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Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
@ytimesmotoring
10:20 AM 24th February 2020
cars

It’s Geneva Motor Show Time

 
My love of motor shows goes back to my youth. I can still recall the excitement of my annual trip to the Earl’s Court extravaganza and would leave laden with brochures which would keep me in bedtime reading for weeks.

I am still as enthusiastic as ever but now must journey further afield to get my fix.

Next month’s Geneva show will mark the 90th anniversary and it promises to be better than ever. I will be live on social media throughout the first press day on 3rd March, so follow me on Twitter (@YTimesMotoring) or Instagram (ytimesmotoring).

However, why not consider making a trip yourself?
The Palexpo venue is situated adjacent to the city’s main airport and a brisk 10-minute stroll will see you at the doors. Cough up 16 Swiss Francs and an exciting day awaits.

Easyjet operates daily flights from both Manchester and Liverpool, the latter offering an early flight out and a late return, thus removing the need to spend the night in what is an expensive city.

If you do fancy turning the trip into a minibreak, then the cheapest hotels can be found just over the border in France. However, taxis are quite dear and public transport to la belle France somewhat convoluted.

Cross my palm with silver and I might reveal my favourite cheap central Geneva hotel, though it is somewhat odd!

In order to get the most out of the day, may I offer a few suggestions:
Comfy shoes are a must. There’s a lot of walking to be done.
Ditch your coat in a cloakroom and wear light clothing. The halls get extremely hot.
Download a map and plan to ensure you don’t miss anything.
There are plenty of eateries for hot or cold lunches.
Keep hydrated and maybe try to grab a free coffee or ice cream.
If you’re after freebies, don’t forget a backpack.
Take some Swiss Francs, not Euros. There are cash machines if required.

The organisers state that there will be over 900 cars to see and 150 world and European premières.

I’m keen to check out Aston Martin’s new Vantage Roadster and a wander around McLaren’s stand is always a petrolhead’s delight.

Ferrari’s new entry level Roma 2+2 will be on display for the first time and it is worth joining the queue to gain entry to the somewhat exclusive stand.

Audi will be showing us its new A3 and the new Kia Sorento will interest family car buyers.

Mercedes-Benz will showcase the new GLA, whilst Skoda has the latest version of its popular Octavia to display.
Unsurprisingly, electric cars will feature heavily and at last the new Honda E and MINI Electric will be able to be seen in production-ready form. Neither are cheap, but both ooze desirability.

Sadly, Jaguar Land Rover has chosen to give Geneva a miss, but they are not alone. Volvo, Nissan, PSA and Ford amongst others will be absent.

For the first time, the show will offer visitors the unique opportunity to get behind the wheel. Hall 7 will boast a 456-metre indoor circuit. There will be a choice of 50 vehicles from 15 leading carmakers. However, to be in with a chance of a drive, you must visit the show’s official app in order to win one of the 10-minute Discovery Drives which will be raffled off.

To purchase tickets in advance and to prepare for a visit, www.gims.swiss is the website to visit.