Geneva teaser round-up: Hyundai, Kia, Peugeot, Skoda

There’s been a positive flood of pre-show reveals from manufacturers as the Geneva show approaches; the current PR technique seems to be to try to garner extra publicity by trickling out material before the event, contrasting to the classic motor show style in which everything was deeply secret until a sheet was whipped away to reveal the new car. They vary from single sketches and dimly-lit detail shots to full press packs, but here are the latest four:

Hyundai has sent out two detail pictures of what it promises is a dynamic new specification of SUV with “motorsport-influenced details inside and out”. With a new 48v hybrid powertrain, the model is said to be the start of much more to come from the brand’s European range.

Kia has been even more frugal with the photography, foreshadowing the launch of its electric concept car with just one moody front-on image. There’s an obvious nod to the brand’s ‘tiger nose’ signature grille shape in the LED strip and a hint of some bulging haunches, and the now-obligatory concept car rear view cameras, but we’ll have to wait until the show to see the rest.

However, they did release a quote from Vice President of Design for Kia Motors Europe, Gregory Guillaume: “We imagined designing an all-electric car that not only answered consumer concerns around range, performance, recharging networks and driving dynamism, but one that also gave you goose bumps when you looked at it, and made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up when you drove it,” explained Guillaume. “That’s why our all-electric concept is designed to not only get your pulse racing, but to also signpost our holistic and emotional approach to electrification.”

So, a performance-biased EV then. Stinger-based, maybe? We’ll see.

Peugeot, contrarily, released an enormous amount of images and information on their 508 Peugeot Sport Engineered concept – possibly explained by the fact that it’s actually just a mildly warmed-over and bodykitted version of the already familiar 508 hybrid. The improvements are largely in the powertrain, with some aero enhancements to the front valance and rear diffuser, and an interior heavy on Alcantara and carbon fibre underlines its status as a performance special edition. Still, with a corporate commitment to EVs across its entire range by 2023 this is obviously a stepping stone to the future.

Skoda were the sole manufacturer from this latest batch of teasers to send out a sketch, and it’s a rather lovely rendering of the interior of the Czech firm’s Geneva show concept, the Vision iV. The concept, which will be based on the VAG group’s MEB skateboard-style EV platform (like VW’s playful buggy, also due to premiere at Geneva) has been teased previously with exterior sketches, but this interior shows an interesting layered effect, with plenty of ribbed wood and free-standing screens. It’s a rather artistic rendering, however, so let’s see what it looks like in reality (incidentally, can we ban the word ‘Vision’ now? It seems to have been rather overused for concept cars lately).

One more quick Skoda teaser popped up on Twitter, where they dropped an image of the new LED headlamps on the Kamiq. “The headlamp lenses with crystalline effects and LED units enhance the car’s premium appeal,” said the company. Well, there’s certainly quite a lot going on there. Again, we’ll know more when we see them in situ.

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