If their resemblance to the light-particle motorcycle in the movie "Tron" is any indication, these five quirky vehicles from the Geneva auto show would be perfect for anyone trapped inside a video game.

 

As an early cinematic vision of cyberspace, "Tron" was one of the first widely released films to prominently combine computer-generated images with live action. But that wasn't its only claim to fame — it also introduced the world to the Light Cycle.

 

Released in 1982, the film tells the story of hacker Kevin Flynn (played by Jeff Bridges) who is trapped inside of a computer and forced to compete in a real-life video game. In a climactic scene, Flynn pilots the Light Cycle, a svelte, two-wheeled vehicle made of light particles, and zips around a funky 3-D landscape in order to outwit the software pirate who imprisoned him inside the machine.

 

Compared to the realistic computer graphics of contemporary films, the Light Cycle may appear unsophisticated, but as some vehicles at the International Motor Show in Geneva suggest, its design still exerts a certain influence.

 

See more photos in the slideshow here

 

 

Below are five vehicles that we found in some of the more obscure recesses of the Geneva Palexpo exhibition hall. They are small, nimble, stylistically outrageous, and any of them could come in handy for cruising around a digital landscape.

 

We haven't seen the last of "Tron" either — a sequel is said to be in the works. Which manufacturer will buy the privilege of slapping its logo on the new Light Cycle has yet to be determined.

 

Sbarro Pendolauto

 

From the Swiss auto and motorcycle customization shop Sbarro (no relation to the pizza chain) comes the Pendolauto, which leans like a motorcycle but has four wheels for stability. We’d love to give you the specs, but information on the Pendolauto is pretty slim and not in English. When asked for press information, company founder Frank Sbarro just laughed.

 

Pros: It looks fast, so we’re going to say it is fast, which should be helpful for speedy navigation of any video game universe. The variable-tilt wheels provide extra-precise turning abilities, and the top-shelf design is a big plus.

 

Cons: It has no windshield, so debris, digital or otherwise, could hit you in the face. Also, the Pendolauto's nose looks like it was borrowed from an anteater.

 

Lumeneo Smera

 

Paris-based design and engineering start-up Lumeneo unveiled its first creation in Geneva, the all-electric Smera. The vehicle motors on twin 20-horsepower engines that suck energy from lithium-ion batteries. Like the Pendolauto, the Smera is a four-wheeler that can lean into turns. The electric batteries give the Smera a range of 144 kilometres. It can hit 100 km/h in eight seconds.

 

Pros: A luxurious cabin means you’ll be doing battle with your video game opponents in complete comfort. It can be recharged at a standard electrical outlet, and actually has some storage space. Few of these pros apply to video combat, however.

 

Cons: Design leaves something to be desired. Not as much power as some other "Tron"-worthy models.

 

Peraves MonoTracer

 

Making its second go-round at Geneva, the $75,000 US MonoTracer is more motorcycle than car. But appearances can be deceiving, because it does have more than two wheels. The MonoTracer can lean up to 50 degrees into turns thanks to mini-wheels that pop out for support and then retract when they are no longer needed. A 1.1-litre engine gets the MonoTracer to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds and helps it top out at 250 km/h.

 

Pros: The most road-tested and likely quickest vehicle of the bunch, the MonoTracer would be perfect for the "Tron" sequel. A high degree of maneuverability is a plus for avoiding opponents.

 

Cons: Interior not as luxurious as the Smera's.

 

Can-Am Spyder Roadster

 

The Can-Am Spyder Roadster is the tough trike of the bunch, looking like an all-terrain vehicle with a hind-end mutation — it is Y-shaped, with two wheels forward, and one in back. It features a central data system controlling vehicle stability software, power steering, fuel injection, and security. The 700-pound Spyder Roadster moves along smartly thanks to 106 hp produced by a two-cylinder liquid-cooled engine, giving it a zero to 100 km/h time of 4.5 seconds and a max speed of 177 km/h.

 

Pros: It’s tougher than just about anything else on the menu here. If you can’t trap your opponent in video game land, you can just try rolling over them.

 

Cons: The Can-Am doesn't corner as well as some of the other more upright vehicles, and its styling isn't quite futuristic enough to be a true "Tron"-mobile.

 

Kyburz Classic

 

Another slim four-wheeler from a Swiss designer, the Kyburz Classic runs solely on electricity. Kyburz has been in the scooter business for 10 years, and the Classic is its partially enclosed-four door. It comes in 10 km/h, 20 km/h, and 30 km/h versions, and is meant primarily to help the elderly gain personal mobility with a dash of style. Designed for around-town travel, its maximum range is 65 kilometres.

 

Pros: It’s electric, so it runs cleanly. With four wheels, stability is not a problem. Its thick-spoked wheels remind us of BMX bike mag wheels from the '80s.

 

Cons: It's designed primarily to help the elderly get around, so it's not particularly fast or sharp-handling.

 

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