The Volvo V40 is perhaps the surprise of the show, coming across far better in the real than in the initial press shots. Things arguably get even better when you tug open one of its five doors and slip into its cabin.

Yes the IP architecture is perhaps a little overbearing but its detail execution is really impressive. The more you look and touch the deeper the sense of integrity. From the graphics in its digital gauge pack to its single piece metal door card accents via the lovely, bezel-less rear view mirror, in the best Swedish tradition this has the feeling of a product that will continue to quietly please over time.

By Owen Ready

Previously seen on the Citroen DS5, the cupshoulder is a gratuitous “swirl” at the end of the shoulder line, coming back towards to the front of the car and allowing for an abrupt  surface change that moves towards the rear of the car. This creates a small flat spot that seems like a perfect place to set down your roadside double espresso while making a cross-country (or cross-town) trip.

The cupshoulder on the Citroen DS5

On the Citroen, the swirl visually connects the shoulder crease to the C-pillar. On the Volvo, the swirl tenuously ties to the chrome-tipped tail fins of the P1800ES shooting brake. On both, we find it to be overly ornamental on designs that are otherwise quite well executed.

The cupshoulder on the Volvo V40

By Drew Meehan

By Owen Ready

But big, small, fat or thin, these four are our favourites (and yes, one is an outsized Audi).

Clockwise from top left: Volvo V40, Lamborghini Aventador J, Audi A1 quattro, Hyundai i-ioniq

By Owen Ready

It’s a difficult thing to judge, the 500L. The response of many at this show seems to be that this car is a jump too far for the 500 identity. But standing and really taking it in – and after talking extensively to Fiat Design Director Roberto Giolito – it certainly begins to make more sense. This is the first step in a wider strategy, that should lead to a much expanded 500 (and versatile Fiat) range. It also shows some of the first fruits (and logic) of the Fiat-Chrysler marriage.

Clearly, Fiat – like Mini – want a big share of the premium A/B/B+ market. And given the brand’s move back into the American market, a car with the 500′s identity but a lot more space is, as Giolito says the clinics confirmed, a bit of a no-brainer. Many designers we’ve spoken to quibbled with aspects of its execution though. It seems tall and teetering where the 500 hatch is planted and robust.

The volume over the rear wheel feels problematic, partly because the 17 inch wheels seem completely lost in the arch. Others felt that the robust, lower body qualities – which are reminiscent of the new Panda – didn’t work that well with the 500 facial graphics.

Yet when you understand that this platform will spawn Jeep derivatives and – more importantly a 4×4 Fiat variant, in the mold of an Audi Allroad – some of the design constraints become apparent.

Like the Mini Countryman, it’s one case where many designers will roll their eyes and talk wistfully of the model-line heritage… but where the market seems likely to lap up the product. It clearly makes good sense for the brand to use an identity which is seen as premium – and they can therefore charge more for.

We’ll reserve full judgement on the 500L then, until we understand it in the context of a wider strategy set to be unveiled over the next year. And until we’ve sat in and experienced the interior which was sadly locked on the second press day, because it’s not 100% production on the cars in Geneva.

By Joe Simpson

Here’s the most talked about aspect of the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta. Ferrari call it the ‘aero bridge’ and it’s supposed to be a device that integrates the best of Ferrari’s learning in the windtunnel while working on F1 cars. A lot of designers we’ve talked to have questioned how this system actually works, suggesting that they (and their engineers) can’t work out how this won’t generate lift. Yet earlier, when we spoke with Flavio Manzoni, he seemed more than confident about the device’s value, calmly quoting facts and figures about it, that made us suspect that it really could work. Here’s a picture from above, below and the side. What do you think?

Posted by Joe Simpson

By Joe Simpson

First – and perhaps most surprisingly – is the Volvo V40. The consensus on this car from most, seems to be that – in photos – they didn’t like it much. Yet in the metal it feels well judged for its market. It’s perhaps flattered by the A-class, which slightly underwhelms. Most importantly, it feels premium but genuinely ‘Volvo’ in quality. We particularly like the gauge pack.

Next is the Peugeot 208. It’s a real sign of Peugeot on the up and we’d put money on it being a massive sales hit (which the brand really needs). Many people think that the exterior is somewhat busy, but it’s a great improvement over the last generation 207 (and other guppy-mouthed Peugeots). But the real innovation’s on the inside. Where Peugeot’s extensive user research and determination to do something not only new – but better – really shines through.

And completing the triumvirate is the new Porsche Boxster. Evolutionary? Sure. Conceptually new? Of course not. But a beautifully judged, refined piece of design that moves the game on further than other recent ‘new’ Porsches? Yes. This design endows the car with a distinction of its own. That fails to come across in pictures, but it’s well judged and side-by-side with the 911 doesn’t feel as similar as it might first appear. The interior does borrow much from the 911 though – and is therefore a massive step up in quality. Easy to walk past and dismiss as ‘just another evolutionary Porsche’, it’s worth lingering longer over this Boxster.

Posted by Joe Simpson

After a long day walking around the Palexpo floor, I finally got my chance to track down the last of the bikes on show by a major manufacturer, the RADe from Opel. In the style of the Smart/Brabus bikes, the Opel is also a battery-powered two wheeler, although in a more sporting style that seems to be slightly contradictory to me.

Beautifully designed, the RADe is an extremely modern and sleek bike, with a more mountain bike layout than the others we’ve seen, but also cleverly integrating a plug-in battery pack and electric motor. I have to admit that this combination is a bit confusing to me, as electric-assisted bikes are typically more common for city riders lugging groceries or those in need of extra assistance, but the execution is flawless, bringing Opel’s design language into a vastly different format.

By Drew Meehan

The aventador has a likeable quality and is very well executed but there’s a sense that it lacks the shock, thrill and awe that a true Lamborghini ought to have. The company appear to have rectified that this year with the Aventador J – a ‘more than’ spider version of the Aventador, with the wildness turned up a notch. It works really rather well, the hooked scorpion’s tail, or ‘J’ motif consistently repeated throughout and the application of carbon teaching the tuner boys a thing or two. Welcome back raging bull.

Posted by Joe Simpson