European Auto Shows: The 27 Coolest Cars At The Geneva Motor Show

Renault Twingo 2014

For those who can make it through the mountains to get to the show, here are 27 cars you can't miss.

They include the outrageously powerful Koenigsegg One:1, the new Lamborghini Huracán, BMW's first front-wheel drive car, and the hybrid beast Porsche built to earn some glory at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The show is open to the public until March 16.The new California T is powered by a turbocharged engine, the first time Ferrari has done that in decades. The fresh design will cut the car's fuel consumption and generate more power.

Read moreThe 27 Coolest Cars At The Geneva Motor Show - News - The Chronicle Express - Penn Yan, NY

Geneva Auto Show: The new 4door 2013 Fiat 500L - by Huw Evans

A new entry into the hotly contested multi-purpose vehicle market in Europe, the 500L is considerably bigger than its siblings, much in the same way the original, pioneering 1956 Fiat 600 Multipla was compared with the Seicento that spawned it.

As for Fiat’s latest compact MPV, it will go on sale in Europe this fall, powered by a choice of 1.4-liter regular and Twin Air four-cylinder engines, plus a 1.3-liter turbocharged MultiJet series II motor. As with most vehicles in the segment in Europe, the 500L will be available with both manual and automatic transaxles and possibly the semi-auto Dualogic found in other Fiat 500 models.

With the new Fiat 500 representing the first vehicle from the Italian automaker to arrive on North American shores since 1982 (1985 if you count the Pininfarina 124 Spider), there’s definitely a chance the L model will make it to the US also, though with US Fiat sales so far having fallen short of estimates, it might be a while before you see the L in North American showrooms.

For more: 2013 Fiat 500L, a Prettier Multipla but Still Ugly: 2012 Geneva Motor Show | AutoGuide.com News

Automobile Industry: Austerity brings smaller cars to Geneva auto show

After years marked by environmental concerns, then the economic downturn and now European austerity measures, car manufacturers have honed their products to cater to cost-conscious buyers.

And it's not just compacts and SUVs that are getting smaller. Even premium automakers are downsizing.
At the Geneva Motor Show, which opens to the media on Tuesday, Audi will unveil a new A3, Mercedes-Benz its rejuvenated A-Class, and Volvo its V40.

GM's European unit Opel received a boost on Monday, when its Ampera, an electric car with an extended range of 500 kilometers (300 miles), was named European Car of the Year by automotive journalists from 23 countries on the eve of the motor show.

For more: The Associated Press: Austerity brings smaller cars to Geneva auto show