The show goes on in Geneva

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} The global automotive industry may be in its deepest ever crisis, but visitors to Geneva this week will nevertheless be treated to a plethora of new models, including some from the icons at the luxury end of the market.   The main theme of the show will be green technology, with carbon emission legislation becoming ever more stringent and fortunes doled out in grants and loans for carmakers to accelerate their research.   The 79th Geneva Motor Show will showcase an array of electric and hybrid vehicle concept cars, housed for the first time in a dedicated ÔÇ£Green PavilionÔÇØ.   Conspicuous consumption may have gone out of style very quickly over the last 12 months, but it takes much longer than that to develop new vehicles, so the luxury brands will still be out in force, with Aston Martin and Bentley showing off their fastest, most powerful cars yetÔÇöthe V12 Vantage and the Continental SupersportsÔÇöwhile Rolls-Royce will exhibit its smaller "baby" EX200 concept.   But Geneva is the first major European show to take place since the EU tightened up emission regulations to require an 18 percent reduction in global-warming gases from new vehicles within the next six years.   Renault is to unveil the new Megane Coupe, and a new Clio, while Volkswagen will exhibit a new Polo. Fiat's convertible 500C will be one of the smallest cars on show.   *┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á *┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á *