As you probably know by now, the 2020 Geneva Motor Show was canceled to curb the spread of novel coronavirus. However, this didn’t stop carmakers from showcasing their latest offerings by moving the show online. Thank goodness for the Internet!
We’re first to admit it’s hard to beat the physical and emotional impact of seeing a new car in the flesh. Hell, some new cars don’t look as good in the digital world as real life, but a few managed to make our hearts skip a beat as we ogled helplessly at our laptops.
It might take a while for normalcy to ensue following the rapid spread of COVID-19. So, we figured the next best thing is to choose the best cars at what could have been an epic show in Geneva.
Without further ado, here are our top picks.
Aston Martin V12 Speedster
We’re beginning to wonder if 2020 is the year of the speedster since carmakers are scrambling to get a slice of the pie. Late last year, McLaren debuted the Elva, a $1.7-million roofless supercar with an optional windshield. Not to be left behind is the V12 Speedster, Aston Martin’s prized champion in the world of exclusive roofless hypercars.
Now, speedsters are nothing but homages to the past. While not exactly the most practical or comfortable, the Aston Martin V12 Speedster is definitely a looker. Riding on a bespoke platform using extensive construction know-how learned from the Vantage and DBS Superleggera, the Aston V12 Speedster is packing a twin-turbocharged 5.2-liter V12 motor with 700-horsepower and 753 pound-feet of torque.
And did we mention the V12 Speedster is a limited-edition model? Aston Martin will only make 88 examples with base prices starting at under $1 million, which officially makes it an excellent deal for a car with no roof and no windscreen.
Bentley Mulliner Bacalar
Yes, our next choice is still a speedster with zero roof, but at least the Bentley Mulliner Bacalar has a proper windscreen. The body shape is recognizable since the car is based on the Continental GT. But since it’s a speedster, it only has two seats with none of that 2+2 nonsense.
The new Bentley Mulliner Bacalar might be riding on the underpinnings of the Conti GT, but all the coach-built carbon-fiber and aluminum body panels are exclusive to this car. In fact, only the door handles were carried over from the donor car.
It also happens to be 220 pounds lighter than a Conti GT, and Bentley was kind enough to tweak the standard 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W12 engine. It now pumps out 650 horsepower, which is 24 more horsepower than in a Conti GT W12.
Koenigsegg Gemera
For Swedish hypercar maker Koenigsegg, the show must go on. It had the entire floor to itself as it unveiled not one, but three new hypercars. The Koenigsegg Jesko and Jesko Absolut are reputably the fastest Koenigseggs ever made. But what really blew our mind was the magnificent Koenigsegg Gemera.
Allow us to break it down for you. The Gemera has two doors, four seats, four-wheel steering, and an all-wheel drivetrain. According to Christian von Koenigsegg himself, the Gemera is a totally new category of hypercar dubbed the Mega GT.
And also, the Gemera is a hybrid with three electric motors and an unusually small three-cylinder petrol motor. However, the internal combustion engine has a dry sump system and Koenigsegg’s proprietary Freevalve design. The total output is 1,677-horsepower and 2,581 pound-feet of torque.
Did you hear the mic drop? We did.
Polestar Precept Concept
Polestar didn’t explicitly state otherwise, but we figure the Precept Concept has the Porsche Taycan, Audi e-tron GT, and Tesla Model S affixed in its crosshair. Unlike previous Polestar models, the Precept Concept is breaking tradition with a sleek and hunkered-down body design along with a longish wheelbase and front overhangs – all the basic and necessary attributes of a sporty saloon car.
And yeah, the Polestar Precept Concept is an all-electric vehicle with a sustainable interior crafted from discarded fishing nets and plastic water bottles. If that doesn’t sound groovy enough, we don’t know what is.
Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport
The Bugatti Chiron is known for breaking speed records. Imagine our surprise when Bugatti debuted the Chiron Pur Sport as a track-ready monster with a rather modest 218 mph (350 kph) top speed. Here’s a Chiron designed to go faster around corners by weighing 110 pounds less and having more downforce courtesy of a massive rear wing – one that is large enough for small aircraft to land over.
But seriously, the Chiron Pur Sport remains a true Bugatti. It still has a quad-turbocharged W16 motor with 1,500-horsepower and 1,180 pound-feet of torque, and it even has a new seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox with closer gear ratios. Even with stiffer suspension, Bugatti claims the Chiron Pur Sport is capable of providing sharper handling with no penalties to long-distance comfort.
Starting at $3.35-million with only 60 units to be built, the Chiron Pur Sport is just what a bored billionaire needs to have some proper driving fun.