The Geneva auto show might have been cancelled, but that did not stop car companies from revealing the impressive new vehicles they were planning to debut. 

We look at some of the most exciting new performance car reveals, which should have happened at the Geneva show, but were launched digitally.

Porsche 911 Turbo S

The Stuttgart performance car specialist has debuted a new 911 Turbo S, in both coupe and cabriolet body styles. Porsche has retained its 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged flat-six engine, but the company's engineers have managed to extract even better numbers from this powerplant.

Outputs for the new 911 Turbo S are up to 478kW (from 427kW), with torque surging by 50 units, to a peak of 800Nm. Performance numbers are quite epic, with 0-100km/h in 2.7 seconds. Porsche's latest eight-speed PDK transmission, with a revised final drive ratio, helps the 911 Turbo S achieve a top speed of 330km/h.

Typical of Porsche, the acceleration and top speed is matched by equally dramatic deceleration, thanks to new front brakes, which have no less than ten-pistons per caliper. Porsche's potent 911 Turbo S coupe will arrive in South African during May, priced at R3 542 000. If you wish to have one with a folding roof, that will increase the price to R3 716 000. 

Image: Porsche 

Koenigsegg Gemera

The Swedish supercar company now finally has a family-friendly vehicle option. With its Gemera, Koenigsegg offers seating for a driver and three-passengers, in a surprisingly roomy cabin.Beyond the novelty of its four-seater configuration, the Gemera has an incredible powertrain which is true to the brand's supercar heritage. Koenigsegg has managed to combine a 2.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine, with twin-turbocharging, and no less than three electric motors. Total system output is an astonishing 1268kW.

The Gemera's performance claims are very bold, with Koenigsegg stating that its first four-seater supercar will be good for 0-100kph in 1.9 seconds, and a top speed of 400km/h.

Image: Koenigsegg

Bentley Bacalar

Exclusivity meets the excellence of execution. Built by Bentley's Mulliner division, only 12 of these Bacalars will be produced, each priced at R30m.

This roadster's styling is extraordinary, with a pinched rear profile and sweeping front grille, ensuring that it never lacks for presence when parked or on the move. Powering the Bacalar is Bentley's iconic 6.0-litre W12 engine, which benefits from turbocharging and is good for 485kW.

Sustainability is not something you would readily associate with a Bentley costing R30m. Still, the gorgeous metallic paint finish for this car contains an organic element: rice husks, instead of traditional metal flakes.

Image: Bentley 

McLaren 765 LT

A more focussed version of the 720S, if anybody could imagine that possible. The 765 LT is lighter and more powerful, which also makes it an even greater threat to any V8-powered Ferrari.

The design is obsessed with performance, hence the central grouping of four exhaust ends and bodywork littered with aerodynamic features. Power comes from McLaren's 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8, boosting 563kW.

With an 80kg reduction in weight, compared to the 720S, this new 765 LT boasts an incredible power-to-weight ratio and is capable of 0-200km/hh in 7.2 seconds. McLaren has confirmed that it will only produce 765 units of the 765 LT.

Image: McLaren 

Mercedes-Benz E53 AMG

Mercedes-Benz's updated E-Class is a big deal for the world's oldest car company. It debuts new driver assistance technologies, but South African followers of the 'Benz brand are only interested in AMG versions of the new E-Class, and the latest E53 shouldn't disappoint.

It is powered by a 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder engine, boosted by sophisticated turbocharging, to total outputs of 320kW and 520Nm. Beyond the internal combustion energy source, there is also an integrated starter-alternator, which adds 16kW and 250Nm.