The top concept cars at the Geneva motor show gave a close look at the shapes our cars could take in the near future.
Concept cars are often the headline act at motor shows, and while the focus at Geneva was undoubtedly on small-car stars like the new Renault Twingo, plenty of attention was still pulled towards the cars below. Better still, four of our top five concepts are mooted to spawn production models in the future.
Maserati Alfieri
The flamboyant Italian carmaker’s latest creation is based on a shortened Gran Turismo MC Stradale chassis. It uses the same 4.7-litre V8 motor as the MC Stradale, which puts out 460bhp and 53kgm of torque. The engine is mated to Maserati’s MC Shift automated manual gearbox, with the total package said to weigh less than 1,400kg.
Honda Civic Type R
This potent hot hatch concept is confirmed as “the most extreme Type R yet” by Honda executives and rumoured to be just a year away from showrooms. For the first time in its life cycle, the next-generation Civic Type R will be powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-pot engine, which Honda says will develop at least 300bhp by the time it goes into production.
Hyundai PassoCorto
When Hyundai uncovered its PassoCorto concept, the firm revealed a design that contradicted the badge that adorned it. The PassoCorto is the result of a collaboration between the Korean car manufacturer and the IED design school in Turin, when Hyundai set students the task of penning a car for a young audience. Unfortunately, the PassoCorto concept will not reach production.
Mazda Hazumi
Mazda’s Hazumi concept gives a strong indication of what the next-generation Mazda 2 supermini could look like. The Hazumi accentuates Mazda’s ‘Kodo’ design language and utilises the firm’s SkyActiv technologies. Production versions will be offered with 1.5-litre petrol and turbodiesel engines. The new Mazda 2 will hit international markets early next year.
Volkswagen T-Roc
The German carmaker’s T-Roc SUV concept has the Nissan Juke, Renault Captur and Vauxhall Mokka in its sights. Sharing its underpinnings with the Audi Q1, Volkswagen’s MQB platform sports a wheelbase that is 10mm shorter than the outgoing Tiguan. Kerb weight is trimmed at 1,420kg for the production version, which will go on sale in 2017.