The vehicle itself is ideal for your everyday needs but for those who plan to travel a little further or wishes to purchase or deliver a few extra items, then the Smart Fortwo ED is not the vehicle for you. It’s for this reason why Rinspeed decided to give the small car another axle to make the electric Smart Fortwo appealing to a far greater market.

This add-on could be perfect for Pizza delivery companies or those of you who love to partake in winter sports. This is still in concept form and will be on show during the Geneva Motor Show next month, but we have to warn you that Rinspeed has teased us with concepts in the past only to leave us wondering why they never made it to production.

The Dock+Go is like an extra energy pack, which will either be fitted with extra batteries or a range extender. The third axle is said to drive the second axle and in doing so will also charge up the internal batteries on the car itself and what extra power you have left from the auxiliary batteries can even be used to power your home or you could sell it back to the national grid – in theory anyway.

The Dock+Go is not all about giving you a greater range but also about proving extra storage space and could be modified to keep those pizzas warm or other products cold. The new Fourtwo that will be docked with the concept rear axle will also have a few upgrades, such as a 12.1-inch monitor on the dash and a new Harman soundsystem with gesture control. We do hope to see this concept on the streets soon because it would be a crime not to see this make it to production.

Let’s say for arguments sake that the Dock+Go does become a reality how much would you pay for the two vehicles and what would you do if you had one? For more details on this visit eMercedesBenz.

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The 2012 auto shows have already kicked off and Geneva is just the next in line but is considered to be one of the most important, as the European market is big business and the fact that some of the best automakers reside there as well. There will be a total of 260 exhibitors showing off new and concept models and the press will be able view 70 conferences before the public even get to see these models, although they will feature them heavily on their online publications.

It’s so hard to tell what the standout vehicles will be this year but you can bet they will all be trying to outdo each other, but it’s already easy to see there will be a handful of models that will be generating more interest than others, although this will depend on taste, needs and budget.

One such model is the new GranTurismo Sport and while it’s not a replacement for the aging model we have to consider this a stepping stone, the latest addition will replace the current S model and will come with an improved 4.7-liter V8, which goes from the current 434hp to 460. It’s not just under the hood that has been improved the front fascia now has a far more aggressive look, as does the grille and air apertures. The interior will also see a few improvements such as a new steering wheel and front and rear seats as well, there are currently no details on a release date or price.

Ferrari has been doing all they can to try and make their cars more fuel-efficient but that doesn’t mean they have forgotten their roots, and the upgraded California is proof of this. The guys over at Maranello have worked their magic to give us a lighter more powerful version of this sexy looking car, having shaved off 30 kilograms of weight and increased power by another 30 horsepower. The New Ferrari California will now hit 0-62mph in just 3.8 seconds but we cannot put it all down to the upgrades mentioned above, the new ECU and exhaust manifold also play their part as well. Europe will get the refreshed model first with other markets following later.

While it’s easy to get lost in what the big boys will be showing off we have to remember that these shows are more for the typical consumer, so it stands to reason why the 2012 Kia Cee’d could be of interest to everyday drivers. We have to admire how far this automaker has come in the past five years because in the past their designs have been a little on the boring side, but looking at the new Cee’d is like looking at what Ford is now doing. This small hatch might not have the same kind of performance upgrades as other models coming to the show, but it’s hard not to appreciate beauty when you see it. The interior has also seen an upgrade but not as much as we had hoped, although we still see it as a vast improvement on the current model.

The Geneva Motor Show would not be what it is today without the concepts that we get to see, and the press will have a field day with two models coming to the event in a couple of weeks. The first is the Infiniti hybrid sports car concept, which they have named the Emerg-E. There are currently no official images but there have been one or two computerized models leaked and it’s easy to see why Infiniti does not want to spoil the surprise, but we do know the car will use a combination of an internal-combustion engine and an electric powertrain. The system will be similar to what the Fisker Karma uses and not the Prius, so should achieve much better performance than the latter – well it has to with a design like what we expect.

Finally Jeep is to show off three models the first two are concepts intended for production, while the other is a special edition model. The Jeep Grand Cherokee (if it goes to production) will come with a 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine and have a sporty exterior and interior and a number of different technologies to make driving both safer and easier. Second up there will be the Jeep Compass, which is considered to be a compact off-roader but if we had to choose then we would have to go for the special edition Jeep Wrangler Mountain because it looks so raw. If you ever want an off-road vehicle to stand out in the crowd then this is it, but most of this is due to the Gecko green color.

These are just a handful of what the press will get to see two days sooner than the public at the Geneva Motor Show 2012, but if these are not to your liking then maybe the videos below might be of more interest to you?

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This year will be no different, and some cars have already been teased ahead of the show, but picking the best ones will be a little hard. One of the most recent additions is the Ssangyong SUT1 concept, but what we like about this model is how a production version is planned to hit the streets next year.

As always Mazda will be bringing something special to the show, and this year they will give us the Minagi concept. This CUV will most likely be called the CX-5 once it hits production, but we are not so convinced about this design, as it reminds us a little of a BMW 1-series. Although, we do expect to see a huge amount of technology packed into this one.

One of the most exciting has to be the Infiniti compact concept; this model will be all about the performance. Not much is really known about this car, but we do know that it will be powered by an engine collaboration with Renault-Nissan and Daimler. That’s all we know at the moment, but the news will come thick and fast in a few short days. For more details visit the official website for the 81st International Motor Show.

It is so hard to say how popular this year’s Geneva Motor Show will be, but there has been a trend that these auto shows has been losing their appeal. No matter what the carmakers do, consumers are just not willing to put their hands in their pockets as much as they used to. What will do industry do to counter this issue?

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According to the press release, which was sent to Autoblog, the R8 BiTurbo has lost all of its paint, and then been highly polished; a process that took more than 700 hours to do – now that’s commitment. However, looking at the images of this thing we have to say that it was well worth the effort.

MTM were not happy with the already insanely fast R8, so thought that twin-turbochargers were needed. The coupe is now tuned to produce 777 horsepower, which is enough to propel the MTM Audi R8 to 217mph. This is not fast when you look at the Veyron, but at a fraction of the price it truly is an amazing achievement.

If you want something a little less in your face, then the Audi TT RS from MTM is another coupe to consider. This one still has all its paint and offers a 472hp engine. This car, which will be on show in just a few days will reach speeds of 195mph – would you have ever thought that an Audi TT would ever hit just under 200mph?

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As Engadget report this electric powered, compact roadster can go for as far as 84 miles from one charge and reaches speeds of up to 75 mph. It even has luxurious interior that includes smartphone docking area.

The zero-emission prototype also offers a 7 bhp overboost function in addition to its 40 bhp electric motor that is rear-mounted and a lithium-ion battery with a 16.5 kWh capacity which can quick charge in 45 minutes. It even has integrated solar cells powering the electrics. Mercedes-Benz’s Steffen Kohl said the car as a ‘unique and electric look’ thanks to its minimalistic design and high-gloss finish.

Unfortunately Mercedes have already made it clear that this smartly designed Smart Forspeed is just a concept and will not make the production line, saying that only parts of the design will feature in future developments. For more details about the car check out this link, where you’ll also find a picture gallery.

What do you think of the Smart Forspeed? Let us know what your thoughts are on electric cars in general.

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According to Slashgear, the design is based on their Phantom, except it has an electric-powertrain that replaces the 6.75L engine. This isn’t the first luxury car to get an electric makeover. Hybrid cars have been around for a while now; Lexus’s LX600hl is an example of one such motor.

It seems big named car manufacturers are trading their fuel guzzling, growling engines for more smoother, quiet running engines with the potential to offer ultimate-luxury and at the same time becoming environmentally friendly. However luxury these vehicle are, the price may seem less of a luxury.

The Rolls Royce 102EX will cost 2p per mile which compared to the Phantom which does 15 miles to the gallon, the savings are significant. Unthinkable say the fuel price is unlikely to compensate enough for the cost of the car which they believe will be in the region of £1 million if put into production.

The Geneva Motor Show runs from the 3rd to the 13th of March. If you own a Rolls Royce you will be able to test drive the 102EX in order to give feedback that will aid Rolls Royce when/if the vehicle goes into production.

Do you think this electric motor vehicle will make the production line? Would you be willing to pay this sort of price for Ultimate-Luxury? Let us know your thoughts.

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That will not be the only model from the Indian owned company on show, there will be the Autobiography Ultimate Edition, 2011 Discovery/LR4 Landmark Edition and the Evoque. Land Rover has never produced a sexy car, but the Evoque certainly comes close. One of the most important things about a vehicle is how they look – something that has never been at the top of Land Rover’s agenda.

Lets go back to that Range Rover Sport EV for a moment and take a look at its credentials thanks to Autoblog. The 3.0 liter turbodiesel will work alongside and electric motor, all this power is delivered via its eight-speed automatic transmission For those of you who want to just use the electric motor, then you can travel 20 miles. However, combined with the diesel engine and that increases to 700 miles.

The model that excites us the most is the Evoque, which is the model that had the biggest launch. However, some will much prefer the Autobiography Ultimate, which is the model that we believe UK football/soccer players will be driving around in. According to Car Pages there will be two versions, with each offering different engine and trim levels.

You will be able to get up close and personal with these four new Land Rover models during the 2011 Geneva Motor Show from March 3, 2011.

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As reported by Engadget, the concept which we are calling the iQ EV doesn’t actually have a name yet so is for now named after the design it is based on. Toyota says the concept has the same principles as the FT-EV II Concept but with a newer compact lithium-ion battery that has been slimmed down and designed to allow a driving range of 65 miles per charge, that’s 105 km.

The iQ EV prototype has a powertrain running completely on electric, making it emission free yet remains silent when running, so as to not disturb the environment. It can also hold up to three passengers so is fairly small like it’s designed based iQ.

Plans for production are already in place and Toyota intend on producing the iQ EV in time for sale in the U.S sometime next year, although no specific date has been released. The vehicle is apparently to be tested on European roads this year.

Toyota also plan on debuting three of their other vehicles alongside the concept at GMS 2011 next month, the Prius+, Yaris HSD and FT-86 Concept II. Do these EV vehicles appeal to you? What do you think of the Toyota iQ EV concept?

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The Independent is reporting in an article, that the news was confirmed in a statement to journalists by the luxury car maker. This year’s show opens to the public on March 3, and continues through to March 13th. Exact details what the new model will be where not revealed, but the company is known to be currently working on a hybrid version of the popular Panamera. The technology found in the Cayenne Hybrid is also being used in the Panamera.

They also confirmed that a new SUV will be introduced in 2014, and called the Cajun. Porsche will be looking to move into new markets, and will be going up against the likes of Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz with larger family cars.

Over at Autoweek an article is reporting that Porsche is planning on taking on over 1,000 new employees by 2015. This is mainly down to the company expanding its model range with new vehicles like the Cajun. Autoweek are saying this new SUV will actually go on sale in Europe during 2013, with North America getting it about six months later.

They are planning on spending between $673.8 million and $1.01 billion, in new body and paint plants in Leipzig. Five hundred employees will be added at the development center in Weissach, with another 500 to be added elsewhere. Porsche are planning to take its current lineup from four vehicles to seven.

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More and more of us are being influenced by environmental protection considerations when it comes to choosing which car to purchase. You can check out more information about the preparations for the 2011 Geneva Motor Show here.

One of the cars of the future that will help in the aiding of the carbon footprint is the new Volvo V60. Its Hybrid engine means less pollution. When fully charged it will run for 31 miles on pure electricity thanks to a 70hp electric motor mounted in the rear, while upfront is a 215hp, 2.4 litre, five-cylinder turbo diesel. Further details about the V60 Hybrid appearing at the Geneva Motor show can be found at Engadget.

Stateside the V60 wagon will be coming across to most buyers as a type of ‘enthusiast vehicle.’ This is according to Auto Blog sources. They also think the new engine work that has gone into this Hybrid will ‘keep Volvo loyalists out of the clutches of the Prius or Lexus’.

What are your thoughts about this environmentally friendly vehicle? Will you be considering environmental protection when it comes to purchasing your next car?

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