On the eve of the Geneva Motor Show, Bugatti took the wraps off the long awaited Veyron successor. Dubbed the Chiron, it is powered by an evolution of the Veyron's W16 engine, which is now good for a neck-snapping 1,500 hp. This enables the Chiron to accelerate to 200 km/h in less than 6.5 seconds. The top speed in low drag mode is limited to a staggering 420 km/h. Priced at Euro 2.4 million, the striking Chiron will be limited to 500 examples, one third of which, reportedly, is already spoken for.
An altogether more modest proposition is the Ford Fiesta ST200, which is also due in Geneva. It is a further refined version of the ST model launched a few years ago and boasts a more powerful engine and sharper chassis. Its engine is good for 200 hp, while a further 15 hp is available for 15 seconds bursts in 'overboost' mode. The Fiesta ST200's gearbox is fitted with a shorter final drive, which will allow it to accelerate through the gears even faster.
Tomorrow, we will be covering the Geneva Motor Show with reports on the new cars as they are revealed, so keep an eye on this page for continuous updates.
Having started the first of the two official tests with last year's car, Sauber is due to debut the new-for-2016 C35 Ferrari as Formula 1 testing resumes tomorrow for a further four days. Although the responsibility of a new chief designer, the Ferrari-powered C35 is still an evolution of the C34 raced in 2015.

At the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, DS Automobiles will celebrate the company's first anniversary as an independent brand with this fabulous E-Tense show car. Built around a carbon-fibre composite monocoque, it benefits from the experience gathered by DS as an entrant in the Formula E World Championship. Accordingly, the E-Tense is powered by an electric motor, which is good for 402 bhp. We can only hope that the Geneva show car will be followed by a production version, perhaps to rival the newly re-established Alpine company.
Certainly due to hit the road is the new Lotus Evora Sport 410. As the name suggests, it is powered by a 410 bhp version of the Toyota-sourced, supercharged V6 engine. More importantly, it is also a full 70kg lighter than the Evora 400 it replaces. Thanks to the lowered weight and increased power, the Evora Sport 410 is a full three seconds faster around Lotus' Hethel test track. The top-of-the-range model is due in showrooms later this year and a North America specific model will also be available.
The arrival of Haas F1 this week has prompted us to look back at earlier American involvement in Formula 1 and while the exploits of the front-engined Scarabs and the Grand Prix winning Penske PC4 were already well covered, we did not yet have an article on the short-lived Scirocco. Although it was built in England and entered in the 1963 World Championship under the British flag, the project was financed by a young American millionaire, to further the driving career of his guardian. Although powered by the frontline BRM V8, the cars failed to run competitively before the funds ran out. Remarkably both cars built have survived and are pictured in our 64-shot gallery.

With the start of the Geneva Motor Show less than a week away, news of releases continues to hit our desk. The most recent is of the McLaren 570GT, which is the third in the British manufacturer's 'Sports Series' range. It shares the same chassis and 570 hp engine with the 570S announced last year but offers a more luxurious and practical interior. Among the features unique to the 570GT are the panoramic roof and a rear parcel shell that can be accesses by opening the back window. The Coupe version of the 570S will enter production this summer and should reach the dealers before the end of the year.
Bentley will use the Geneva Motor Show to launch a revised Mulsanne line-up. A refinement of the existing model, the new Mulsanne is changed in detail only. In addition to the 'base' model, Bentley also offers the Extended Wheelbase and the high-performance Speed versions.
Also due in Geneva will be the new Mercedes-AMG C 43 Coupe and the Audi S4 Avant.
We have also kept a close eye on the Formula 1 testing and have added on-track images of the Haas VF-16, Renault R.S. 16 and Force India VJM09.

Today, the Formula 1 season started in earnest with the first day of official testing in Barcelona. It gives the teams a rare opportunity to see how well the new designs work and how they might stack up against their closest rivals. Sebastian Vettel was fastest of all in the new Ferrari SF16-H, while Lewis Hamilton impressed by completing a staggering 156 laps and clocking the second fastest time in the title defending Mercedes-Benz W07 Hybrid. Observers will also have kept a close eye on Romain Grosjean in the Haas VF-16 Ferrari, which is the first American F1 car in over thirty years. Also out on track today were the new Red Bull Racing RB12 powered by the Tag Heuer badged Renault engine, the Toro Rosso STR11, now with Ferrari power and the McLaren MP4-31 Honda, which looked a lot more reliable than its predecessor. We will update the galleries as testing continues with action shots of all the 2016 cars, so keep an eye on this page.
Over the weekend, Maserati also released the first details of the all-new Levante. Due to be unveiled in Geneva next week, it is the Italian manufacturer's very first SUV. Although few specifics have been released, we expect the four-wheel drive machine to boast the same range of power-units as the Ghibli.

Today, the first 2016 specification Formula 1 cars have been revealed. Grabbing the most attention was the Ferrari SF16-H, which represents a considerable departure from its predecessor. The aerodynamics have been comprehensively revised and a switch has been made from a pull-rod to push-rod front end. The most obvious difference is the all-white air-box, most famously used on the 1975 World Championship winning Ferrari 312 T. For the occasion, we have added more images to one of the three chassis featured, which was demonstrated at Goodwood last year.
Representing a more subtle evolution is the Williams FW38 Mercedes. Carrying over much of the outgoing FW37, it has been refined to address the weak spots of the 2015 car, which included handling at low speeds. We expect more F1 cars to break cover ahead of the start of testing on Monday, so keep an eye on this page.
Volvo, meanwhile, debuted the fabulous V90 estate at a special launch in Stockholm ahead of the official Geneva debut. Building on 60 years of estate experience, the V90 shares its underpinnings with the S90 sedan that broke cover in Detroit last month. The range-topping T8 is powered by a 402 bhp hybrid drivetrain.
Another hybrid to be unveiled in Geneva is this Lexus LC 500h, we already announced a few days ago. Lexus have now revealed more images and details. It will be powered by a 3.5-litre V6, which is mated to an electric motor. The so called 'Multi Stage Hybrid System' produces a combined 354 bhp and drives the rear wheels through a four-speed, automatic gearbox.

At a special event, yesterday, Alpine revealed the Vision Concept. The compact mid-engined sports car will form the the basis of the production model due to break cover later this year. Very little technical details have been been released but Alpine's Cayman chaser will be powered by a turbocharged, four-cylinder engine, developed by Renault Sport.
Following a first glimpse a few weeks ago, Jaguar have now released the full details of the range-topping F-Type SVR model, which is available both as a Convertible and a Coupe. The first Jaguar developed by the newly created SVO department features a 575 hp V8, a revised chassis and several subtle exterior cues to distinguish it from the other models in the range.
Also due in Geneva is Bentley's new Flying Spur V8 S. The third Flying Spur variant, it fills the 'void' between the base V8 model and the W12 top-of-the-range version. The twin-turbo eight-cylinder engine fitted in the V8 S is good for 528 hp, which represents a 21 hp hike over the base model.
BMW, meanwhile, announced the X4 M40i, which was presented at a special ceremony at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca yesterday. Its most interesting attribute is a new six-cylinder engine, which is good for 360 hp.
The latest news from Lotus is the Elise Cup 250, which promises to be the fastest ever Elise. Compared to the earlier Elise Cup versions, more weight has been shaved off by using additional carbon-fibre components and also through the use of a lightweight lithium-ion battery. The Elise Cup 250's four-cylinder also produces 26 hp more. Unfortunately, it will not be available in the United States.

Powering the McLaren F1 GTR, the BMW V12 engine clinched a surprise Le Mans win in 1995. Chasing a repeat of that win the German manufacturer developed the all-new V12 LM around an evolution of the same S70 V12 for the 1998 season. The car itself was designed and constructed by Williams Engineering and was the first Le Mans Prototype to feature a raised foot-box. Two were built and raced by the factory team at Le Mans only before they were superseded by the V12 LMR, which would go on to win Le Mans in 1999. Both V12 LMs were sold to privateers and the featured example was raced for two more seasons by Thomas Bscher. It placed fifth overall at Le Mans in 1999.
BMW still uses V12 engines for their range topping models like the M760Li xDrive due be launched in Geneva next month. The twelve-cylinder engine, used in this high performance model, displaces just under 6.6-litres and is equipped with a pair of turbochargers. It produces 600 bhp and 800 Nm of torque. The M670Li xDrive also boasts all-wheel drive and four-wheel steering.
Lexus will use the Geneva Motor Show to take the wraps of the LC 500h. As the name suggests, this is the hybrid version of the highly acclaimed LC 500 that debuted in Detroit last month.

Although carefully tucked away at the back of the Fine Automobiles stand at Retromobile, the Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta was one of the most impressive cars on display this year. This has prompted us to take a look through our archive and read up on each of the five examples we have seen over the years. Fitted with a slippery and very light bodywork by Touring and built on Grand Prix racer inspired underpinnings, these cars rank among the very first super cars. They were so good, that one example managed to win the 1947 Mille Miglia outright even though the rules had forced the entrant to remove the supercharger. Today, these cars are among the most sought after and valuable in the world, and in 2008 one was awarded 'Best of Show' at Pebble Beach. Each of the mentioned examples is pictured in our 77-shot gallery.
After the war, Alfa Romeo abandoned the eight-cylinder engine and instead focused solely on the 2.5-litre straight six both in the road and competition cars. The first of the new racing cars to emerge from the Milan-based factory was this 6C 2500 Competizione. It was built on a short chassis and boasted a tuned engine and very slippery body. A pair of these were built for the 1948 season and a third was built in 1950 using a slightly larger three-litre engine. Although not quite as successful as its predecessors, the cars featured strongly in the first post-war editions of the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio. The featured example is the sole survivor and was displayed by Fiskens at Retromobile last week.

As mentioned in our detailed report, Porsches starred at this year's Retromobile Show. One of the very best was a hugely original example of the iconic 904 Carrera GTS brought by German dealer Axel Schuette. Styled by Butzi Porsche, the mid-engined 904 was the first Porsche to use a fibreglass body and was built in sufficient numbers to qualify as a GT. Raced around the world, it was virtually unbeatable in the two-litre category. The example that was shown at Retromobile was originally owned by Hap Sharp and Jim Hall of Chaparral fame but was never raced in period. As a result, it has survived in a beautiful, patinated condition.
Of a slightly earlier vintage was the 718 W-RS displayed by Porsche themselves. This unique car was based on a 1960 718 RS and was modified extensively, eventually gaining an eight-cylinder engine. In this guise, it was instrumental in winning the 1963 and 1964 European Hill Climb Championship. Raced for so long, it was lovingly referred to as the 'Grandmother' by Porsche mechanics. The one-off 718 W-RS was displayed to mark the introduction of the new 718 Boxster and Cayman models.
Although tucked away in a corner, one of the stars on the Fisken stand was an unmolested Porsche 934. Porsche's first turbocharged racer developed for customers, the 911 Turbo-based 934 was the car to have in the Group 4 class during the second half of the 1970s. The example on display at Retromobile was originally owned by Belgian racer Jean Blaton and competed at Le Mans three times.
On Monday, Ferrari revelead the first details of the GTC4Lusso, which will be launched in Geneva and replaces the FF. It retains the shooting-brake design but with a large number of cosmetic and mechanical refinements. In addition to the four-wheel drive, the GTC4 Lusso also boasts four-wheel steering.

Every year, the best way to start the season is a visit to the annual Retromobile Show in Paris. The best event of its kind, the show attracts a broad array of exhibitors and spectators from around the world. At this year's edition, the auctions grabbed centre stage, and in particular Artcurial's official Retromobile Sale. The fabulous ex-Bardinon Ferrari 335 S sold for a staggering Euro 32.1 million, which is a new world record. Elsewhere on the show-floor there also was plenty to see, ranging from a T34/85 tank to the sole surviving BMW V12 LM and a very rarely seen Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta. Porsches also grabbed the attention with stars including a beautifully presented Porsche 934 and a highly original 904 GTS.
Our photographers explored every corner of the Porte des Versailles exposition centre and also visited the three auctions to bring you this comprehensive report, illustrated by four different galleries with a total of 370 shots. At the bottom of the article, there is also a link to the results of each of the three auctions.
As always, you can expect several more detailed articles on the individual cars that starred at Retromobile this year in the coming weeks.

At a special event in Paris on Wednesday, Renault officially announced their return to Formula 1 as an entrant. The French manufacturer will use the new R.S. 16, which is built in Enstone, England, and powered by the R.E. 16 engine that hails from Viry Chatillon in France. Signed to drive for the re-branded team are Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer. The Renault R.S. 16 will make its debut at the first official F1 test later this month.
Ahead of the official launch in Geneva, Audi revealed the first details of the RS Q3 performance. Based on the RS Q3, the new 'performance' version features a 27 hp power increase. The chassis of the RS Q3 performance has also been tuned to make the most of the additional power.
At the Geneva Motor Show, Pininfarina will reveal a new show car of which the first teaser image has just been revealed.
Today, the ACO held the annual press conference, announcing the entries for the FIA WEC and the European Le Mans Series. Among them was the Ave-Riley AR-2 due to be entered in the ELMS by Murphy Prototypes. The new American LMP3 racer has been designed by Riley Technologies and assembled by Ave Motorsport. One of the drivers will be Tony Ave himself.

This week the classic car world has gathered in Paris for the annual Retromobile show and the associated auctions. We were also there and will have a detailed report of the all the highlights from the show and sales ready for you early next week. Today, we would like to offer a final preview for two of the auctions, as the RM Sotheby's sale is already in progress as we write this.
One of the star lots of tomorrow's Bonham's sale is the very rare Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR. The example on offer is a road-going version, built to homologate the successful competition cars. Priced at over $1 million, it was the most expensive new car available at the time. The particular chassis consigned to the Bonhams sale was delivered new to Switzerland and is still highly original. We captured it at the auction preview today and it is estimated to sell for close to 2 million Euros.
The absolute star of the Retromobile week is expected to be the Ferrari 335 S consigned to the Artcurial sale from the estate of legendary collector Pierre Bardinon. We got a closer look at this masterpiece today and were quite taken aback by its striking Scaglietti penned body and Vittorio Jano developed mechanicals. Especially the quad-cam, twin-spark V12 is a thing to behold. Artcurial's pre-sale estimate is a hefty 28-32 million Euro and rightly so as we would take it over the similar but more modestly engined 250 TR any day.

The road racing circuit kicked off in style this weekend with the Daytona 24 Hours. With close racing throughout the field, the race was an instant classic. What also made it a historic occasion was that the race was won for the first time by an LMP2 car; the Ligier JS P2 Honda entered by Extreme Speed Motorsports. Built and designed by by Onroak Automotive, the JS P2 has been at the sharp end of the LMP2 field since its introduction at Le Mans back in 2014. A spirited drive by Daytona debutant Pipo Derani helped the ESM Ligier JS P2 score the type's first ever outright victory.
Over the weekend, the auction season also kicked off and the sales were topped by this Mercedes-Benz 540 K Spezial Roadster sold by RM Sotheby's for $9.9 million and this Ferrari 166 MM Touring Berlinetta that found a new owner at the Gooding sale for close to $6.5 million.
There is little time to take stock as Paris will host further auctions from Wednesday as part of the Retromobile week. Ferraris once again look set to set centre stage with most of the headlines grabbed by the Pierre Bardinon 335 S that has been consigned to Artcurial auction with a pre-sale estimate of Euro 28-32 million. Also part of the same sale is the very last 250 GT SWB built, which is expected to sell for around Euro 10 million. The RM Sotheby's Paris Auction has this, the very first 400 Superamerica S2 as one of the highlights. Originally shown at the 1962 Earls Court Motor Show, it looks set to sell for Euro 3-3.3 million.
Hyundai meanwhile have released the first images and details of the i20 R5. Based on the recently introduced World Rally Car, it is due to compete in national and continental championships.