SUVs and EVs dominate the Geneva show stars
THE automotive world made its annual pilgrimage to Switzerland in March for the Geneva Motor Show. Held at the Palexpo not far from the shores of Lake Geneva, the show once again delighted attendees with a rich mix of new cars on display. Whether outlandish supercars or affordable superminis prick your interest, Geneva had it covered.
There were a number of world debuts at this year’s show, most notably the Alfa Romeo Tonale. While still officially a concept, the SUV will morph into a production vehicle in 2020. Another concept, the Nissan IMQ, gives us a glimpse of the next-generation Qashqai that reaches showrooms in 2022, including a potential range-extender powertrain.
Perhaps the biggest attraction, and most popular stand at Geneva, was Aston Martin. The British firm has a rich history of high-performance vehicles, and the Vanquish Vision concept continues that trend. It previews Aston’s mid-engined Ferrari and McLaren rival, due in 2022.
When it arrives it will revive the famous Vanquish name and be the first home for an all-new V6 engine with hybrid tech. Aston hasn’t confirmed any performance details, but company boss Andy Palmer has said the engine will feature an F1-style KERS system to boost acceleration.
At the other end of the spectrum, a fleet of new superminis attracted a lot of attention, chief among them the new Centoventi concept from Fiat. The small, electric hatchback is a car the Italian firm could desperately do with in its range, and although it sports rugged Panda-like proportions, the concept could be a model in its own right, rather than a replacement for the much-loved Panda.
And after endless concept cars, we were finally able to see the production version of the Honda e electric city car. Compact, boxy and retro-infused, the hatchback is unlike any Honda we’ve seen before. The 124-mile electric range could be a potential weak link, however.