Exotic supercars at the Geneva show turned the dial to 11

Whether cylinders, wings, kilowatts or dollars, the numbers were crazy for the Geneva motor show’s superstars.

Renowned as the launchpad of exotic supercars, the Geneva show did not disappoint in 2019.

Lamborghini presented drop-top versions of its V10-powered Huracan Evo and V12-powered Aventador SVJ.

Lamborghini Huracan EVO Spyder

Ferrari unveiled its new F8 Tributo, effectively a facelifted version of the two-seat 488 GTB.

Former Ferrari stylist Pininfarina plans to score points against the prancing horse with its Battista coupe that combines 1400kW of electric power with sinuous styling. Pininfarina claims the new machine can reach 100km/h in less than two seconds, out-dragging a Formula 1 car.

Ferrari F8 Tributo

Porsche’s new 911 Cabriolet reminded us why a coupe roofline is core to the model’s appeal. The brand was more interested in talking about its coming Taycan electric car than anything currently in production.

Porsche 911 Cabriolet

The future looks bright for Aston Martin, which showed off its alternative to mid-engine supercars with a V6-powered Vanquish concept tipped to take on Ferrari’s F8. Borrowing styling cues from the out-of-this-world Valkyrie, the aluminium-bodied coupe will sit beneath a freshly announced V6 hybrid with a carbon-fibre chassis and aerodynamic features plucked from the flagship hypercar.

Aston Martin Vanquish Vision Concept

Not to be outdone, McLaren pushed into altogether faster territory with its Australia-bound, 400km/h Speedtail hypercar (bottom right). Shunning the trend toward over-tyred, high-downforce racetrack escapees, the Speedtail brings gloriously simple lines — and a three-seat cockpit with the driver placed front and centre, as in the original McLaren F1.

McLaren Speedtail Concept

It takes something special to steal attention from a twin-turbo hybrid V8 with 722kW of power but the Speedtail’s magic carbon tail did exactly that — the ailerons above its tail-lamps change shape seamlessly.

There’s nothing subtle about the aerodynamics wrought by British motorsport specialist Ginetta, which rolled up with a new Akula supercar merging a powerful front-mounted V8 engine with more wings than a KFC family deal.

Ginetta Akula

Koenigsegg showed similar levels of restraint with a new Jesko supercar taking aim at 480km/h with the help of a stupendous 1193kW V8, new nine-speed automatic transmission and a blend of active aero and clever suspension

Koenigsegg Jesko

Bugatti didn’t crow about performance numbers attached to the La Voiture Noire, a rebodied Chiron coupe said to have cost its sole customer in the mid-$20 millions.

Bugatti La voiture Noire

The most expensive new car at Geneva — or anywhere in the world today — combined rakish looks (and more than a dash of retro charm) with 3D-printed wheels and six massive exhaust pipes.