Geneva: All the new car reveals that matter

THE 2017 Geneva Motor Show is nearly upon us, so we’ve brought together all the new car reveals that count.

Alpine A110

Renault has revived the sporty Alpine brand for this pretty Porsche Cayman rival. Its mid-mounted engine produces 250bhp and the whole car weighs in at just 1,100kg.

The A110 name is a nod to the legendary rally car of the same title, which won the first World Rally Championship in 1973.

DS 7 Crossback

Citroen’s upmarket DS division is expanding. The newest addition to the line-up is the DS 7 Crossback, which will hit showrooms in January 2018.

Despite its bold, concept-like styling, this is a full production model. It’s about the size of an Audi Q5, but will be closer to Q3 prices. It comes with impressive technology for the price point, featuring double-glazed acoustic windows, night vision, massaging seats and swathes of leather.

Ford Fiesta ST

Britain’s best-selling car, the Ford Fiesta, has recently undergone an overhaul. Revealed in late 2016, the
new car is moving the model upmarket, with some entry-level trims ditched and more restrained, mature body styling used.

Sure to excite on Ford’s stand at the Geneva show is the go-faster ST model. The engine is slightly smaller than the old car’s at 1.5 litres but power is up to 197bhp. New ‘drive modes’, including one designed for on-track use, mean the new Fiesta ST has a great chance of living up to its predecessor’s incredibly high standards.

Honda Civic Type R

The Civic Type R that this car replaces still feels fresh, having come to market less than two years ago. However, with the new, 10th-generation Civic on the way, the hot version needed updating – and it’s quite a looker.

Continuing the wild styling of its predecessor, the Type R will also continue to use a 2.0-litre VTEC engine. If it also keeps the old car’s uncompromising performance characteristics, Honda is sure to be on to a winner.

Lamborghini Huracan Performante 

Lamborghini is debuting the lightweight version of its Huracan supercar at Geneva.

The name might have changed but the performance is no less mind-blowing – the Italian manufacturer just released footage of the car breaking the Nurburgring production car record with a lap time of six minutes 52 seconds.

That means it’s not only seven seconds faster than the Aventador SV, which it supposedly sits below in the Lamborghini range, it’s also five seconds faster than a Porsche 918 Spyder hypercar.

McLaren 720S

The successor to the 650S will make its public debut later at the Geneva Motor Show, but we have a decent idea of how it looks thanks to a series of leaks on social media. This photo of the camouflaged supercar undergoing testing was revealed by McLaren earlier this year.

If the Woking-based manufacturer continues its traditional naming conventions, the 720S will have 710bhp from the new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8.

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Mitsubishi’s new rival for the likes of the Nissan Qashqai heads to Geneva sporting chiselled styling and a range of economical engines as it vies for a slice of the lucrative crossover pie.

The Japanese manufacturer is buoyed by the incredible success of the plug-in hybrid version of its Outlander 4×4, so expect the Eclipse Cross to close the gap between mainstream rivals such as Seat and Nissan even further.

Nissan Qashqai

Making Mitsubishi’s life harder is a facelift for the ubiquitous Nissan Qashqai. Changes on the exterior are expected to be minimal, with the big advancements coming from advanced assistance systems.

It’ll be equipped with the first generation of the manufacturer’s ‘ProPilot’ autonomous driving tech, bringing to the masses advanced systems usually reserved for luxury cars.

Range Rover Velar

A new Range Rover is a huge deal. The manufacturer’s range is expanding from three to four, with the Velar filling the gap between the Evoque and the Sport.

On the outside it looks a lot like the rest of the range, but inside it’s a revolution. The dashboard design features two large touchscreens that remove the need for all but a few switches, while the brand has worked with luxury upholsterers to offer unique materials to consumers.

Volvo XC60

The popular XC60 is getting an update, with styling both inside and out inspired by its big brother, the XC90.

Again, autonomous driving is the news here, with the new mid-sized SUV getting the latest update to Volvo’s City Safety system. The car can now steer its way out of trouble if it feels braking isn’t enough to avoid a collision.

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