Simon Kidston
wonders whether any of the Geneva debutants warrant classic status
It’s like being a kid in a candy store – everywhere you look, something that’s good enough to eat. I’ve just spent two days at the European season-opening Geneva Motor Show – the 87th, no less – and there’s plenty to tempt even the most jaded palate.
As usual, the entrance to the Ferrari stand resembles the queue to get into a ‘hot ticket’ nightclub, and this isn’t even a public day. Everyone wants to see the new 812 Superfast, the latest hijacking of a name from the firm’s glorious past that has absolutely nothing to do with what it’s selling today. It’s an F12 with more power, some small spec changes and a bigger one to the price tag. Next to it is the GTC/4 Lusso. Boy they’re good at marketing.
Over at Bugatti, the Chiron has pride of place and the atmosphere is more relaxed. Bugatti seem to be less interested in making money despite the eye-watering price tag of their latest offering, and I’m not quite sure when that’s going to change unless they introduce a model that mere millionaires can afford and they can build in bigger numbers.
Next door at Pagani, ever-energetic company founder Horacio is chatting enthusiastically to sharp-suited visitors and proudly showing them his latest creation, a blue carbonfibre spyder with an unpronounceable name that, just for a change, will be built as a limited edition. My lunch guest promptly orders one – he hadn’t planned to drink but I persuaded him otherwise, which turns out to be rather expensive. Next time we’ll go tyrekicking before the restaurant.
A loud video and pumping music herald a new model launch on the Mclaren stand. Lots of oohs and aahs and doubtlessly many open chequebooks, but will it be a classic? Will any of the latest Geneva offerings? Nothing that I’ve seen so far convinces me, except perhaps the Chiron, largely because it’s demonstrably in a class of its own and makes no pretence at being an investment – often a good pointer that something might do well because it has integrity of purpose.
Ford’s latest GT supercar sits next to the 1966 Le Mans winner, and even a couple of historic Escorts (thankfully four-wheeled, not two-legged in case you’re reading, Mr Berlusconi), and really looks the part. A school friend has ordered one with details in his family’s racing tartan – now
that I can’t wait to see. Nearby on the Aston Martin stand, and surprisingly not mobbed, is a full-scale model of the car collectors have been talking about for months. It’s the eagerly awaited collaboration between Adrian Newey of Red Bull and Aston Martin, now christened the Valkyrie. I’m not the biggest fan of modern Astons, but knowing Adrian, it won’t be built until it’s absolutely spoton. With the shape of an LMP1 racer and a 6.0-litre normally aspirated V12 behind the driver, he’ll have to have short legs and big whatnots to tame it, but if ever there was a latter-day Mclaren F1, this surely is it.
Before leaving I stop off to host a press conference for my friends at Ruf, launching their 30th anniversary all-carbonfibre CTR Yellowbird, en route to a secret location near the show where I’ll be given a private preview of something very special. I’m not allowed to write about it yet, but tempted to order one. One clue – Silberpfeile. Simon Kidston is a classic car consultant, concours judge and event presenter. His own classics include a Lamborghini Miura SV and Porsche 911 RS 2.7.