Extreme Auto Grill

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 670 4SV

Visitors admire a Lamborghini Gallardo LP 670 4SV at the public opening of the Geneva Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland

Mercedes E-class cabrio automatic roof

A visitor tests the automatic roof of the world premiere Mercedes E-class cabrio at public opening of the Geneva Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland

BMW series 5 world premiere

new BMW series 5 world premiere at the public opening of the Geneva Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland,

Visitors enter the fair halls at the public opening of the Geneva Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, March 4, 2010. About 250 exhibitors from 30 countries, showing 100 car premieres at the Auto Show until March 14.

Citroen world premiere DS3 at Geneva Motor Show

A visitor inspects the Citroen world premiere DS3 at public opening of the Geneva Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, March 4, 2010. About 250 exhibitors from 30 countries, showing 100 car premieres at the Auto Show until March 14.

Peugot BB1 e-car concept Geneva Motor Show

Peugot BB1 e-car concept
Visitors look at the futuristic Peugot BB1 e-car concept at the public opening of the Geneva Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, March 4, 2010. About 250 exhibitors from 30 countries, showing 100 car premieres at the Auto Show

Hispano Suiza Geneva Motor Show

The new Hispano Suiza shows the trunk in the front at the public opening of the Geneva Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, March 4, 2010. About 250 exhibitors from 30 countries, showing 100 car premieres at the Auto Show until March 14.

Geneva auto show

The 80th Geneva Motor Show opened its doors to the public Thursday, offering a note of optimism and fun after two difficult years for the industry.

The hybrid revolution, however, remains elusive.

Among the stars of the show are Nissan's Juke crossover, Alfa Romeo's Giulietta hatchback and the Volvo S60 sedan.

German automakers Audi and BMW went head-to-head in the hot hatch segment, a European term for amped up subcompacts popular with younger style-conscious buyers.

Audi presented its A1, available in three and five door versions, as a direct challenger to BMW's Mini series and a big departure from its larger, more mature models. BMW, in turn, raised the stakes by building its biggest ever Mini, the Countryman, a four-door, all-wheel-drive version of the successful 1960s revival.

Show visitor Kevin Leutwiler from Switzerland said he admired the A1's aggressive, sporty style but added "it's not a car for a tight budget." The A1 retails from about euro15,000 ($20,460), which is still cheaper than the basic Mini Countryman starting at euro21,000 ($28,650).

The economic downturn in recent years has deterred many potential buyers from purchasing new cars, though scrappage incentives have helped ease the pain somewhat for automakers.

Most manufacturers are expecting a dip in European sales this year despite the economic upswing, due to the sudden end of cash-for-clunkers programs. The Italian and German markets, which were buoyed by schemes that saw the government pay incentives to drivers who traded in older, polluting cars for more efficient new models, are forecast to be especially hard hit. Some experts expect sales to drop by as much as 1 million in Germany, where 3.8 million cars were sold last year.

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne told reporters at the show that the Italian market would be 1.7 million vehicles without the incentives, compared with 2.15 million in 2009. Incentives in Italy kept sales from plummeting last year, dropping just 0.2 percent from a year earlier.