Geneva gems revealed virtually

The 2020 edition of the Geneva auto show officially went dark because of the coronavirus outbreak, but automakers managed to put a spotlight on new sheet metal. Some key highlights:

The Hyundai brand offered a peek at how some of its future cars and light trucks will look with the Prophecy concept, a high-performance electric car complete with sleek body, raked roofline and propeller-style wheel rims designed to help extend driving range. Hyundai Motor Group aims to be a top-three provider of electrified vehicles globally by 2025.

The 2021 A3 Sportback won't be coming to the United States, but it does preview a fourth-generation compact sedan destined for American showrooms. Standard A3 Sportback gear includes a large touch screen and a digital dashboard. And buyers get to choose between two engines: a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline option and a 2.0-liter diesel.

Fiat's new 500 joins a growing roster of battery-powered minicars targeting European customers. The three-door model retains the classic styling of the current internal-combustion-engine model, Europe's second bestselling minicar in 2019, after Fiat's Panda. Power comes from an 87-kilowatt (116-hp) electric motor and a 42-kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery pack. The company is weighing whether to export it to the U.S.

Volkswagen gave its best look yet at the ID4, a Tiguan-sized battery-electric crossover that is expected to go on sale in the U.S. late this year. The ID4 initially will be built in Germany alongside the Golf-sized ID3 hatchback. Beginning in 2022, VW will produce ID4s for sale in North America in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Inspired by jet fighters, notably a Boeing F/A 18 Super Hornet, the V12 Speedster packs the 700-hp, 5.2-liter V-12 from the DBS Superleggera in a low-slung, dramatic-looking body made largely of carbon fiber. But unlike a real F/A 18, there's no canopy — passengers are completely exposed. The V12 Speedster can hit 186 mph and sprint from 0 to 60 in about 3.5 seconds. According to Aston, the V12 Speedster is built on an architecture that blends bits from the entry-level Vantage and the DBS Superleggera. Only 88 will be built.