Today is

By: Ikedi Ani-okoye

Geneva for the first European

Comparatively compact show, and Europe's only annual motoring extravaganza, Geneva traditionally hosts a number of interesting debuts, This year was no different. Here are some of the highlights... Saab: sensible, safe, serious? Not any more. The Swedish firm, now part of the GM empire, chose last month's Geneva Motor Chow to flex a few muscles and add sex appeal to the list. The Aero-X is an extreme concept, a two-setter powered by a 400 bhp, twin turbocharged V6 and sitting on a four-wheel drive chassis.

Doesn't have doors, as such, either. Instead, the whole canopy hinges forward like on a fighter jet, further underlining Saab's aeronautical heritage, While Aero-X is undeniably sexy, Mab cannot leave all those traditional standards behind. The serious side of Aero-X are its proper green credentials: the engine is designed te run on 100 per cent pure bioenthanol. whether it makes it into production is a question saab was unwilling to answer.

Probably not, as it stands, but expect to see elements of the design in the (ortheoming 9-5. The only green element of the latest Rolls-Royce concept -the 101 EX - is that it'll make others green with envy should it make it to full production. Created n on a shortened version of the leviathan Phantorn, 101 EX (as an experiment) it is effectively a coupé version of the fonhcoming Corniche convertible, complete with rear-hinged doors. Although officially dubbed a concept - and unve led at Geneva by British GP hero Jenson Button - Honda's Civic Type-R is said to be very close to the Onal production version.

Powered by a new 197 bhp 2.0-litre engine, the potentType-R is due on sale in early 2007. Although it is a good 25 bhp less powerful than the rival Ford Focus ST and almost 40 bhp behind the Vauxhall Astra VXR, Honda is confident its lightweigf1C construction means it won't lose out at the traffic light Grand Prix.

We'll have to wait to see. It's not all concepts at Geneva, of course, and there were a number ot new cars launched. While Saab was going whacky, Volvo was playing it straight with the launch of the new S80 saloon. At least they said it was new, though it looked pretty similar to the outgoing version. Nothing wrong with the car, if you like that sort of thing, but it is remarkably close in size, shape and target audience to the S60 saloon. With the S40 looking after the mid market