Dacia Logan Steppe concept

Dacia unveiled its first-ever show car produced by Renault Design at Geneva. Designed under Design Director Ken Melville, the Logan Steppe is derived directly from the existing Logan sedan but with an extended wheelbase and appears to preview a forthcoming activity wagon derivative from Dacia next year. The robust look is reinforced by the wrap-around bumpers, wheelarch mouldings and square stance derived from the long wheelbase. A roof storage system includes clamps for snowboards, an integrated wind deflector and roof spotlamps. Twin van-style rear doors give access to the trunk, which features a foldout 'perch seat', heated hooks for snow boots and drinks flasks in the side pockets.

Many observers drew comparisons to the Skoda Roomster and, in many ways, Dacia is in a similar situation to Skoda brand 5-8 years ago as a central European marque with a focus on simplicity, practicality and low cost. Extending the brand into similar territory now makes obvious sense.

Chevrolet Captiva

The Captiva is a new SUV that will compete with the Toyota RAV4 and Honda HRV. It was previewed by the SX3 concept shown at the 2004 Paris Motor Show.

This relatively conservative SUV design, like the Audi Q7, features a very car-like subtly contoured body side. Conforming to this trend of car-like surface and detail treatment in combination with the SUV proportions is central to the appeal of the Captiva. In conjunction with the optional third row of seats and competitive perceived quality levels inside, these ingredients will enable it to make a lot of conquest sales. The only detractions are the cheap looking carpets, interior silver painted areas, and BMW X3 style body mouldings that run front to rear via the wheel arches and rockers.

The one unusual element is the side indicator repeater that is sited on the door mirror in high specification models and behind the front wheel on low specification models where there was otherwise a false air outlet vent.

It may not be the most exciting highlight of the show, but this is a very rational and well executed commercial design.

Citroen C-Airplay concept

This car made its debut at the Bologna show in December but Geneva was its first showing at a major international show. Unfortunately it was nonsensically displayed on its side behind a glass panel, but from what we could see this was one of the most interesting concept cars of the show.

Essentially it's a very small fun car with a single piece moulded red front seat, dramatically contoured for two occupants. At the rear are two bespoke child seats, a compact boot behind this and a rear window that slides down which, with the front targa panel removed, would give a very open car feel.

Set into the hubless steering wheel (which Citroen pioneered with the production C4) are analogue instrument dials – a real fun USP as well as an ergonomically successful solution.

It's hard to imagine seeing the Airplay concept making it to production given the recent launch of the C1, and not long before that the C2, but this was a refreshing design study nonetheless – just a shame you couldn't see it properly!

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Inovo Lirica concept

Inovo is not one of famous Italian design houses, but on the evidence of the Lirica shown at Geneva it deserves to be better known. The car is a large but very sporting four seat coupe; conceptually and dimensionally very similar to the Ferrari 612. It impresses most in its reserved yet unique and attractive design theme and its well resolved form language, particularly when compared to the uncomfortable 612. Along the flanks a swage line pulls up from the front wheel like the Mercedes CLS, fading at the rear wheel where a feature line whips up around the rear wheel arch.

Inside the lack of fine detailing or bright work to relieve the muted tones doesn't do justice to an otherwise unique concept that floats hi-tech elements upon a more classic and comfortable interior. The most notable elements are the hubless steering wheel and the digital instruments within it, free-floating displays on the passenger side, and the continuation of the hood line graphically through the doors, diving down to the rear wheels in a long arc.

If this car was a different colour and on a different stand it would have had a very different reception. As it was, it was one of the most overlooked designs of the show.

IED Haizea concept

Italian design school IED presented a full scale milled mockup of a joint project conducted with Lancia. The Haizea ('wind' in Basque) is a 4.7meter mid-engined vehicle with a strong cab-forward profile and electric motor assist for the front wheels. The side view is characterized by a long front overhang and lean-forward snout to the car, with a correspondingly short lean-forward rear overhang. Slim headlamps at the front are slung under the wide shoulder surface with twin air intakes directly underneath. Designed using mainly virtual methods, the final milled model (by Vercarmodel) was commendably finished to similar standards as some smaller exhibitors at the show.

The four-seater passenger compartment is designed around a longitudinal central spine onto which the seats and dashboard are mounted, the IP itself having a split 'T' theme, which is bridged by contrasting violet trim. This central spine can also move rearwards to absorb energy in a collision. Eleven post-graduate students collaborated on this project, under the project tutor Manuele Amprimo and it demonstrates the increasing professionalism that can be reached by leading transportation design schools today.

Spyker Peking-to-Paris concept

Netherlands-based Spyker is showing a large SUV concept that extends the brand into this 'must have' territory for a luxury maker. In the same way that, say, TVR have managed to develop a unique design language, so too have Spyker. The Peking to Paris picks up many cues from the flagship C12 model such as the 10-spoke propeller-style wheels and use of mesh grilles throughout. The big oval snout is surrounded by perforated slits and chromed airscoops sit on top of the hood to channel air into the front-mounted Bentley W12 engine. Barn-style doors are supported on amazingly delicate hinges and polished metal is used extensively throughout the design on the lower bodysides, cantrails and door mirrors.

Inside, the glass roof features a center spine supported by two perforated machined aluminium billets. The characteristic Spyker sliding rod gearshift dominates the center console, which also features yellow diamond-pattern stitched leather and machined aluminium finishes. In typical Spyker fashion it's all a bit overdone and overtly 'showy' but there's a wealth of fresh ideas here that challenge conventional automotive design thinking.

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