2006 Geneva Auto Show

STORY TOOLS
Digg this	del.icio.us

We like the Detroit and Chicago auto shows as much as the next enthusiast, but the annual Geneva Motor Show is a welcome change of pace. In Geneva, it's less about the show and more about the cars. There are rambling executive speeches and the occasional artsy performance here and there, but more often than not it's the cars that provide the entertainment.

This year's show came through as usual with notable introductions from every corner of the market. The Germans came out big. Mercedes showed three new AMG models while Porsche rolled out not one, but two new versions of its 911. BMW unveiled the Z4 Coupe and its high-performance M Coupe variant, along with a new turbocharged engine which will show up in a 3 Series in the not-too-distant future. Audi isn't sure it's going to bring its new allroad wagon or the RS4 cabriolet to the U.S., but we'll show you them anyway.

Most of the Japanese intros will be for the European market, but new concepts from Toyota and Mitsubishi were interesting to look at if not production-feasible. Geneva would seem like the last place for the introduction of a concept vehicle from Dodge, but the Hornet minicar points toward a production vehicle for the European market in the next couple of years. There were special editions of the Lamborghini Murciélago and Mini Cooper along with an all-new S8 sedan from Volvo. See it all for yourself with our in-depth article and Straightline blog posts directly from the show floor.