2001 Geneva.(Brief Article)

Ah, spring. We know it's not far off when the Geneva Auto Salon is fired up and ready, and this year was no exception as the automotive world gathered in the high-mountain Swiss town to take stock and brace for 2001. While worries about the economy seemed less prevalent in Europe (or at least they weren't as palpable as in Detroit), the real concern when walking the tidiest show floor on the international circuit was the world premiers of new vehicles, or maybe this year, the lack thereof.

``This show is surprisingly flat,'' one designer said as he circulated the show floor. Even the funky cars of Rinspeed and Sbarro seemed tame in comparison to years past.

That said, it didn't stop us from taking in novel executions in automobility. Life ...