If you want to have a car show for manufacturers to show off their latest vehicles and cutting-edge technologies, it would be best to hold it in a neutral zone, in a country that does not manufacture cars. Switzerland is a great choice for that.
Held almost every year since 1905, the Geneva Motor Show provides that arena. It’s the first of the major international car shows each year, and it provides a neutral playing field for factories to parade their wares and ante up into the year’s marketing and technology games. Held in March, this year’s show was no disappointment.
Conspicuous by its Absence – Tesla
Everybody is talking about Tesla these days. Tesla gets so much free publicity that it almost doesn’t have to advertise. Everything the company does seems to be newsworthy, despite the fact it has never made a profit; not yet. Bucking the normal ways of doing business in the car industry, Tesla doesn’t even have dealerships. Also expected, Tesla didn’t send any of its vehicles to the show in Geneva this year.
Electric Vehicles – All the Rave
Electric vehicles were highly represented. It makes sense, because they are a big trend in the automotive industry. More and more people want them.
The best-selling, battery-only electric car is the Nissan Leaf. Of course, Nissan showed off its latest version of the Leaf, which now boasts a respectable 168-mile range.
China is a big, if not the biggest and fastest growing, vehicle market. China also has a big, if not the biggest, problem with air pollution. That said, it’s not surprising that China’s Iconiq Motors brought to Geneva its Model Seven all-electric MPV. It’s an upstart company, to be sure.
The Fastest and Most Exotic Machines – As Expected
Among the fastest cars there was the Bugatti Chiron Sport. Excess personified, it has Bugatti’s latest 1,500HP W16.
If you don’t really need 1,500 horsepower for your daily commute to the office, maybe you can settle for 720 horsepower. That what Ferrari says moves its new 488 Pista.
If you prefer German cars for your fast machines, perhaps you’d like the new Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo. Consider it practical with its 4-door sedan styling. It’s electric, it’s fast and its eye catching. Goes from zero to 60mph in 3.5 seconds. Porsche says that it even charges faster than other cars.
Next Year
Artificial Intelligence, AI for short, already has a foothold in the automotive world. Self-driving cars will probably be the focus of next year’s show.
Speaking of AI, despite all the naysayers’ dire predictions, VW plowed through diesel gate just fine and has a bright future, which includes AI. The company’s Vizzion was on display and gives an example of what to expect in cars without steering wheels. Expect to see it in production by 2022.
