The Tata Nano has been making automotive waves for some time now, what with a ‘world’s cheapest car’ tag burdening every news story about it – like this one. Geneva saw the European version unveiled for the first time.

What’s all the fuss about?

The original Nana is a box sitting on four wheels, basically, and will sell for just over 2,000 in order to motorise India. However, this Europa version is different: Euro safety laws and our higher expectations demand that the Nano be filled with safety and comfort kit, as well as a bigger engine.

What makes it so green?

The two-cylinder engine of the original Nano is ditched for the European spec version, in favour of a three-cylinder petrol unit. There are no proper statistics yet, but Tata assures us it will still post a sub-100g/km CO₂ figure and it follows that its fuel economy will be pretty brilliant too. Of course, it’s not as light as the Indian version, with its dual airbags, bigger wheels, bigger brakes and ESP – but then you wouldn’t want to crash that one, either.

When can I buy one?

Probably in around two year’s time. The Nano goes on sale in India in March, but this Europa version is still in development. Actually, the slightly chunkier stance of our edition makes the Nano look more like a proper car and less a child’s play thing, which is good, but the Indian firm will have to make sure it’s very cheap to prompt wallet-opening at Tata dealerships in 2011.

Mark Nichol

The highly important Geneva Motor Show still rages on (March 12, 2009), so it’s time to round up the five most interesting new pieces of technology on display in Switzerland. They vary from scarcely believable to something you can buy later this year. Read on.

1 Koenigsegg NLV Quant | View gallery

In Geneva, the Koenigsegg stand usually features a pair of its mighty, Bugatti-beating supercars, but this year half the stand was taken up by the NLV Quant concept. Covered in photovoltaic cells and featuring a ‘Flow Accumulator Energy Storage’ system in place of a conventional battery this electric machine can allegedly be charged in just 15 minutes for a 500km range (roughly 310 miles). It’s quick too, with a 170mph top speed and 5.2-second 0-62mph time. It is a Koenigsegg after all…

2 Volvo C30 Multi-Fuel | View pic

The proliferation of different fuel types is a potential minefield for the green minded motorist. Volvo is offering an answer with its C30 Multifuel though. This green-tinted three-door has the potential to run on natural gas, bio-gas, bio-ethanol (E85) and good old petrol. If only it managed diesel too you’d never again need to look at which pump you’re picking up at the filling station.

3 Ferrari Actiflow | View gallery

Ferrari is showing a mega-money 599XX development model on its Geneva stand that features active aerodynamics to reduce drag and lift. The Actiflow system uses fans, porous materials and jets of air to manage the airflow around specific areas of the car, the result being less drag. That’s both good for performance and economy. Still in its infancy, it’s some pretty tricky stuff, which may reach Ferrari’s production cars sooner than you might think.

4 Low rolling resistance tyres | View pic

Tyres. They grip right? There’s more to it than that, the humble tyre an extremely sophisticated piece of equipment on modern cars. With CO₂ emissions and fuel consumption at the forefront of everyone’s thoughts tyres now need to grip but also provide low-rolling resistance – energy and fuel-sapping friction between the road and the tyre. The tyre manufacturers have stepped up too, Goodyear showing a new EfficientGrip tyre that manages a claimed 15% better rolling resistance, 3% better wet grip and braking distances and 25% more kilometres.

5 Hubless wheels | View pic

Sbarro returns to Geneva this year with his hub-less wheel, this time in his Orbital Hybrid. Mating electric and petrol power together in a wheel without hubs might seem pointless, but it allows more effective packaging, as there’s no need for driveshafts and separate gearboxes. Sbarro isn’t the only one pursuing wheels containing drive systems, Michelin showing off its Active Wheel, which houses a motor, suspension and braking all within the wheel’s rim.

(Extra images by United Pictures)

Kyle Fortune

This has been one of the most hotly debated and spy-shot cars of the past year, as eager Beemer fans have tried to glean exactly what madness the Bavarian maker was planning for the next 5 Series. Well, it is a bit mad…

What’s all the fuss about?

The Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo shows us the face of the next 5 Series, which was always going to be interesting, but it also reveals BMW’s latest soiree into a brand-new market segment. It’s so new it doesn’t even have an official name yet, but as it’s a cross between a saloon, a hatchback, an SUV and an estate, finding that name is probably going to be tricky. The back end is where the action is: the split opening tailgate makes the GT a saloon or a hatch, depending how you open it (just like the Skoda Superb).

Anything that stands out?

On paper, and in the metal, it looks both odd and strangely compelling in equal measure. It will cost around £2k more than an equivalent 5 Series Touring, but it has masses of useable and flexible space – with as much rear legroom for two as a 7 Series – and a rear bench that slides fore and aft to create more cargo space. There’s a 430-litre boot, extending to 1,650 with the seats folded. It also has a raised driving position – somewhere between an X5 and a standard 5 Series, offering greater visibility and safety without the 4×4’s bulk. In theory, anyway.

When can I buy one?

The show car on display at Geneva is virtually identical to the production version that will hit the stands at Frankfurt later this year, but it won’t go on sale until 2010. It’s pitched as a proper luxury car – though not quite a 7 Series – so it will be priced as such, and powered by six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines capable of pulling people and cargo effortlessly. So, if pricing starts at anything less than £35,000 we’d be surprised.

(Extra images by United Pictures)

Mark Nichol

Because small cars are increasingly becoming fashion trinkets – thanks in no small part to the Fiat 500 itself – no self-respecting one would be without a convertible version. So here’s the 500C, a city car with a very big sunroof.

What’s all the fuss about?

Fiat has gone against the grain and followed in the footsteps of its past by not making a conventional convertible version of the cheeky little 500. Instead, it has opted for a sliding roof that sits on top of the boot opening like a pram roof. That means it keeps its roof pillars (so it stays safe and rigid), but owners can have all the fresh air or rain they’ll ever need.

What makes it so green?

It’s powered by the same three engines as the standard hatchback: 1.2- and 1.4-litre petrol units and a 1.3-litre turbodiesel – and like the hatch it also gets Fiat’s newly introduced Start&Stop technology, which stops the engine when it’s idling at traffic lights and things. That means it’s cleaner than the average supermini – especially in traffic jams.

When can I buy one?

It goes on sale in spring, so quite soon, and you can bet that if you take your fashionable self to a Fiat dealership and try to place a deposit right now you won’t be turned away. There is likely to be a reasonable price hike over an equivalent hatch. Buyers can also specify one of two unique shades of red or grey.

Mark Nichol

Our final round-up from the 2009 Geneva Motor Show is of the crazy fast supercars on display. Those with a top speed of much less than 220mph need not apply! Given that today is Friday the 13th of March, let’s call it Lucky Fast Friday. Our five challengers are only for the lucky few anyway…

1 Gumpert Apollo Speed | View pic

From the beauty of the Zonda to the beastly looks of the Gumpert Apollo Speed. The name says it all, the Speed a 217mph machine powered by a turbocharged Audi powerplant. Even with some styling revisions it’s not at all pretty, but if going fast is all you’re interested in then this machine could be just the thing.

2 Koenigsegg CCX Edition | View pic

Most of the interest in the Koenigsegg stand is focussed on the Quant electric concept, but there’s a CCX Edition on display in Geneva too. It’s capable of more than 250mph, making it the top speed daddy in Switzerland.

3 Brabus Bullit | View gallery

This four-door saloon might look a touch out of place alongside the sleek supercars elsewhere on this list, but the Brabus Bullit deserves its place in the top speed gang. A heavily modified C-Class Mercedes, the Bullit has a V12 bi-turbo engine with 720bhp enabling it to reach a scarcely believable 224mph. We bet that it’s quite scary when it does so.

4 Pagani Zonda R | View pic

This one’s for the racetrack only, which makes its 217mph top speed look even more impressive. That’s because there’s lots of downforce to push it onto the track and that means it has to work doubly hard to reach its top speed. Forget all that though and instead pore over the exceptional detailing of the Zonda R; it’s surely one of the most exquisitely built cars in the world.

5 Aston Martin One-77 | View gallery

Although Aston has yet to release actual performance figures for its jaw-dropping One-77 supercar, we feel confident that it’ll not fall too short of the other 200mph machines featured here. This will be thanks in part to the car’s advanced lightweight construction, but also its mighty 6.0-litre V12 engine that chucks 700bhp at the rear wheels. Our estimate is a touch more than 200mph and 0-62mph in less than four seconds. Who cares anyway, as the Aston is one of the best-looking supercars to ever grace a show stand.

Kyle Fortune

Subaru enthusiasts will be pleased to learn that sticker prices for naturally aspirated models of the 2011 Impreza climb only $30 over 2010 levels. The cars are powered by a 2.5-liter flat-four engine rated at 170 hp. There are two new color choices for 2011: Marine blue pearl and sky blue metallic. All models but the base 2.5i trim receive a new six-speaker sound system with Bluetooth and USB connectivity. The ‘11 Imprezas reach Subaru dealerships in July.

The Impreza 2.5i starts at $18,220 in sedan and $18,720 in five-door hatchback configuration. Upgrading to the 2.5i Premium costs $19,220 for a sedan or $19,720 for a hatchback, which adds 16-inch alloy wheels and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter. The new Special Edition package, $500, includes heated front seats, fog lights, and a sunroof.

Finally, the hatchback-only Impreza Outback Sport stickers at $20,720. It builds on the 2.5i Premium trim with 17-inch wheels, raised suspension, fog lights, heated seats, and a cargo tray. For 2011, the Sport adds single-color red and green paint schemes to supplement the car’s usual two-tone appearance.

We celebrate the standouts at the 400-, 500-, and 600-hp milestones.

“Horsepower wars” might be the most overused phrase in automotive journalism (aside from “award-winning 3-series”). Like most abused terminology, it’s a little inaccurate, reflecting some laziness on the part of the user. In a war, there are battles; there are strategies, movements, fronts. What we’ve been experiencing since the late 1990s is more of a horsepower revolution, a wholesale overthrow of slow by maniacal power-mongers. It doesn’t matter what type of car you’re building or what segment of the market you’re playing in, there’s ludicrous horsepower everywhere. (Go ahead, check the bottom of your shoe. Aw, you stepped in horsepower.)

Keep Reading: The 600 Club: A Celebration of Horsepower – Feature

Roundel fans, mark your calendars. This Thursday, BMW will announce a limited-edition M3 for U.S. buyers. To whet our M-car-loving appetites, the company has released three teaser images of the new car. The above shot shows the 19-inch wheels that come with the M3’s new-for-2011 Competition Package, so expect the special edition to be based on an M3 so equipped. The package also means a 0.4-inch suspension drop plus reprogrammed stability control and electronic damping.

Also unique is a black-and-red two-tone leather interior, a mix of two colors offered on the standard M3. The shots are all of a coupe, so we’re guessing this is a two-door-only affair. Come back Thursday for the full story and to find out what, if any, other changes BMW has in store.

A new warranty program from Cadillac called Premium Care Maintenance will provide free maintenance for four years/50,000 miles for model-year 2011 vehicles. The program covers oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacement, and multipoint inspections. The coverage supplements the brand’s five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and will debut with the 2011 CTS later this summer. Similar maintenance programs are offered by Jaguar, BMW, and other manufacturers.

We also noted that Caddy says it “will provide owners of all 2011 models with frequently required maintenance services.” The cars will frequently require maintenance? Sounds like a great opportunity to make friends with your GM service manager.