IT'S time for the glamorous Geneva Motor Show again, when car makers roll out the first major new models for the year.

Perhaps the biggest news this year is the debut of Nissan's Infiniti brand outside North America. There is no doubt that Infiniti will do for Nissan what Lexus did for Toyota many years back.

Infiniti is also set for an Asian debut in the near future, so we could see Infiniti cars on our roads in time to come. Models to be launched under the brand name include the G37 coupe and sedan and the EX37 luxury crossover SUV. The latter will make its world debut at the show.

Another SUV to premier is the Volvo XC60. The XC90's little brother will do battle with the likes of the BMW X3 and Volkswagen Tiguan in the ever-expanding compact SUV market. Volvo claims the XC60 will be the safest car it has ever built because of City Safety - a system that applies the brakes automatically if the driver does not react in an impending collision.

Over at Ford, Volvo's parent company, the new Fiesta compact hatchback will make its world debut. Small Fords don't usually sell well here, but the bold styling on this model could change that.

Another small car to look forward to is the Fiat 500 Abarth. This is the hot version of the new 500 that is set to go on sale here next month. The Abarth has a 1.4-litre turbocharged engine making 135 hp and 206 Nm.

Also new from the Fiat Group is the Alfa 8C Spider and the Maserati Gran Turismo S. The former is a chop-top version of the drop- dead gorgeous 8C coupe, while the Gran Turismo S is a faster version of the trident-badged coupe from Modena.

As usual, the German brands will command a big presence in Geneva. The major news at Volkswagen is the premiere of the Scirocco. Derived from the Iroc concept of several years ago, the Scirocco is a two-door coupe based on the Golf. Its stylish and striking looks will be paired with power from the usual VW engines like the GTI's 200 hp turbo unit.

This year's Geneva show - from March 6-16 - marks the 34th anniversary of the original Scirocco's first appearance. Other world debuts from the vast Volkswagen Group include the Audi A4 Avant and the Skoda Superb.

Meanwhile, two high-end coupes will also make their debut. Mercedes-Benz will show off an extensively facelifted version of the iconic SL-Class roadster, while Rolls-Royce will present the ultra-luxury Phantom Coupe.

This story was first published in The Business Times on Mar 1, 2008.