Geneva Auto Show Notebook

Fool Me Once, Shame on You; Fool Me Twice…

General Motors Corp. used music from rock group The Who to excite journalists prior to its unveiling of the Saab Aero X concept vehicle. Perhaps as a sign of its new resolve to cut costs and drive profits, speakers blared the song, “Won't Get Fooled Again.”

Meanwhile, GM imported 61 tons (55 t) of ice from Norway to decorate the stage for the Aero X unveiling. “We were going for the real Scandanvian experience,” jokes a company insider.

Sign of the Times

Karl Benz and Alec Issigonis likely are rolling over in their graves. The Mercedes-Benz press conference was conducted in English, while BMW AG's Mini press conference was conducted in German.

Who Are You Calling Yellow?

Aesthetics are at the heart of a taxi strike that is paralyzing Geneva. In a bid to emulate the hustle and bustle of cosmopolitan New York, officials in Geneva have decreed that all cabs must be painted yellow.

But cab owners are striking in protest, saying their diverse fleet has its own charm. And because many taxis are Mercedes models, which don't look their best in yellow, cab owners fear increased depreciation.

Geneva Blues Clear as Mud

The desire to be green is giving everyone the blues here, or so it seems. Mercedes-Benz reprises its Bluetec diesel technology in unveilings here, while Volkswagen AG takes the wraps off a sustainable mobility initiative labeled BlueMotion.

“The future of diesel is definitely 'blue,'” says Dieter Zetsche, chairman of DaimlerChrysler AG and head of the auto maker's Mercedes brand.

Says Volkswagen: “Blue – the Volkswagen color – stands for the elements water and air. Motion embodies the aspect of a mobility oriented forward, towards the future.”

Aston Martin Going Topless

Watch for a convertible version of the Aston Martin Rapide 2-seater that makes its European debut here as a concept. The luxury auto maker says it has no plans to build the car. So why conceive a convertible?

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