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The 2019 Geneva motor show is in full swing.
The show began on Tuesday, and Autocar is there in force. We've been reporting on all the most interesting new cars. Here's our highlights so far:
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Ferrari F8 Tributo
The new Ferrari F8 Tributo will be the most powerful mid-engined V8 Ferrari series production supercar yet produced.
The 488 GTB replacement gets a new 710bhp version of Ferrari’s 3.9-litre V8 engine, which is a 49bhp upgrade on the 488 GTB, and the same output as the limited-run 488 Pista and also that of the car’s biggest rival, the McLaren 720S.
The twin-turbocharged engine, which Ferrari claims operates “without the slightest hint of turbo lag”, helps propel the F8 Tributo from 0-62mph time in 2.9sec (0.1sec faster than the 488 GTB), 0-124mph in 7.8sec and a top speed of 211mph.
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Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV
Alfa Romeo has previewed its first compact SUV with the handsome new Tonale plug-in hybrid.
The Tonale, which sits below the Stelvio in the Italian firm's SUV range, is set to use a hybrid system that will be introduced in the Jeep Renegade shortly.
The concept shows what the compact Alfa "could" look like and the company has vowed that the hybrid powertrain would be used to enhance the driving experience, rather than just helping the firm meet CO2 emissions targets.
Alfa has yet to give details of the power output of the system. The Renegade PHEV revealed at Geneva by sister firm Jeep features a 236bhp powertrain, although given Alfa's performance brief any model it offers would likely have significantly more.
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Pininfarina Battista
The Pininfarina Battista EV hypercar, unveiled in full at this year’s Geneva show, will be the most powerful road-legal car ever produced in Italy, according to its makers.
Unveiled on the eve of the first day of the 2019 Geneva motor show, the hypercar will have separate motors for each wheel that, collectively, deliver up to 1900bhp and 1696lb ft. Pininfarina says that will be good enough for a sub-2 second 0-62mph time, 0-186mph in under 12sec and a top speed of around 217mph.
Closely related to the Rimac C_Two, the Battista will potentially be even more expensive with Pininfarina claiming a seven-figure price-tag.
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Aston Martin Vanquish
Perhaps the most significant of the new Astons at the show is the Vanquish Vision concept, which closely previews Aston’s all-new mid-engined supercar due to go into production in 2022.
The car marks the first time Aston has put a mid-engined model into series production and will line up alongside next-generation versions of the McLaren 720S and 488 GTB, likely priced at around £250,000/US$350,000.
The Vanquish, codenamed AM9, will bring with it a brand new, Aston-designed V6 engine that will be built in the UK.
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Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder
The convertible supercar follows the launch of the Huracán Evo, an updated and more powerful Huracán coupé, late last year. It features the same 631bhp 5.2-litre naturally-aspirated V10, resulting in a 0-62mph time in 3.1 seconds. That's 0.2 sec slower than the hard-top model.
The 201mph top speed is identical to the coupé, however, despite the Spyder's 120kg (264 lb) weight penalty. Much of that extra weight is down to the car's soft-top mechanism, using an electrohydraulic set-up to lower it in 17 seconds flat up to a speed of 31mph.
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Audi Q4 E-tron
The Q4 arrives about a year after the company’s first series production EV, the E-tron SUV, and shares relative styling details and some of its mechanical make-up with its recently launched sibling.
Described as being “in the upper third of the compact class” in terms of size and market positioning, the 4.59-metre (181in) long and 1.9-metre (75in) wide Q4 E-tron is slightly shorter and wider than today’s Audi Q5. It borrows exterior styling cues from the E-tron (and E-tron GT concept), including the single-frame grille and similar lighting profiles, but in a smaller and more athletic-looking package.
The concept uses a synchronous electric motor powering the rear axle most of the time, itself putting out 202bhp and 229lb ft of torque. But, this being an Audi, there’s also a second, smaller electric motor powering the front wheels when traction is low or when full power is requested. It means the total system output is 302bhp - around 100bhp less than the full-size E-tron. The total range is put at 280 miles on the WLTP cycle.
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Fiat Centoventi
This small machine, named in recognition of the Italian firm's 120th anniversary, takes styling cues from the Panda and other city cars Fiat has produced. The firm says it represents "electromobility as only Fiat can".
The Concept Centoventi is designed to be highly customisable and upgradeable and will be offered in base form with a single battery that gives 62 miles of range.
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Kia Imagine by Kia
The Imagine by Kia concept is expected to arrive in production form in 2021 and will lead the way for performance-focused electric models from the Korean brand. It's part of Kia’s forthcoming electrification ramp-up: the electric e-Niro and Soul EV models arrive this year alongside a plug-in hybrid Ceed.
The four-door concept, described as drawing together elements of an SUV, sleek saloon and crossover, will rival models such as the recently unveiled Polestar 2.
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Bugatti La Voiture Noire
Bugatti has revealed the most expensive new car of all time: La Voiture Noire, a one-off homage to Jean Bugatti’s iconic Type 57 SC Atlantic.
The single La Voiture Noire, priced at €11 million (around £9.45m or US$12.4 million) before taxes, has already been sold.
At the rear, a continuous rear light runs along a grille-like back end, McLaren P1 style, with the company name illuminated in white below. All this sits above a bespoke exhaust set-up comprising six separate pipes running away from the car's 1479bhp 8.0-litre 16-cylinder engine. From the specs, it is likely to be the same engine used in the Chiron.
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Mercedes-AMG GT R Roadster
The Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster has spawned a limited-run, hardcore R variant to top the convertible sports car’s range.
Limited to just 750 units, the Mercedes-AMG GT R Roadster will share its twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine with the GT R coupé, producing 577bhp and 516lb ft and hooked up to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
It can crack 0-62mph in just 3.6sec, and reach a top speed of 197mph. That 0-62mph time matches that of the GT R coupé, and the top speed is just 1mph shy of its fixed-roof sibling.
The GT R Roadster will go on sale in April ahead of the first deliveries in late summer, priced from £158,000 and around US$212,000 in the US. Each of the 750 models sold will have a bespoke badge on the centre console depicting that car’s number in the production run.
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Bentley Bentayga Speed
The Bentley Bentayga Speed has set a record as the world’s fastest SUV, beating the top speed of its cousin the Lamborghini Urus by just 0.5mph. The Bentayga Speed, the performance variant of the Crewe-based firm’s luxury SUV, has a claimed top speed of 190mph. However, the Urus achieves the 0-62mph sprint in 3.6sec, while the heavier Speed takes 3.9sec.
The Speed uses a more highly tuned version of the same twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre W12 engine as the standard Bentayga, raising power from 600bhp to 626bhp. Torque remains the same at 664lb ft. Compared with the standard W12 Bentayga, the Speed is 0.2sec faster from 0-62mph, while its top speed is 3mph higher.
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Italdesign DaVinci
Italian design house Italdesign has officially unveiled its four-seater electric supercar concept, the DaVinci. It has been made entirely in the firm’s Moncalieri plant in Italy.
Although Italdesign predominantly undertakes styling work for other car firms, its own branded designs have included the Zerouno sports car, from which the new DaVinci takes some stylistic cues such as the Y-Duct bonnet air duct system. The truncated back end features an active spoiler and some outrageous rear lights in an exploded design. It also has expansive gullwing doors, through which the front and back seats can be accessed at the same time.
Specific stats surrounding potential performance are unavailable, although the general design of the car, as well as Italdesign’s history and reputation, suggest the DaVinci platform will be no sloth, regardless of which brands make it their own.
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Aston Martin AM-RB 003
“If Valkyrie is the best of the best, then the 003 is the best at £1m,” design boss Marek Reichman said of the AM-RB 003, which Aston will put into production in late 2021.
AM-RB 003’s performance and positioning – likely more than 1000bhp and the kind of performance that would threaten the Nürburgring lap record – would place it alongside next-generation versions of the likes of the McLaren P1, LaFerrari and Porsche 918 Spyder, should this trio, which launched in 2013, have been replaced by the time it launches.
The model will use Aston’s new twin-turbo V6 engine mated to a hybrid system, and the car will be built around a carbonfibre architecture and using carbonfibre bodywork.
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Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake
Mercedes-Benz’s sharply styled CLA Shooting Brake has returned for a second generation at Geneva, just four years after the original went on sale. The new five-door estate is planned to arrive in most markets in September (apart from the US), three months after the CLA on which it is based.
It is underpinned by a heavily re-engineered version of its predecessor’s MFA platform, which has received additional rigidity measures for improved stiffness and noise, vibration and harshness qualities. Mercedes-Benz has confirmed just one engine for the CLA Shooting Brake, but it says others will be announced closer to its launch, later this year. The launch model is the CLA 250, which uses a 219bhp, 258lb ft 2.0-litre petrol/gasoline engine.
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Lagonda All-Terrain Concept
The Lagonda All-Terrain Concept is the second Lagonda concept car unveiled by Aston Martin as part of the marque’s relaunch as a luxury all-electric brand.
The production version of the All-Terrain Concept will line up alongside the likes of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Bentley Bentayga when it makes production.
As with its mid-engined models at Geneva, Aston has not confirmed technical specifics of the Lagonda All-Terrain Concept. However, Autocar understands Aston is hoping for an all-electric range of around 400 miles for the production version, with a wireless rapid-charging technology fully replenishing the batteries in 15 minutes.
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Volkswagen ID Buggy
Volkswagen has reinvented the 1960s Beetle-based dune buggy with the electric ID Buggy – and is considering allowing small-scale manufacturers to produce their own versions of the machine.
The ID Buggy features a 202bhp, 228lb ft rear-mounted electric motor, offering 0-62mph in 7.2sec and a top speed of 99mph. Power comes from a 62kWh battery, giving a range of around 155 miles on the WLTP cycle.
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Chiron Sport 110 ans Bugatti
Bugatti has revealed a special, ultra-exclusive version of the Chiron Sport as part of the brand's 110th anniversary. Described as a “tribute to France” and the brand’s Molsheim base, the Chiron Sport '110 ans Bugatti' features unique design and colour changes inside and out and is limited to just 20 examples.
Much of the 1479bhp hypercar’s bodywork revisions are themed around France's blue, white and red tricolour flag. The most prominent use of that is on the underside of the Chiron’s movable rear wing, while stripes also feature on the door mirrors and aluminium filler caps on both sides. The model's mechanical make-up is identical to that of the regular Chiron Sport; that means its quad-turbocharged 8.0-litre W16 engine makes it good for a 2.5sec 0-62mph time and a top speed limited to 261mph. Pricing details for the '110 ans Bugatti' are yet to be announced.
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Ginetta Akula
British sports car maker Ginetta is launching a new 200mph Ferrari-priced supercar in the most spectacular way it can think of – by unveiling a fully finished, ready-to-drive version at Geneva’s Palexpo, scene of the world’s most popular motor show.
The £340,000 (US$440,000) Akula is a low, aggressively styled but essentially practical front/mid-engined coupé. It has a bespoke, all-carbonfibre tub chassis built alongside the company’s race cars and clad with carbonfibre body panels.
It is shaped for aerodynamic performance normally not possible in road cars and powered by an extremely light and compact Ginetta-designed 90deg V8 engine of just over 6.0 litres, producing around 600bhp and 520lb ft of torque. Production will begin late this year and first deliveries are scheduled for January 2020.
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Porsche 911 Cabriolet
Porsche has revealed the second member of its new 992-generation 911 family: the new 911 Cabriolet. Power comes from a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre flat six engine, which produces 444bhp. When equipped with the optional Sport Chrono Package, the Carrera S can crack 0-62mph in 3.7sec and the Carrera 4S in 3.6sec.
The 911 Cabriolet’s folding soft-top roof is of a new design and can be raised and lowered while the car is moving at speeds of up to 31mph in just 12.0sec, the fastest yet for a 911 Cabriolet. Porsche has yet to confirm launch dates for the new 911 Cabriolet, but it has confirmed pricing: the Carrera S Cabriolet will cost from £102,755 and the Carrera 4S Cabriolet from £108,063, and in America, $126,100 for the S and $133,400 for the 4S.
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Renault Clio
The new fifth-generation Clio is Renault’s most advanced supermini to date, with an evolutionary exterior design but dramatically overhauled interior fitted with new technology. At 4048mm (159in) long, it is 14mm shorter than before, with a 6mm-shorter wheelbase and a roof that’s up to 30mm lower. The body-in-white is 22kg (48 lb) lighter, with higher-strength steel for improved passive safety, and an all-new electrical architecture for additional assistance systems.
The Clio will make its UK debut this autumn with a 75bhp 1.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, as well as the 1.0-litre turbo already seen on the new Nissan Micra with which it shares a platform. The turbo will be available in 99bhp form with either a manual or CVT automatic gearbox, or as a 129bhp version available solely with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. A 1.5-litre diesel will follow with a choice of 84bhp or 114bhp.
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Koenigsegg Jesko
The power output of this hypercar is said to be 1578bhp, up to 1000kg (2200 lb) of downforce and a targeted top speed of 300mph. Only 125 will be produced, with prices set to start at just under US$3 million (£2.29m) before local taxes.
The Jesko effectively replaces the Agera, sitting on a new platform and with a modest increase in dimensions. Power comes from a heavily reworked version of Koenigsegg's own V8 engine.
Von Koenigsegg says his company has already taken 83 deposits on the car, ahead of its official unveiling. "Be fast if you want one," he told the crowds at Geneva. "We will have to see how many are left at the end of the show."
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Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster
The new Aventador SVJ Roadster two-seater will be produced in a limited run of 800 units, and Lamborghini boss Stefano Domenicali said it would be “as fundamentally exciting to drive as the Aventador SVJ but with an added exclusivity: the option of the open air”.
The V12 engine, the most powerful series production unit in Lamborghini history, has an unchanged output of 759bhp at a maximum of 8500rpm, and 531lb ft of torque at 6750rpm, driving all four wheels. The 0-62mph time of 2.9sec is 0.1sec slower than that quoted for the coupé, but both have the same claimed top speed of 217mph.
The Aventador SVJ Roadster has a suggested price of £323,323 in the UK before taxes, or £387,988 with VAT added - and US$574,966 excluding gas-guzzler tax in the US.
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Bentley Continental GT Number 9 Edition
Bentley is celebrating its centenary with a limited-run Continental GT Number 9 Edition by Mulliner, a design that echoes the 4.5-litre ‘Blower’ that raced at Le Mans in 1930. The special editionwill be made by Bentley’s Mulliner division and limited to 100 models.
It will be offered in green or black, with a ‘9’ front grille graphic based on the race car driven by Sir Henry ‘Tim’ Birkin. It also features 21in, coloured 10-spoke wheels and a carbon bodykit.
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Morgan Plus Six
The Plus Six is the first all-new Morgan since the Aero 8, revealed 19 years ago. It is powered by BMW’s latest B58 in-line petrol/gasoline turbo six, producing 335bhp and driving through an eight-speed ZF paddle-shift automatic. There is new Morgan-designed suspension, all independent by double wishbones in the front and a five-link system in the rear.
The Plus Six retains the distinguishing features of the outgoing Plus 8 – flowing front wings, running boards, round headlights and the famous ‘waterfall’ grille – but is a new design in every detail. It's the first of a planned series of models to use the venerable British company’s brand-new ‘wide body’ aluminium chassis.
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Polestar 2
Polestar's second production car is the Polestar 2. The new model from Sweden is described as the “first electric car to compete in the marketplace around the Tesla Model 3”, and is a five-door fastback taking design inspiration from the pricier Polestar 1 and Volvo models such as the S90. Indicated pricing suggests near-parity with the Model 3.
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Peugeot 208
Peugeot will offer petrol/gasoline, diesel and electric power on its next-generation 208 supermini, which made its public debut at the Geneva motor show following last month's global reveal.
A touch longer, lower and lighter than the car it replaces, the new 208 will offer a “more dynamic stance” than the previous one, according to Yann Beurel, the 208’s design manager, who describes its looks as “futuristic and young”.
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Skoda Vision iV
Skoda has provided the strongest glimpse yet of its electric future with the Vision iV concept, revealed at Geneva.
The 4.66m-long (183in) Kodiaq-sized four-door coupé crossover is based on the VW Group’s MEB platform and uses a 302bhp four-wheel-drive EV powertrain offering a 310-mile range and the ability to charge up to 80% in 30 minutes.
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Volkswagen T Roc R
The new Volkswagen T-Roc R looks set to become one of the major players in the burgeoning performance crossover market when it goes on sale later this year in most global markets apart from the USA.
The T-Roc R is as closely related to the Golf R as lesser versions are to the regular Golf, sharing the same powertrain and base suspension components. That means it has the VW Group’s EA888 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine – now fitted with a particulate filter and in 296bhp tune – part-time Haldex-based all-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
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Skoda Kamiq
Skoda has completed its European SUV range with the reveal of the Kamiq crossover, which the Czech firm claims will offer class-leading space and features. The new Nissan Juke rival, sits underneath its Karoq and Kodiaq siblings. The Kamiq is based on the Vision X concept shown at last year's Geneva show, and is the first Skoda to show the influence of new design chief Oliver Stefani.
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Cupra Formentor
Seat's performance sister brand Cupra has revealed its first standalone model, a 242bhp plug-in hybrid coupé crossover called the Formentor. The concept machine is the second to be badged a Cupra following the Cupra Ateca, and the first not to be based on a model from parent firm Seat. Cupra says the Formentor offers “the benefits of a performance car with the qualities of an SUV”.
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Subaru Viziv Adrenaline
Subaru's Viziv Adrenaline Concept crossover that showcases the firm’s ‘bolder’ design language - and shows the likely styling of the next-generation XV. The rugged-looking machine is the latest in the firm’s line of Viziv (‘vision for innovation’) concepts, which date back to 2013. Unlike some concepts, the Viziv models do not generally preview specific future Subaru production cars, but instead are used by the firm to explore future concepts or trends.
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Ssangyong Korando
The new fourth-generation Ssangyong Korando SUV makes its first public appearance, with the company confirming that a full electric version will follow in 2020.
The car features a redesigned front end with a new grille and headlights, and sharper sculpting on the side. The new Korando takes inspiration from the e-SIV concept, which previewed a future electric SUV from the firm.
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Mercedes GLE53
The new Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 4Matic+ makes its public debut. The new range-topping GLE model is the latest in a growing number of cars to receive AMG’s mild-hybrid drivetrain originally unveiled by the CLS 53.
It combines parent company Mercedes-Benz's new twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder petrol engine, which features an electric auxiliary compressor to boost low-end torque, with an integrated starter motor and 48V electric system.
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Seat Minimo
This tiny all-electric quadricycle, similar to the Renault Twizy, has been developed to “help meet the challenges of city driving, emission regulations… the increasing fatigue of traffic jams or the lack of parking spaces”. Measuring just 2.5m long (98in) and 1.24m (49in) wide, the Minimó is less than half the footprint of the average A-segment city car. It will be on sale in 2020.
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Mercedes Concept EQV
Mercedes-Benz has previewed its first electric MPV with the Concept EQV. The machine is based on the V-Class, with the same flexible interior space offering up to eight seats.
Produced by the Stuttgart firm's van division, the EQV continues the firm's roll-out of EQ-branded full-electric vehicles. It is due to go on sale by 2021 and Mercedes says it will show a full production version at the Frankfurt motor show later this year.
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Seat el-born concept
The el-Born is Seat's first bespoke electric car, with a range of up to 261 miles and the promise that it will offer a “sporty” driving experience.
The machine, named after a neighbourhood in Barcelona, will be the second EV built on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB electric architecture to go on sale when it is launched in 2020, after the Volkswagen ID hatchback. The engineering and powertrain of the two compact models are expected to be closely aligned, with a range of power outputs offered.
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Mercedes-Benz GLC
Mercedes-Benz has upgraded its strong-selling GLC three years after the SUV joined its line-up as a successor to the GLK. Making its public debut at Geneva prior to planned introduction in the summer, the 2019-model-year GLC gains a number of subtle exterior styling tweaks, including reshaped bumpers, an altered grille, revised LED headlights and tail-lights and a new range of alloy wheels.
It also comes with a new AMG Line styling package boasting a unique diamond pattern grille insert, an altered front bumper, rectangular chromed tailpipes and the choice of either standard 19 or optional 20in wheels.
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Mitsubishi Engelberg Tourer
This is Mitsubishi’s vision of its electrified future, the Engelberg Tourer. Named after a Swiss ski resort, the SUV concept is described as “an elegant and functional all-rounder crossover SUV”. The concept’s styling builds on the brand’s design themes introduced in the latest ASX, while lifestyle touches include an electrically opening and closing roof box with built-in projector lamps.
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Honda E-prototype
The production version of the Honda e prototype electric city car will go on sale in Europe later this year – and the firm believes the car’s retro design will give it an Apple-style appeal to customers. The four-seater, displayed at the Geneva motor show, is “95% production ready”, according to the firm. It maintains the styling of the Urban EV Concept unveiled at the 2017 Frankfurt motor show, albeit with the addition of an extra set of doors.
While Honda has yet to reveal full technical details of the car, its designers told Autocar at the Geneva show that it would offer "more than" 98bhp and 221lb ft of torque.
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Nissan IMq
Nissan is previewing the design future of its all-conquering Qashqai/Rogue Sport with a new concept car at Geneva. Dubbed the IMq, it’s the brand’s attempt to reinvent the crossover and introduce electric propulsion to a volume segment. The IMq was designed by a small team at Nissan’s London design centre, and chosen out of a number of entries from studios around the world.
The 4.5-metre-long (177in) concept, while likely to be toned down for production, is an athletic-looking crossover with multiple sharp lines, a Range Rover Evoque-style slim glasshouse and spaced-out rear haunches. It also features ‘suicide’ doors leading into a four-seat cabin – both details unlikely to make production.
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Hispano Suiza Carmen
A company aiming to revive the historic Hispano Suiza luxury brand has show an electric luxury grand tourer, named the Carmen, at Geneva. It says the 4.7m (185in) long, the two-seat Carmen is aimed at the emerging 'hyperlux' segment, which combines hypercar performance with Bentley levels of luxury.
Indeed, the Carmen produces a total of 1005bhp yet weighs just 1690kg (3718 lb), meaning it accelerates from 0-62mph in less than 3.0sec. Its top speed is electronically limited to 155mph.
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Citroën Ami One
The Ami One is a two-seat show car that meets Europe’s quadricycle regulations. That means it’s less than 1.5m (59in) wide, has a top speed of 28mph and weighs less than 450kg (990 lb). As a result, it could be driven without a driving licence in some countries such as France.
The concept explores some of the issues facing makers of very small cars as consumers turn to bigger models or stop buying cars entirely.
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Piëch Mark Zero
Piëch Automotive's Mark Zero is a new electric supercar concept. The company was co-founded in 2016 by Anton Piëch, who is the son of former VW chief Ferdinand Piëch. The two-door, two-seat Mark Zero is unusual among the myriad EVs from start-up brands in that it doesn't use a skateboard-type chassis, as popularised by Tesla. Instead, it's based on a modular platform that Piëch developed with the help of 200 'exterior staff'.
The interesting news here is that the company promises recharging to 80% capacity and a 300 mile range in just four minutes - about the time it takes to fill up a car today.
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Smart Forease
The Forease+ concept car from last year now receives a roof and revises the styling of the Forease electric open-top two-seater shown at last year's Paris motor show to mark the brand's 20th anniversary.
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Mazda CX-30
Mazda has revealed the new CX-30 SUV, which sits between the CX-3 and CX-5, at Geneva. The Nissan Qashqai/Rogue Sport rival is based on the recently launched Mazda 3 hatch and is described as a new "core model" in the Japanese firm’s line-up. It will go on sale in the UK later this year powered by a range of petrol/gasoline hybrid and diesel engines.