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The 77th Geneva Motor Show offered an amazing view into the future.

GENEVA — The class assignment was intriguing: Start with the premise that hybrid vehicles have a "somewhat unappealing image" and come up with a vehicle that is more "emotional" than intellectual. The result is the beON hybrid , which made its debut at this month's Geneva auto show. The beON is the brainchild of students at the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) of Turin, Italy. They were directed by Luca Borgogno, a Pininfarina designer, and Carsten Astheimer, head of design at the Brunswick Boat Group. The beON is a two-seat off-road sports car with a sunroof. It is powered by a hybrid thermal-electric engine connected to a hydraulic transmission system located within each wheel hub. Its creators say this futuristic setup guarantees "excellent off-road performance" and also means traditional disc and caliper braking can be eliminated.

(from Italdesign Press Release) BMW hydrogen power. Once again, Geneva offers the opportunity to develop research on form and contents that break away from the industrial approach that Italdesign Giugiaro adopt daily in order to supply their worldwide clients with designs that best suit their markets. The challenging “diversion” this year represents a niche theme meant to be heatedly discussed: a super-sporty extreme two-seater fuelled by hydrogen to meet the increasingly pressing need to promote and develop alternative and environment friendly propulsion systems and to explore the potential challenge offered to design by a more flexible “displacement” of the chassis lay-out in new engine, mechanical, and electronic equipments. The decision to remove the steering wheel took Italdesign Giugiaro to the creation of a highly innovative driving system: two joysticks are fixed on the armrests of the pilot’s seating and pedals unit, where all elements can be adjusted and customized to the ...

This concept was built by students of Espera Sbarro design for the French television show Turbo. The project was put together in a 4 month time period, and recently displayed at the 2007 Geneva Auto Show .

GENEVA — Stola is an Italian carrozzeria, less well-known than some of the greats even though its history stretches back to the 1920s. At the Geneva auto show , the firm displayed the Phalcon prototype that will go into production in a limited edition of 25 custom cars. The Phalcon one-off, sporting a huge falcon on its nose, was imposing under the lights in the Geneva show hall. On closer examination, it was apparent that it was a slightly altered version of the Maybach Exelero, which Stola helped German tiremaker Fulda develop as a one-off for the Geneva show two years ago. The interesting thing is that, although Stola participated in the Exelero project, the car was designed by some university students in Pforzheim in cooperation with Mercedes-Benz. Phalcon is based around a Brabus platform, meaning that ultimately it is derived from a Mercedes-Benz. Power comes from a Brabus-tuned V12 biturbo, churning out 750 horsepower and 1,003 pound-feet of torque. No wonder claimed top spe...

Photo Montage Video of the much anticipated 2008 BMW M3 from the Geneva Auto Show

During our time in the grand metropolis of Geneva, we had every intention of spending some quality time at the tuner expo adjacent to the main halls. But with all that was going on, time was limited, and aside from the R8-ified TT and those kick ass chairs that our friend Paukert found, there wasn't too much of interest. Then we came across this. The European firm DigitalChip didn't think that the stock RB in their shop's Skyline R34 GT-R had enough juice, so they yanked the stock mill and replaced it with a 7L V12. And then – just for kicks – bolted on four turbos. The result: 1000+ HP, 1000 NM of torque, a 0-60 time of 2.9 seconds and a quarter mile trap speed at the low end of nine seconds. Complete with carbon-ceramic brakes (381mm front, 355mm rear), 13x18-inch wheels and weighing a paltry 2,200 pounds, the GTR "Unlimited" can reach a maximum speed of 220 MPH and seems to be the highlight of several shows and tuner magazines abroad. ...

GENEVA — While Indian automaker Tata plans an ultra-cheap $1,700 car, it has also been busy upgrading its midsize family-oriented models, the Indigo hatch and the Indica sedan. The Elegante concept unveiled at the Geneva auto show previewed a new version of the Indica. The Elegante is the first preview of Tata's all-new sedan. It was conceived with a range of 1.4-liter to 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines in mind. Tata also mentioned the possibility of a V6 gas engine and Fiat-sourced common-rail direct-injection turbodiesels. The production version of the Elegante , which is not as elegant as its name suggests, will be introduced later this year as a sedan, to be followed by a hatch. These models will be bigger than their predecessors. Tata is now trying to widen its portfolio. In addition to the Indigo/Indica line, there are various off-roaders and pickup trucks, including the minuscule 1-ton Ace, which has been a runaway success in rural India.

We know, a Korean cabrio-convertible - especially one in Essex-stiletto white and with such a ridiculously convoluted name - should be a prime target for some lazy gags. But we've been impressed by the standard cee'd, and we have to admit we rather like this. It's a concept version of the Korean manufacturer's small hatch, styled by Peter Schreyer and called - ready? - the ex_cee'd . Instead of the ubiquitous folding hard-top seen on the VW Eos et al, the ex_cee'd gets a powered fabric roof. Dispensing of the necessity of wedging a roof-shaped piece of metal behind the rear seats gives the ex_cee'd a much less convoluted profile than most current C+Cs, and we love those ultra-bling 19-inch alloys too. Of course, whether it looks anything like as good when (or indeed if) it reaches production remains to be seen, but it's all good stuff from Kia. At the more practical end of the scale, Kia has also been showing off the cee'd SW, the estate version of ...

GENEVA — You have to ask yourself: Can you picture someone in the mold of Hernándo Cortés or Francisco Pizarro behind the wheel of the behemoth Mansory Conquistador ? The answer is, of course, a resounding yes. The Conquistador , the German tuning house's latest riff on the Rolls Royce Phantom , is a doff of the helmet to the Spanish soldiers and adventurers who conquered South and Central America in the 16th century. Or maybe the designers just liked the Procol Harum song of the same name. Anyway, the customized Rolls made its world debut at the Geneva auto show on Thursday. Key features are a shadow black paint job, massive 24-inch wheels, a new front spoiler with integrated LED daytime running lights, and new side skirts. The mirrors get integrated flasher lights, and the tail is decked out with a trunk lid spoiler. High-performance Brembo brakes are part of the package. Mansory said it modified the engine, which now churns out 490 horsepower and 575 pound-feet of torque at 3,9...

The Mazda2 has always provided all the excitement of endurance lawn bowls, but we're much more enamoured with this new one, unveiled in Geneva. Based on the same platform as the next-generation Ford Fiesta, the Mazda2 will be launched with two petrol engines - a 1.3-litre version with 74bhp or 83bhp and a hotter 1.5-litre iteration producing 102bhp. It's not bad looking by utilitarian city car standards, having obviously picked up some of the hyper-swoopy styling from the weird concepts that Mazda has been rolling out recently. Speaking of weird concepts, Mazda hasn't disappointed with the crazy scissor-doored Hakaze . Based on the same trippy philosophy of 'natural flow lines' as the Ryuga concept we saw in Detroit, it's ostensibly an SUV in the same vein as the Nissan Qashqai. However, it's much more coupe-like in appearance, with great swathes of glass on top and all manner of weird rubberised surfaces inside the cabin. While that might all reek of u...

GENEVA — German automotive supplier Paragon unveiled a new rolling showcase of its capabilities at the Geneva auto show. Its Artega GT coupe was engineered entirely in-house and is backed by industry heavyweights. Klaus-Dieter Frers, CEO of Paragon , looked very pleased at the Geneva show. His Artega was penned by former Aston designer-turned coachbuilder and industrial stylist Henrik Fisker, and it attracted the serious attention of a few carmakers at the show who were particularly attracted to the new dashboard layout. Paragon supplies air-conditioning systems, instrumentation and other components to the auto industry, and it incorporated all its knowledge in the Artega. The Artega is powered by a 300-horsepower 3.6-liter Volkswagen engine that propels the sleek coupe to a claimed 167-plus mph. Apart from the engine, all components were built in-house, including the aluminum space frame and the six-speed direct-shift gearbox. Paragon hired Karl-Heinz Kalbfell, who has previously...

GENEVA — Hot on the heels of a new deal with Canadian supplier and engineering giant Magna, Russian company AvtoVAZ , manufacturer of Lada cars , showed a compact hatch at the Geneva auto show. Called the C-Class Concept Coupe , it may preview the look of a brand- new Lada . On the surface, the situation at AvtoVAZ , the dominant automobile producer in Russia , looks rosy — but major products are hopelessly outdated, new ones trickle in very slowly, and to complicate matters, the Russian government is slowly introducing new emission control rules both for the cars themselves and for the plants producing them. Indirectly government controlled, AvtoVAZ hooked up with Magna late last year. Magna will help the Russian company develop a brand-new, up-to-date model for introduction in 2009. According to rumors, it will be produced using the latest technology, with assistance from Western supplier companies. The styling mock-up shown at Geneva is basically a starting point, a sort of demons...

GENEVA — PSA Peugeot Citroën has withdrawn from negotiations to acquire or form an alliance with troubled Malaysian automaker Proton, which owns Lotus . Further, PSA executives say they are not interested in acquiring the Chrysler Group from DaimlerChrysler, throwing more cold water on speculation that the French carmaker might be planning a return to North America. In a media session at the Geneva auto show, PSA Chief Executive Christian Streiff said the company does not "have time" to look at Chrysler while it is focused on improving profits and quality. "To launch [a bid] now would be such a distraction of effort that it isn't possible," Strieff told reporters. "I do not think we will conclude another industrial alliance." The company announced Monday that it was breaking off talks with Proton after more than six months of discussions about a possible alliance or acquisition, including a feasibility study on joint production and platform-sharing ...

This curious-looking creature - the car, not the passenger - is the Dodge Demon , an ambitious attempt by the Chrysler Group to produce a lightweight, nimble roadster. And for a product from the stable of America's brashest, boldest pick-up builder, it's surprisingly petite. In fact, with the exception of that truck-style crosshair grill, you could be forgiven for mistaking the Demon for a small European roadster. And that's exactly what Dodge is aiming for. The Demon is similar in size to the Mazda MX-5, and gets a 172bhp 2.4-litre petrol engine powering the rear wheels. There's even a six-speed manual 'box - a sure sign of heavy European influence. There are plenty in Geneva who are enamoured by the Demon 's styling, but we're still a touch unsure. It's a good effort, but it doesn't seem to quite fit together. We'll withhold final judgment until the Demon makes it to production, though. Source: topgear

GENEVA — Americans never could warm up to the Volkswagen Phaeton , the German automaker's over-the-top luxury sedan. The Phaeton left the U.S. market in 2006, a victim of a negative image and a too-expensive price tag. So when VW rolled out its face-lifted Phaeton on Tuesday at the Geneva auto show, it was clear that the U.S. crowd will have to be content with admiring it from afar. The redone Phaeton goes on sale in Europe this summer. Key changes include a new face that brings the Phaeton more in line with the VW family look. The Geneva show also marked the debut of a new 3.0-liter V6 TDI engine for the Phaeton that delivers 234 horsepower — a 13-hp increase over the previous V6 TDI engine. VW noted that the new common-rail direct-injection engine meets Euro V emissions standards ahead of the 2009 deadline. The Phaeton lineup includes three gas engines: a 237-hp 3.2-liter V6, a 330-hp 4.2-liter V8 and a 444-hp 6.0-liter W12. The Phaeton also gets new bi-xenon adaptive front ...

GENEVA — For those who are wondering why Ferrari is a relatively quiet presence at the Geneva auto show, the answer became clear on Wednesday as the Italian supercar maker confirmed that it is hustling to launch a new model at the Frankfurt auto show in the fall. Fiat Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo told Reuters that the new model, which will be based on the F430, the company's most popular car, is in the works. "It is a new model on which there's been key research on weight reduction, performance obtained from Ferrari's experience in [Formula 1] competitions and safety," the company said in a statement. He also said there are no plans to carry out an IPO for Ferrari. Ferrari's news from Geneva has been relatively low-key, centering on such things as color and trim changes and new tech features for the 612 Scaglietti. Ferrari has relaunched 10 historic exterior colors for the 612 Scaglietti, after conducting what it describes as "meticulous rese...

GENEVA — The legendary Italian design studio Bertone introduced its Barchetta concept at the Geneva auto show, with a design that harks back to happier times in the company's history. Giovanni Bertone set up a body shop in Turin in 1912. Nuccio, his son, transformed the company into a styling studio and then expanded into manufacturing. Nuccio died in 1997 and the company has been losing important clients during the last couple of years, increasingly relying on work from China to keep afloat. But here in Geneva, Bertone showed the old spirit is still alive with the Barchetta. The barchetta (Italian for "small boat") is a typical Italian body style, sitting somewhere between a windshield-less spyder and a roadster. Barchettas were very popular in Italy during the late 1940s and '50s; the first Ferraris were barchettas. Nuccio also created a barchetta off the minuscule Fiat 500 in 1947 for his personal use. This prototype was the inspiration for the current Barche...