Richard Yarrow’s opinion for startrescue.co.uk, providing low costAnnual Breakdown Cover

On 15 February I blogged about the rebirth of Italian company De Tomaso, most famous for its Pantera muscle car. Now there was a vehicle which needed you to have car breakdown cover! I was chatting to its boss on the firm’s Geneva Motor Show stand earlier this week and he told me a new version of the Pantera will be unveiled before the end of the year. Can’t wait to see that!

 

De Tomaso seemed a good place to start my brief Geneva round-up, a show which was packed with fresh production vehicles and concept cars. Kia revealed all-new versions of its two smallest vehicles, the Picanto and Rio, and they look sensational. Both will sell well, no question.

 

MINI finally lived up to its name and took the wraps of a prototype (pictured) for a vehicle that’s actually not that much bigger than the original Mini. It seems destined to go into showrooms.

 

I did a formal sit-down interview with Skoda’s head of all things technical, and he spilled the beans about a heap of new cars that are on the way. It’s highly likely the critically acclaimed Yeti – did you see Top Gear land a helicopter on one a few weeks ago? – will be the first of three SUVs, and an seven-seater MPV is on the way too.

 

And I came across a new company called Mia who are planning to bring a new electric car to the UK. It’s got sliding doors on both sides and a steering wheel in the middle!

 

Finally, following my last blog posting about where journalists sit when they write their articles, I can tell you I’m in the French Alps nursing my Geneva-induced headache and the snow-capped valley view from my window is truly awe-inspiring