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Geneva Motor Show 2007 Trends and Overview

Geneva is always one of the best shows to visit - it's easy to get to from the airport or city centre, it's more compact than the other major auto shows, it's well attended by car designers and there are a lot of new designs to enjoy. This year there were at least 14 significant new production debuts, a similar number of concept cars and, for a change, the weather was more spring like than winter... The core reaction from the designers we spoke to at the show was that there were no really very exceptional new cars at the show - the Hyundai HED-4 Qarmaq concept, Mazda Hakaze concept and Maserati GranTurismo being the possible exceptions.

Concept Car of the Week: Mazda Ibuki (2003)

With the Ibuki, Mazda designers synthesized the most successful of the first generation MX-5's iconic elements and evolved their forms to make them even more memorable and simple. To do so, they used a strong geometric theme throughout the car inside and out: LED headlamps; front air intake; tail lamps; rear view mirrors; release handles and interior details down to the pedals – every shape follow the same oval theme. Zooming out, the silhouette – as well as the top view – is also oval, making the Ibuki look more like a toy than a car, which is a real bonus for a small roadster.

Flashback: Pontiac killed on April 27, 2009

It was precisely two years ago today--April 27, 2009--that Pontiac met its demise. In hindsight, the decision made a lot of sense for General Motors, which six weeks later would file for bankruptcy. But at the time, many enthusiasts were more than a bit upset that 80 years of Pontiac--once the third-best-selling brand in the United States--was set for the scrap yard.