The Geneva International Motor Show: it’s a sure sign that spring is just around the corner, and Europe’s car makers are gearing up to show us their latest and most exciting models.
What’s new this year? If you’re not a regular follower of the industry, then nothing much seems to have changed. But look closer and there’s a sense of un-ease in the air. Plenty of big names - Ford, Vauxhall, Hyundai, Volvo - haven’t turned up and that’s becoming a motor show theme. But the story beyond that is an industry that’s being disrupted. Which is why you’ll find new fullyelectric modelsbeing introduced by Peugeot and newbies like Polestar.
The idea ofautonomous drivingand pervasive tech hangs in the air too, although it’s harder to get a true feel for what’s happening from static exhibits. Above all though, the car companies are scared. Brexit looms - it’ll disrupt their supply chains - while big selling markets - UK and Germany - are down. And there’s the on-going prospect of new names, and tech brands like Apple andGoogle, really changing things up.
The good news is that, if you’re in the market for a new car, there’s really never been a better time. There’s no such thing as a duff product, and there’s every chance you’ll get a deal.
Audi Q4 e-tron concept
TheQ4 e-trondoes two things. It previews a more “sporty”, coupe body style version of the Q3 SUV (in the same way a Q8 relates to a Q7) and shows Audi’s big push towards fully electric cars. Expect a production version to follow, soon.
Honda e Prototype
Previewing Honda’s first, fully electric city car which arrives next year, thee Prototypelooks cute, has 5 doors, and three giant screens inside, which take over (well, replace) the dashboard. The production car should have 100 miles range and cost sub £20k.
Polestar 2
Polestar- Volvo’s high-performance, electric sister - aims straight for the heart of the Tesla Model 3 with this 275 miles range, fully electric hatchback, complete with Android-based interface, phone as a key and a host of other relevant tech.
Kia e-Soul
We’re big fans of the electric Soul, and this new model gets a bigger battery (out of the Hyundai Kona) for a much bigger, 200 mile range. It will be launching later in 2019.
Seat El-Born
Using the Volkswagen group’s new MEB electric platform, this car is a preview of Seat’sfirst electric car- a high-riding hatchback-cum-MPV.
Peugeot e-208
Peugeot’s hot selling city car is a big star in Geneva. Riffing off the style of the ’80s 205 that’s beloved of motoring journalists, Peugeot’s put the cat amongst the pigeons by offering a 50kWh electric battery version, from launch.
Volkswagen ID Dune Buggy
With Volkswagen’s ID brand gearing up to launch multiple,all-electric productsfrom next year, VW’s starting to have fun, showing a beach buggy concept and the flexibility that a dedicated electric drive architecture can bring.
BMW X3 xDrive 30e
BMW went big on plug-in hybrids at Geneva this year, and the part battery/electric motor, part petrol poweredX3 xDrive 30eis likely to be one of its biggest selling.
Renault Clio
The fifth generation of the Clio - Europe’s best-selling small car - goes toe-to-toe with the 208. It’s more of an evolution compared to the last model, but quality is high and there are big tech updates including a big-screen inside.
