The 2010 Geneva concept cars concentrate on electric propulsion, alternative fuels and hybrid drive, but there's also room for more four-door coupes, innovative aerodynamics, a sign of things to come from Peugeot and the return of the three-wheeler, courtesy of Honda.
Here are all the concept highlights expected at the 2010 Geneva motor show.
Citroën DS High Rider
DS-based High Rider is a chunky coupé which Citroën reckons is 'an expression of automotive luxury and elegance', which might be overstating it a little. Neat, though.
Honda 3R-C
Honda reinvents the three-wheeler with the 3R-C concept, a battery electric urban commuter for one. The clear canopy pops up to form a windshield when driving, then closes for security when the vehicle is parked. Honda will also bring another electric car concept to Geneva: the EV-N city car, first seen in Tokyo, will be making its European debut.
Hyundai i-flow
Styled at Hyundai’s European design headquarters in Rüsselsheim, Germany, the i-flow concept car is the latest expression of the company's house style, which it calls ‘fluidic sculpture’. It incoporates numerous new technologies from chemical company BASF, ranging from innovative lightweight materials to solar cells, to assist in reducing weight and improving energy efficiency.
Kia Ray
First seen at the Chicago show in February 2010, the Kia Ray concept is a Forte-based hybrid with a tapered, one-box shape for low drag. It makes its European debut at Geneva.
Mercedes-Benz F800 Style
Latest in a long line of concepts from Mercedes-Benz, the F800 Style demonstrates how fuel cell and hybrid powertrains can be incorporated into a practical luxury saloon.
Peugeot SR1
Peugeot released pictures of the SR1 sports coupe in January, but Geneva will be the first opportunity to see it up close – alongside the RCZ production car which will go on sale a few weeks after the show.
5 by Peugeot
'5 by Peugeot' has a daft title but a serious purpose: this diesel hybrid concept points to Peugeot's re-entry into the luxury saloon sector with a car which will almost certainly be called the 508. Maybe we'll see that at the Paris show in October?
Opel / Vauxhall Flextreme GT/E
The Flextreme GT/E is an extended range electric vehicle like GM's Chevy Volt and Opel/Vauxhall Ampera. Highlights include the 'floating' rear pillars which allow the side windows to extend in an unbroken line to the rear of the car (though what, then, is the point of having those pillars at all?) and the 'Aeroblade' spoilers which extend from the back of each wheel arch to manage airflow at high speeds.
Subaru Hybrid Tourer
Subaru jumps on the hybrid bandwagon with the Hybrid Tourer, powered by a 2.0-litre, turbocharged, direct-injection version of its horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine plus a pair of electric motors fed by lithium ion batteries. Most of the time the petrol engine provides motive power, but for low-speed use the rear electric motor drives the Hybrid Tourer. The front motor is mainly used as a power generator, but can assist performance on hills.
Toyota FT-86
Toyota's FT-86 sports car concept, which made its debut at the Tokyo show last year, comes to Europe for the first time. It's a compact, rear-wheel drive sports coupe powered by a Subaru flat-four engine, and it's expected to go into production in 2011.