Thanks to Corona virus, the Geneva Motor Show has been cancelled this year, but all the stars of the show have been unveiled virtually
Words by Erin Baker, Editorial Director at Auto-Trader
Here is our pick of the best cars revealed...
Bentley Mulliner Bacalar
Star billing has to go to this insanely beautiful, exclusive, handbuilt Bentley, for its combination of classic luxury styling and new, bespoke levels of craftsmanship (watch this space for our upcoming feature on the latest in British luxury car design). Mulliner is Bentley’s coach-building department, which means it’s responsible for special editions, bespoke styling inside and out and the top levels of craftsmanship and materials. Just 12 of the two-seat convertibles will be built, and all are accounted for.
Automobili Pininfarina Battista Anniversario
This mad Italian electric hypercar makes the Bentley look like a car for the masses. Just five will be built, and each will cost from 2.6 million euros. The car has a top speed of 217mph and is meant to encapsulate “ a new pinnacle of desirability for sustainable and luxurious electric cars”. It will also be eye-wateringly quick, accelerating from 0-62mph in under two seconds, which is Formula-One fast, thanks to 1,900 horsepower on board. Blink and you’ll miss it, literally.
Cupra Formentor
Cupra used to be the sporty badge used by Spanish brand Seat, but has now hived off into its own brand, signifying high performance. The Formentor is the first car for the new independent brand and it’s a more streamlined version of the Ateca SUV. It’s a plug-in hybrid with up to 31 miles of electric-only power, and may just turn out to be one of the unsung heroes of the show, ticking a lot of consumer boxes…
Peugeot 208
It’s not a reveal, because it’s on sale already, but it was named World Car of the Year, and for good reason: it’s arguably the best looking small city hatchback out there right now, and comes with a range of engines or an electric version, which is very tasty indeed.
Audi A3
One of the most popular family hatchbacks on sale in the UK, the A3 has had a facelift. This car competes with the Mercedes A-class, VW Golf, BMW 1-Series, Honda Civic, Mazda3, Renault Clio, Vauxhall Astra, Ford Focus… the list goes on. There’s now a mild on-board hybrid engine system, sharper driving character and new interior.
Aston Martin Vantage Roadster
A svelte design for a smart British luxury convertible sports car, and Aston’s entry-level model. The unveiling of the Vantage Roadster is an act of celebration for Aston, which celebrates 70 years since the Vantage name was first used on one of its cars. The brand also unveiled a limited-edition V12 Speedster - just 88 examples will be built by Aston’s bespoke division, Q by Aston Martin, costing £765,000 each.
McLaren 765 LT
The “LT” badge stands for “Longtail" which denotes the hardcore, stripped-out, more track-focused variants of its supercars. Thus the 765LT is a bona fide monster, with carbon fibre racing seats, no carpets, loud exhaust and, as the name suggests, 765 horsepower from its twin-turbo V8 engine.
Fiat 500e
Fiat’s most popular car, the dinky Fiat 500, goes all electric in the 500e version, which makes perfect sense for this city runabout. The arrival of the electric version also heralds a makeover for this car, with sleeker headlights and a less bubbly silhouette. This car is set to rival the Mini Electric.
Kia Sorento
A successful, bold reimagining of this stoic seven-seat family SUV, which has been around for years and is still one of the top five large SUVs for value, space and reliability. The new version looks brilliant. At launch there will be a diesel hybrid and diesel engine on offer, with a plug-in hybrid to follow.
Mazda MX-30
Mazda’s first pure electric car arrives in the UK next year, and it is, unsurprisingly, a five-seat SUV - still the number one best-selling car shape in the UK. Reserve yours for £800, for delivery next year.
BMW i4
Unveiled as a concept, the i4 nonetheless shows how the real production i4 will look when it gets on sale. This is BMW’s pure electric sporty “Gran Coupe” which essentially means all the sexy styling of a slinky coupe but with four doors for ease of access. The model is a more high-performance take on the best-selling 3-Series saloon, with a 0-62mph time of about four seconds.