The 86th 2016 Geneva Motor Show, with its 700,000 visitors, demonstrates once again that the car is and will remain not just a way to travel but also an irreplaceable pleasure.
Geneva offers a great variety this year from the very famillial Renault Scenic to the powerful Bugatti Chiron, from the Opel Mokka to the Maserati Levante, and niche SUVs like the Land Rover cabriolet. Many interesting new cars were presented, including Audi Q2, Mercedes E-Class (lighting system profiled in this week’s news) the Toyota C-HR, Seat Ateca, Peugeot 2008, and models from Kia, Subaru, Škoda, and Jaguar.
About lighting, the four takeaway points I immediately retain from my visit are:
- Reduction of the height of headlamps on most of all concept cars. Examples: the DS Etense, the Italdesign, the Peugeot Fructal, and the Pinifarina;
- Confirmation of the endless use of DRL becoming as important for style and function, with new examples including Honda CR-V, Opel Mokka, VW Tiguan, and the Volvo range;
- Emphasising the high technology of the car through the headlamps and rear lamps as with Honda TypeR, Audi Q2, Renault Scenic and Hyundai Ionic;
- Accentuation of the styling of the rear lights with increased dimensions. I very much like the double boomerang of the Astra Tourer, and the Lexus LF-LC with its double-L.
I would like to congratulate Opel’s Ingolf Schneider for the job done to convince his project directors to use more and more the last lighting innovations. After the Astra, elected at Geneva the car of the year, with its matrix light, we have at Geneva the Mokka with its innovative and attractive full-LED headlamp.
Sincerely yours
DVN Editor in Chief