2014 Geneva Motor Show: Top cars

The 2014 Geneva Motor Show is underway in Switzerland, and with it has come the release of almost two dozen new cars destined to go into production, and quite a few concept cars and design exercises. While more than a handful will never hit North American streets, we thought it'd be fun to round up our top 21 Geneva Motor Show debuts, and to break down for you which might see American shores

Audi S1 Quattro

Audi's baby A1 gets some big power at the Geneva Motor Show. Paying tribute to the legendary '80s Audi Quattro, the Audi S1 Quattro sees the littlest Audigetting all-wheel drive, a 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 making 231 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, and a racy-looking body kit. Audi says the S1 Quattro can accelerate from 0-62 mph in 5.8 seconds, but we suspect given more abusive launching methods, a faster acceleration time can be had.

Audi TT

The third-generation Audi TT has arrived. Though it certainly looks more conservative than the TT sports cars that it follows, the new TT gets a truly revolutionary interior design. The TT forgoes the usual busy center stack that most modern cars get in favor of a single digital display mounted right in front of the driver in the instrument panel. The new layout gives the TT's interior a clean, uncluttered look that harkens back to the good ol' days when your car wasn't expected to check your Facebook or make dinner reservations for you.

BMW 2 Series Active Tourer

Well, this is a departure for BMW. The automaker that for decades eschewed front-wheel drive has just created its first front-drive car. The confusingly named 2 Series Active Tourer has more in common with the new 2014 Mini Cooper Hatch than the rear-drive 2 Series currently on sale in the U.S. The minivan-ish Active Tourer is powered by a 134-hp 1.5-liter turbocharged I-3, a 228-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4, or a 148-hp 2.0-liter turbodiesel I-4

Ferrari California T

The last Ferrari to feature the letter "T" in its name was the Ferrari Mondial T. While you'd be hard-pressed to find an enthusiast who didn't think the "T" stood for "Terrible," it actually stood for "Transverse." The new Ferrari California T fortunately doesn't have that problem, as the "T" stands for "Turbos," and turbos are always good in our book. The new California T gets sexy new sheetmetal wrapped around a new 3.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 making 552 hp and 557 lb-ft of torque.

Honda Civic Type-R Concept

Honda was aiming to create a racecar for the road with the new Euro-spec Civic Type-R Concept. The European version of the Civic certainly looks to have more guts than the U.S.-spec Civic Si. Based on the Civic World Touring Car race car, the Civic Type-R Concept is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4, making more than 275 hp.

Jeep Renegade

The new Fiat-Chrysler merger is paying off already. Designed in America and to be built in Italy, the all-new Jeep Renegade is the Jeep version of Italy's beloved Fiat Panda 4x4. Designed to replace both the Jeep Compass and Patriot, the new Renegade comes with a variety of engine, transmission, and drivetrain options. The base engine will be the Fiat 500L's 1.4-liter turbocharged I-4 making 160 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque, while the Dodge Dart's 2.4-liter 184-hp and 177 lb-ft of torque I-4 is optional. A six-speed manual is standard, and a nine-speed automatic is optional. The Renegade comes in front-wheel, all-wheel, or four-wheel drive. The new babyJeep is off-road Trail Rated in Renegade Trailhawk form.

Koenigsegg Agera One:1

Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg released their wildest Agera yet at the Geneva show. The Koenigsegg Agera One:1 is so-named because its engine produces one metric horsepower for every kilogram it weighs. That means its 5.0-liter twin-turbo V-8's 1321 hp only has to move 2954 pounds of Swedish steel (well, carbon fiber, actually). Koenigsegg says that's enough to give the Agera One:1 an estimated 275 mph top speed, which if verified, would make the Swedish sensation the fastest production car in the world.

Lamborghini Huracan

The all-new Lamborghini Huracan (officially — Lamborghini set this straight — pronounced ooo-rah-khan) is a big deal for Lambo, as it replaces theGallardo — the best-selling Lamborghini of all-time. The new Huracan certainly looks the part of the "entry-level" Lamborghini. With Aventador-like styling and a mid-mounted engine, the Huracan certainly promises to live up to high expectations. The Huracan is powered by a new 5.2-liter V-10 making 610 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque

Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Autobiography Dynamic

The pedantically-named Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Autobiography Dynamic is a key piece in Jaguar-Land Rover's goals of increasing sales worldwide. Considering how well-received theEvoque was in 2012 (it was the Motor Trend SUV of the year that year), offering a sportier version of the Evoque is a smart move by Land Rover. The Evoque Autobiography Dynamic gets a slightly more powerful 2.0-liter turbo-4, which now makes 281 hp, a new nine-speed automatic transmission, and upgraded braking hardware. Unique trim and body panels complete the look.

Maserati Alfieri Concept

The beautiful Maserati Alfieri Concept is Maserati's way of paying tribute to the past 100 years, while still looking forwards to the next 100 years. Based on theGranTurismo MC Stradale, the Alfieri is a 2+2 sports car with styling lines that subtly pay tribute to the 1954 A6 GCS. The Alfieri is expected to go into production in a few years' time with a 454-hp 4.7-liter Ferrari-built V-8 under the hood.

Mazda Hazumi Concept

The pint-sized Mazda Hazumi Concept is a thinly-veiled preview for the next-generation Mazda2. The Hazumi wears Mazda's new design language, with a sporty cab-rearward design, and short overhangs. Like the new Mazda3, the Hazumi will likely be loaded with tech and active safety features when it goes into production as the Mazda2.

McLaren 650S

The McLaren 650S is what happens when McLaren's best engineers set out to take down the gorilla of the segment — the Ferrari 458 Speciale. Based on the McLaren 12C, the McLaren 650S gets the McLaren P1 hypercar's front end styling, and a more powerful version of the 12C's 3.8-liter twin-turbo V-8. The 650S is faster, lighter, and more capable than the 12C that it slots in above. McLaren is going out of its way to say it's more livable every day than the Ferrari, too.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe

The Mercedes-Benz CL-Class is dead and the newMercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe is set to replace it. The S-Class Coupe rides on a smaller version of the S-Class Sedan's platform, and features the low greenhouse, swept-back roofline, and high beltline buyers of luxury coupes expect. The inside of the S-Class Coupe looks just as luxurious as the outside. Buyers of the Edition 1 model will even get 47 Swarovski crystals embedded into the headlight housings. How's that for luxury?

Opel / Vauxhall Adam S

Opel and Vauxhall's stylish little Adam city car gets sportier at this year's Geneva show. The Opel Adam S gets sporty suspension, braking, and steering hardware, as well as more power. That extra power comes in the form of a 1.4-liter turbo I-4 making 148 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque. Mated to a six-speed manual transmission, the new engine and performance gear will likely be more than enough to give the Adam a little extra zip

Renault Twingo

You've got to give it up to the French when it comes down to making funky cars. While most small city cars are powered by conventional front-mounted four-cylinder engines driving the front-wheels, the all-new Renault Twingo is powered by a 0.9-liter turbocharged I-3 mounted underneath the rear cargo area, which of course means the rear-mounted engine drives the rear wheels. That makes the new Twingo the spiritual successor of sorts to the originalVolkswagen Beetle.

Subaru Viziv 2 Concept

This year's Geneva show marks the third timeSubaru has shown off its Viziv crossover hybrid concept. The Viziv 2 sees the Subaru concept gaining two rear doors and a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain. The all-wheel drive Subaru Viziv 2 concept is powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged I-4 mated to an electric motor and CVT that drives the front wheels, and two rear electric motors responsible for driving the back wheels

Opel / Vauxhall Astra OPC / VXR EXTREME

If you like taking things to the EXTREME then Opel and Vauxhall have got the hot hatch for you. The Opel Astra OPC EXTREME (Vauxhall Astra VXR EXTREME in the U.K.) sports a turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 making over 300 hp, EXTREME weight savings (thanks to the use of carbon fiber), and an EXTREME-looking body kit, making the hotted-up Astra perfect for track days, or just generally pissing off your neighbors.

Volkswagen Golf GTE

The beloved Volkswagen Golf GTI is no longer the only hot hatch in V-dub's Golf portfolio. After adding the diesel-powered Golf GTD to the family in the last generation, VW introduced the hybrid Golf GTE at this year's Geneva show. The Golf GTE is a plug-in hybrid hot hatch powered by a 1.4-liter turbo-4 and an electric motor. Total system power output is 201 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. The Golf GTE has an all-electric range of 31 miles.

Volkswagen Scirocco

Volkswagen chose Geneva to reveal an updated Scirocco, so we're choosing this list to remind VW that we want the Scirocco in America. Badly. The updated VW Scirocco is even prettier than the last, and it gets more power than before. We can't help but think the 276-hp VW Scirocco R would make a great halo car for Volkswagen if the auto giant would bring the damn thing to America.

Volvo Concept Estate

The Volvo Concept Estate proves two things: thatVolvo is on a roll when it comes to styling, and that it's excellent at pandering to automotive journalists, who all have an unhealthy love for brown two-door station wagons. Seriously, something's wrong with us. The Concept Estate — technically a shooting brake — is a beautiful design exercise from Sweden that pays homage to Volvo classics like the P1800.