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An abundance of new cars were revealed at Geneva 2019.
From supercars to superminis, there was no shortage of announcements at this year's show – despite some manufacturers declining to attend.
EVs stole much of the attention, with Audi refusing to put any combustion-powered cars on its stand at all, and several high-profile launches from the likes of Peugeot, Fiat and Renault, as well as Bugatti, Lamborghini and Ferrari. There really was something to suit all tastes. But what were the highlights, according to Autocar's writing team?
We've picked our personal show stars from Geneva. Click through the gallery to take a look.
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Volkswagen ID Buggy
That I love the way the Volkswagen ID Buggy looks is only half the story. The other, more important half is that VW says it’ll make its architecture available to third parties, who could place whatever body they want on it, which could create brilliant new model diversity around the car business.
Matt Prior, editor-at-large
Click here to read more about Volkswagen's ID Buggy concept EV
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Mitsubishi Engelberg Tourer
The Mitsubishi Engleberg Tourer is neither snappily named nor immediately beautiful, but its presence as a look at the next-generation Outlander, alongside visible, accessible management from Mitsubishi, underscored the trajectory this seemingly reinvigorated – and SUV- and hybrid-minded – brand is on in Europe.
Once a bit-part player on the sidelines, it has ambitions that are clearly growing alongside its sales and profits.
Jim Holder, editorial director
Click here to read more about Mitsubishi's Engelberg Tourer concept crossover
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Alfa Romeo Tonale
SUVs aren’t generally pretty but I think the Tonale – a name that might lose its evocativeness once an English regional dialect gets hold of it – is actually just that. Its big wheels, low, sleek body and sporty proportions all point to an SUV you’ll actually want to drive.
Whether it will or not is another matter, especially if its lineage can indeed be traced to the Fiat 500X/Jeep Renegade. But that’s for another day. On this one, the Tonale has real star quality and, crucially for Alfa, market appeal.
Mark Tisshaw, editor
Click here to read more about Alfa Romeo's Tonale SUV concept
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Ginetta Akula
Ginetta’s unapologetically aggressive race car for the road felt like an antidote to the growing number of 1500bhp-plus electric hypercars filling the stands at this year’s show and is just one of several British success stories to come out of Geneva. I’m not sure batteries and electric motors will ever hold the appeal of the naturally aspirated V8 powering the Akula, which almost looks perturbed to be stood still, rather than being pushed to its limit on a circuit.
Tom Morgan, deputy digital editor
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Fiat Centoventi
Fiat has spent years drifting with little direction, to the point where the future of the brand has seemed in question. With the Concept Centoventi as a bold statement of intent, the future direction of Fiat now seems clear. Fresh, stylish and genuinely innovative – from its upgradeable battery system to its modular, interchangeable parts – the Centoventi is a concept with remarkable confidence and clarity.
Suddenly, Fiat’s reinvention as an electrified city car brand makes perfect sense.
James Attwood, deputy editor
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Peugeot 508 Performance Hybrid
A twin-engine green performance machine, this concept will be a 395bhp, 49g/km reality in 18 months. To be developed by Peugeot Sport, it features a front-drive 197bhp 1.6 petrol turbo and a rear-drive 197bhp electric motor, promising strong performance and a heap of grip from an already good chassis. And it will be the first of a range of volt-boosted, low-emission Peugeot Sport models.
Richard Bremner, senior contributing editor
Click here to read more about Peugeot's 508 Performance Hybrid concept saloon
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Polestar 2
Seeing the first mass-market Polestar in the metal only strengthened its appeal. It feels every inch a proper Tesla Model 3 rival, but more complete in my eyes: it still has the clever tech, but it also seems to have the fit and finish inside and out down to a tee, with the look, feel and bodywork precision of a high-end Volvo. It's just a shame that, as with Tesla, it looks like we'll be waiting a fair bit longer for the promised affordable base model.
Lawrence Allan, news editor
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Koenigsegg Jesko
At a show with more hypercars than almost any other in recent memory, one was the most hyper of all. The Jesko might seem like an internet-breaking meme as much as a real car, but the idea of 1578bhp, 1000kg of downforce and a top speed of 300mph is the stuff of which fantasies are made. Plus, the Swedish company has a strong record of delivering on its outlandish claims.
Mike Duff, contributing editor
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Morgan Plus Six
You’ve got to look beneath the skin to see what makes the new Mog Plus Six so special. It looks familiar, but there’s a completely new chassis and powertrain for a new age, no bigger or heavier but much safer and more spacious in the cabin. The interior is packed with new tech, although the traditions are obeyed. It’s the first of many exciting new-gen cars under the firm’s better-financed new management.
Steve Cropley, editor-in-chief
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Skoda Vision iV
Skoda’s Vision iV concept promises to truly democratise electric cars by being launched in production form as the most affordable and most family-friendly of the Volkswagen Group’s trio of 300-mile battery electric cars. The addition of a hallmark Skoda grille on this second version of the concept brings the design closer to reality.
Julian Rendell, special correspondent
Click here to read more about Skoda's Vision iV concept coupé-crossover
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Honda e
Despite the popularity of the original Urban EV concept, it was hard to believe such a cool car could make production. Of course it has changed, but the essence of the original is still well and truly present. Pair that with an impressive interior and technology – both of which will position it as a top-of-the-range Honda – and you’ve got an exciting prospect.
Don’t expect it to come cheap, though.
Rachel Burgess, deputy editor – digital
Click here to read more about the Honda e concept electric city car
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Peugeot 508 Performance Hybrid
All mouth and no trousers? Not the 508 Performance Hybrid concept from Peugeot Sport Engineering. Sinister bodywork marks a surprise break from the French firm's usually conservative styling and shrouds an impressive 1.6-litre petrol-electric powertrain good for 0-62mph in 4.3sec and a top speed of 155mph. All of which earns it an unprecedented second nomination in this year's Star Cars list.
The newly formed sub-brand needs a catchier name before it’s mentioned in the same breath as R, M and AMG, but if Peugeot is serious about bringing such a radical model to production, it could herald the electric rebirth of the super-saloon.
Felix Page, junior reporter
Click here to read more about Peugeot's 508 Performance Hybrid concept saloon
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