The best new cars at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show

The 2019 Geneva International Motor Show is underway, packed with the usual array of hot new cars, crazy concepts, extreme supercars and next-generation EVs. We’ve elbowed our way to the front of each stand, avoiding the wheeled flight bags, to bring you all the important cars from the 2019 show.

Pininfarina Battista

The Pininfarina Battista produces 1,900hp, is faster than a Formula 1 car from 0-60mph, and will travel almost 280 miles on a single charge. Only 150 will be built, each one carrying a rumoured £2 million price tag. And if that’s not all, this electric hypercar will hit 218mph, if you’re not too concerned about preserving that electric range. It’s a line in the sand for the automotive industry and without question one of the stars of Geneva 2019.

Morgan Plus Six

The Morgan Plus Six is a brand new car from the ground up, built on an advanced bonded aluminium platform called the Morgan CX generation. It weighs barely more than one tonne and is powered by the 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine found in the new BMW Z4 and Toyota Supra. Morgan is taking orders at the show – prices start from £77,995. We want one.

Honda E Prototype

You can keep your million-dollar supercars and Nurburgring-taming SUVs, because this is one of the stars of the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. It’s every bit as adorable as the 2017 Urban EV Concept and is set to become one of the most sought-after EVs on the market. Honda is promising a range of over 200km (124 miles) and a fast charge functionality of 80 percent battery charge in just 30 minutes. Production will begin later this year.

Bugatti La Voiture Noire

Meet the most expensive new car of all time: the Bugatti La Voiture Noire. And before you ask, somebody has already paid the €11 million (£9.45 million) before tax price tag. The one-off creation pays homage to the Type 57 SC Atlantic and is powered by an 8.0-litre 16-cylinder engine developing 1,500hp. “Our history is both a privilege and a responsibility – the responsibility for continuing the Bugatti heritage into the future. With ‘La Voiture Noire’, we are paying homage to our heritage and bringing speed, technology, luxury and aesthetics forward to a new era,” said Bugatti president Stephan Winkelmann.

Polestar 2

Perhaps it would be a little harsh to say that the Polestar 2 isn’t as visually alluring as the Polestar 1, but that’s how we feel. However, with an eventual price tag of €39,900 (£34,000), five doors, and right-hand-drive production, this electric fastback is more relevant than the one Polestar made earlier. The company is targeting a range of 500km (311 miles), with a 408hp powertrain delivering a 0-62mph time of five seconds.

Peugeot 208

In terms of pure sales, this is one of the most significant new cars at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. The Peugeot 208 range will include, from launch, an all-electric e-208 capable of a range of more than 200 miles. Three petrol engines and a diesel will be offered, with the 208 offering a premium interior with the now familiar i-Cockpit. The best supermini on the market? We think so.

Audi Q4 e-tron concept

The Q4 e-tron concept previews the fifth fully-electric model to join the Audi range and packs two electric motors to deliver 225kW of power. As a result, it’ll rush from zero to 62mph in 6.3 seconds before hitting a top speed of 111mph. Even more impressive is the WLTP range of 279 miles. In terms of size, if you imagine a slightly larger Audi Q3, you won’t be too far wide of the mark.

Skoda Vision iV

The Vision iV is the first Skoda to be based on Volkswagen Group’s MEB modular electric car platform and previews the company’s first production EV. The coupe-SUV features two electric motors – one on the front axle and one on the rear – to give the Vision iV all-wheel-drive. A total output of 306hp is distributed to the wheels depending on requirements, with the battery pack offering up to 310 miles of range.

Volkswagen I.D. Buggy

As if to prove that it will be possible to have fun in an electrified future, the Volkswagen Dune Buggy concept goes back to the future, paying homage to the dune buggies of the 60s and 70s. Like its forebears, the concept has no roof or doors, but it does have large wheels and off-road tyres. Crucially, it’s based on VW’s modular electric drive matrix (MEB) platform – there’s no Beetle chassis to be found here. Although the concept is a pure two-seater, it can also be converted to a 2+2-seater.

Ferrari F8 Tributo

The Ferrari F8 Tributo is powered by a 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine producing 710hp – matching the 488 Pista, but 50hp up on the 488 GTB. It’s also 49kg lighter than the 488 it replaces, with the new body improving aero efficiency by 10 percent. We love the louvred engine window at the rear – a possible nod to the F40.

Aston Martin Vanquish Vision Concept

Few were expecting Aston Martin to reveal a second concept at Geneva 2019, but the Vanquish Vision Concept is a big deal for the brand – not to mention a potential headache for the competition. The new Vanquish will be a “transformational moment for the brand… the car that will propel Aston Martin into a sector of the market traditionally seen as the heartland of luxury sports cars,” said president and CEO Andy Palmer. Make no mistake, the new Vanquish should lead to a few sleepless nights at McLaren and Ferrari.

Alfa Romeo Tonale

Alfa Romeo sprung a surprise when it unveiled the stylish Tonale SUV. Alfa’s first mid-size plug-in hybrid SUV is based on the same platform as the Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500X, and will enter the highly competitive compact SUV segment. There’s no word on specifications, but if the production version looks this good, it will shoot to the top of the class in the styling department.

Fiat Concept Centoventi

Say hello to the new Fiat Panda! Officially, the Concept Centoventi is a celebration of 120 years of Fiat, but it’s also one giant preview of the next-generation Panda. The highly customisable concept will offer 62 miles of electric range in its most basic form, but customers can purchase or rent additional batteries to increase this to 310 miles. Produced in just one colour, it can be ‘painted’ by the customer with a choice of four roofs, four bumpers, four-wheel covers and four external wrappings. Fiat claims it will be the least expensive battery electric car (BEV) on the market.

Lagonda All-Terrain Concept

We suspect Aston Martin will have great fun with its Lagonda brand, rolling out a succession of OTT electric and autonomous playthings. The All-Terrain Concept represents the shape of things to come – an ultra-stylish, fully electric emission-free vehicle that’s more shooting brake than SUV. Sadly, we’ll have to wait until 2022 before we can get our hands on Lagonda’s vision of the future.

Kia ‘Imagine by Kia’

The Kia ‘Imagine by Kia’ is an all-electric concept that is a “visual embodiment of Kia’s desire to move forward in the exciting world of electrification”. The ‘tiger nose grille’ has evolved into an illuminated ‘tiger mask’, which “could potentially be deployed as a unifying design element across Kia’s future electric vehicle range,” said Gregory Guillaume, vice president of design for Kia Motors Europe. The interior is wonderfully OTT, looking like something out of Flash Gordon. Cool thing, mind.

Nissan IMQ concept

Nissan hasn’t mentioned the Qashqai in the press material for the IMQ concept vehicle, but we reckon the Q is there to tip the hat to the hugely popular crossover. ‘IM’ stands for Intelligent Mobility – the brand’s vision for the future of automotive transportation. Which means the IMQ is 100 percent electric and equipped with an advanced version of Nissan’s Propilot driving assistance system, tweaked to offer autonomous driving capability. Ladies and gentlemen, your new Nissan Qashqai has arrived.

Aston Martin AM-RB 003

The Aston Martin Project 003 has a codename: AM-RB 003. Developed in partnership with Red Bull Racing, the ‘son of Valkyrie’ will be powered by a new hybrid turbocharged V6 engine and made fully from carbon fibre. Inside, the AM-RB 003 boasts ‘Apex Ergonomics’, which is said to perfectly align the centreline of the driver’s back with the steering wheel and pedals. If you fancy one, get your name down quick, because just 500 will be built.

SEAT Minimo

According to Seat, the Minimo could represent the future of shared mobility services. The quadricycle offers a claimed range of 62 miles, with Seat proposing a battery-swap system to reduce charging times. It’s a funky little thing, but there are only two names on the lips of everyone on the Seat stand – ‘Renault’ and ‘Twizy’.

Mercedes-Benz Concept EQV

Mercedes is billing the Concept EQV as the world’s first electric MPV and says that the concept in Geneva is close to production-ready. It’s based on the V-Class and can seat up to eight, with Mercedes promising a range of up to 249 miles. Crucially, a fast charger delivers 62 miles of range from just 15 minutes of charging.

Koenigsegg Jesko

If you’re still with us, thank you. As a reward, here’s the Koenigsegg Jesko, a hypercar named after Christian von Koenigsegg’s father. The Agera RS successor is powered by a redesigned 5.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine producing 1,280hp using standard petrol and 1,600hp on E85 biofuel. The figures are incredible: 1,000kg of downforce at 170mph and a kerbweight of just 1,420kg. As the top speed – Koenigsegg is targeting 300mph. Blimey.