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<strong>Spotlight</strong> on GenevaBy Matthew Beattie75What better way to celebrate this special 30 th anniversary of Swiss News than with a look atthis year’s Geneva Auto Salon? Certainly, there was no shortage of great cars to choose from:250 exhibitors and 700 brands – not to mention over 100 vehicles making their debut.Europe’s largest and most prestigious motor show gave few signs of the economically torridtimes being experienced in many EU countries – although the quirky and now bankruptSwedish manufacturer Saab was notable in its absence. For many manufacturers, boomingsales in the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) economies have more than compensatedfor depressed figures in Europe and the US.Geneva’s Auto Salon has always been considered a barometer of the latest automotivetrends. This year, there were plenty of zero- and low-emissions to choose from butsurprisingly, powerful, large-engined cars were also back in abundance. From the V12 AstonMartin Zagato, to the latest incarnation of the Porsche Boxter, there was plenty to getpetrolheads’ pulses racing.CAR OF THE YEAR 2012 – Opel AmperaFor the first time, the Geneva Auto Salon was the venuefor unveiling this year’s European Car of the Year. Morethan 50 of Europe’s top automotive journalists chosefrom a shortlist of seven nominees, including the RangeRover Evoque, the Ford Focus and the Citroen DS5, toelect the innovative Opel Ampera as this year’s winner.The Opel Ampera is a fully electric family saloon thatovercomes the biggest shortcoming of all electric cars –namely, their limited range – by incorporating an onboardpetrol-powered ‘range extender’ for topping up thebatteries. This 1.4-litre engine doesn’t drive the wheels,but works solely as an onboard generator, giving the Voltthe sort of range you can expect from a conventional car,but delivering fuel economy of just 1.2 litres / 100 km.More information: www.opel.chLand Rover’s vision for the futureThe Land Rover Defender is one of the most enduringdesigns in automotive history. It may have evolved overthe years – incorporating advances in comfort, enginetechnology, braking and safety – but in principle, thisiconic off-roader has changed little since the Series 1 firstappeared in 1948.Around two-thirds of all the examples ever produced arestill in use today. But where some of the world’s toughestterrain has failed to finish these workhorses, EUregulations are set to succeed. Tighter Europeanpedestrian-impact and emissions legislation will forceLand Rover to finally cease production of the Defender in2015.This concept – first shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show,and named the DC100 – looks set to be its replacement.The DC100 is still a long way from production, but theexample on show in Geneva certainly drew the crowds.Less certain is whether Land Rover’s current Defendercustomers will feel the same way about it.