Small SUVs dominate show
Small SUVs for families and powerful sports cars for the rich are the big segments at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. However, cheaper gas and limits on battery life means hybrids and electric vehicles aren’t in the spotlight this year. Small SUVs have become hot sellers and the category is set to become even more crowded. Renault will offer the Kadjar, a crossover in two or four-wheel-drive versions, while Honda’s new HR-V blurs the borders between car and hatchback. It features three different ways to configure the interior to carry things. At the higher priced end, Infiniti gas showed off its QX30 concept with carbon-fibre trim and 21-inch wheels. Analysts are predicting ultra-luxury brands to see a 40 per cent rise in sales by 2020. Audi is showing the new R8 with acceleration of 0-100kph in 3.2 seconds. McLaren will unveil the 675LT which reaches 0-100kph in 2.9. Ferrari will join in with its 488 GTB, powered by a turbocharged eight-cylinder engine. Electric and hybrid vehicles are a hot topic in the industry, but in the EU sales figures are still slim. “You’ve got low gas prices at the moment, and the e-mobility issue is at a very difficult phase of development," says Stefan Bratzel, an industry expert at the University of Applied Sciences in Bergisch Gladbach, Germnay. For sales to take off, he believes the battery range will have to expand from about 150km to 400-500km and for a growth in the number of charging stations.