GENEVA 2014 | future next door…

Major autoshows (at least the ones we cover) follow one after the other, but they are certainly not alike.  Last September, the IAA in Frankfurt gave us a reminder of how powerful the German industry is.  In early January, the NAIAS in Detroit taught us that the American car industry is very much alive and has reached full revival.  As usual the Geneva show is the first European event of the year. This exhibition in the Palexpo is understated and takes place in a uniquely neutral environment.  Unlike some of the other shows, here everything stays close to a human scale…more intimate, more manageable.  It feels like a jewelry show…
And because it takes place on neutral ground, it seems that all kinds of different trends are represented.  Small design houses stand next to big OEM’s.  Many concepts cars are introduced, but there are also world premieres of important high volume production cars…
Urban and compact vehicles are well represented at this edition with the unveiling of the Twingo III, Toyota Aygo, Citroen C1 and Peugeot 108 for example.
The main trend is that less fuel consumption and lower emissions are paramount.  Most companies are working on reducing the number of cylinders (e.g. Audi TT with a 2.0l 4 cylinder making 420HP) and/or building hybrid or electrical solutions.
The future is just next door…..and the future looks cool and peaceful…