The 2020 Geneva Motor Show was cancelled on short notice this week due to the global outbreak of COVID-19. Many automakers have still gone forward with their planned product debuts, however, essentially turning the show into an online-only affair.
Anyone familiar with Geneva won't be surprised to hear that a plethora of supercars and luxury cars were to be unveiled at the Swiss show, along with a number of interesting new EVs. It was an unfortunate year for the cancellation, but the good news is these cars will likely be shown at other auto shows and events throughout 2020.
For now, you can scroll down to read about autoTRADER.ca's favourite cars from the non-existent Geneva Motor Show, listed in alphabetical order.
Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA & GTAm
A hardcore take on the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, the Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA is 100 kg lighter and produces an extra 35 horsepower from its 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 for a total output of 540 horsepower. The GTAm is even more dialed in on performance, ditching its rear seats and adding a carbon fibre front splitter and large carbon rear wing. The Giulia GTA and GTAm will be limited to just 500 units and, unfortunately, will likely not be offered in Canada.
Audi A3
The new, fourth-generation Audi A3 hatchback was also set to appear in Geneva this week. The hatchback follows the same ethos as before, but has new exterior styling, a redesigned interior and an available mild-hybrid variant. The Audi A3 is only offered as a sedan in North America, so it is unlikely we will receive this hatchback model, but maybe Audi will surprise us with a sedan sometime in the future with similar looks.
Bentley Bacalar
The Bentley Bacalar is a limited-edition two-seat roadster built by the British brand's Mulliner customization division. Projected to sell for about US$1.9 million, equivalent to around CAD$2.5 million, the luxury sports car will be custom tailored to the buyer's liking and will be limited to just 12 units. Power comes from Bentley's familiar 6.0-litre W12 engine, which is good for 650 horsepower and 667 pound-feet of torque in the Bacalar.
BMW i4 Concept
The BMW i4 Concept gives us an idea of how BMW's first battery-electric production four-door may look. While the grille may split opinions, most people will be able to get down with its 530-horsepower electric motor and 434 km of range. Look for the production BMW i4 to launch sometime in 2021.
Hyundai Prophecy
The Hyundai Prophecy is an electric four-door that ushers in the brand's new design philosophy, taking its "Sensuous Sportiness" approach to the next level. Future Hyundais will have short overhangs similar to the Prophecy and will also utilize a similar pixel taillight arrangement. We'd love to see the plaid interior trim carry over into production Hyundais, as well.
McLaren 765LT
The 765LT is the latest addition to McLaren's Long Tail model lineage. Powered by the brand's familiar 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, the 765LT can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 2.8 seconds and from 0-200 km/h in 7.2 seconds before topping out at around 330 km/h. It also weighs about 80 kg less than the 720S model on which it's based, helping it to produce the fastest lap times of any McLaren Super Series model.
Mercedes GLA
Mercedes-Benz unveiled its new GLA-Class compact crossover this week, which has so far been shown in performance-focused GLA 45 AMG form and as an efficient GLA 250e plug-in hybrid. The crossover has not been confirmed for Canada yet, but considering how popular crossovers are here, we expect it to be offered in North America eventually. The new GLA45 AMG may be of particular interest to enthusiasts, which introduces the brand's 382-horsepower M139 2.0-litre turbo to the crossover.
Porsche 911 Turbo
The new 992-generation Porsche 911 Turbo follows the same recipe as its predecessors: twin-turbo engine, AWD and a very wide rear end. With a 640-horsepower twin-turbo 3.8-litre flat-six, the latest 911 Turbo will hustle from 0-100 km/h in just over 2.5 seconds and from 0-200 km/h in 8.9 seconds. It will also come standard with all-wheel-drive, an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and adaptive dampers.
Koenigsegg Gemera
The Koenigsegg Gemera is a supercar you can drive guilt-free. This mad creation has a sophisticated hybrid powertrain system consisting of three electric motors and a 2.0-litre twin-turbo three-cylinder engine that can run on ethanol or C02-neutral methanol. The combined output of the system is a ridiculous 1,700 horsepower and 2,581 lb-ft of torque, enabling it to sprint from 0-100 km/h in just 1.9 seconds and reach a top speed of around 402 km/h (250 mph).
VW ID 4
The VW ID 4 was one of the more humble debuts planned for the 2020 Geneva Motor Show, but while the ID 4 is certainly nothing fancy, it's an undeniably important vehicle for VW. It will be the brand's first electric crossover when it launches later this year and will be a global product offered in North America, Europe and China. The battery-powered crossover will be underpinned by VW's new MEB electric platform and will be offered with both FWD and AWD.
