Geneva Motor Show roundup - Wheels Within Wales

Abarth thrilled the crowds with it take on two Fiat models, the Punto EVO and 500C. They will be the most important models for Abarth’s arrival in the UK.

Alfa Romeo showed one of the most stylish family models in the shape of the new Giulietta, which recaptures the looks and name of the classic and has cues from the stunning 8C Competizione.

Audi had trailered its new baby car to take on the Mini, the A1, including and electric version, and at the other end of the range tempted with the RS 5.

BMW had a whole series of facelifts to show off on the 3 Series and 5 Series as well as a hot Alpina version of the 3 Series but with 400hp 3.0 straight-six.

For many it was the arrival of the Ford Focus estate or station wagon, third generation of the new bodystyle by the company and which will have a full range of super economical SCDI petrol engines from Bridgend and Duratorq diesels out of Dagenham.

Infiniti barely has a presence in the UK but it was showing the new diesel EX30 and FX30 models while Jaguar was wowing visitors with its high performance XKR, now given more power.

The latest Kia Sportage was sharing stand space with the company’s idea for a hybrid.

For lovers of sports cars, the Lexus LFA with its 560hp 4.8V10 shows the company can still appeal to those who are not looking for hybrid happiness while Porche had no fewer than eight new models including their Cayenne Hybrid and last minute 918 Spyder.

The theme of engine efficiency was taken up by MB with its BlueEfficiency and Blue TEC ranges of C and G series.

Making its world debut in Switzerland was the Mini Countryman, the fourth bodystyle in the successful series which brings four-door practicality to the marque along with a new entry level Minimalism line. Another small car debuting at Geneva but destined for even bigger global success is the new Indian-built Nissan Micra, along with its crossover Juke, which will be built in Sunderland.
On press day, the real surprise was the Porsche 918 Spyder, a 700bhp hybrid which will help the German company reach tough new emissions levels. The family friendly Opel/ Vauxhall Meriva had a press crawling all through it thanks to the clever Flex Doors system which hinge front and back pillars respectively. From France, Peugeot 5, 408 and hybrid WZX concept offered a lot to look at while Renault showed the new Megane Coupe Cabriolet, Clio Gordini RS, Twingo Cabriolet E33. Despite all the problems over its purchase from GM, Saab was showing the new and eagerly awaited 9-5 and that was alongside the futuristic Flextreme coupe which embodies elements of next generation Opel and Vauxhall models. Seat Ibiza ST was centrestage on the Spanish stand alongside its Leon Ecomotive. One of its most interesting models for the future was the appearance of the Seat IBe, which is a purely electric car developed to test the system in real world conditions but with a distinctly sporting look and feel. Facelifted Fabia and Roomster models were on the Skoda display along with new engines for the Combi and Yeti, stablemate VW was shouting about its Cross Polo and Polo GTi, with the people carrier Sharan getting a long overdue new version. Rounding off the range was the Volvo S60 sleek saloon which breaks new ground but not pedestrians with its personal identification system which detects pedestrians and slows the car automatically if the driver does not brake.

Aston Martin presented the world debut of the V12 Vantage Carbon Black Edition, a new bespoke Works Service Tailored and the new DBS UB-2010.
The first V12 Vantage Carbon Black Edition is displayed on this year's show stand celebrating the enormous success of the V12 Vantage which has surpassed all sales expectations since launch.
Featuring bespoke Carbon Black metallic paint especially formulated with a subtle metallic twist to create a deep rich patina; each car will undergo 50 man-hours of hand painting followed by stringent quality checks.
The iconic Aston Martin side strake has been fashioned from carbon fibre backed by a black mesh and complimented with gloss black 10 spoke diamond turned alloy wheels. A bright finished grille and front parking sensors (normally an option) complete the exterior detailing. Each Carbon Black is bestowed with a carbon fibre sill plaque etched with V12 Vantage Carbon Black in stainless steel.

Ford launched the production version of the Focus estate and confirmed a performance derivative of the hatchback is on the way.
It's not yet clear whether this will wear an ST or RS badge, but rumours suggest a performance biased three-door coupe in the mould of the VW Scirocco could be on the cards.
That would bring the number of individual models built on the new Focus platform worldwide to nine with one more to come, including the forthcoming Kuga SUV.

Audi presented the A8 hybrid as a technology concept at the Geneva Motor Show alongside its production approved A1.

Its two engines - a 2.0 TFSI and an electric power unit - develop a combined total of 245PS and deliver 480 Nm (354.03 lb-ft) of torque, enabling them to provide the confident driving performance of a large six-cylinder engine with up to 45.6mpg possible (right).

This enables the Audi A8 hybrid to accelerate in 7.6 seconds from zero to 62mph and to achieve a top speed of 146mph.
The A1 e-tron, which Audi is showing at the Geneva Motor Show, is an innovative Mega City Vehicle (MCV). Like its sports car brothers, it has an electric drive system.
The A1 e-tron has a range of more than 31 miles in city traffic, and its peak output of 102PS also makes it fun to drive. A compact internal combustion engine recharges the battery when its energy is depleted.
The car sprints from a standstill to 62mph in only 10.2 seconds on its way to a top speed of more than 80mph. A small, single-rotor Wankel engine is used to increase the range in exceptional circumstances so the A1 e-tron can cover 124 miles.