TOP CARS AT THE 2018 GENEVA MOTOR SHOW
The 2018 Geneva Motor Show has been filled with new exciting concepts and releases of new cars, exceeding all expectations and was as popular, if not more so, than the 2017 event, with a whole array of new production cars and concept vehicles making their debuts at the Geneva Palexpo in Switzerland.
As we expected, the major topics were SUVs, electrification or electric vehicles and the increasingly uncertain future of diesel, especially in Europe, were without a doubt hot topics as to what the future will hold.
The likes of the new Audi A6, Mercedes A-Class and Hyundai Santa Fe were expected to rule the headlines across the globe, and while those cars have certainly made a dent, other long-anticipated concepts have emerged too such as the Toyota Supra.
Another example is the new Toyota Auris, which has captured the attention of the general public with its new range of hybrid engines. It’s certainly one to watch in the general hatchback class.
As we expected, we’ve seen speed machines in abundance too, such as the 1,100bhp+ Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro, the 1,479bhp Bugatti Chiron Sport, and the 1,888bhp Rimac C_Two.
But which cars stood out the most? We've have picked their best cars of Geneva 2018, and they are as follows…
Jaguar I-Pace
The so-called "Tesla effect" was in clear view at Geneva, where there was a multitude of new electric vehicles on show. But few were as well executed as the Jaguar I-Pace, which managed to look very unconventional to any previous model we had seen from the brand but still obviously a Jag. Quite an achievement, really.
Skoda Vision X
Skoda’s idea is to offer a pair of mild-hybrid systems – a starter/generator at the front axle, and a more potent electric motor at the rear – and to then pair this technology up with compressed natural gas, which can be produced as an e-fuel using a mix of excess renewable energy and CO2 harnessed from the atmosphere. It’s a clever solution that could significantly lower CO2 emissions.
Ford Mustang Bullitt
The word ‘icon’ often gets thrown around without justification these days, but Ford’s modern-day reinterpretation of the undoubtedly iconic Mustang Bullitt has plenty of heritage. It’s been created to celebrate 50 years since the Steve McQueen film of the same name was released – a film famous among enthusiasts for an epic car chase involving a 1968 Mustang Fastback.
Toyota Supra
Toyota has revived the name and spirit of its most celebrated sports car, confirming that it plans to produce a new generation of its legendary Supra. The automaker made its long-awaited commitment to reviving the famous Supra nameplate when it staged the world premiere of the dramatically styled Toyota GR Supra Racing Concept in Geneva. Toyota said the compact two-door concept, with its front-engine, rear-wheel-drive configuration, demonstrates the potential for a fun-to-drive car that can deliver high performance both on road and track.
Porsche GT3 RS
Since the introduction of the 991.2 Porsche 911 GT3, the top spec RS model has lacked a bit of flavour to justify the significant price hike. Both models were tied at 500 horsepower and lap/acceleration times were eerily close, making the GT3 RS a head-scratcher in terms of value versus price. Porsche knew that and, as it turns out, had something brewing all along in developing the new naturally aspirated Rennsport version of the now-current generation 911.
RIMAC C_TWO
A few months ago, Rimac teased us with details of a second supercar and, at the Geneva motor show 2018, it finally took the wraps off their latest creation. It is called the C_Two – not the Rimac Concept Two as we were expecting. The new hypercar is fast, ridiculous and apparently autonomous, too.