Revealed: Geneva’s most exciting new supercars

From Aston Martin to Zenvo, we round-up our favourite high-performance sports cars and hypercars at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show

There is no shortage of high-performance hypercars and sports cars at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. Here, we round-up our favourites, from Aston Martin to Zenvo.

Aston Martin Vantage

Geneva Motor Show 2018

Revealed late last year, the Geneva show is our first real chance to get up close and personal with the latest Vantage. All-new inside and out, it certainly looks distinctive, with a gaping front grille and range of eye-searing colours to top things off. It effectively dispenses with the idea of all Astons looking the same.

Beneath the bodywork lurks a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, sourced from Mercedes-AMG and packing a useful 510hp and 505lb ft of torque. An eight-speed automatic gearbox is standard at present, but a manual version is on the cards. Orders have already been taken, with deliveries of the £120,900 coupe due in the next few months.

BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe

BMW has teased us with the idea of an M8 for some time, with the previous Concept 8 Series shown last year and also the M8 GTE race car. Now we have the finished M8 concept, but in four-door ‘Gran Coupe’ guise here at Geneva. However, more waiting is involved, as BMW claims we won’t see the production-ready article until next year.

For now, we can check out with the aggressive front-end treatment the M8 receives, including the distinctive yellow LED headlights borrowed from the GTE race car. The classic BMW kidney grille is there, along with gaping air intakes and a jutting splitter. A ducktail spoiler at the rear is particularly neat, as are the hidden door handles.

Ford Mustang Bullitt 

We might be stretching the definition of ‘supercar’ here, but a Ford Mustang with 464hp and a link to an iconic driving film seems fairly super to us. Initially announced at the Detroit Auto Show in January, Ford has used Geneva to confirm the Mustang Bullitt will be coming to the UK in right-hand drive.

The uprated 5.0-litre V8 engine features a new air induction system, bigger throttle bodies and an ECU shared with the Shelby GT350. Shadow Black paint is an option, but it would seem wrong to pick anything other than Highland Green to go with the Torq Thrust-style alloy wheels. Be sure to keep an eye out for sinister Dodge Chargers if you buy one.

Morgan Aero GT 

The end of Morgan Aero production is sad, but the Malvern company is ensuring the model goes out with a bang. Just eight examples of the race-inspired Aero GT will be built, all tailored to individual customer specifications by Morgan’s Special Projects team.

All will use the same 367hp BMW V8 fitted to a manual gearbox, with the Aero GT making a sprightly run from 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds. Adjustable suspension is standard, and the Aero GT features trick parts like a carbon fibre roof and aerodynamic appendages developed from the 2009 GT3 race car. You’ll need £120,000 plus taxes to secure this incredibly rare creation.

Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe

Geneva Motor Show 2018

The engineers at Mercedes-AMG have seemingly been worrying about how to make their supercars more family-friendly. The answer was quite simple: turn the AMG GT coupe into a four-door, letting the kids come along for the ride.

Set to be offered in both GT and GT S flavours, the former has 585hp, with the latter boasting a peak output of 639hp. Both use the same 4.0-litre biturbo V8 engine as seen in the AMG GT coupe, with permanent all-wheel drive to keep things under control. Zero to 62mph in under 3.5 seconds means true supercar performance: certainly enough to terrify your four passengers.

Zenvo Automotive TSR-S 

Danish company Zenvo might not be the biggest supercar manufacturer, but its TSR supercar certainly pushes boundaries. The latest version features an in-house V8 engine with twin superchargers, producing an amazing 1,177hp. The technology is pure race car, with a seven-speed paddle-shift gearbox driving the rear wheels.

The biggest news in Geneva is the addition of a patent-pending centripetal rear wing, which uses clever dampers to rotate as the car corners. This allows the wing to use centripetal force to pull the car into a turn. It also means it can act as a giant air brake, helping the huge carbon ceramic discs slow the car even faster.

Ferrari 488 Pista

A hardcore version of the already-rabid Ferrari 488 is always going to be big news, and even though the 488 Pista was announced a few weeks ago it is still attracting attention in Geneva. Said to be inspired directly by Ferrari’s success in the World Endurance Championship, the Pista is promised to be even more special than the 360 Challenge Stradale or 458 Speciale.

The Ferrari 488 Challenge race car provides the uprated turbochargers for the V8 engine, taking peak power to 720hp. This coincides with a kerb weight reduced by some 90kg, along with bodywork that includes lessons learned from Formula 1 and a spoiler inspired by a dolphin’s tail. No, really. We don’t think Flipper could hit 0-62mph 2.85 seconds, or peak at 211mph, though.

MAT Stratos 

You may not have heard of MAT (Manifattura Automobili Torino), but you’ll certainly recognise the distinctive wedge-shape of the Stratos. A modern reincarnation of the Lancia classic from the 1970s, the MAT Stratos first appeared as a concept over seven years ago. Now it’s set for limited production – just 25 units – but requires you first sacrifice a Ferrari F430 Scuderia.

The 4.3-litre flat-plane V8 in the F430 Scuderia was already potent to begin with, but extra tweaks mean the power output increases to 540hp. Splash more cash and the potential for 600hp is on the cards. MAT claims to have twelve buyers already lined up to pay the £445,000 asking price, which comes in addition to finding your own spare Ferrari to butcher. What price nostalgia, eh?

Toyota GR Supra Racing Concept 

We suspected Toyota would finally unveil the finished Supra concept at Geneva, so this racing version is most of the way there. The basic Supra ideas of a front engine and rear-wheel drive remain, and if you squint hard enough you can definitely see the family resemblance beneath the wings and splitters. We do already know it’ll share a platform with the forthcoming BMW Z4.

While we’ll have to wait until 2019 to drive it in real life, players of Gran Turismo Sport will get the chance to drive the GR Supra concept in an update coming to the game next month. Just imagine it finished in a red and green Castrol livery for full effect.

Porsche 911 GT3 RS 

Death, taxes and a Porsche 911 GT3 RS that will sell out before mere mortals even have chance to think about buying one. These things are all constants in life, and Zuffenhausen hasn’t disappointed. As a final hurrah for the 991-generation 911, there’s more power and even crazier bodywork, along with revisions to the PDK dual-clutch gearbox. Sorry purists, there is still no manual ’box option.

However, 520hp from the 4.0-litre flat-six engine should be some consolation, along with alloy wheels which save 100g compared to the previous version. Tiny tweaks we know, but ones that drive Porsche fans crazy. The changes result in a 0-62mph time that drops to 3.2 seconds, although the barn-door-sized wing pegs the top speed to 193mph. Priced from £141,000, there might still be time to befriend your local Porsche dealer.

Lamborghini Huracan Performante Spyder

What better way to hear the V10 wail in your Huracan Performante than by chopping the roof off and creating a Spyder? It might seem something of a juxtaposition to create a topless version of your track-focused supercar, but Lamborghini knows what its customers want. Realistically, they want to cruise around looking cool, safe in the knowledge they can brag about the performance of their ultimate Huracan.

The 5.2-litre 631hp engine still sends power to all four wheels, but the weight of the folding soft-top and additional strengthening means the Spyder weighs some 125kg more than the Performante coupe. Zero to 62mph in 3.1 seconds it still impressive, though, as is the blustery 201mph top speed. Expect to pay £238,000 – a premium of 10% over the fixed-roof version.

Bugatti Chiron Sport 

Geneva Motor Show 2018

If we’ve had one complaint about the Bugatti Chiron it’s that, despite the 1,479hp output, we just wish it was slightly better on-track. Actually, that’s a lie. We’re not sure anyone has ever complained about the handling of the Chiron, but Bugatti has seen fit to fix it regardless.

Stiffer suspension dampers, weightier steering and the addition of a special handling mode mark the biggest changes. There is also a 18kg weight reduction, although this is a drop in the ocean given the considerable bulk of the Chiron. You do get lighter carbon fibre windscreen wipers, however, which go some way to justifying the £2.4million price tag.

McLaren Senna 

Naming a car after one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers ever is an incredibly bold move. Yet McLaren feels suitably convinced that the Senna more than lives up the name. We already saw the car at an event last year, but this will be the first time the general public can gape in awe at the £750,000 hypercar and see if it looks any less shocking in real life. Although they can’t buy one, as it’s already sold out.

Carbon fibre bodywork creates the potential for the Senna to generate 800kg of downforce, said to enable incredible cornering speeds. At the heart of the Senna is an 800hp version of McLaren’s twin-turbocharged V8 engine, capable of delivering 0-62mph in 2.8 seconds and 0-186mph in just 17.5 seconds. When even the paint options have been chosen to save weight, you know McLaren isn’t messing around.

McLaren Senna GTR 

With the regular Senna sold out, and rivals like Aston Martin creating the Valkyrie AMR Pro, clearly what McLaren needed was to create a hardcore track-focused version of the Senna. Before customers even get the chance to try the normal car, 75 buyers will have the chance to spend £1million on a Senna GTR.

Horsepower is increased to 825hp, but the big news comes with the boost in downforce to a faintly ridiculous maximum of 1,000kg. Pirelli slick tyres are standard, along with the prize for what is probably the biggest rear diffuser fitted to any car. So, if you were unable to grab a regular Senna, the GTR will let you feel superior to those who only bought a ‘regular’ roadgoing version.

Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro 

Claiming that your new track-only hypercar is as fast as a contemporary Formula 1 racer certainly sets expectations high. Yet that’s exactly what Aston Martin claims for this enhanced version of the Valkyrie. F1 design supremo Andrew Newey has let his imagination run wild, freed from the limits of having to make something road-legal.

The 6.5-litre V12 now produces 1,100hp, while the AMR Pro is capable of producing more downforce than its actual weight. Just like an F1 car, in fact. Even set for maximum downforce, there is still a top speed of 225mph, but the biggest story is the ability to generate 3G of lateral acceleration. Owners will need to be physically fit to get the most out of their cars, with just 25 examples set to be built. Naturally, they’re all sold.

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John Redfern
John Redfern
U.S. Editor with a love of all things Americana. Woodgrain-clad station wagons and ridiculous muscle cars a speciality.

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