Concept cars to be unveiled at Geneva show

The new Vauxhall Vectra, a high-performance Ferrari and a host of innovative concept cars will be among models unveiled for the first time at this week’s Geneva Motor Show.

The Vectra, which goes on sale in the UK in June, is wider and longer than its predecessors.

The new Ferrari at Geneva will be the 575M Maranello, which features a Formula One-style gearbox and 5.75 litre engine. The car goes on sale in the UK this summer.

Also on sale in the UK soon in the late spring is the Citroen C8 people carrier, which gets its world debut at Geneva. It is longer, taller and wider than the Citroen Synergie, which it will replace.

Daewoo will be showing off its five-door hatchback Kalos, which will compete with the likes of the Ford Fiesta and Peugeot 206 and which goes on sale in the UK next year.

Among concept cars on display are the Saab ‘‘cross-over coupe’’ the 9-3X, Peugeot’s two RC coupes, and BMW’s CS1, which is being described as a blueprint for the German companies new 1-series expected to be introduced in 2004.

Spanish company Seat is unveiling its new Ibiza which goes on sale in the UK in May, and a high-performance sports car, the Leon Cupra R which will reach UK showrooms in the late summer.

The show opens on Tuesday with a press preview day, with the public being admitted from March 7-17.