1999 Geneva Motor Show Photos & Coverage

BENTLEY HUNAUDIERES CONCEPT
A recent addition to VW's war chest, the British marque lost no time in reclaiming its Le Mans heritage with a mid-engine luxo-racer one-off. But the Hunaudieres (named after a French town near Mulsanne) was made in Germany, not England; and the sonorous bellow of turbo fours that powered Bentley winners in the '20s find no echo in the banshee wail of VW's experimental 8.0-liter/623-horse W-16 (four banks of four cylinders), which got a quick rev during the press preview. Time--and Bentley's critical clientele--will ultimately decide the fate of the Hunaudieres, although some of its technology could end up on other future Bentley production models.

ASTON MARTIN DB7 VANTAGE/VOLANTE
Aston Martin's Geneva presence centered around hot DB7 Vantage and Vantage Volante models powered by a unique 6.0-liter V-12. Loosely based on the pairing of two Ford Duratec V-6s, this engine may one day also transfer to the Lincoln marque--albeit with less than the 420 horsepower it develops here. Handmade by Cosworth Technology, each V-12 bears the signature of the engineer responsible. These V-12 Vantages will arrive in the States later this year and cost approximately 25 percent more than six-cylinder DB7s, putting them in the $160,000-$175,000 range.

FERRARI 360 MODENA
Previewed here in "Trends" last month, the all-new 360 Modena is slightly larger and more aerodynamic than the F355 it replaces, yet 220 pounds lighter, thanks to its all-aluminum construction. A modified 3.6-liter version of Ferrari's DOHC V-8 makes 400 horsepower, a gain of 40 ponies.