Owner: Auto Show 2007 URL:http://auto-show-frankfurt.blogspot.com Join Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2007 01:54:05 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Read the latest news and opinions, view the newest concept cars on Frankfurt Auto Show 2007 Site statistics:Click here
Renault Laguna Coupe 2007-09-13 15:26:00 This is the RenaultLagunaCoupe
Concept we're expecting to be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show next Tuesday. It's based on the new Laguna platform that's already spawned a Laguna sedan. We'll see the production version of the sedan in person for the first time in Frankfurt, and the Coupe Concept, which is also likely headed for production, will be right beside it.
Opel Flextreme Concept 2007-09-13 15:25:00 The Opel Flextreme concept is GM's European answer to the Chevy Volt, and it's destined to be one of the stars of this year's very green-tinged Frankfurt Motor Show. The vehicle's name was leaked in a Financial Times article published on August 31, and this evening, several photos and more information about the concept were published online. We happily share what's available so far. The Flextreme sports a Euro-friendly hatchback/crossover-style body as opposed to Volt's US-targeted sedan duds, which allows for an area in which a pair Segways can be stored and charged by the car's onboard electrical system. It's also got a glass panoramic roof, rear suicide doors, and rearview cameras in lieu of traditional mirrors. Read more:Concept
Renault Kangoo Compact Concept 2007-09-13 15:24:00 Every automaker is after the much-coveted active-lifestyle crowd, and apparently Renault
is no different. Partnering with Rollerblade, Renault developed the Kangoo Compact Concept
that blends "mobility, togetherness and lust for life" with a roller-skating theme. Sure.The concept's styling is set to inspire future Kangoos, but whether the brushed aluminum and safety-orange color scheme makes it into the lineup is debatable. The large greenhouse, comprised of an expansive windscreen that stretches past the A-pillar, mates to a retractable glass roof that, which combined with a fold-down hatch, allows would-be 'bladers a place to strap on their skates
Porsche Cayenne GTS 2007-09-13 15:23:00 The Porsche
Cayenne GTS just made its unspectacular reveal, and in keeping with our contract we've got live shots of the automaker's SUV savior. The new DFI 4.8-liter V8 is producing 405 HP at 6,800 RPM and 369 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,500 RPM. The styling changes are decidedly dull, with the incorporation of the Cayenne Turbo's front fascia, a new spoiler, color-matched door handles and a few other tweaks.You can examine them yourself in the gallery below and check out Porsche's press release after the jump.
Mercedes F700 2007-09-13 15:22:00 After a bit of a song and dance routine, sans the song, Mercedes
-Benz finally drove out its new F700 Concept at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show. Looking something like an S-Class cross-bred with a Mazda RX-8, it still managed to wow the assembled horde. The debut itself was a wild enviro-mechanical fusion of dancers emulating trees and geckos that formed a vehicle out of their prop tree branches and then fit themselves inside. It was a clever way to show green and machine can coexist beautifully. Sitting next to Lewis Hamilton and all of the Mercedes brass made it an even more interesting experience. The car itself is being described as a "magic carpet ride" by Mercedes folk. It's depicted as a future luxurious touring sedan with good performance and exceptionally low fuel consumption. Big and luxurious, the F700 is also the first car in the world that can recognize and predict road conditions to manage bumps using a new PRE-SCAN active suspension M-B is developing. It also features the
Saab Turbo X arrives dressed in black 2007-09-13 15:20:00 Like many vehicles being debuted at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, the 2008 Saab Turbo
X was leaked early. Surprisingly, the few preview images we saw didn't do this car justice. When seen live under the lights of Frankfurt's Messe, the Turbo X looks like the Official Car of the Sith. While GM rolled out a Turbo X sedan during the press conference, we found a Sport Combi model back in the Saab stand we liked even more. The look of these vehicles evokes the classic Saab 900 "Turbo Black" models, an original of which was on hand. The Saab 9-3's new face is looking good here, and the rear of the car is upgraded by a set of dual "romboid-shaped" tailpipes, as well.
Dodge Journey 2007-09-13 15:19:00 Chrysler fired its biggest salvo yet in the CUV wars by officially unveiling the DodgeJourney
in front of a throng of mildly interested in journalists. Truly, if you've seen one CUV, you've seen them all, and the Dodge Journey is all kinds of derivative. Coming from the automaker that brought us the Viper, Charger, Magnum and Challenger Concept in recent years, the Journey's design comes off as eminently safe. Perhaps Dodge is playing to the middle with this one, hoping to boost sales by appealing to the masses. What will sell the Journey are some of its clever interior storage solutions, including two bins in the floor directly behind the front seats, and more storage underneath the front passenger seat cushion. While the Journey could seat seven in a pinch thanks to its optional third row, it's obvious after having seen it in person that those venturing aft must be small and limber. What won't help the Journey is its powertrain lineup, which includes a 2.4L World Engine four-cy
Kia Kee Coupe Concept 2007-09-13 15:18:00 Kia unwrapped what it contends will be the future of its design language in the form of the Kee Sports CoupeConcept
here in Frankfurt, and, depending on your perspective, that could be a good or bad thing. The low-profile two-door seems more of an amalgamation of design philosophies, rather than a coherent whole. Peter Schreyer, the ex-Audi designer and current Chief Design Officer of Kia Europe, pegs the Kee as a significant step towards Kia's sporting potential, and its new, forgettable fascia will be expanded across the Kia lineup.Under the bonnet, you'll find what the company is calling a "next generation" two-liter V6 that sends 200 HP through a six-speed automatic to the 20-inch front wheels. The LED head- and tail lamps were a nice touch, as is the multi-level hatch. But beyond the Kee's bright yellow hue, we've deemed this concept a Korean-sized speed bump at an otherwise awe-inspiring show.
The new Mazda6 2007-09-13 15:17:00 Although rumor has it this isn't the exact Mazda
6 we'll be getting Stateside, we finally saw the car in the metal with our own eyes and like what we saw -- a lot. Not as conservative (not that Mazda usually is) as the Accord or as odd as the Camry, this all-new 6 manages to be exciting in an understated way. Lots of nice curves and details without a lot of bling. In person it has an almost BMW feel about it, very athletic and sophisticated. The hatch and wagon in particular look very rakish. Unfortunately we overheard one Mazda exec mention that the U.S. might only get the sedan this go-around, which would be a bit of a letdown. We liked the hatch and wagon variants and because we were just looking at both of them in the new version, we know that the engineering is already done.
Suzuki Kizashi 2007-09-13 15:16:00 Suzuki unveiled a stunner today at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show called the Kizashi, but unfortunately the automaker had no information to offer about the car in the form of a press release. Sans that important artifact, we can at least comment on the Kizashi's styling, which we liken to a Japanese interpretation of the Dodge Magnum. Kind of a slung back wagon, the Kizashi features a plunging grille flanked by headlights that follow it all the way down to the ground. Out back are a nice set of rear haunches in the form of muscular fenders topped by a C-pillar that leans back at an angle. Read more:Suzuki
Lamborghini Reventon - 1,000,000 Euro to own 2007-09-13 15:15:00 It's finally here, arrived in secrecy just like the airplane from which it takes its cues: the 2008 Lamborghini
Reventón. It lurked between three women dressed in beige overalls and work boots. The beige tarp that covered it fell in a mess of sharp points and acute angles, as if someone had stuck a chunk of quartz underneath it. Before Stephan Winkelmann, CEO of Lamborghini, came out and spoke, there was a video presentation shown on the screen behind the car. It was probably the same video shown to the lucky few given advance notice of the car, a waterfall of quick cuts that gave tasty glimpses of the car at the center of the hubbub.Thankfully, the first thing Stephan did before speaking was unveil the car. He spoke of the success of Lamborghini, how 2007 would be another record year, and that this car was a tribute to the continuing success of the raging bull. He let us know that it's a 6.5-liter V12 with 650 horsepower, that it has 4-wheel drive, that it is named after the bull t
Honda Accord Tourer 2007-09-13 15:13:00 Although just a concept, the Honda
Accord Tourer signals Honda's hopes to build a real, genuine, honest-to-goodness station wagon tourer on the Accord platform again. Honda says it plans on building something that will look a lot like this estate by the middle of next year and we hope they aren't lying. This is one of the swoopiest wagons we've seen in a while. Particularly at the rear, it has some beautiful lines that are elegant and sporty, and downright sexy. It makes us think of an Alfa Romeo, which is a good thing. This concept changes very little of the new Accord as we know it, stretching the track and width a bit to help with cargo space and handling. It will feature the 2.0- and 2.4-liter gas engines, as well as Honda's 2.2-liter diesel, as options when it goes into production, which means it will be a full all-Euro 5-compliant vehicle across the board. Honda says we'll see the final version at Geneva and we can't wait. Hopefully a U.S. version will be in the plans as we Read more:Honda Accord
Toyota IQ 2007-09-13 15:11:00 "Flame surfacing comes to the smart." That was our first thought when we laid eyes upon Toyota
's newest concept, the iQ. The 2980mm 3+1 practically shares every dimension with its big brother the Yaris, except length, and comes equipped with all sorts of innovative packaging. Normally a two-seater, a third seat can also be flipped up for a small adult or child in the back (hence, 3+1).Unlike the VW up!, the iQ will have its engine mounted up front, powering the front wheels, although what specific powertrains are available is an open question. If we had to put money on it, we'd guess something below the one-and-a-half liter range in both gas and diesel, when it supposedly goes on sale in Europe in 2009.
Seat Tribu Concept 2007-09-13 15:10:00 VW's SEAT brand is getting a makeover, and the Tribu concept unveiled in Frankfurt shows us where the marque's headed, stylistically. Penned by new SEAT design chief and Lamborghini expat Luc Donckerwolke, the Tribu jettisons the more organic, flowing shapes of current SEATs and replaces them with taught lines and a face that is very Audi-looking. We have to believe that it also foreshadows a SEAT-branded crossover that'll have this same general shape, if not all the details, obviously. Read more:Concept
Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S 2007-09-13 15:10:00 We just got information about this new version of the Q-Porte, the Quattroporte Sport GT S, a couple of weeks ago and now we have a few live shots and our personal reactions to add. First off, it's really hard to even notice that this is a new Quattroporte, when there are three GranTurismos ten feet over from it. Not that the Q-Porte isn't a fine vehicle, but OMG that GT is sex on wheels. The QP is a great sedan (especially in Sport GT guise) and this new Sport GT S has a few minor but important upgrades over already improved Sport GT that should make this an even better driver's car. The problem is that there are very few exterior differences to tip you off that this is the all-new sportiest version. Or rather, they are too subtle to really notice. Not that there's anything wrong with the shape (or the details for that matter), but it's not like the jump, say, Ferrari made in taking an F430 and turning it into a Scuderia. Read more:Maserati
Chevrolet Aveo 2007-09-13 15:08:00 Ladies and gentlemen, the new Chevy Aveo for the European market is proof positive the grass is not always greener on the other side (at least for now). Previously known as the Kalos in Europe, the new Aveo five-door should vaguely remind you of the same car sold in the U.S. as the Chevy Aveo5. Except, that is, for the hyperbolic front end with its gargantuan grille. When we first reported on the car prior to the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, there were actually many readers who commented on how much they liked the car's new looks. These people are more than welcome to move to Europe, as far as we're concerned. (I'm into my fourth stein at the moment, so excuse me for my frankness). The cherry on top of the Aveo's design is surely its fender vents, which tie with those on the 2008 Ford Focus for most useless+ Read more:Chevrolet
Hyundai i-Blue 2007-09-13 15:07:00 Hyundai, like practically every other automaker in Frankfurt, is showing off its green-wares. The i-Blue is the poster-child for the automaker's environmentally focused future, with a 100 kW motor powered by a fuel cell. Developed by Hyundai's Design and Technical Center in Chiba, Japan, the i-Blue's platform shares the concept's name, and will likely underpin future D-segment crossovers with a 2+2 seating arrangement.The styling is certainly futuristic, with expansive front fenders, a dramatic fascia, heavily sculpted sides and a rear spoiler that culminates in a sharp point and houses a reversing camera. Inside, it's all flowing shapes, all the time, with plenty of space for its occupants and technology that only Data could wrap his head around.All the details are available in Hyundai's press release after the jump, and we've assembled a gallery of live and press pics for your viewing pleasure. Read more:Hyundai
Mercedes C Class Wagon 2007-09-13 15:06:00 Mercedes, so far, has had the biggest stage production of any manufacturer here in Frankfurt. It was so big they needed to construct their own building next to the existing exhibit halls to house it. The three-story structure was filled to capacity as the company debuted something like 193 new models in the 20 minute show. Okay, maybe it was a dozen or so. Using dancers in some very creative ways, they managed to convey the idea of man and nature working together for a clean green future to start things off. For the debut of the new models, they were particularly keen on looking green, so the dancers helped create an illusion involving nature. Taking the form of trees and forest spirits (What was this, an anime film? -Ed.), the dancers somehow managed to turn their tree limb props into the shape of a vehicle and enclose all 12 of themselves inside of it just as Dr. Z drove out in a Bluetech sedan. After a bit of talk, the sedan went away and when it was time for the wagon (did Dr. Z ca Read more:Mercedes
, Wagon
Cadillac BLS Wagon 2007-09-13 15:01:00 Big derrieres can be hot if they're attached to the right body. We're talking about cars here, specifically wagons whose ample rumps allow you to haul more cargo while hardly carrying the stigma of a libido killing minivan. Wagon
s are still very popular in Europe, so Cadillac
had the bright idea of building a wagon version of its BLS, a front-wheel drive entry level luxury car that's a Saab 9-3 beneath its skin. Don't call this a Sport Combi though, as the BLS gets it own sheetmetal, and the wagon unveiled in Frankfurt wore it well. It looks very much like a first-gen CTS that's been starving itself.Cadillac is hoping that by offering European customers more choices, it will sell more cars, so in addition to the Wagon it's also offering Stabilitrak as standard equipment and two new engines for the BLS in Europe next year. The first is a 1.9L two-stage turbodiesel producing 180 HP and 295 ft-lbs., and the second is a 2.0L Flexpower engine that produces 285 HP and is able to run on
Fiat Grande Punto Abarth SS 2007-09-13 15:00:00 Fiat has big plans for the resurrected Abarth
brand, wasting no time with a 180 HP splash in the body of the Grande
Punto Abarth SS. Fiat plans to use Abarth as an in-house tuning and racing concern, and this car demonstrates the kind of tuning they have in mind.There are two Grande Punto Abarths: the base model comes to the party with "just" 150 HP, but the SS takes it up to 180 HP. The Abarth SS models also get a nice body kit that looks like it came from a Transformers spare parts bin. The interior is clean and basic, but not spartan, and well-laid out. Good luck to anyone who doesn't plan on racing everyone and everything at every stop light. For a small hatch, it's one of the hottest cars out there -- check out the special edition Frankfurt Auto Show wheels -- and the hottest presenters didn't hurt either. Read more:Fiat Grande
, Fiat Grande Punto
Land Rover - The Range Stormer 2007-09-13 14:57:00 Last fall, Land Rover
teased attendees of an auto show with silhouetted images of an upcoming show car. Then, in January, it unveiled its Range
Stormer concept car.Looks like the British company is doing it again, teasing the folks in Frankfurt with a photo of this vaguely SUV-shaped, two-door vehicle, but releasing no details. The Range Stormer turned out to be a treat worth waiting for, so hopefully this January in Detroit, perhaps we'll learn more about that sleek mystery car in the photo. Read more:Land Rover
The Bentley Continental GT Speed 2007-09-13 14:56:00 The BentleyContinental
GT Speed
is one of the most photogenic cars at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show, so check out all the live high-res pics in our gallery below, and click here to read the official press release from our original post. The twin-turbo W12 mill from standard Continental GT breathes better thanks to a redesigned and more upright grille, and its ECU has also been hacked resulting in a nice round 600bhp, a 48bhp bump. 20-inch wheels wrapped in ultra low-profile rubber, a new steering wheel not shared with VW, and optional carbon ceramic brakes round out the hardware upgrades. All told, 60 MPH should arrive in 4.2 seconds and the Continental GT Speed's 202 MPH top speed officially makes it the fastest Bentley ever made, as well.
Mercedes-Benz S300 2007-09-13 14:52:00 During the huge debut Mercedes
held for the F700 Concept and C-Class Estate, it also showed off the new 2010 Mercedes-Benz S300. This is the first product of a collaboration between Mercedes and BMW to develop a less complex mild hybrid that could be adapted to most of their vehicles. Promised for 2010, this will be the first model introduced under that program. It mates the 3.0L Bluetec diesel V-6 to that new hybrid set-up and gets a combined 43.6 mpg (in US gallons) on the economy cycle.Sounds pretty efficient to us. Mercedes also had some info on the 2009 S400 Hybrid, which uses a petrol engine instead of the diesel used in the S300, and will be the first gas-engined German hybrid on the market when it goes on sale in '09. While the car itself looks exactly like the S300 above, we added a shot of the placard to our gallery so you can see the specs.
Bugatti Pur Sang 2007-09-13 14:51:00 There was an official release of the all-aluminum Bugatti
Pur Sang somewhere in Frankfurt this week, but it wasn't at the official Frankfurt Auto Show. In fact, once it was shown -- presumably, once -- it wasn't seen again. Not much of a loss, really, because you won't be likely to see one either: Bugatti's only making five of them. That's even more exclusive than the edtion-of-twenty Lamborghini Reventon.The Pur Sang is a standard-issue Bugatti stripped of all of its paint. That means raw aluminum and carbon fiber face the 200+ MPH elements in their naked states. We don't know how it looks in person, but in pics we'd have to say it's the prettiest Bugatti we've seen. Without the two-tone paint job, the car doesn't remind us of a giant Stacy Adams shoe. It's also a couple hundred pounds lighter, not that you were looking to shave weight or tenths off the car.And heaven only knows how Bugatti will decide who gets the five examples. But of course, if you really wanted one you
The new Skoda Fabia Greenline 2007-09-13 14:50:00 Green-ness in the European auto market has become quite the trendy thing, as evidenced by the frenzy of alt-fuel/economy/clean-tech debuts littering the IAA floor. It's to be expected, given the regulatory noises coming from Euro government officials. VW-owned Czech automaker Škoda has gotten into the act this year, offering up a "GreenLine" version of its new Fabia
compact. (Somewhere in the RenCen, Saturn officials must be grumbling about Škoda's name selection for its eco-roster.)The GreenLine cars feature engines that focus on fuel economy and low emissions. As such, the Fabia GreenLine and Fabia Combi GreenLine (shown above) are powered by a 1.4L TDI with a diesel particulate filter that delivers 79 horsepower and emits less than 110 g/km of CO2. Another GreenLine car that will go on sale in biofuel-friendly Sweden later this year is the Octavia Combi Greenline, which is driven by a 100-horse 1.6L E85-compatible engine. Green is definitely the new black. Or something. Read more:Skoda
, Skoda Fabia
MTM unveils Bentley Continental GTC Birkin Edition 2007-09-20 15:39:00 German tuning house MTM is creator of the schnellest Audi RTT and the sickness-on-wheels RS4 K540. It follows up those two acts with a tastefully-tuned Bentley
called the GTC Birkin Edition
. (Sir Henry Ralph Stanley "Tim" Birkin, 3rd Baronet, was one of the original Bentley Boys of the 1920's.) It is wonderful to see a tuner take an already beautiful car and forgo visually mad modification for jet black understatement.In fact, the only exterior mod, other than the 21" Bimoto wheels, is the rear apron and staggered pipes. Frankly, we like those better than the elliptical versions on the standard car. The real fettling has taken place on the engine and suspension. Two kits are available, one that ups the HP from 560 to 635, with a jump in torque to 575 lb-ft. The second kit raises that again to 650 HP and 585 lb-ft. The German oomph will get you to 62 in 4.2 seconds, a 0.6-second improvement over the "basic" Bentley GTC.MTM has also added a proprietary, stainless steel exhaust that incl Read more:Continental
Spy Shots: Subaru Impreza WRX STi caught undisguised on 'Ring 2007-09-20 15:37:00 Though Subaru
engineers took careful measures to ensure their Impreza
WRX STi tester wasn't spotted en route to the Nurburgring or at the track's staging area, eventually the car cover had to come off. It appears Subaru engineers were forced to unveil the production body of the new STi in order to test how the final form affects cooling. Though we just showed you this official teaser shot of the STi, these spy shots show the car outside in perfect light where every detail of the new design is cleary visible. Aside from some black tape, the blue STi underneath is practically naked. Note what appear to be air extractor vents or intake scoops on the sides of the front bumper, a design element we weren't entirely aware of before. We can also clearly see the rear wing now, which is less ostentatious than we were hoping. The STi has always been known for sporting an obnoxious rear wing, but it looks like that tradition will end with the 2008 model. Read more:Subaru Impreza
, Subaru Impreza WRX
Audi A4 Cabriolet S line Special Edition joins UK lineup 2007-09-20 15:36:00 With the new Audi A4 sedan gracing stands at last week's Frankfurt Show, Audi is attempting to inject some life into the older-shape A4 Cabrio with the addition of the S line sports specification for the 2.0L TFSI model. Available only in the UK from December onwards, the special edition packaging adds Pearl Nappa leather, a Bose stereo system, parking sensors, and xenon headlamps.Handling is improved with 18-inch double spoke alloys and a lowered sports suspension, while the exterior dons an optional blacked out grille and unique front and rear bumpers with an integrated rear diffuser. The car's mechanicals haven't come in for an upgrade, but the 197 HP and 206 lb-ft. of torque available from the 2.0L engine should suffice until the new model arrives. Opt for the multitronic CVT and the 0-62 MPH will take you 8.1 seconds while fuel consumption stands at 28 MPG. [Source: Audi] Read more:Edition
, Special
, lineup
Frankfurt 2007: Mazda RX-8 Special Edition 2007-09-17 14:32:00 Mazda is celebrating 40 years of putting engines inspired by pony kegs in their cars by rolling out a special version of the RX-8 2+2. Mazda's official hyperbole about the RX-8 brags that the car changed customer expectations of what an affordable sports car should be when they launched the four-place coupe in 2003. It sure did; we've now come to expect less than the stated power output from the Renesis Wankel, which also swills oil like a... well, like a Wankel. Now that we've ensured that every single Rotary fan on Autoblog will lambaste us, let's go on to say that we really do like them. Any engine you can mercilessly spin out to 10,000 RPM without aerating the block has significant entertainment value. The fact that there's about three major moving parts is cool, too. The SpecialEdition
RX-8 has two new colors for its sinewy sheetmetal, Metropolitan Grey and Crystal White Pearl. There's also new ten-spoke wheels, blue tinged foglamps, and the obligatory emblems to dress up t Read more:Frankfurt
, Mazda
, Special Edition
2008 Ford Focus will start at $14,695 2007-09-17 14:30:00 Styling aside, the 2008 Ford Focus
is a better car than the one it replaces, and Ford announced today that its pricing will begin under $15,000. For 2008, the Focus S Coupe will start at $14,695 and the Focus S sedan at $14,995. Up-level models like the Focus SE coupe and sedan will add $1,000 to those base prices, while the top shelf SES models that come with Ford's new SYNC technology standard (normally a $395 option), start at $16,695 and $16,995 for the coupe and sedan, respectively. All of these prices include a $620 destination charge, mind you. Comparing those prices to the 2007 Focus lineup is difficult, since the less expensive hatchback, which had a base MSRP of $13,715 in 2007 (not including destination), has been replaced by the new coupe body style. The sedan's base price, however, has increased from $14,040 in 2007, or $14,660 including destination charges. As we said earlier, anyone considering the new Focus will likely need to put its styling aside and focus (ahem) on Read more:Ford Focus
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