The 88th annual Geneva International Motor Show opens to the public today, but you’d be forgiven if you decided to call it the 88th annual Supercar Show – because They. Are. Everywhere. Brands you’ve heard of, brands you haven’t, concepts, production cars, limited-run specials, track-only monsters, they’re all here and they are all spectacular. Here are some highlights.
McLaren Senna GTR Concept
McLaren only just launched the roadgoing Senna version a few months ago, but not wanting to lose that momentum, they’ve brought us this: a track-only special of that same car that can generate up to 1,000 kg of downforce and generates “at least” 813 hp”. In addition to all that downforce, a set of Pirelli slicks help get the power to the road – er, track.
Italdesign Zerouno Duerta
It may be an Audi R8 underneath – same engine, same suspension, same steering wheel even – but on the surface, this was one of the most spectacular cars at the show. With custom bodywork designed in house by VAG subsidiary Italdesign, almost all the wings and bodywork cuts are functional, in that they’re actually drag-reducing elements. All except the rear wing, which is an optional add-on. Power is rated at 610 hp – the same as the R8 – but goodness knows, if both cars were to pull up to the Burj Dubai together, you know which one cellphone cameras would flock to first.
Pagani Zonda HP Barchetta
The Zonda may not be the latest Pagani made, but that hasn’t stopped the manufacturer from building a grand total of three of these babies, partially covered rear wheels and all. Power from the AMG V12 is rated at 789 hp and 811 lb-ft of torque, and according to the Pagani folks on-hand at the show, it’s a collaboration of everything boss Horacio Pagani (hence “HP”) ever wanted in a car. But forget all that: it has covered back wheels!
Porsche 911 GT3 RS
Oh sure, it may seem tame compared to a lot of others in this story, but once you look at the figures we’re sure your attitude will change. Zero to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds, 312 km/h top speed, and 520 horses from a naturally aspirated flat-six that revs to nine THOUSAND rpm. And that colour. It’s the most hardcore naturally aspirated 911 yet, and it’s coming soon to a race track near you.
Lamborghini Huracán Performante Spyder
Finished in a gorgeous shade of blue and standing proud right at the head of the Lamborghini exhibit – one that included both the Aventador and production Urus SUV – was the drop-top version of the Huracán Performante. It makes 640 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque, and doesn’t suffer at all in the rigidity department after having its top lopped off. Now, when the Performante’s blazing speed has set your hair on fire, it’s much easier to put out.
Rimac Concept 2
After being unceremoniously (but literally) torched by Richard Hammond on The Grand Tour, the Croatian manufacturer Rimac – pronounced “ree-match” (sort of) – is back with the Concept 2, its second (duh) effort in the megacar game. Powered by an electric motor on each wheel, the manufacturer claims it’s good for 1,519 hp and can reach 60 mph from a stop in 1.85 – one-point-eight-five – seconds, and 300 km/h in just 11.8 seconds. On top of that, the manufacturer thinks it can complete two flat-out laps of the Nürburgring Nordschleife on a single charge.
Apparently, they can’t wait to have Hammond drive it.
Mercedes-AMG G 63
After the all-new G-Class was launched at the Detroit show earlier this year, you just knew the hotted-up AMG version was coming. Doesn’t make the official arrival of the 585 hp bi-turbocharged V8 beast any less momentous, however. It also has a nine-speed gearbox as well as three separate diff locks, so it can rock-crawl as much as it can Autobahn-haul, says Mercedes-AMG.
Toyota GR Supra Racing Concept
While the run-up to the upcoming Toyota Supra is starting to look a little bit like the seemingly decade-long run-up to the latest Acura NSX, it’s still a treat to view such a monumental car. Even if it is a racing version that’s hidden from view, essentially, by all manner of aero addenda. It looks spectacular and ready for the race track, even if we don’t know much in the way of specs, other than its being front-engined and rear-wheel drive.
Bugatti Chiron S
It hasn’t taken the megacar magicians at Bugatti long to come out with an even faster version of their latest opus, the Chiron. The “S” version has no more power than the regular, but it weights 18 kg less thanks to all manner of light-weighting including – wait for it – carbon-fibre wipers, a production-car first. It also gets a stiffer handling set-up, which combines with all that power – 1,500 hp of it – to shave five seconds off its lap time ’round VW’s Nardo circuit. That’ll be US$3.25 million, sir.
Zenvo TSR-S
These Danes sure know what they’re doing when it comes to car design. For starters, there’s the look, a kind of cab-rearward profile that somehow mixes grand touring with supercar, much like the Chiron. Then there’s the power: up to 1,177 hp from the twin-supercharged V8 is available depending on your drive setting, and while they haven’t made any acceleration claims yet, don’t be surprised if its 0–100 km/h sits comfortably around the two-second mark. Bring it on.
W Motors Fenyr SuperSport
Weird name (unless you’ve seen Furious 7, where the equally weirdly named W Motors Lykan Hypersport made a memorable appearance), cool car. With a Ruf-developed flat-six good for 800 hp and 723 lb-ft of torque and weighing in at less than 1,400 kilos, this here is a bespoke supercar that has what it takes to keep up with much more established players in the supercar game.
Ferrari 488 Pista
As is the way whenever Ferrari releases the next version of its “baby” supercar, a track-based version is never far behind. So it goes that we have the track-biased version (“Pista”, geddit?) here in Geneva. It gets the most powerful V8 engine the brand has ever seen (710 hp and 568 lb-ft), bringing the 488 almost into hypercar territory.
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