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The Maserati Ghibli SQ4 – From Dr. Jekyll To Mr. Hyde

With the Maserati Ghibli S Q4 they brought a new extraordinary car to the market. It competes directly against Audi A6, BMW 5 series and Mercedes E-class. I had the honor to test that fabulous car during a few days and it is my pleasure to tell you some details about it. 

Photos by Diana Kottmann
maserati gentleman
Ghibli is the Lybian name for the hot wind that waves through the sahara in the area of Tripolis. The stronger the wind is, the more sand and dust blows through this flat landscape. 
 
The genius producers of Maserati gave this car the right name. It is exactly like this harsh hot wind in the desert.
maserati ghibli front view
They come up with this beautiful 4-Door saloon, the lines of this car are making it sharp and sporty.
The SQ4 feels like a proper Maserati. It comes up with 410 hp and a brilliant four wheel drive. They gear switches within milliseconds, you can clearly feel that it was conceived together with Ferrari.
maserati ghibli sq4 back view
The great aspect on this car, you can drive it as Dr. Jekyll, the lovely and eminently respectable doctor. Or you push the sport button and it the Ghibli changes into Mr. Hyde, the scary and irascible friend of the doc, an unleashed loud and fearless Maserati… trust me you can hear it coming from very far away, exactly like the storm in the sahara.
test maserati ghibli sq4
The interior is delightful inside too, better and much less blingy than the Quattroporte. There’s frameless glass in the doors, handsome leather seats, and a Maserati clock in the middle of the dashboard.
 
The Ghibli comes up with sufficient space in the back seat. With it’s four wheel drive you can even use it to go skiing in the mountains.
maserati ghibli size
 
The mighty Maserati SQ4 is defintely a good option for a gentleman. It’s powerful, elegant and the cost-benefit ratio is just ideal. You can buy this car with all the fancy options and a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 for under 100’000 Euro.
shooting model switzerland
Even the details are carefully and well designed, that is a big plus and another bravo for this car.
maserati ghibli chrome
Some ideas I’d improve…
 
The navigation system reminds me on an old & slow turtle. Besides on that I missed the lever on the right side of the steering wheel, it is a bit strange and requires time to get used to it.
 
But at the end of the day I can honestly say that I will consider to buy this car in the near future.
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The Range Rover Evoque Autobiography

For the first time I was sitting in a Land Rover. I had the honor to test the Evoque during one week and I enjoyed it to the fullest. After this experience, I can truly admit to the fact that the cars they’re producing are simply brilliant. In fact brilliant in each dimension: technique, workmanship, performance, and price/performance ratio. As soon as you’re opening the car door, you can see and feel the passion they put in every detail.
 
range rover schweiz
 
What does The Evoque stand for? The Evoque is sort of a narrowed SUV, kind of the little brother of the Range Rover. Honestly, the Evoque convinces in every detail and I’d say he gets rid of this ‘little brother’ image in a formidable way.
 
It is a simply fantastic car. Certainly it is a bit smaller and the engine is not as powerful as the Range Rover Sport for example. But with its charm, wonderful interior design and the plenty options it comes up with, it is a really good car by with you can enjoy your rides entirely.

Photos by Diana Kottmann

Evoque Autobiography

Its front is vast, and with its headlights it looks like a huge mad cat in the dark.

Under the bonnet, there’s a hidden a 2 Liter Turbo Diesel, which is producing assertive power for every situation. With 420NM & 190HP it is the most powerful model, which is currently available on the market.
 
The engineers have sharpened up the steering and upgraded the suspension. The nine-speed automatic gearbox is working really well. Another really magnificent fact is that it’s only consuming 7,2 Liters per 100km, even if you like to drive a bit racy.
Land Rover Evoque

The rear is definitely smaller than the Range Rover, and the trunk doesn’t allow that much space. Still this is the ideal car if you like high standards and living in a city like Zürich.

Let’s talk about the interior and the infinite options of this car. Honestly, I’ve never had that many options before. The Evoque contains features like seat cooling, it shows you exactly how fast you’re allowed to drive, and there’s a seat heater in the back. Additionally, the GPS is outstanding and works very exact. You can enter the Evoque, and start the engine easily. Compared to older Land Rovers, the handling is simple and effective. 
Evoque Interior

The following pictures are impressively showing the love for the detail they definitely have. It combines dark chocolate brown leather with the white double seam, which looks and feels really high-class!

Range Rover Material

Seats Double Seam

Last but not least, there’s another thing that was really fabulous. The panoramic roof brings all the light of this beautiful world into this wonderful car. And that feels just divine. 
Range Rover Panoramic Roof

All in all, I’m convinced of the car and its performance. I’d suggest it to every one of you, if you count on high standards and the design it shows. Honestly, it was a big challenge to give this lovely car back to the seller. I’m already looking forward to the next adventure.
 
 
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Geneva 85th International Motor Show

As diamonds are a woman’s best friend a man’s best friend is his car. I guess not many would disagree with this fact. Sure, there is an exception to every rule. But I’d say the majority of us are simply fascinated by the endless variety, the special charisma and for sure the still improving and changing technologies which cars impressively show. Driving leads us to breathtaking moments that change into emotional memories and therefore stay with us for a very long time. 
 
To get some new ideas and inspire yourself, the world famous International Motor Show in Geneva is the place to be. The event plays in the highest league of this kind of events. The whole ambience is beyond words. This week, I had the chance to visit the 85th Show. 
genf frühling
The sun was shining and showed Geneva in all its beauty when I arrived in the early morning at the Palexpo hall. I was one of the first visitors and enjoyed it to the fullest. Knowing that there will be hundreds of visitors and an increase of the room temperature in a few hours, I just strolled around and had enough time to have a look at many of the cars in detail. I’d recommend you to do exactly the same, because at the week-ends there’s normally a huge rush. 

Bentley Flying Spur

One of the first cars, which caught my eye, was the Bentley Flying Spur. The new Bentleys look simply divine. The company has kept the shapes and forms of the past Bentleys but combined it with a big portion of harmony, power and elegance. At the end of the day, they remain true to their principles – only with a step into another more impressive direction. 
bentley autosalon genf
The Flying Spur is masculine and classy. I can’t see a better combination than this. The violet/beige color combination could be called as risky but I have all the respect for this godly elegance. 
 
interior bentley flying spur
 
Bentley GT Speed
 
The rear of the Bentley GT Speed with the double exhaust and the straightforward lines underneath is impressive.
 
bentley genfer autosalon
 
McLaren 675LT
 
Holy cow! This is crazy power on 4 wheels! The 675LT is limited to 500 Pieces. And with a price of 356.696 Euro you need to use the petty cash.
 
It has a 3,8-Liter-V8 enginge with is producing 675HP & 700NM. With a weight of 1230Kg it is complete madness!
 
mclaren 675LT

McLaren 650S

Same enginge as the 675LT, producing 650 HP.

This is the convertible model which reminds me of driving along the french riviera, with this breath-taking sound of the McLaren.

mclaren 650s

Lamborghini Huracán
 
They call it the Huracán.
Based on the maya mythology it was the god of wind, storm and fire.
 
And that’s exactly what you discover in this mental car. It is utterly fearless, a hurrican in the desert, an unleashed fearless power machine. Absolutely love it!
 
lamborghini huracan
 
Rolls Royce
 
This is simply the infinite class. Wherever your eyes go, the most exclusive materials are not good enough. This is high-end, handmade extra-class!
They come up with features like a sky full of stars. Not in the stand but in the car! This is what I call endless beauty. You can even feel the passion and tradition, which lies in all this work. Utterly beautiful.
 
rolls royce schweiz

rolls royce fahren

Last but not least: The event is also famous for the beautiful models, which work during the whole fair. Here you can see one of the Pirelli Models – awesome!
pirelli girl autosalon
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