Previewing a replacement for the 407 due to arrive next year, the 5 by Peugeot concept is a beautiful looking as you would expect from the brand. The 2.0 diesel hybrid powertrain in the concept claims a 99g/km CO2 emissions level.
The Lion brand also showed its SR1 folding hardtop coupe concept, for which words are superfluous when a picture tells it all.
Taking the styling cues from the Alfa baby MiTo, the Giulietta is the replacement for the dull-styled 147 and not before its time. Quite gorgeous, attracted a lot of photographic attention, and will come on the road with a range of powerful engines including a Cloverleaf version with 235hp under the hood. The base petrol car will have the new MultiAir 1.4 with 170hp, and there will be two 2.0 diesels.
The new generation 5 Series has regained the quiet elegance lost by the previous edition. Otherwise it is a quiet evolution of a car with already excellent dynamics. But as well as showing the standard car in the metal at Geneva, BMW also promoted its 'ActiveHybrid' version as a concept, which will improve the petrol engine's fuel consumptiuon by 10 percent and offer an electric boost during acceleration with a total of over 300hp.
The main attraction at the Mazda stand was the new generation Mazda5, fairly substantially redesigned and with a flowing sculpted flavour that also does good things to the aerodynamics. The 1.8 and 2.0 petrol engines are more frugal than on the outgoing car, and for Ireland expect a really good diesel story. The revisions to the Mazda6 were also on display, sportier front and tweaked interiors, and cleaner engines too. The brand just keeps zooming along.
The new generation Volvo S60 is aimed at being a sporty sedan and in style is a rather mild evolution from its predecessor. But it comes stuffed with Volvo's safety technology, including a first -- a pedestrian detection system that will 'see' pedestrians in its path and automatically stop from around 30km/h. The target is Audi's A4, and there will be a sport wagon version before the year is out.
This was a real drool machine, the Porsche 918 concept that showed how the brand is going in the future both in looks and powertrain effort. The Spyder shown at Geneva is made of carbon-fibre, and in addition to the petrol engine there are a pair of electric motors, one to each axle, which contribute 220hp to the overall power and help the 0-100km/h sprint to 3.2 seconds. Expect the real thing in a couple of years.
We've always found the Skoda Roomster as sold here in its basic form to be a bit on the bland side. But add in the 'Scout' trimming as in the Fabia and Octavia versions and you get a much smarter looking machine. As shown in Geneva the car also gets the freshened front that the Fabia has been made over with (and you don't get a salesperson like this in your average Skoda showroom here!).
The FT-86 concept was easily the most interesting item on Toyota's otherwise very white-ethos stand. It is probably close to the production version of what is widely expected to be the reincarnation of the Supra. The power will be a Subaru boxer 2.0, suitably fettled for the need.
A very smart transformation of a nameplate, the new Sportage is longer, lower and wider than the outgoing car. We like it, and we'll probably also like the new 1.7 diesel which will be available in the engines range.
Yet another Mini? Yes, actually, and we were well taken with this new Countryman, which has a higher sense to it as well as four side doors, a first ever for the nameplate. Four adults can at last fit. Expect the usual range of engines, and the unusual option of an AWD.
The VW Sharan MPV has been trundling along for more years than the maker probably wants to remember. Well, there's a brand new one now, with slick innovations like sliding doors. The interior looks classic VW, which is good or bad depending on your viewpoint. Engines are a 1.4 TSI petrol with 148bhp, a 2.0 unit with 198bhp, and two 2.0 common rail diesel engines producing 138bhp and 168bhp.
Audi has a new entry car, the A1, targeted at the Mini and giving the brand a new premium point. The show launch was a 3-door but there will be a 5-door too. The engines range are from 1.2 petrol and 1.6 diesel. I had never heard of Justin Timberlake, but he must be somebody because he launched it at Geneva.
Nissan's brand new Micra comes eight years after the present model debuted. Like all makers of small cars, Nissan is eyeing India for sales of this one and so it is being manufactured there and will be exported back to us. Power is from all-new naturally aspirated 80hp 3-cylinder petrol engine outputting 115g/km CO2.
Shades of the ugly duckling, the Cygnet from Aston Martin is a strange idea. The car is really a Toyota iQ with some Astony tweaks to the identification. Expected to cost twice the Toyota's, though.
The luxury concept with the biggest 'wow' factor was to our viewfinder the F800 from Mercedes-Benz. The rear doors slide back, by the way. This is what their future cars will look like.
The sexiest new production hybrid was Honda's CR-Z, which revives memories of the old CR-X of some decades ago and which had a lot of happy owners.
Most extraordinary thought was a hybrid Ferrari. But they say adding an electric motor to a 6.0 V12 will cut fuel consumption by a third?
Wildest concept was Citroen's Survolt, a supermini-sized electric 2-seater which would be powered by electricity. Batmobile revisited.
