The air is thinner in the Alps, which sure explained that Rinspeed guy

John Rogers discovered the 2004 Geneva show was not lacking in variety

BMW M5 Concept

Italdesign Volta

Maserati MC12

Audi A6

M-B SLK

VW Concept C

Volvo YCC

The Detroit show tends to live by the credo "Show on Sunday, Sell on Monday' but Geneva was different.

From rollerskate city cars to bank account draining exotics, the 74d Salon International de l'Auto was physically huge, taking up all of the halls of the Geneva Pal Expo.

Rag and tin tops seemed to be this year's production car trend. Aston's Vanquish Roadster, Chevrolet's C6 Convertible, the BMW MINI Cabrio, the M-B SLK, Rolls' 100EX, the Opel Tigra and VW's Concept C all will allow you to pick bugs out of your teeth.

Now you can check out http://www.salon-auto.ch/en/ to get the full low down on the entire show's roster, but this is what we thought were the most noteworthy cars on the show floor.

Can someone pass the cheese and chocolate, s'il vous plait? Merci!

BMW Concept M5
Nineteen-inch wheels, quad exhausts and more aggressive front and back ends still didn't convince us of the new look of the 5 Series. However, experiencing the new 500-hp, vee-ten engine may (may!) change our minds and put the M5 back on top of our Q-Ship wish list
This just proves that... despite the extra silk, this still looked like a sow's ear. A very fast sow's ear, nonetheless

Italdesign Toyota Volta
With the demise of the Turin show, Geneva has ended up being a showcase for the traditional Italian style houses. Unfortunately, the House of Guigiaro produced another emotionless shape reminiscent of their VW W12 from the 1997 Tokyo show. With gratuitous details like the two upper side strakes that run into the Volta's scissors-type door and side exhausts down at sill level, this design lacked any character that shouts either Italian chic or Japanese techno
This just proves that... pasta and sushi don't mix

Maserati MC12
Basically a major plug for Maserati's return to European sports car racing, the MC12 (no relation to Chryco's ME 12 from the Detroit show), was a Ferrari Enzo without the Judge Dredd looks. Our MINI-designing friend, new head Ferrari pen man Frank Stephenson, apparently got his hands on this design after Italdesign took an initial crack at this long overdue Maserati supercar. We asked and Maser press folk denied rumours of an upcoming MC Hammer version
This just proves that... you CAN go back to Kansas, Toto!

Audi A6
So much for that cool, Bauhaus look that's defined Audi's cars for, like, er, ever. And you can't blame Audi for not warning us of this change, as the new A6 is the first Walter Da'Silva production Audi to show the brand's more "emotional" design direction that had been previewed in the Pikes Peak, Le Mans and Nuvolari concept cars. We couldn't help but think "Edsel" when looking at the large, trapezoidal grille
This just proves that... we need better control of car designer's working visas

Mercedes-Benz SLK
Another "take two" disaster. Michael Mauer's original SLK launched eight years ago stood out as beautiful, distinct and clean. Hopefully this new SLK is the apex of the Pontiac-inspired styling that has plagued the entire Mercedes line from the new SL-R Maclaren on down. As we start to view spyshots of upcoming Benz's we are seeing a return to the chiseled Bruno Sacco style of old. Hurrah!
This just proves that... there's a reason you don't see "pot luck" restaurants

VW Concept C
Ignore the folding Concept C's tin top for one minute as the car previews the upcoming Jetta/Bora look using the full depth grille first seen on the Concept R at Frankfurt last year. With the BMW 1 Series looming on the horizon, ready to eat the Jetta's lunch, VW is displaying more character in this design with detailed lighting front and back and a body length character lines that diverges from the current VW design language
This just proves that... even small cars (other than MINIs) can be interesting

Volvo YCC
Our bull**** flag went up when Volvo stated that the goal of this concept was "to build a vehicle that satisfied the wants and needs of independent-minded female professionals" (Don't go there! - Ed.). The YCC, which we've dubbed "Your Chick Car", has no front engine hood as Volvo thinks that "independent-minded" females will never look under the hood. As these professional women carry a lot of shopping bags, there are no back seats girls, just parcel space. Volvo also added that these women are so busy being "professional" that they only get a speedo, miles to empty and directionals in a central console
This just proves that... we need more women running car companies