SHOWTIME, and it is smiles all round from the Irish motor importers.

Geneva is the shop window on the latest and best of this year's models and new concept cars give an insight into the future.

The Irish market is in great shape as new car sales have reached 73,000 after just two months of the year. Already up by 5.5%, there is now a firm belief the figure will top the 200,000 mark by the year's end. And light commercial sales, up by 19%, are doing even better.

Geneva is where the best designs and brightest ideas are shown. New materials and shapes mean cars will be safer in the future and more easy to recycle at the end of their lifespan. And they are getting 'greener' - the 100 mpg car is with us, and safety technology is eliminating crashes and annoying shunts. Also, expect longer warranty on vehicles as build quality improves throughout the industry.

And the good news is that costs are being kept down as more and more of the major manufacturers share platform designs, running parts, engine technology and manufacturing plants in low-cost countries.

But behind the smiles competition in the market place is still as fierce as ever as America pushes more and more models into the European market. Chinese manufacturers have also set their eyes on Europe and a family car, the VW Golf-sized Roewe, developed from the sell-off of Rover, will be shortly heading our way.

One of the most eagerly awaited cars, the new Ford Mondeo, was one of the real stars of the show. Saloon, hatchback and estate models will be available and sales are expected to start in June.

The company has pulled out all the stops, giving it dramatic new looks and the best fitted-out cabin in any Ford to date. It comes with a modified suspension, improved steering geometry and a wider track to give better handling.

Expect to see adaptive cruise control and air-conditioning as standard. The comfort levels are increased as the Mondeo is now wider and longer so there is more space inside. Wind noise and road noise has been reduced significantly. This is necessary as the Mondeo will be competing with Audi and BMW models to gain a foothold in the executive car market.

Ford boast that the new body lines will make mainstream rivals Toyota Avensis and VW Passat look dated. Keyless entry and start will be two new features.

Other options available will be a tyre pressure monitoring system and a hill-hold to stop rolling back on inclines. There is also a good deep boot.

A wide choice of engines will be available. In the petrol line-up, there is a 1.6-litre with a choice of a 108 bhp or a 123 bhp power output, a 2-litre putting out 143 bhp or a new 2.3-litre 159 bhp unit. On the diesel front there is a 1.8 litre with 99 bhp or 123 bhp output and a 2-litre with 128 bhp and 138 bhp output. A new 6speed Durashift automatic transmission has been developed for some of the engines.

There was talk was of the new Ford Ka which shares the same platform as the new Fiat 500. The Fiat appears in July so Ford are bringing forward its launch date.

The inside has been improved with better quality materials and there is more room thanks to the new platform although the outside measurements have barely increased.

Both the Fiat and Ford will be built at a Fiat plant in Poland and the range of Fiat-built engines for both vehicles will include a 900cc two-cylinder unit, a 1.4-litre turbo unit and a newly developed 1.3litre diesel with two power outputs available. Fiat also gave a glimpse of the forthcoming Abarth Grande Punto. It is aggressive looking and engine options will range from 180 bhp to 200 bhp.

And the green brigade were not disappointed. The new Daihatsu Charade will give a CO2 emission figure of just 99g/km, which makes it one of the cleanest cars around. It is available with a fuel-saving engine with stop-start technology which means no wasting fuel while stopped in traffic. Keep your foot on the brake and the engine cuts out - press the accelerator and the engine starts up again. Inside there is more space for passengers and power comes from a 1-litre 58 bhp 3-cylinder engine which can return 67 mpg.

And there is further good news from Toyota. The new Prius comes with a lean-burn engine which with electric power can return 100 mpg. It is also faster and has lower emissions than the current model.

One of the most stylish cars at the show was the new Mazda 2 which is seen as a trend-setter for small cars of the future. And Kia produced a Sporty Wagon based on the Cee'd and a very interesting concept vehicle, the Ex-cee'd.

On a more sedate note, VW unveiled an estate version of the Golf which has been given the goahead. The design shows the roof slanting to the rear and while Ireland is not a great market place for estates there will be interest in this offering as it has lots more cargo area with the rear seats up than the Golf or the Golf Plus. It will go on sale in late summer.

From Korea, Hyundai has decided to play the numbers game. A new model to sell above the three-door and four-door Accent was the highlight of this manufacturer's stand and it will be known as the i30. All Hyundai models will eventually be designated by letters and numbers. The new model has very sharp looks and more interior space which should attract young family buyers. The engine line-up will include 1.4litre petrol and 1.6-litre diesel power plants. It will launch here in October as a five-door but there is also talk of cabriolet and MPV versions in the future.

There was also a concept crossover utility vehicle on show which uses plastic materials up front to make it more pedestrian friendly. Hyundai describe the new compounds as an "elastic front".

For Nissan, a new X-Trail was initially inspired by the 2005 Zaroot concept but, due to the success of the current model, designers decided to follow an evolutionary route to prevent alienation of fans. In the new model the cabin has been improved with elements of the Qashqai crossover vehicle included. The underpinnings are shared with sister company Renault's first SUV, Koleos. Both vehicles use Nissan's off-road expertise. The Nissan model arrives this summer, the Renault next year with two diesel engines available.

French sister brands Peugeot and Citroen launched their Japanese-built medium SUV models, the Peugeot 4007 and the Citroen C-Crossover, which will go on sale this summer with 2.2litre diesel engines. They are five + two seaters - with the third row folding flat - and are based on the Mitsubishi Outlander. Mitsubishi has been contracted to build 30,000 units for the PSA group.

The Audi A5 - the A4 replacement - and three-door version of the BMW 1 Series also got good receptions. In the luxury class, the Jaguar XF, the replacement for the S-Type, gets top marks for style and is due to arrive shortly. The new XJ will be available here in September.

Saab showed a 9-5 estate that runs on 100% bio-fuel. The 2-litre engine puts out 300 bhp and is as powerful as a 4-litre engine due to new engine management technology and new components in the engine make-up.

The American Chrysler company has a Sebring cabriolet on the way - a Passat-sized model - and Jeep is launching a Patriot, smaller than the Cherokee, in September with a 2-litre engine while there is also a Jeep Commander Overland on the way. Another American company, Dodge, showed their concept, Demon, which will be a challenge to the Mazda MX-5 if is produced.

Ford to extend Flexi-fuel programme THE big news at the Geneva Motor Show for Irish motorists is that Ford is to extend the Flexi-fuel programme to the new Mondeo.

Two other vehicles, the Galaxy and the S-Max, will also be offered with the E85 fuel whch is derived from dairy products.

The Flexi-fuel is currently offered in the Focus and C-Max only.

The government has given a hefty cut on VRT worth thousands of Euro on cars with Flexi-fuel capability because it causes less pollution than fossil fuels and it is VAT free for those who are registered for VAT.

The extension of the Flexi-fuel programme commences in the first quarter of 2008 and already two insurance companies, Axa and Royal Sun Alliance, have indicated they are prepared to give a 25% cut on their rates for those driving Flexi-fuel vehicles because of the benefits to the environment.