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Globe Drive columnist Jeremy Cato is in Geneva for the media days of the 85th annual show. He gives us a look at what most cameras don't capture, plus commentary on the vehicles.

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Mercedes-AMG GT3. Oh, you sexy beast.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer is interviewed in front of the Vulcan.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer announced the arrival of the Vulcan personal race car -- limited edition, of course -- along with the promise to re-make Aston's entire lineup by the end of the decade. New models will be added, too. Palmer, formerly the head of product development and many other areas at Nissan, spoke with the force and enunciation skills of Winston Churchill. Aston is for real and drew a big crowd.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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Pressing his message in front of the new Q7, the electrified version. Audi CEO Rupert Stadler has done a brilliant job at Audi, which contributes the bulk of the VW Group's profits.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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Audi has an all-new R8 coming to the market, including an electrified one called the R8 e-tron. It's very tough to produce the second-generation version of a car as brilliant as the original R8, no?Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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Analysts suggest that BMW has plowed nearly $3 billion or more into its lineup of i-Brand EVs and plug-ins. Perhaps that explains this BMW minivan with the hinged doors. Could it be that BMW has blown the bank on its "green" brand, leaving nothing left to spend on styling more mainstream cars. This may be the homeliest BMW seen in decades. Please DON'T bring this to Canada. Sales have been falling for a while now, and this won't help.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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The crowds fell in love with this sports car concept. "Making its global debut at the Geneva Show, the (Bentley) EXP 10 Speed 6 is the ultimate expression of our vision for Bentley's future - a powerful, exquisite and individual concept. This one car showcases modern automotive design, highly skilled British handcrafting, the finest materials and advanced performance technology. This is not just a new sports car concept - but the potential Bentley of sports cars - a bold vision for a brand with a bold future," said Wolfgang Dürheimer, Chairman and Chief Executive of Bentley Motors. We couldn't have said it better, or more concisely.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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This is a Mercedes-Benz plug-in hybrid.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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As you can see, Cadillac wasn't exactly drawing a big crowd in Geneva. The ATS-V is a nice car, but not nice enough, apparently.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche was swarmed by the media hordes after unveiling a slew of new models, including the GLE 450 AMG Coupe. Except this was no coupe; it was a crossover SUV with super-high output and sexy cues.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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The surest way to draw a crowd of journalists at any auto show is to feed them. Napoleon was famous for saying, "An army marches on its stomach." The same is true of an army of journos. Just look at the healthy stomachs on some journos for proof.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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This is Ford Motor's "Performance Arena" or "Performance Circle," where the GT, shown at the Detroit show, and others were also rolled out for Europe -- along with hot Mustangs and Fiesta and Focus cars.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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Kia sells a very sexy hatchback in Europe and it would look good in Canadian showrooms, too.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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Kia unwrapped its "Ignition Red" Sportspace concept at a private reception on the eve of the 2015 Geneva motor show. Between canapes and cocktails, Kia's executives avoided answering the obvious question: Is this a look at the 2016 Optima? Of course it is. We won't get a wagon version in Canada, but we'll get a sedan that has many of these styling cues. Imagine that: a designed-in-Germany Kia for Canadian consumption.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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BMW's Mini brand called this a "World Premier" for the Countryman Park Lane. Really? Looks like a tarted-up Mini to the casual observer, nothing more.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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The Palexpo exhibition centre has six halls. This is merely one of them.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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And no one paid any attention. Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson was on the big screen and there really was a small crowd out there watching him. Really. Nice booth, though, and the cappuccino was delicious.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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Kia and Hyundai design chief Peter Schreyer, a Volkswagen Group alumnus (left), has completely transformed the Kia brand in the six-plus years he's been on the job. He's done such a number of Kia, they have him responsibility for Hyundai design, too. And made him one of several company presidents. No wonder he's so happy.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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Chasing press conferences is hard work. Gotta feed the beast. Here, VW is handing out croissants from little snack wagons.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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SSangyong has its press conference at noon. Like you, I was feverish with excitement.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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This horrible pit is the press room at the Geneva motor show. Row after row of fold-up tables accommodate the actual working journos who file their pictures and stories from this room. In Geneva, you can hear journos speaking in a dozen different languages, from English to French, from Italian to Spanish, and even Scottish.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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After you’ve lined up for your press pass...you lineup again for your press kit and lanyard, along with the schedule of conferences for the Geneva show. If you're gonna be a car journalist, wear comfy shoes and pack patience.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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Lexus offered some sort of 3-D RC F experience to show visitors in Geneva. Strap on the goggle and go! No word on whether the virtual driving experience is better than the real one.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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A shocking array of after-market "tuners" do the Geneva motor show. Ruf is one of them. This is the CTR 3 Hippie, which quite obviously has Porsche roots. This Hippie boasts 777 horsepower and 723 lb-ft of torque, which means you might just need the downforce provided by the big rear wing.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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The Geneva motor show organizers will ship press kits for free. But who cares? In the age of the internet and instant communication/gratification, almost no one bothers to ship press kits.Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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Globe-trotting from car show to cocktail party on the auto circuit seems like a glamorous gig, but this is the reality: lining up with the sweaty hordes for a press credential. These days, an army of bloggers and other freeloaders have discovered they can qualify to get into the shows, so they line up and then load up on the freebies inside. Really, does anyone in that picture look like a working journalist?Jeremy Cato/The Globe and Mail

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