Geneva 2011 wrap: Auto Salon back to its best?

Like the exaggerated inhalation of a freediver come to the surface after a few seconds too long in the deep, the 81st Geneva Auto Salon represented a fresh start for the international automotive industry.

Gone are the chest crushing fears of the global financial crises. New concepts, new production models and plenty of cars in between saw Geneva sparkle, when the last few years' shows have barely shined.

And it showed in places other than the four-wheeled inhabitants of the halls. Gone also were the rehearsed smiles of 2009 and most of 2010 -- replaced in most case by a new -found joie de vivre. With a few exceptions, most brand execs the Carsales Network talked with were genuinely upbeat; many beaming for the first time in two years.

But it was not just the good teeth of the well-heeled that were the bright spots. There were many stars at Geneva. In fact, unlike recent shows that might have had one standout car, Genf (the Germanic form of Geneva) offered up a number.

In the production car department, at the silly money end of the end of the spectrum Lamborghini unveiled its all-new Aventador supercar flagship. Reflecting its increasing Euro focus Kia showed there's dynamism at the other (value) end of the automotive rainbow, too, with the all-new Rio and an updated Picanto.

The Lambo surprised nobody with its sheer OTT presence; the emergent Korean brand's cars delighted with great styling outside and a continued improvement in quality focus inside.

Mercedes displayed no fewer than three new mainstream models. The thoroughly revised C-Class sedan and wagon and for the first time ever, a true C-Class Coupe, will affect the most consumers. The third car was an all-new SLK, which with its new styling looks from the front all the world like a baby Gullwing, and from the rear more than ever like its big brother SL

Though the C-Class Coupe does not have the degree of differentiation from its four-door equivalents as, say, BMW's 3 Series and Audi's A4/A5 family, it is nonetheless a handsome car. And don't be fooled by the 'facelift' tag been applied to the C-Class changes -- the updates under the skin and inside the car are manifest.

For a start the midsize Benz now gets all of the same safety systems as the range-topping S and CL-Class limos, updated stop-start engines and standard Internet connectivity... Though all at a price.

Ferrari gave its new shooting brake FF its first public airing and Aston Martin lifted the sheets on its new Virage. The Ferrari was easy to pick -- the only hatchback on the stand. The Aston less so -- it looked like, err... Every other Aston.

At the other end of the performance spectrum Peugeot finally has its diesel hybrid powertrain on sale. Too bad it's in the unloved and unlovable 3008.

Volkswagen's production car star was the Golf Cabriolet. The main question, why? Isn't one Golf-based open car (Eos) in the range enough?

The Alfa 4C meantime was tipped to be a showstopper but wasn't. Not that it doesn't look like fun. Built on a carbon-fibre chassis borrowed from Austrian motorcycle manufacturer but with Fiat instead of Audi-sourced power, the car looks to this writer as a poor pastiche of the svelte Maserati-based 8C. Must do better methinks...

When it came to concepts VW had three of the best; two by virtue of its recent purchase of the Giugaro Italdesign studio. Though they looked more Alfa Romeo than Volkswagen (ironic as Giugaro drew the very first Golf), the Go! was very clearly a VW of the future.

Rumours continued to circulate at Geneva regarding the negotiations between Fiat Group and VW regarding Alfa. The good oil has the two sides a l-o-n-g way apart on price... But that just means despite Fiat boss Sergio Marchionne's protestations to the opposite, the iconic Italian marque is for sale.

The third VW concept was a ripper -- a recreation of the Mircobus at around three-quarter scale. Though electrically powered it's clearly engineered for conventional powertrains and even real world crash requirements. If Volkswagen doesn't build it, it's got rocks in its corporate head.

Skoda VisionD was a handsome look at the future for the brand and a real surprise. So too was Saab's Phoenix -- though you'll be lucky to get odds on if you're betting on which of the cars will actually get built. One is a true indicator of where a brand is going, the other, alas, a moral booster at best.

Also destined for production was another standout for the show, Mazda's Minagi. Destined to transform into the brand's next softroader, Minagi ushers in the Kodo generation of styling and a new design language for the brand. If it's a taste of things to come, Mazda looks set to continue its march up the sales charts... And not just in Australia.

BMW showed its ConnectedDrive concept -- a sort of nerd's version of the Z4. The sellout success that is the 1 Series M was surprisingly tucked away in a corner. Though we'd expected an appearance, BMW's new i sub-brand was at Geneva in typography only. We'll have to wait a show or two to see the first i concept car, it seems.

We'll have to wait some time too before we see a more cynical concept than Rolls Royce's electric Phantom too... The 102EX is never destined for production, by RR's own admission but is more a conversation starter, the BMW-owned stated. Perhaps a vehicle that addresses the sheer bulk of the brand's limousines would be a more relevant concept.

Overall, Geneva seemed to demonstrate a 'normalisation' of the carbon dioxide reduction effort by Euro carmakers. Sure, it remains important and I don't know whether it is just the writer's impression, but it seems that the focus has shifted back to drivability, suitability for purpose and overall efficiency rather than just the blind pursuit of reduce emissions.

Not that there's any shortage of electric cars. Many brands had concepts and some production announcements -- Mercedes' SLS e-cell for one. You'll be able to buy one by 2013 but maybe not in RHD... That's still to be decided.

Mercedes affiliate Tesla meantime showed off the alloy body in white and some running gear of its work-in-progress Type S.  Nice!

The changing landscape of the automotive world was no better illustrated than the way brands changed addresses in Geneva's halls. Where once Porsche had a standalone presence, in 2011 it was relocated to a spot under the watchful eyes of the VW group burghers -- at this show at least the brand played second fiddle to Audi and Lambo. As noted above Lambo's supercar was a star, but so too was Audi's next-gen A3, shown for the first time in a sedan configuration.

In other shotgun marriages, Lancia and Chrysler were squeezed in cheek to overweight Detroit jowl and Dodge was wedged in next to Alfa. Never have a Charger and Challenger looked so out of place.

The predominance of tuner cars has become a staple of Geneva and this year didn't disappoint. Brabus had a twin turbo V12 with a pricetag that topped 500,000 Euro and any number of small hot houses did terrible things to everything from TTs through to a Lexus LX570. The latter was labelled Invader. Awful!

Mind you, not as awful as the Mansory modified SLS that not only got carbon effect paint but also a quasi McLaren SLR nose. The standard car divides opinion with its styling. There was little doubt about the end result of the Mansory mind-snap.

And to wind up with a note to all brands: Enough with the matt paint already! When it was offered on the odd AMG it was cool. Now when everybody from Peugeot to Dacia are getting in on the act, we're over it.

So to this writer's car of the show?... For me one it's 50 years young.

In a wonderful exhibition of canny leveraging of heritage, Jaguar brought back its 1961 Geneva star. Fully restored to its original glory, the very same Series 1 E-Type that Jaguar rolled out 50 years ago was the star of the Brit brand's stand in 2011.

It's just a shame two of the international automotive press corps disgraced their colleagues at a Jaguar function the night before by quizzing current Jaguar design head Ian Callum as to his role the in car's creation... None, he proffered.

You see, Callum was just six years old at time...

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