Geneva Motor Show is regarded as the Magnum Opus of all auto shows in the world. It's that one event where aspirational cars out-number the 'real' cars. It's all about the riches and outrageous cars that 99% of the world's population can't have, so the Geneva Motor Show is pretty good at making regular guys - which is almost everyone - feel miserable about their social position. Let's take a look, then, at what this year's edition was all about. I've listed some examples from the show that really stood out in my view.
MINI Clubman Concept: A complete departure from the very basic concept of what the quintessential MINI should be. Still, it is the cooler, naughtier, funkier family cousin that'll give the Countryman suicidal tendencies. Engine specs weren't revealed, but since the platform has been designed for both for 3-, and 4-cylinder engines, so, the 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder, 134bhp/230Nm engine looks very likely. A 2-litre 189bhp/300Nm unit might also be considered.
Quant e-Sportlimousine: Exactly the thing which makes electric cars look cool. Made by a company no one's heard of - nanoFLOWCELL AG - the Quant e-Sportlimousine had some help from Koenigsegg and Bosch during development, so expect it to be good. In plain-speak, it delivers peak power output of 680 kW (912 horsepower) to all four wheels, with an "operating power" of 480 kW (643bhp). Predicted performance figures? 0-100km/h in 2.8 seconds and it will max out at 380km/h! The range is said to be between 400-600 kilometers. Ehm...
Volvo Concept Estate: It's design effort like this that make station wagons keep their sex appeal alive.
Mercedes-Benz GLA: That blown-up hatchback from Mercedes which we'll get in India very soon. And no, it's not a hatch - they call it a crossover for some reason. Two engine options - 2-litre turbocharged petrol engine will be good for about 210 horses and 350Nm. The 2.2-litre diesel which currently does duty in the A-Class might be slightly tuned to manage the extra bulk. Will help Merc do good numbers, that's for sure!
Mercedes-Benz C-Class: The baby-S-Class. Enough said! The C has been the mainstay for Mercedes-Benz globally - over 2.4 million have been sold. This latest one is touted as being the most sensational product in its segment. We're going to drive it soon - so stay tuned. Regular 2-litre petrol and 2.2-litre diesel engines are expected, but Mercedes is working on a 1.6-litre diesel motor as well - that should be interesting!
Audi TT: Sheds its 'cute' looks to get edgy in places and has the most handsome grille-treatment of all modern Audis, except the Sport Quattro. Finally the TT that I really wouldn't mind being seen driving! 2-litre petrol and diesel engines and quattro should make it reasonably good fun, too.
Ferrari California T: Not many manufacturers can lay claim to having range starters that look like THAT! 3.9-litre (560bhp) turbocharged V8 to give enough oomph to plaster your face with a beaming smile!
Porsche 919 Hybrid: That thing from Porsche which'll kick Audi's and Toyota's ass at Le Mans. Has a 500bhp-producing 2-litre (yes!) V4 (yes, again!) engine that goes nuts revving to 9000rpm! There's also energy recovery system that got stuff only Einstein would understand - "recovers thermal energy from exhaust gases via an electric generator driven by the exhaust gas stream". Go figure!
Hyundai Intrado: It's yet another concept crossover. Or is it? Why I've included it here is because it's powered by hydrogen - a fuel source that I believe will be a future solution. It's got a hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain that "promises" to have an operating range of over 600km. I don't care if it'll not be great fun-to-drive (it's a Hyundai!) but just the fact that it's hydrogen-powered makes it special enough.
SsangYong XLV: Very oddly styled, but quite a crucial product in the compact SUV space. 7-seats (2+2+2+1) - the seventh slides between second and third rows. This one will be a hybrid - a 1.6-litre diesel engine will be complimented by an electric motor getting juice from a li-ion battery. The platform to be the basis for many future products from the company.
McLaren 650S: The bastard love-child of the P1 and MP4-12C. The P1 looks magnificent from the front. The MP4 looks fab from the rear. Combining the two isn't cool in any way. I don't like the way it looks. This car lacks one critical thing in car design - imagination. Sadly, will still be mega on performance. 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 makes 641 horsepower and 678Nm - that does it, then.
Volkswagen T-Roc: Globally, there's a sudden demand for these small crossovers, and Volkswagen has done a rather good one. Based on VW's flexible MQB platform, the T-Roc is an indication of what to expect from VW in the (very) near future. 2-litre diesel sounds about right with such a product.
Skoda VisionC: It's greener than the Green Snake. Bold stuff from Skoda - it's going to rival the likes of Mercedes CLA in the international market. Looks like an 'inspired' design effort with hints of style elements taken from other manufacturers. Everything from the 1.4-litre petrol to the 2-litre diesel can be a possible fit.
Maserati Alfieri: Proof that Italians have a much higher sense of aesthetics than anyone else. The most gorgeous concept car at Geneva in my opinion. A sign of great things to come from Maserati - which is good news in itself! Stellar GT design. Likely to get the glorious 4.7-litre, 454bhp V8. I'm getting naughty ideas. Let's move on, then.
Lamborghini Huracan: Nothing's amiss here. The Huracan is your emblematic Lamborghini - totally crazy to look at, totally mental power. Tech wizardry and German engineering will guarantee it'll not self-combust. And 610bhp, no less, from its V10 engine will guarantee it'll go like a bat straight out of the devil's den! Or so I hope...
Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe: It's the sex-symbol that the S-Class can never be.
Jaguar F-Type Coupe: Engineering blokes at Jaguar say it's tauter, more rigid and more balanced than the convertible. The Coupe might really take the fight to the Porsche 911, and be as good, if not better. We're going to drive it soon. Yay!
Jaguar XE: BMW's 3 Series, Audi's A4 and Mercedes' C-Class have been having nightmares about this thing for many months now. Their fear will soon become a reality. V6 petrol and diesel motors confirmed. Looks hot, in a restrained way - if that makes sense.
Audi S3: The go-faster A3. Perfect dimensions, sharp looks - quite a combo for being an ideal city car, then. It'll be expensive though. But then, all good things have a price...
BMW X4: Yet another 'crossover' from BMW creating yet another niche in the niche-overladen niche of crossovers. Confused? Yeah, me too. The X4 is a sort of car which is confused about what it wants to be. That should be its advertising slogan, too! Engine wise, 2-litre, 187bhp diesel in xDrive 20d trim makes the most sense. But really, the car itself doesn't.
Jaguar XF R-S: The fire-breathing sibling of the fire-breathing sibling of the XF.
Koenigsegg One:1: It's got a 5-litre V8 engine. No big deal, then. As a matter of fact, in the modern supercar-age, that's paltry. But 1,322bhp isn't - by any measure. Yes, that 5-litre V8 makes 1,322 horsepower! O-sweet -mary-mother-of-Jesus! It's hailed as the megacar because supercar would just be an insult. It'll do 0-400km/h in under 20 seconds. 400! 5 units are being built, and all are sold already for an astounding 1.67 million pounds each.
Toyota Aygo: The eternally cute little Toyota that I always wanted. But it's not cute anymore. It's got a front-end that looks as if it's going to eat you up. I don't want it anymore!
