The Geneva International Motor Show is one of the world’s most important auto shows in the first half of every year.
This year’s event, which began March 7, kicked off with an arrangement of new model launches and the latest concept cars.
The 2019 GIMS theme seemed to be electric, hybrid and high horsepower automobiles.
The event debuted some of the world’s most powerful and expensive production vehicles.
Beyond the outrageous cars for the ultra-affluent, the show also displayed mainstream cars aimed the global market, although many of the cars may not make their way to North America anytime soon.
Boasting the world’s most expensive production car is the The Bugatti Voiture Noire, for which the buyer paid $18.5 million.
It’s a one-off luxury touring car with an 8-liter quad turbo W16 engine with 1,600 hp (100 hp more than the $3 million Bugatti Chiron).
That should be good for driving it well past the Chiron’s 261 mph (420 km/h) top speed.
Bentley also represented well, regaining the title of World’s Fastest SUV, according to a Bentley press release.
After achieving this with the 2016 Bentayga reaching a top speed of 187 MPH the Lamborghini Urus then achieved a top speed of 189.5 MPH.
The British automaker says its new all-wheel-drive Bentayga Speed SUV can reach a top speed of 190 miles per hour, which just barely edges out the Lamborghini Urus.
Both SUV’s start around $200,000. Mazda has revealed the CX-30 SUV. Sizewise, it fits midway between the CX-3 and the CX-5 that, on their own, were 50 percent of Mazda’s 2018 US sales.
The CX-30 could reach the US in late 2019 or 2020.
The Honda Urban EV has now been revealed under the new name “E Prototype.”
The E Prototype sits on a new, dedicated platform for electric vehicles.
Honda claims the car will be capable of 120 miles on a single charge but hasn’t confirmed the size of the on-board battery.
A single electric motor on the rear axle drives the car, but Honda has yet to issue any performance figures.
Project leader Kohei Hitomi indicated the E Prototype will not be a budget vehicle.
In an interview with AutoExpress, he said, “Cost is an important factor. Look at the iPhone: They are not cheap products but still everybody wants them.”
“The high cost has a justification,” Hitomi said. “It is full of practicality and performance – we believe the same of our electric vehicle. We do not want to provide a low-cost product.”
With the majority of the world’s premier automotive manufacturers representing themselves with many new releases, there were a few manufactures missing from the line up: Ford, Jaguar-Land Rover and Volvo were a few of the absent.
A Ford spokesperson explained to Autocar that they “looked at all the things we had to do in 2019, and we’ve got a lot of stuff coming.” The spokesperson said the Geneva showcase timing didn’t “meet their requirements.” “
Rather than go to Geneva with relatively small news, we would rather do something later that would give us more bang for our buck,” the spokesperson said. “I don’t anticipate this will be a regular thing, though.”
As for Jaguar-Land Rover, they are going through a bit of a stagnant period due to the tariffs in China.
A spokesperson explained to Autocar, “We are implementing a turnaround plan and taking all the necessary steps to rejuvenate our business especially in China. This involves working closely with our sales network and balancing production with demand in the present market conditions to achieve healthy development for our future that is not unduly dependent on incentives.”
The 88th GIMS will continue until March 17, with auto enthusiasts anticipating a successful year for powerful electric vehicles.