The Geneva International Motor Show is one of the coolest car shows on the circuit, thanks to its unabashed adoration of supercars and crazy, beautiful design work. This year’s show didn’t disappoint. Here were some of our favorites among the many machines that took a bow in Switzerland.
Aston Martin AM-RB 003
Aston is now in the middle of a pivot to mid-engine supercars, first with the Valkyrie and now with the AM-RB 003. Powered by a hybrid V6, the AM-RB 003 will deploy adaptive aerodynamics via a morphing rear wing. The device uses NASA-developed FlexFoil material in its rear wing, enabling it to shift the downforce without moving the wing itself, which increases drag. The car should enter production by 2021.
Audi Q4 E-Tron
In addition to unloading a gaggle of hybrid versions of its core lineup, Audi also brought a new full-electric car to Geneva, the Q4 E-Tron, a crossover concept. It will use dual electric motors and an 82-kWh battery pack, delivering 301 horsepower while tech delivers the kind of eye-candy EV owners expect. It should enter production by early 2021, with quick-charging technology that will deliver 80 percent charge in just 30 minutes.
Bugatti La Voiture Noire
This is Bugatti’s first one-off hypercar that is quite a bit more than just a re-body of the Chiron. It’s a design project based on the Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic, a legendary touring car from the 1930s. When the company decided to offer it to customers the first one they approached snapped it up—for an astounding $19 million. That makes it the most expensive new car in history. A clue to how serious the company is about this project: It isn’t even the real car, but rather a design and engineering validation mockup, yet one good enough to be shown off at the world’s most prestigious car show.
Ferrari F8 Tributo
This 710-hp supercar will reach 62 mph in just 2.9 seconds, thanks to its aerodynamics efficiency and increased weight-reduction strategies. It’s also, of course, gorgeous. And a Ferrari.
Honda E Prototype
This little pup wins the cuteness award for Geneva. The fully electric micro-king of urban mobility has rear-drive and a range of 124 miles. The company expects to produce it for Europe by early next year, but it’s doubtful a federalized version will ever reach U.S. shores.
Koenigsegg Jesko
This dramatic Swedish machine could be the first production car to break 300 mph, assuming the company can find a tire manufacturer willing to support the effort. It uses a twin-turbo 5-liter V8 that produces 1,280 horsepower, though it can reach 1,600 hp while drinking E85 biofuel. All that power rests in the hands of a nine-speed, seven-clutch unit that shifts imperceptibly fast.
McLaren Speedtail
The British supercar specialists showed off their much-hyped Speedtail in Geneva. The 1,010-hp three-seater, ,with two passenger seats slightly behind either side of the driver is a spiritual successor to both the F1 from the 1990s and the more recent P1. It will have a hybrid powertrain and a top speed of 250 mph. The central positioning of the driver’s seat will give him or her a more natural perspective, better for turning tighter thanks to the consistently equal distance to the fenders. Only 106 will be made, starting next year.
Pininfarina Battista
This gorgeous all-electric supercar will use a 120-kWh battery pack generate 1,874 horsepower and 1,694 pound-feet of torque. Those barely comprehensible numbers, delivered by four wheel-motors, will kick it to 62 mph in less than 2 seconds on its way to 218 mph. Got a case of hypercar range anxiety? Not to worry: the Battista will have about 280 miles to it, though presumably not at top speed.
Renault Clio
els that we really wish we could get over here. Hence our excitement when the company unveiled the fifth-generation of its sporty, smart-looking compact. The car can be specced out with a 1.3-liter four-cylinder good for 129 hp, powered by a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, likely for less than the equivalent of $20,000. Thatâs about as much bang for the buck as you can get, but alas.
Subaru Viziv Adrenaline
This concept car landed without a ton of intel, but it’s clearly based on the crossover-esque thinking behind the Crosstrek. As in, competent in light off-roading but not enough to pull buyers away from its legendary Outback. It extends the Dynamix x Solid design aesthetic the company is currently working from, with some dramatic lines, gaping wheel wells, and a funky three-panel moonroof design.
Volkswagen I.D. Buggy
This fun retro-futuristic beach buggy, built atop VW’s versatile MEB electric chassis and inspired by the several hundred thousand VW Beetles converted to buggies in the 1960s, packs a 201-horsepower motor at the rear axle and prodigious ride height. The 62 kWh battery sits tucked into the floorboard, and the vehicle comes absent doors or a roof. Who needs that crap anyway when you’re out shredding the dunes. Volkswagen of America CEO Scott Keogh said the machine will be given all proper consideration for actual production, but it’s mostly meant to show off the expected versatility of the MEB platform—and the kinds of things possible if third-party manufacturers get creative with it.
Volvo Polestar 2
Geneva brings the first showing of Volvo’s debut electric car. Targeting Tesla’s Model 3, it should get about 275 miles of range, and will be undoubtedly quite spry thanks to its motor’s 408 horsepower. It could also be among the most accessible premium EV’s, with a price tag in the mid-$30s.