hydraspeed Automatic transmission’ and weighing in at almost 1.9 tonnes, the powerful engine helped the Espada Veloce reach 178mph with relative ease and allowed the car to accelerate from 0-62 in well under 6 seconds. The Espada’s quarter mile time is also very impressive at 14 seconds. Now time for the timed lap…

…After driving the Espada around Silverstone, I have to say, this car is quick. The extra 41hp and the active suspension, really does make a difference. The Espada Veloce made it round the track in 2:53:35. Exactly 3 seconds faster than the Berlose. However speed isn’t everything and thus here is the conclusion and verdict.

#Conclusion/Verdict
So after spending some more time with the Berlose and the Espada, I can say that the Espada is the better car…or is it? You see, the Mid range Espada with the V6 will set you back £41,942 and that is without Zavir’s QuattroForza AWD System, Z-Pack(More Sporty design and trim) or the luxury infotainment and glass roof. On the other hand, the Berlose Vox, the top level trim, will only set you back £37,895 with the basic Vox setup. This is a rather large difference in price, and considering that economy wise, both cars are very similar, with decent fuel economies and relatively low running costs, it doesn’t get better for the Espada. The basic trim for the Berlose, the S 2.5, with a 2.5L Turbo i6, only costs £29,100, and while it only has standard infotainment on board, is much faster than the Espada’s basic trim, the Stilo, which also has standard infotainment and costs almost as much as the Berlose Vox, at £35,912! As much as I want to praise the Espada and tell you now to buy it immediately, the prices for it are very steep, compared with the Berlose (I’m not saying the Berlose is a bad car, but compared with the Espada, the Espada is superior), you get so much more.

Of course, at the end of the day, which car I recommend really depends on what your budget is. If you want a nice sporty premium sedan and you’re on a budget of about £30,000-32,000, the Berlose is the only choice. The Berlose S 2.5 and the Lex are much better than the Espada Stilo, in terms of what you get for you money and performance. If, however, you want something slighly more premium, again, go with the Berlose. The Vox trim, while having slightly lower performance than the Espada Veloce, is just as good and for a lower price gives you better value for money. Now, if price doesnt matter, go ahead, buy the Espada. It’s a great car that does everything well. Heck, if you have large wads of cash, go for the Espada’s top range model, the Sportivo with the massive 4.2L V8! Sure it will cost you an arm and a leg at a whopping £84,350, but what you do get is close to perfection.

##My Thoughts:

####Erin Berlose Vox:
Pros:
-Great Price!!
-Nice Handling
-Decent Performance
-Nice Styling
Cons:
-Engine Power limited due to small exhaust and intercooler(Pureon 3.5 i6)
-Torque curve not so smooth (not really that bad though)

####Zavir Espada Veloce:

Pros:
-Beautiful design
-Great Handling for such a heavy car
-Very good Performance from the V6, not so much from the 2.0L in the Stilo
-Very easy to drive
Cons:
-Expensive
-Espada Stilo with the 2.0L dissapointing for the price point.

Well hope you’ve found this interesting! :wink: Matthew Sierra out…

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Hmm, yeah, I’m not the best at optimising value for money. In other words, my cars are freaking expensive :smile: That’s one of the reasons why I’m more or less waiting with actual Zavir releases (with all stats, options, prices and so on) for the Unreal update. Well, the result is more or less what I expected after seeing Berlose prices :smile:

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Matthew Sierra

Yeah, I really liked the Espada Veloce, I am certainly thinking of buying one myself, but for the review’s sake, it’s just a shame that the car was just really expensive. I would certainly put it on my list of top cars revealed at Geneva this year!


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With the New York Auto Show not starting until September, perhaps anyone who missed Geneva would be interested in showing new models at the Shanghai Auto Show?

Brilliant review! Sorry I’ve been so slow to reply, I’ve had a busy 24 hours :joy: Definitley seems to me that the Espada is way more performance focused, it’d be interesting to see how a performance-tuned version of the Berlose would do up against it. That’s for another day though :wink:

But, in that respect, it’s a fantastic car @szafirowy01 and I was certainly impressed at the higher stats than the Berlose and the styling.

Thank you for the reviews @Dorifto_Dorito!

@abg7 Ah! Good point, forgot about that show. That’s definitely something to plan ahead for.

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New York Autoshow is April 14…

@Deskyx I’m think of Paris. Thanks for clearing that up!

Geneva at the moment has gone back to normal. But Gavin is still here, for one last test at this year’s show.

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Gavin you lucky bastard

Matt Sierra

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#Final Round of Voting
Well! They always say you never can tell and this is just such a case. There are no less than 6 cars that are tied with one another in the top spots, and we can’t really just pick one winner from each group now can we? So, the final vote will be between all of these cars.

Same rules once more etc etc, you have until Saturday 25th March 2017, 18:00 GMT to get your votes in. And at last, we’ll be able to announce this year’s best in show.

Best of luck guys!

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Win or lose, I’m happy about my car being featured in the top 6 :slight_smile:

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And I wonder who is the one that voted for Espada, since surprisingly that wasn’t me :stuck_out_tongue: I guess if only I used any kind of proper picture editing it would be more of a success :smile: But ain’t nobody got time for that, I’ve got too many ideas with too little time.

Edit: too bad one of the car I voted for isn’t in the top 6 (Monolith M161), and the other (Erin Tauga SB) doesn’t seem to have a chance for the win too. Good that the third car I’d vote does much better :smile:

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@doncornaldie Yeah, you really ought to be proud of that. It’s such a mad car, fully deserving of that top 6 position.

@szafirowy01 Can’t say it was me either, though I haven’t voted in any of these polls anyway. Nice to see that you have three potential cars to vote for though, I like to see broad appeals for automation creations!

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Ladies and Gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to announce that the winner of Best in Show at the 2017 Automation Geneva International Motor Show is…

#The Cavallera/Zenshi Seiryu!

Who’d have though it then. The last car to be revealled at the show, after a particularly strong showing this year across the board, is crowned Best In Show. A joint venture between two like minded companies to create a Japanese honed mid-engined masterpiece. The Seiryu is a car that evokes a level of passion that is truly admirable and is shown in every aspect of the car. At once, it is both cutting edge and soulful, modern yet familiar, traditional yet also someting new.

Within its tidy styling and light-weight construction is a car that we’re expecting is going to reshape the mid-range sports car market. Following a wave of new releases in this sector from multiple companies, the Seiryu has shown itself to be the public’s choice (for now at least) and could well be said to be the best in this class at the moment. We’ll only truly get an answer to that when we can get a roadtest in it.

For now though, the Seiryu deserves to be celebrated for its achievements and should be allowed to bask in its appreciation. Geneva 2017 has shown that the essence of the sports car is still very much alive and kicking, and more than anything else, the Seiryu is parading that essence with pride.


Congratulations @ramthecowy and @Grandea, can we expect a full stats release for the Seiryu in the near future?

Thank you also to everyone for making Geneva 2017 a great success. Commendations to @titleguy1 for starting this thread, I’d like to thank you personally for giving me the honor of covering the show. And I can only hope that you’ve enjoyed Gavin’s writing and his escapades as much as I have. :smiley:

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