There was a lot to get excited about at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, not least the concept cars that were showcased. Here are the best that were on offer.
Volvo Concept Estate
, The Concept Estate appears to have been in the making for some time with the Concept Coupe (September 2013) and XC Concept 4×4 (January 2014) displaying very similar design language. With its glassy tailgate, strong shoulder line and three-door layout, the prospect of owning a family hauler has never been so appealing. A bold but confident move from Volvo; is this the rebirth of the Shooting Brake? Fingers and toes crossed.
Alfa Romeo 4C Spider Concept
, More auto artistry from Alfa Romeo, the 4C Spider Concept should offer up ample amounts of speed and agility like its hard-top sister only it gives you access to thousands of miles of (with a bit of luck) blue sky motoring. The Spider won’t be available until 2015 and certainly won’t give you much change from £50,000 if you’re lucky enough to get hold of one.
VW T-ROC
, The T-ROC concept would lead you to believe that VW has a soft-roader up its sleeve to rival the Nissan Juke and steal sales from the Range Rover Evoque. This is quite possibly a future consideration for the German auto giant. In the meantime, the T-ROC certainly hints at what’s in stock for the next generation of VW SUVs, namely the Tiguan and Touareg. Watch this space.
Mini Clubman Concept
, Mini may have to rethink its brand name if its cars don’t start to slim down a little. The Clubman Concept is a substantial 262mm longer and sits 18mm higher than its predecessor. Nonetheless, it’s a step in the right direction looks wise with its sleeker and sportier profile. Expect the production version to not look too dissimilar when it goes on sale in late 2014.
Maserati Alfieri
, Steady now, you might want to take a minute for this one. This stunning V8 powered revelation from Maserati is named the Alfieri concept and it serves as a very large hint as to what the next GranTurismo might look like. Maserati claim the Alfieri was inspired by the classic 1954 Maserati A6GCS to which the concept owes its long bonnet and cab-back stance. Before you start weighing up which of your offspring to sell to get your hands on one, it’s worth remembering that the Alfieri’s still very much in the concept stages. Regardless of this, if Maserati manage to transfer even a slither of the Alfieri’s looks and presence into a production car, then the F-type certainly better start looking over its shoulder.
By Rory FH Smith
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