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Geneva Motor Show 1958 - an atomic car, but hardly any innovations

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Created on February 17, 2018

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Archiv Reinhard / Max Pichler

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Archiv

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Archiv Reinhard / Max Pichler

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Archiv

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Abarth 750 Record Monza (1958) - together with open-top version at the Geneva Motor Show

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Hall plan - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Racing car show as the highlight of the show - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Alfa Romeo 2000 (1958) - the new saloon from Milan - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Alfa Romeo Giuletta Sprint Speciale (SS) (1958) - 200 km/h fast thanks to 100 hp 1.3-liter engine and streamline - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Alfa Romeo 1900 Super Sprint (1958) - built by Ghia-Aigle as a sporty, spacious coupé - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Alvis Super Graber (1958) - now a fully-fledged four-seater thanks to forward-mounted pedals and enlarged interior - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Alvis Super Graber (1958) - right-hand drive, also in Switzerland - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Auto Union 1000 SP (1958) - gracefully built, reminiscent of the earlier Thunderbird - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Autobianchi Bianchina (1958) - as a luxurious Fiat 500 - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Berkeley (1958) - with more engine power than small cars usually have - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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BMW 600 (1958) - ornate frame with elaborate suspension design - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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BMW 600 (1958) - lots of space in a small area, there is only one door for the rear seats - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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BMW Isetta (1958) - unchanged front-entry motor coupé - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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BMW 502 Super (1958) - photographed at the 1958 Geneva Motor Show - now with 3.2-liter V8 engine and more power

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Bristol 406 Beutler (1958) - dashboard arranged in front of the driver - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Buick (1958) - like many other American models with twin headlights - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Cadillac Skylight Coupé Pinin Farina (1958) - in black and white - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Chevrolet Bel Air Impala Convertible (1958) - popular American in luxury version - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Chevrolet Bel Air Impala Convertible (1958) - with panoramic windshield - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Citroën 2 CV (1958) - derived panel vans HZ and H - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Commer Express Delivery Van (1958) - panel van with rear door and 1.4-liter engine with 47 hp - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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DKW Auto Union 1000 (1958) - fast mid-range car now with smooth trunk lid - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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DKW 660 (prototype) (1958) - not yet in production, public opinion is to be researched with the prototype - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Enzmann 506 (1958) - with the famous impact cushion for the front passenger - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Facel-Vega Excellence (1958) - with doors opening in opposite directions, without door jambs - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Facel-Vega (1958) - View of the chassis with American Chrysler engine with adapted air filter housing - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Facel-Vega (1958) - the chassis of the Facel-Vega, presented at the 1958 Geneva Motor Show

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Ferrari 250 GT Pinin Farina (1958) - extraordinarily elegant open GT - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Fiat 500 (1958) - in the Mecca of automotive critics - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Fiat 500 Nuova (1958) - with exposed technology - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Fiat 500 (1958) - Phantom photo of the small Fiat - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Fiat 1200 Gran Luce (1958) - large windows and bright interior - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Fiat 1200 Pinin Farina Coupé (1958) - Production version of the four-seater coupé - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Fiat 500 Viotti (1958) - small luxury coupé with panoramic windows - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Ford Fairlane 500 (1958) - with folding and retractable tin roof - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Ford Thunderbird (1958) - new luxury four-seater - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Ford Thunderbird (1958) - in fashion with twin headlights - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Ford Thunderbird (1958) - with futuristic interior - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Ford Zephyr (1958) - with six-cylinder engine and new face - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Frisky Sport (1958) - Small car from Great Britain with original prototypes and Italian elegance - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Frisky Sport (1958) - the chassis of the not entirely inexpensive small car from England - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Frisky Sport (1958) - the car is supplied with a soft top or attachable coupé roof - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Goggomobil TS 250 (1958) - Coupé at the 1958 Geneva Motor Show

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Goggomobil Coupé (1958) - Glas has now equipped the pretty coupé with a 400 cm3 engine - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Goggomobil TL 300 (1958) - smallest commercial vehicle from Glas with a 293 cm3 engine - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Jaguar XK 150 Zagato (1958) - this coupé with special bodywork weighs 150 kg less than the standard XK - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Jaguar XK 150 (1958) - Dunlop four-wheel disc brakes for all models except the Mark 8 - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Continental Mark III (1958) - self-supporting saloon with 333 cm wheelbase - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Lotus 11 Ghia-Aigle Coupé (1958) - flat front, low-set headlights - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Lotus 11 Ghia-Aigle Coupé (1958) - with relatively short doors and high sills - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Lotus 11 Ghia-Aigle Coupé (1958) - based on the Lotus 11 - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Lotus 11 Ghia-Aigle Coupé (1958) - elegant coupé with doors that extend far into the roof - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Lotus 11 Ghia-Aigle (1958) - after the convertible of 1957, Ghia-Aigle now surprises with a coupé based on Lotus - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Lotus 11 (1958) - the powerful version has a DeDion rear axle - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Lotus 11 (1958) - a BMC rigid axle is sufficient for the weaker versions - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Maico 500 Sport (1958) - generous lines on a short wheelbase, elegant and sporty to look at - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Maico 500 (1958) - the largest of the small cars, now with a longer wheelbase - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Maserati 3500 GT Spider Touring (1958) - Debut in Geneva, but never built in series - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Maserati 3500 GT Spider Touring (1958) - Interior of the exhibition vehicle at the 1958 Geneva Motor Show

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Maserati 3500 GT (1958) - Close-up of the air vent at the 1958 Geneva Motor Show

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Mercedes-Benz 220 S Cabrioelt (1958) - with feudal upholstery work - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (1958) - shown in practically unchanged form - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Nardi Lancia Blue Ray II (1958) - beautiful special body, shown at the Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Oldsmobile (1958) - with Klaxon button in the steering wheel spokes - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Panhard Dyna (1958) - Engine with new cooling fan - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Peugeot 403 (1958) - Station wagon version, together with 203 station wagon - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Riley 1.5 (1958) - this engine is used in the Riley and the MG - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Riley 1.5 (1958) - new Rally Master engine - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Simca Aronde Beutler (1958) - variant from Thun built in the style of the well-known VW/Porsche coupé - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Simca Commerciale (1958) - based on the Aronde, built in four variants - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Standard Pennant (1958) - with small stock fork à la Triumph - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Studebaker Champion Scotsman Station Wagon (1958) - unusual with whitewall tires - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Symetric (1953) - Atomic car from France, presented in Paris in 1953

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Tatra 603 (1958) - three front lights under common glazing in the streamlined bow - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Tatra 603 (1958) - the air-cooled V8 engine in the rear - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Triumph Michelotti Vignale (1958) - shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1958, this Michelotti "dream car" anticipated certain features of the upcoming TR 4

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Triumph TR3 Vignale (1958) - interesting the neck protection screen, a forerunner of the wind deflector - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Triumph TR3 Vignale (1958) - with American-style design - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Vauxhall Cresta (1958) - English car with American panoramic windshield - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Vespa 400 (1958) - bigger on the inside than on the outside - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Warburg 313 (1958) - export of the sports coupé to Switzerland is not planned - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Wartburg sports car (1958) - the coupé with removable domed roof at the 1958 Geneva Motor Show

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Zündapp Janus (1958) - the passengers in the rear seats face backwards and have their own rear door - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Abarth exhaust systems for various European cars in the small to medium class - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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At Abarth you get every part and a description to build powerful 500/750 cc engines from the production unit - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Solex carburetors, as used in Ferrari - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Weber carburetors - Sports models from Bologna - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Headlights from the old days at Carello - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Headlights of the present day by Carello - silvered reflectors, asymmetrical dimming - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Instruments for the Volkswagen, bottom right the VW 1-in-3 combination - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Flashing chrome accessories as far as the eye can see - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Blaupunkt Wiesbaden - View of the "chassis" of the three-transistor device - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Philips radio with two-way station finder, switchable via the lever under the steering wheel or two wide pushbuttons - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Lockable and easily removable car aerials from Hirschmann - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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VDO tachograph - recording the whole day on a disk - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Equipment for the gas station, note your preset gasoline liter price - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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The Automobil Revue stand - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Life with reclining seats (Morris Minor) only becomes pleasant when the car is complemented by a tent - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Small tent from Hostettler Sports for 144 francs - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Luxury villa in tent form for around 1000 francs - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Tent city on the open-air site - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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The Vagé station wagon from Holland can be folded and is then only 160 cm wide, but still offers space for 6 people - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Escargot Moulin Rouge is the name of this caravan with luxurious equipment for 11500 francs - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Mikala motorhome as a combination of caravan and means of transportation, with engines including V8s from BMW and Ford - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Accessories for camping life - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Colorful Ornamin tableware for camping vacations - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Ships too - this ocean-going coastal sailer appears to be as plump as a seal on land - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Cabin cruiser from Rohn with minor retouches - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Bianchi now also builds boats - probably to boost outboard sales - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Plastic boat from Denmark with hinged windshield - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Martinet with plastic body - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Büssing Emmelmann Bus (1958) - 30-seater luxury bus - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Austin A303 (1958) - with three-seater cabin - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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DAF A 1500 DL (1958) - with powerful diesel engine - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Ford Thomas Trader (1958) - with payload from 1.5 to 5 tons - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Kässbohrer-Setra S 8 (1958) - also widely used in Switzerland - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Mercedes-Benz (1958) - with four-wheel drive for supplying remote areas with meat, bodywork by Aarburg AG - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Mercedes-Benz L 319 D (1958) - front-wheel drive, used by Toblerone and others - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Swisscar (1958) - Swiss home-grown - created in collaboration between the coachbuilders Ramseier & Jenzer and Tüscher - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Mercedes-Benz L311 (1958) - with 130 hp six-cylinder engine - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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SWP Autobus (1958) - self-supporting bus manufactured by Schindler Wagons with 30 seats and rear engine - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Unic Busang (1958) - Standard truck with a total weight of 8.2 tons - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Summary

The 28th Geneva Motor Show in March 1958 may not have been able to boast any major innovations, but visitors' interest in automobiles was unbroken. And those who made the trip to Geneva had plenty to see, from small cars to top-of-the-range sports cars, from caravans to boats and trucks. This article looks back at the year 1958, describes the most important trends of the time and shows many of the exhibited vehicles in 120 historical photos. A journey through time without regrets!

This article contains the following chapters

81 car brands
The atomic car from Symetric
The Alvis Super Graber and a special Dauphine as the main attraction
Hardly any changes to the Granturismo sports cars
One-offs from the coachbuilders
Tried and tested from Europe
New trends from the USA
Invasion of the smallest cars
Lots of useful and beautiful accessories
Commercial vehicles, buses, boats and camping accessories
Further information

Estimated reading time: 8min

Preview (beginning of the article)

It was not a motor show of innovations. Even when Federal President Th. Holenstein began his opening speech on March 13, 1958, he was able to keep it relatively short, as there was hardly anything new to report, neither on improvements to the road network, nor on road traffic law or road safety. However, this did not stop 290,000 car enthusiasts and interested parties from traveling to Geneva to see the latest trends in automobile construction and turn the narrow halls into a lively crowd. Just over 80 car brands were represented in Geneva, with the largest proportion coming from the UK with 26 brands, a reduction of three brands compared to the previous year. The USA was represented with 18 brands, Germany with 16 and France and Italy with 9 brands. The Czech Republic and Sweden were represented in Geneva with two and one brand respectively, while Saab was absent, as were Volkswagen and Porsche.

Welcome to Zwischengas!

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