Geneva Motor Show 2018: all the weird and wonderful cars
A marble-painted Veyron and the ‘ugliest car ever made’ debut in Switzerland
Lightweight supercars and hi-tech EVs have taken centre stage at the Geneva Motor Show but a myriad of weird and wonderful machines are also under the spotlight.
With cutting-edge driverless systems and connect interior features, many of these more obscure cars are unlikely to reach production any time soon, while others are just downright weird.
Here’s our pick of some of the stranger models and concepts at this year’s Swiss motor show, which runs until 18 March.
Renault EZ-Go
Renault is known for unveiling off-the-wall concept cars at motor shows - and its new EZ-Go self-driving vehicle [pictured top] is no exception.
The EZ-Go concept is essentially a driverless taxi that can be hailed using a smartphone app or “roadside station”, says The Verge. Similar to the UberPool service, it can seat up to six passengers, who enter through a single opening at the front of the vehicle, and is intended to make multiple stops.
There is a chance the robo-taxi could appear public roads further down the line, adds the website, with Renault aiming to launch the car in partnership with ride-hailing services by 2022.
Sin Cars S1
Dubbed “the ugliest car ever made” by The Sunday Times, the Sin Cars S1 is a lightweight track-focused sports car similar to the Ariel Atom.
The S1 is “unlike anything else out there”, says Motor1, and that’s not entirely down to its looks. The sports car is based on a modular chassis that allows buyers to pick from a verity of powertrains, interior layouts and body styles.
It’s expected to retail for around $49,900 (£35,750), the website says, although there is no word yet on whether the S1 will find its way to UK shores.
Mansory Bugatti Veyron
German luxury vehicle tuner Masonry brought a range of modified supercars to Geneva, including a one-off Bugatti Veyron covered in a marble-look wrap.
Along with the carbon fibre-based skin, the hypercar gets a reworked front bumper, while the rear end has been tweaked to include six exhaust outlets. Beneath them is a large splitter, which should help generate downforce at higher speeds, as well as accentuating the car’s extreme styling.
Pal-V Liberty
Dutch aerospace firm Pal-V announced its new Liberty flying car in Geneva, proving that motor shows aren’t limited to vehicles with their tyres firmly on the ground.
In flying mode, the car is powered by a 99bhp combustion engine, says Motor Authority, and can reach speeds of up to 112mph once airborne, and 100mph on the road. But you’ll need a pilot’s licence to get behind the wheel, as the Liberty is “essentially a helicopter” that you can drive on the road too.
You’ll also need a spare $599,000 (£429,000) to snap up one of the first batch of 90 models set for production. Pal-V plans to launch a cheaper model at a later date, priced at $399,000 (£285,000).
