Hypercars mingle with station wagons at Geneva auto show

Associated Press

FRANKFURT, Germany

Europe’s automakers face huge questions: the impact of Britain’s decision to leave the European Union, President Donald Trump’s proposed border tax on imports, the uncertain prospects for electric vehicles.

Meanwhile, they have to keep selling cars in a ferociously competitive European market.

That mix of anxiety about the future and the need to market hot products today will mark the 87th Geneva International Motor Show, which convenes Tuesday and Wednesday at the Palexpo center next to Geneva’s airport for two days.

Here are major themes likely to mark the show.

RIDING HIGH IN SUVs

A trend at the Geneva show will be the shift from minivans to small sport-utility vehicles, which combine car-like features such as plush interiors and sleeker rooflines with off-road features like high clearance.

PSA Group’s Citroen C-Aircross concept is expected to replace the current C3 Picasso. General Motors Co.’s Opel will show off its Crossland X, a model that turned out to be a sign of things to come: it was developed with the PSA Group, which has agreed to purchase Opel. The deal is expected to be announced today.

In SUVs, consumers like the rugged, utilitarian look and the higher riding position, which gives drivers a feeling of safety, says Tim Urquhart, principal analyst at IHS Automotive. And for the companies, “you can sell the same technology for a higher margin,” Urquhart said. Small SUVs can re-use many of the mechanical foundations of small cars, spreading manufacturing costs.

HYPERCARS

Geneva is usually a good show for stunning, unbelievably fast sports cars costing hundreds of thousands or more.

Ferrari has the 812 Superfast, equipped with a 12-cylinder engine generating 789 horsepower. Singapore-based Vanda Electrics Pte Ltd. offers the racecar-like, low-slung Dendrobium.

ELECTRICS

The auto industry has sunk billions into developing new electric cars, but they won’t stand out at the Geneva show as they did at the Paris show last year, when Volkswagen and Daimler both made a big deal about battery-powered concept cars.

Global battery car production will amount to only 0.7 percent of the 93.5 million vehicle global car market this year, say analysts.