The best cars of the Geneva Motor Show 2016

Bugatti Chiron

Supercars have garnered attention this year - new models from Bugatti, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche, McLaren and Aston Martin don't usually show up right away - but the surge in small SUVs has been the news behind the hype. Europe is embracing city-sized "faux XNUMXxXNUMXs" and, like Australia, they are on track to outsell conventional hatchbacks. Here are the highlights, big and small.

Bugatti Chiron

The successor to the fastest car in the world, the Chiron is powered by a whopping 8.0-litre W16 engine (two V8s back to back) with four turbocharged 1103 kW/1600 Nm, equivalent to four V8 Holden Commodores or 11 Toyota Corollas. It can accelerate to 100 km/h in less than 2.5 seconds and has a top speed of over 420 km/h. The previous model could reach speeds of up to 431 km / h, so Bugatti clearly has something up its sleeve. It also makes the 566kW Lamborghini V12 Centenario and the new Aston Martin DB11 with a 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 engine.

Rinspeed Ethos

These crazy guys at Swiss tuner Rinspeed have outfitted a BMW i8 plug-in hybrid supercar, added a few autonomous driving technologies, installed a folding steering wheel, and deployed a drone to check the traffic ahead. The police may not appreciate that you are flying the drone from the driver's seat. Be careful: this is just an advertisement for a car dealership. At the moment.

Concept Opel GT

The Opel boss told Australian media that the Opel GT is one of his "dream cars" before quickly adding that the company likes "dreams come true". If the Opel GT receives enough favorable reviews at the show, Opel says it will find a way to build its compact, front-engined, rear-wheel-drive Toyota 86 rival. It may need more power than the 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine. a turbocharged cylinder in a concept car built by Holden to an Opel design. Opel also revealed the new Mokka kids' SUV that will eventually replace the Trax.

Ford Fiesta ST200

One of the best hot hatches in the world just got hotter. The 200-litre Fiesta ST1.6 turbo engine increases power from 134 kW/240 Nm to 147 kW/290 Nm. On Ford's trademark "overboost", power reaches 158kW/320Nm in 15 seconds. The shorter gear ratio reduces the 0-100 km/h acceleration time from 6.9 to 6.7 seconds. Retuned suspension and steering, as well as larger rear brakes, also improve handling. The current Fiesta ST has sold 1200 units - more than the company ever expected - but Ford is yet to say if the ST200 is headed our way. Crossed fingers.

Toyota CHR

Not as wild as the 2014 concept out of Paris, the stock C-HR (compact high rider) is still an edgy design for a conservative brand.

Aimed at the Mazda CX-3 and Honda HR-V, the small SUV will arrive in Australia early next year. Toyota is longer and wider than its competitors, which are based on small city cars. The C-HR is larger than the Corolla and only 4cm shorter than the previous generation RAV4.

It will be powered by a 1.2kW 85-liter turbocharged petrol engine with a six-speed manual or CVT with two- and four-wheel drive. A hybrid may follow.

Honda Civic

Civic hits double digits; the hatch unveiled in Geneva will be the 10th to wear the badge. The lower, wider and longer Honda five-door model will go on sale in Europe, where it is produced, next April. It will hit Australian showrooms later, after the launch of the Asian-made sedan.

Honda Australia boss Stephen Collins confirms that the Type-R version will join the new hatchback lineup. Australia has decided not to import the red-hot 228-litre turbo version of the current Civic hatchback released last year.

Regular versions of the 2017 Civic hatchback will feature downsized turbo engines. Honda Australia will likely opt for a more powerful 1.5-liter turbo four to replace the current 1.8.

Subaru XV concept

Subaru was a pioneer in the field of children's SUV with its XV, a high-riding version of the Impreza.

The next generation XV should hit local showrooms in the first quarter of next year, building on the global platform behind the new Impreza due in December.

Design boss Mamoru Ishii says the XV concept is "pretty close" to the production version, with more emphasis on an "all-terrain fit."

As with the Impreza, the XV will likely feature a redesigned version of Subaru's current 2.0-liter engine and a more attractive, well-equipped interior. Automatic emergency braking and blind spot monitoring should be available.

VW T-Cross Breeze Concept

Looking like an homage to the Land Rover Evoque convertible, the T-Cross Breeze will get a roof and be the new small SUV that sits under the Tiguan.

Volkswagen says three more SUV models will eventually join the Tiguan and Touareg, but the Polo-based crossover will likely be a priority.

The concept's 1.0-liter turbo engine develops 81 kW of power.

VW chairman Herbert Diess says VW can "well imagine putting a convertible like this on the market as a production model" that is both fun and affordable - "a real 'people's car'."

Hyundai Ionic

Korean giant Toyota's Prius answer, the Ioniq, will arrive in Australia early next year after global production was delayed. Unlike the Prius, the Ioniq can be available here in hybrid and all-electric versions.

Hyundai Australia boss Scott Grant says the brand is interested in all options, though it's thought the full EV version is unlikely to win approval.

The Ioniq hybrid uses a more advanced battery than the Prius - lithium-ion polymer instead of nickel-metal hydride - and Hyundai claims it can deliver short bursts of all-electric driving at speeds up to 120 km/h. The plug-in claims 50 km of run on electric traction, an electric car - more than 250 km.

What is your favorite car from the Geneva Motor Show 2016? Tell us in the comments below.