In comparison with all the expensive metal on display at Geneva the Fiesta looks modest but it's is one of the most important exhibits. Sales start this autumn and it will almost certainly be a best seller. Ford won't say how much it will cost but it's expected to be in the range of £7,600 to £14,000. Based on the Verve concept car shown in Detroit in January it's styling is the work of Martin Smith, Ford's British design chief.

The Brilliance BS6 is a Chinese import making inroads into the German market though not yet available in right hand drive. It's half the asking price of an Audi A6 though its one-star performance in NCAP tests last year probably worried many potential buyers. It's since been upgraded to three stars and the company promises it will be five stars before it comes here. See also the Hummer HX concept. It's big and American and er...that's it.