As if the climate for automobile shows worldwide wasn’t already depressed — with dwindling attendance and cash-conscious brands pulling their exhibits — the Geneva International Auto Show in Switzerland was called off this year over coronavirus fears.

Despite the cancellation, and with essentially neither press nor public present, the European Car of the Year was announced on Monday at the Palexpo convention center in Geneva: the Peugeot 208.

Considered a “supermini” in Europe, the 208 is cute and cuddly in a French way, with dynamic driving abilities, and is available with not just a gasoline or a diesel engine but also a battery-electric drivetrain. A jury of 58 European automotive journalists selected it from among seven finalists, which included the Tesla Model 3, the Porsche electric Taycan and Ford’s compact S.U.V., the Puma. (Nominated cars don’t have to come from Europe but must be available for purchase in at least five European countries.)

The event, available only as an online stream, had a rather eerie aura about it, like a soccer match without the crowd (another effect of the coronavirus). Normally at the ceremony, hordes of journalists fill the Palexpo hall, eating hors d’oeuvres and sipping sparkling wine. This year, only the seven cars and the jury’s president, Frank Janssen, were in the hall.