GENEVA - even the most hardened motoring hacks, long bored by everything to do with motor shows, don't mind the Swiss event, one of the two most important on the European calendar.

Always staged in the first week of March, in an exhibition centre virtually attached to Geneva's airport terminal, the show stretches through just three halls, making it easy to get around, yet attracts all the major manufacturers and their top executives. In recent times these have increasingly included the Americans, as Stateside makers look upon the European market as far more important to them.

Geneva always sees dozens of new models revealed for the first time, and is equally renowned for its concept cars, all fascinating, some wacky, but all pointing to the future direction of the motor industry.

The Geneva show takes several weeks to build but preparation goes on until the last minute. Your correspondent took this shot early on Monday evening with fork lifts everywhere and much of the carpet still to be laid - and the press officially allowed in at 7.30 on Tuesday morning...

Happenings in the more near future, however, provided much of the conversation at this year's Geneva press days, and this correspondent was delighted to hear the word London come up rather often. In four months time the focus of the motor show circuit will switch to the UK capital, as the British show seeks to regain its lost status among the elite events. Geneva is staged every year, while Paris and Frankfurt hold their shows in alternate Septembers - it's the turn of the French this year. These three shows are musts for everyone in the industry, but Britain's, for many years held bi-annually in Birmingham, has for a long time been a second division event. I reckon, from what I heard at Geneva, that this is about to change.

UK show organisers have taken the bold decision to move the event's date to July, but crucially to a smaller venue at the Excel Centre in the capital, inspired by the way that Geneva does business. And the signs are very good indeed. Firstly manufacturers who haven't been to a British show in years, such as BMW, have signed up for London, and currently it seems that every week another brand is confirming its presence - this week it was Seat.

Crucially, there will be launches of important all-new models at the London event, and model launches have long been the rule of thumb to any motor show's standing. It's common knowledge, for example, that the all-new Land Rover Freelander will make its debut in the Excel halls, while at Geneva it became known that Vauxhall/Opel's new Corsa will also launch in London - a more mainstream model there could not be. The UK show organisers are confident that the event will feature at least six world debuts of new models, and it was very encouraging to hear several manufacturer spokespeople saying "We'll have more new product to show you at London..."

In all my years of covering motor shows never has this correspondent known so much momentum building behind a British show. The one remaining vital factor will be the public. So enjoy the Geneva stars pictured on the following pages, but make sure you put the following dates in your diary - 20-30 July, Excel Centre, London, the British International Motor Show. See you there...  

Dodge revealed its Hornet supermini concept, by showering all the watching journalists in a swarm of model bees. Oh we were so amused...	Political correctness? Economy? Seems no-one told the Americans. This gargantuan beast was Chrysler's Imperial concept.	Cabriolets are very much in - this was just one of a host of official roofless unveilings at Geneva, Vauxhall's Astra twin-top.

In this Geneva Report...
New cars...	Power...	Cabriolets...	Concepts...	... and attractions