Skip to main content

Magna Steyr MILA Plus hybrid concept revealed ahead of 2015 Geneva Motor Show

Magna Steyr MILA Plus
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Magna Steyr builds cars, but not under its own name. The Austrian company contracts with established brands for specific manufacturing jobs, including the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Aston Martin Rapide.

Occasionally, though, Magna gets sick of building other people’s cars and decides to design one of its own.

The company has built several concept cars over the years, including the SUV-convertible-pickup truck chimera MILA Coupic from 2012. It’s latest effort is the more straightforward MILA Plus hybrid sports car.

Set to debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show next week, the MILA Plus features an aluminum chassis, composite body panels, and that aforementioned electrified powertrain.

Magna Steyr MILA Plus

A three-cylinder gasoline engine is teamed with two electric motors to give the car all-wheel drive. Running on both gasoline and electric power, Magna says the powertrain produces 270 horsepower and 428 pound-feet of torque.

That’s enough for a 0 to 62 mph time of 4.9 seconds. The MILA Plus can also drive up to 43 miles on electric power alone, and features a battery pack that’s integrated into the chassis for added structural rigidity.

The mid-engined coupe seems to borrow a bit of styling from the Lotus Evora, particularly around the roof, but with a greater emphasis on aerodynamics.

Two large side intakes replace the traditional front grille, and there are cameras instead of side-view mirrors to further help the MILA Plus cheat the wind.

Magna has no interest in selling cars of its own, so the MILA Plus will remain a concept. It should look pretty good on the Geneva Motor Show stand, though.

Magna Steyr MILA Plus
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Editors' Recommendations

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Mercedes-Benz G580 first drive: old-school off-roader goes electric
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 from three quarter view.

American car buyers mostly know Mercedes-Benz as a luxury brand. But for decades, the automaker has also produced the tough, rugged G-Class (also known as the Geländewagen or G-Wagen), an SUV not afraid to get its leather upholstery muddy. And now, this iconic Mercedes is going electric.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology — the final name of the SUV previously known as the EQG — isn’t the first electric off-roader. The Rivian R1S and R1T and GMC Hummer EV have proven that electric powertrains and off-roading are a great combination. But the electric G-Wagen is different because it’s based on an internal-combustion model — and a very traditional one at that.

Read more
Honda believes hydrogen semi trucks will make the case for fuel cells
Honda hydrogen fuel-cell semi truck.

Honda remains committed to hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, but the market for those vehicles remains limited. So Honda is looking at other uses for fuel cells -- including commercial trucks.

To show how that could work, Honda converted a semi truck to fuel-cell power, replacing its diesel engine with three fuel-cell modules. Together, the three modules produce a combined 321 horsepower, and can propel the truck to a top speed of 70 mph. There's enough onboard hydrogen storage capacity for a 400-mile range with a full load, Honda claims.

Read more
Mercedes-Benz G580 vs Rivian R2: Is the much cheaper Rivian actually better?
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 from three quarter view.

Mercedes-Benz has finally taken the wraps off of the new "Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology." Yeah, it's a mouthful, but it's basically a new electric G-Wagon. It looks a lot like the G-Wagon you know and love, but with an electric powertrain and a battery. It's not the only electric SUV out there, however, and there are some great ones -- like the Rivian R2.

Both the Mercedes G580 and the Rivian R2 have a lot going for them, but they also approach the electric SUV slightly differently. Is one better than the other? I put the two head-to-head to find out.
Design
The approach that the two vehicles take to design is quite different -- and you might like one better than the other.

Read more