Looking is free: Luxury, high-end rides abundant at Geneva auto show

From the world's most expensive car unveiled by Bugatti to concept flying cars, the Geneva exhibit is the place to be.
Published March 7, 2019

If you like gawking at breathtaking sports cars with enormous engines, flowing aerodynamics and expensive carbon-fiber bodies, then you are in the right place at the Geneva International Motor Show.

If you want to do more than look, however, that will take money. Lots and lots of money.

The Geneva show is a traditional showplace for high-end sports cars that offer speeds similar to those of Formula One racers, for prices that start at hundreds of thousands and soar up from there into the millions. It opens to the public at the Palexpo exhibition centre on Thursday and runs through March 17.

Here are six of the eye-catching beasts crouching on the show floor.

Bugatti La Voiture Noire

Unveiled by French supercar maker Bugatti, the one-off La Voiture Noire, or “the Black Car”, is outshining other supercars at the auto show with not just its astonishing specs, but for being the world’s most expensive new car. And it was sold before the show even opened.

Bugatti executives unveil the La Voiture Noire, the world's most expensive new car, at the Geneva auto show in Geneva, Switzerland. — Photo: Bugatti.com
Bugatti executives unveil the La Voiture Noire, the world's most expensive new car, at the Geneva auto show in Geneva, Switzerland. — Photo: Bugatti.com

Bugatti president Stephan Winkelmann said the one-of-a-kind hypercar with a top speed in excess of 400 kilometres per hour combined “extraordinary technology, aesthetics and extreme luxury”.

“There will never be another. I am pleased to tell you that it has sold for 16.7 million euro (about $19 million),” he was quoted as saying by The New York Times. The car has a black carbon fibre body and a 1500-horsepower, 16-cylinder engine.

A rear view of the Bugatti La Voiture Noire, the world's most expensive new car, is seen at the Geneva auto show. — Photo: Bugatti.com
A rear view of the Bugatti La Voiture Noire, the world's most expensive new car, is seen at the Geneva auto show. — Photo: Bugatti.com

Mclaren 720S Spider

Simply getting in or out of this two-seat convertible will turn heads, thanks to the dihedral doors that swing out and up like giant wings. Even with the top up in the rain, the driver can lower the small rear window in order to savour the roar of the turbocharged 720-horsepower engine that can take the car to about 341km/h.

The 720S Spider starts at $282,500 in the United States, but that's only the beginning for well-heeled customers who wish to pay more for options such as expensive carbon fiber body parts. The version on display in Geneva came in a glowing azure colour option dubbed “Belize Blue” by the company, calling to mind a luxury vacation.

The new Mclaren 720S Spider is presented during the press day at the 89th Geneva International Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland on Wednesday. — AP
The new Mclaren 720S Spider is presented during the press day at the 89th Geneva International Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland on Wednesday. — AP

Pininfarina Battista

Electric motors can deliver sharp acceleration, and the battery-driven Pininfarina Battista takes that to an extreme level — the car can sprint to 100km/hr in less than two seconds. Envisioned and produced by Torino, Italy-based design firm Pininfarina, the car is marketed by sister company Automobili Pininfarina, controlled by India's Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.

The new Pininfarina Battista model car is seen at the booth of the Italian carmaker on March 5 during a press day ahead of the Geneva International Motor Show. — AFP
The new Pininfarina Battista model car is seen at the booth of the Italian carmaker on March 5 during a press day ahead of the Geneva International Motor Show. — AFP

About 150 will be made and they will cost around $2.3 million each.

Aston Martin AM RB

This one uses aviation technology to change the car's aerodynamics and increase the downforce that helps keep it on the road — without adding turbulence and drag. The engine is a hybrid turbocharged V6, with technical details to come later. Only 500 will be built, and the price is around $1.3 million.

The Aston Martin AM-RB 003 is displayed during a press day ahead of the Geneva International Motor Show in Geneva. — AFP
The Aston Martin AM-RB 003 is displayed during a press day ahead of the Geneva International Motor Show in Geneva. — AFP

Lamborghini Huracan EVO Spyder

The convertible version of the Huracan from Volkswagen Group's Lamborghini brand has a 10-cylinder engine and “integrated vehicle dynamics”, with a centralised controller that can anticipate the driver's intentions by reading steering and gas pedal inputs and adapting the car's behaviour to them. From $250,000.

The Lamborghini Huracan EVO Spyder is presented during the press day at the 89th Geneva International Motor Show'in Geneva, Switzerland. — AP
The Lamborghini Huracan EVO Spyder is presented during the press day at the 89th Geneva International Motor Show'in Geneva, Switzerland. — AP

Ferrari F8 Tributo

The company is advertising its “most powerful V8 in Ferrari history”. The exhaust system has been designed to make sure the driver and anyone nearby can relish the growl of the 710-horsepower engine, producing “a sound absolutely unique to this particular car”.

The price is around $266,000 for the Italian market, tax included.

The new Ferrari F8 Tributo is displayed at the booth of the Italian carmaker on March 5 during a press day ahead of the Geneva International Motor Show. — AFP
The new Ferrari F8 Tributo is displayed at the booth of the Italian carmaker on March 5 during a press day ahead of the Geneva International Motor Show. — AFP

Other attractions at the auto show:

The new McLaren 'Speedtail' concept car is presented during the press day at the 89th Geneva International Motor Show. — AP
The new McLaren 'Speedtail' concept car is presented during the press day at the 89th Geneva International Motor Show. — AP

Visitors look at a Aston Martin Lagonda car on March 5 during a press day ahead of the 2019 edition of the Geneva International Motor Show. — AFP
Visitors look at a Aston Martin Lagonda car on March 5 during a press day ahead of the 2019 edition of the Geneva International Motor Show. — AFP

The new Porsche 911 Cabriolet model car is seen at the booth of the German carmaker ahead of the Geneva International Motor Show. — AFP
The new Porsche 911 Cabriolet model car is seen at the booth of the German carmaker ahead of the Geneva International Motor Show. — AFP

The new Bentley Motors 'Continental GT Number 9 Edition by Mulliner' car is presented during the press day at the Geneva International Motor Show. — AP
The new Bentley Motors 'Continental GT Number 9 Edition by Mulliner' car is presented during the press day at the Geneva International Motor Show. — AP

The new flying car 'PAL-V Liberty Pioneer Edition' is presented during the press day at the 89th Geneva International Motor Show. — AP
The new flying car 'PAL-V Liberty Pioneer Edition' is presented during the press day at the 89th Geneva International Motor Show. — AP

The Renault EZ-ULTIMO concept car is displayed on March 6 during a press day ahead of the Geneva International Motor Show in Geneva. — AFP
The Renault EZ-ULTIMO concept car is displayed on March 6 during a press day ahead of the Geneva International Motor Show in Geneva. — AFP

A visitor sits in the Renault EZ-ULTIMO concept car in Geneva. — AFP
A visitor sits in the Renault EZ-ULTIMO concept car in Geneva. — AFP

Visitors look at the Arcfox-GT model car at the booth of the Chinese carmaker on March 5 ahead of the Geneva International Motor Show. — AFP
Visitors look at the Arcfox-GT model car at the booth of the Chinese carmaker on March 5 ahead of the Geneva International Motor Show. — AFP

A new Audi Q4 e-tron model car is seen at the booth of the German carmaker during a press day ahead of the Geneva auto show. — AFP
A new Audi Q4 e-tron model car is seen at the booth of the German carmaker during a press day ahead of the Geneva auto show. — AFP

The new Mercedes-Benz 'SL 500 Grand Edition' is presented during the press day at the 89th Geneva International Motor Show. — AP
The new Mercedes-Benz 'SL 500 Grand Edition' is presented during the press day at the 89th Geneva International Motor Show. — AP

A VW ID. BUGGY is shown as World Premiere at the Volkswagen press conference on March 5 ahead of the Geneva International Motor Show. — AFP
A VW ID. BUGGY is shown as World Premiere at the Volkswagen press conference on March 5 ahead of the Geneva International Motor Show. — AFP

The BMW Alpina B7 is presented during the press day at the Geneva motor show. — AP
The BMW Alpina B7 is presented during the press day at the Geneva motor show. — AP

A Peugeot E-legend concept car is displayed at the booth of the French carmaker on March 5 ahead of the Geneva International Motor Show. — AFP
A Peugeot E-legend concept car is displayed at the booth of the French carmaker on March 5 ahead of the Geneva International Motor Show. — AFP


Header photo: Visitors look at the new Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder model car ahead of the Geneva International Motor Show. — AFP