Winners and Losers From the 2019 Geneva Motor Show - The Short List

Craig Cole
by Craig Cole
winners and losers from the 2019 geneva motor show the short list

Another Geneva Motor Show is in the rear-view mirror, which means it’s time for us to start making fun of all the stuff we didn’t like.


Accordingly, here’s our obligatory list of winners and losers, a specially curated selection of vehicles hand picked by the AutoGuide.com staff. For a little extra balance, we’ve also included a few undecided options.

SEE ALSO: 2019 Geneva Motor Coverage



WINNER: Vanquish Vision Concept

winners and losers from the 2019 geneva motor show the short list

Aston Martin is firing on all cylinders, debuting a trio of design studies in Switzerland. Arguably the coolest of the bunch is this, the Vanquish Vision Concept. Despite the McLaren-esque proportions, it previews the British Brand’s first mid-engine production model. In typical fashion, it features an aluminum structure, but what’s not expected for Aston Martin is the power source, a turbocharged and hybridized V6.

ALSO SEE: Aston Martin Unveils Three Stunning New Concept Cars


WINNER: Honda e Prototype

winners and losers from the 2019 geneva motor show the short list

Next up, something at the opposite end of the spectrum. Honda’s e Prototype hints at the Japanese brand’s first battery-electric production vehicle. An urban runabout, it offers a driving range of 200-kilometers – about 125 miles – and can be charged to 80 percent capacity in as little as 30 minutes. Unusual for a Honda, this car is rear-wheel drive. The production model is slated to debut later this year as a 2020 model, possibly at the Frankfurt Motor Show.


WINNER: Alfa Romeo Tonale

winners and losers from the 2019 geneva motor show the short list

crossovers, Crossovers, CROSSOVERS! The world just can’t get enough of these things. Helping satiate demand, Alfa Romeo unveiled a new premium compact SUV in Geneva. Smaller than their acclaimed Stelvio, Tonale is the Italian brand’s first plug-in hybrid. Basically, zero details about its drivetrain have been shared at this time, but it promises best-in-segment dynamics, which we’d expect it to deliver. With classic styling and a sweeping interior, it at least looks like a winner.


WINNER: Bugatti La Voiture Noire

winners and losers from the 2019 geneva motor show the short list

Now for what was perhaps the star of this year’s Geneva show, a mega-pricey, one-off creation from Bugatti. Called La Voiture Noire, which translates rather fittingly to “the black car,” this creation was clearly inspired by Darth Vader, or the legendary Type 57 SC Atlantic. Your pick…

Power is provided by a 16-cylinder engine that delivers about 1,500 horses. This one-of-one grand-tourer sold for nearly $13 million. Whoever bought it can sleep soundly at night knowing that nobody else is going to roll in in a La Voiture Noire at their local cars and coffee.


UNDECIDED: Mazda CX-30

winners and losers from the 2019 geneva motor show the short list

Shifting gears, let’s focus on a few of Geneva’s UNDECIDED reveals. And the new Mazda CX-30 crossover is a bit of a head-scratcher. Size-wise, it’s intended to slot between the CX-3 and CX-5 models. But this raises a couple questions: One, why do they need a vehicle sandwiched in the middle of these two offerings? And two, shouldn’t it just be called CX-4? On the plus side, this thing is beautifully styled and will likely be brilliant to drive.

SEE ALSO: Top 10 Best Engines of 2019


UNDECIDED: Subaru Viziv Concept

winners and losers from the 2019 geneva motor show the short list

The Subaru Viziv Adrenaline Concept is yet another installment of the automaker’s Viziv range of design studies. It showcases the bolder, more exciting direction Subaru styling is supposedly heading. While we certainly wouldn’t call it ugly, neither is it breathtaking. Of course, since this is a concept, powertrain, pricing and other details are unknown, but we’d still bet this is an early look at the next-generation Crosstrek. Your thoughts?


UNDECIDED: Volkswagen ID BUGGY

winners and losers from the 2019 geneva motor show the short list

The last UNDECIDED vehicle on this list is the Volkswagen ID BUGGY concept. A battery-powered dune-hopper, it demonstrates what the company can do with its advanced MEB electric-vehicle architecture. This thing’s got a 62 kWh battery and a 201-horsepower motor, both of which can deliver 62 miles an hour in as little as 7.2 seconds. The ID BUGGY is kind of cool, and there are rumblings they’ll actually build it, but we shall see if it makes it to production without being completely watered down.


LOSER: Imagine by Kia

winners and losers from the 2019 geneva motor show the short list

Moving on to the LOSERS, we start with the Imagine by Kia concept, which may have the worst name of the entire Geneva show. Predictably, it’s an all-electric design study that vaguely resembles a crossover. It’s got a six-layer paint job, 22-inch wheels and even a continuous piece of glass that forms both the windshield and roof. Upping the ridiculousness, it’s gussied up with 21 individual screens inside, like someone shuffled a stack of smartphones. According to the press release it’s “designed to get your pulse racing.” Yeah, OK.

SEE ALSO: 2019 Detroit Auto Show Winners and Losers — The Short List


LOSER: Ginetta Akula

winners and losers from the 2019 geneva motor show the short list

With supercars, you expect certain design flair, but the Ginetta Akula is just too friggin’ weird. This thing’s got more gills than a school of sardines! Unsurprisingly for an exotic, it’s made of carbon fiber and features a mid-mounted engine. It also brandishes 600 horsepower and can hit 200 miles an hour. Aside from the design, there’s another BIG downside. It costs more than half-a-million dollars.


LOSER: Smart Forease+

winners and losers from the 2019 geneva motor show the short list

And the last LOSER we’ve got here is the Smart Forease+, which made its official debut in Geneva. If you remember back to the Paris show last fall, the automaker revealed a concept called the Forease. Well, this is essentially the same thing but with a removable roof. It’s kind of like microwaving leftovers, right?

Check out more episodes of The Short List

Craig Cole
Craig Cole

Born and raised in metro Detroit, Craig was steeped in mechanics from childhood. He feels as much at home with a wrench or welding gun in his hand as he does behind the wheel or in front of a camera. Putting his Bachelor's Degree in Journalism to good use, he's always pumping out videos, reviews, and features for AutoGuide.com. When the workday is over, he can be found out driving his fully restored 1936 Ford V8 sedan. Craig has covered the automotive industry full time for more than 10 years and is a member of the Automotive Press Association (APA) and Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA).

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