Best concept cars at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show
It wouldn't be a motor show without some great concept cars - here's our pick of the best at Geneva 2016
No motor show would be complete without an array of fantastic and fanciful concept cars on display, and Geneva 2016 was certainly not lacking in this department. Of course, these cars are great to look at, feature plenty of amazing, futuristic tech and have little or no chance of ever making production in their current form.
Traditionally, the concept car is a testing ground for ideas. Some of them might be completely far-fetched and others will be on the cusp of making it into real production models. The skill is working out what's a realistic possibility and what's just a bit silly.
• Best cars at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show
As is usually the case, the concept cars at Geneva 2016 were a mixed bag. Some previewed future design directions and next-generation powertrains, others were only a silver metallic paint job and a sensible set of wheels away from your local franchised dealership but all were significant in their own way.
To help guide you through the top concept car picks at this year's Geneva Motor Show, we've put together this list of the best concepts from the major manufacturers, in alphabetical order.
Best concept cars at Geneva 2016
DS E-Tense
The DS brand is very new, and made a big statement at this year's show. The E-Tense is an all-electric GT car with nearly 400bhp, sporty looks and a luxury interior. It's much more handsome in the metal than in pictures, with a low, race-inspired stance and an imposing face. It's not just a concept, either: we went to see the car being built ahead of the show and found out that this car actually runs - and all that it will take to make production is a decision from DS bosses.
Honda Civic Concept
The Honda Civic Concept is likely to be very close to a production car, with Honda insiders even referring to it as a prototype. The sharp lines and sporty styling will be an improvement over the current hatch if that's true, and the twin exhausts and large air intakes give us a hint at the next Type R, too. Despite the sporty styling the next Civic hatch will be a practical family car, though - and we haven't seen the interior yet, as this concept has nothing on the inside.
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Pininfarina H2 Speed
After Pininfarina was bought by Indian firm Mahindra and Mahindra there might have been some worry that the legendary design studio would no longer be designing exotic cars. The firm put fears to rest with the H2 Speed, however, a half-supercar, half-spaceship design using a hydrogen fuel cell to provide power. With around 500bhp, though, that powertrain is about more than just efficiency.
Skoda VisionS
We've known Skoda wear planning a larger SUV for a while now, but this is the first time the brand has laid its cards out on the table. The VisionS concept is a six-seater SUV with three rows of seats, meaning there's plenty of leg and headroom for all passengers. We expect the production version to be toned down from this 4.7m long motor show monster, but it is likely to be called the Kodiak when it hits showrooms.
Subaru XV concept
The Subaru stand featured a surprisingly outlandish concept for the next XV crossover, fittingly named the XV Concept. It's clearly close to production, without the over-the-top hallmarks of your typical concept car, but it does feature a striking blue and orange paint scheme. That certainly caught our eye, but we'll have to wait and see if the production version can beat the Nissan Qashqai at its own game in the crossover class.
Vauxhall GT Concept
Vauxhall has taken inspiration from the classic Opel GT of the 1960s and revealed a lightweight concept sports car for the masses. It uses a 1.0-litre petrol engine and is rear wheel drive, with a lightweight body meaning it looks like great fun to drive. It's a tiny two-seater and we'd love Vauxhall to build it - but it tells us that it hasn't decided yet.
Volkswagen T-Cross
A convertible VW Polo crossover? It was certainly a surprise to see VW's latest concept on the show stands, but as mad as it looks this car does preview an important Nissan Juke rival for the brand. The concept is a lightweight car with a small 1.0-litre engine, so it's very economical, and that's indicative of what VW is planning for its Polo crossover, too. We're not sure about the green paint colour (one that's appeared on several concepts this year) but you can't win them all.
Which concepts are your favourites? Have we missed anything? Let us know in the comments section below, comment on our Facebook page or reply to us on Twitter!
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