Frankfurt Auto Show
Frankfurt Auto Show, Latest Automobiles News, Trucks Ranking, Worldwide Cars Review
Filed under: Car Buying, Frankfurt Motor Show, Performance, China, Crossover, Beijing Motor Show, Luxury, MISC
Even if Eterniti Motors hasn't exactly made its Hemera SUV beautiful, it has kept it on a consistently delivered timeline. The boutique British company showed off the Hemera, it's Cayenne-Turbo-S-based "SUV meets BMW M5" at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and now says the final version will rock up to the Beijing Motor Show in April before going on sale later this year.
According to Autocar, only a tiny amount of those sales, though, will take place outside of China: Eterniti plans a first-year run of 50 Hemeras, with 90 percent of them booked for China. The last five of them will be split between Russia, the Middle East and Europe. They could also be paying a little more than previously reported, with the Frankfurt price tag of £150,000 ($240,000 U.S.) now quoted as "above £150,000."
And that's before the bespoke options are arranged on top of the four climate-controlled seats, wireless iPad integration and drink chiller. The 23-inch lightweight wheels, however, won't be extra - shod in low-profile tires they're said to provide a sporting yet refined ride.
Eterniti Hemera to hit market in April originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Motor Show, Performance, Hatchback, Volkswagen
As small as the car is itself, Volkswagen wanted to ensure its Up! city car would make a big impact when it lifted the veil on the production model at the Frankfurt Motor Show. So along with the basic three-door hatch, the German automaker also brought out a series of concept cars that gave us a hint at what the future of the product line could hold in store.
Though little in the way of details were offered on the show floor, Volkswagen has been highlighting these concepts one at a time in the weeks that have passed since. First in line was the Cross Up! that confirmed the arrival of a five-door model. Then came the Buggy Up! that showed a more playful side of the platform. Now Wolfsburg has detailed the GT Up!, demonstrating the little hatchback's sporting potential.
Applying a similar formula that's transformed the Golf into the GTI, the GT Up! packs such performance-oriented extras as 17-inch alloys filling up those little wheel wells, a wider grille, brake ducts with integrated LED daytime running lights, extended side sills, gloss-black side mirror housings, a rear spoiler and diffuser and twin exhaust pipes.
The interior has been done up with blue-checked anthracite upholstery, a black headliner, gloss-black trim and leather-wrapped three-spoke wheel. While the GT Up isn't quite confirmed for production at this point, it does show us what could come down the pipeline. In the meantime, you can check out the high-resolution images and the press release after the jump.
Continue reading Volkswagen concept injects Up! with a shot of GT
Volkswagen concept injects Up! with a shot of GT originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Sedan, Government/Legal, Mercedes-Benz, Electric, Luxury
Increasingly stricter environmental dictates are making the rich man's camel pass though the eyes of smaller and smaller needles to get to regulatory heaven. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is going to have to shrink somewhere in order to make it into the future, and it seems the company plan for that is to make an electric version, possibly even with lithium-sulfur batteries powering plug-in fuel-cell technology from the F-125! concept showed off at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show.
The hitch in this case is that if we ever see such a car, Daimler's R&D chief believes 2020 or 2025 would be the window for its appearance. The technologies aren't concept-only, or as out-there as using thorium for power, but scaling up to passenger car sizes and standards might be a decade or more out. The return: an S-Class with an emissions-free range of 621-miles.
That might sound like overkill, but as of now only one S-Class undercuts the European average for vehicular CO2 emissions. With the noose tightening in 2015 and even tighter strictures in 2020 and 2025, Mercedes (and plenty of other automakers) will need to position itself for 2025 and beyond.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class EV in the cards? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Motor Show, Motorsports, Crossover, Infiniti, Nissan, Rumormill, Luxury
Running a luxury brand used to be simple. Tart up a few mass-market sedans with leather interiors and power accessories, slap on a big hood ornament, jack the price through the roof, then sit back and watch the gravy train flow. These days it couldn't be more different. You need dedicated luxury platforms and halo cars and marketing tie-ins. And if you really want to be taken seriously among the cognoscenti, you need an in-house performance tuner to craft your own AMG or M-series line of cars.
Which brings us to Infiniti, the formerly North American-only luxury brand. It has been going toe-to-toe with Mercedes and BMW in some product segments for years, but with aspirations of competing with the big two luxury marques globally, it needs to put some muscle behind its nascent Infiniti Performance Line brand. So that 414-horsepower Infiniti FX Sebastian Vettel Version you saw at Frankfurt? Yep, it's coming, according to an interview with Nissan Executive Vice President Andy Palmer on the company's corporate blog. And although it won't necessarily be branded an IPL car, Palmer says the Vettel FX will serve as a pilot, to prove that Infiniti can sell "low-volume, very special versions, and be able to charge a premium."
Vettel took his second straight Formula 1 title with a victory in Japan this weekend, and Infiniti might as well capitalize on its marketing partnership with Red Bull Racing. You don't spend upwards of $10 million on a racing deal if you're not going to use it to sell cars. Of course, Vettel is hardly a celebrity in the U.S., so we'll have to wait to hear some official word about North American plans. "Right now," Nissan PR told us, "it is still simply a concept."
Watch the entire interview with Palmer after the jump.
Continue reading Infiniti FX Sebastian Vettel Version approved for production, may result in AMG-like tuning arm
Infiniti FX Sebastian Vettel Version approved for production, may result in AMG-like tuning arm originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Convertible, Europe, Opel, Vauxhall
The Opel Astra CC suffers from the same ailment as other small, hardtop convertibles like the Renault Megane and Peugeot 308 cc: an ungainly backside. Stowing a tin roof that needs to cover four people inside a small car just blows things up in the rear. That's why the head of General Motors design in Europe says that the next Astra cabrio won't be a hardtop, but return to cloth.
And in fact, it won't even be called "Astra." Set to bow in 2012, it will break from that nomenclature and forge its own - as yet unknown - brand path. "This car demands a new name," it was said, because "it will look nothing like an Astra," burdened as it will be with continuing the fight to raise Opel and Vauxhall cachet as, a battle begun with the Insignia.
We thought the Opel GTC we saw at the Frankfurt Auto Show was pretty hot - put a softtop on that and hold its stance, and we'd applaud. But if Opel has something even better in mind, well then bring on 2012. We can't wait to see it.
Next Opel / Vauxhall Astra cabrio to be standalone model originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Motor Show, Convertible, Volkswagen, Off-Road
Typically an automaker releases information on its latest concept cars in the days and weeks running up to the auto show where it's set to be unveiled. But when we got to Frankfurt this year, Volkswagen had a few surprises up its sleeve that were neither previewed beforehand nor unveiled at the VW Group event the night before the Messe opened its doors to the gathered press.
Not only did Volkswagen unveil the new production Up! city car, it also showcased a whole mess of Up-based concept cars as well. Included on the company's sprawling show stand were the Up! Azzurra, the Cross Up!, GT Up!, Eco Up!, e-Up! and this, the Buggy Up!, which the German automaker has just now detailed to satisfy your curiosity.
Drawing its inspiration from the iconic Meyers Manx and other such Beetle-based beach buggies, the Buggy Up! concept takes the new urban hatchback's mechanical bits and covers them in a new shape that has no doors. Instead, there's a waterproof cockpit with two neoprene bucket seats, drain holes, a grab-handle for the passenger, a removable infotainment module and a fabric roof. The hatchback, meanwhile, has been replaced with a trunklid that splits to fold up and down for easy access.
It was a nice little surprise when we stumbled upon it on the show floor, and you can check it out in the fresh batch of images from the manufacturer, along with our own gallery of live images, and the press release after the jump.
Continue reading Volkswagen brings Buggy Up! concept back from the beach
Volkswagen brings Buggy Up! concept back from the beach originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Porsche
The coverage coming out of the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show was filled with vehicles that run the gamut of the automotive spectrum, but one vehicle in particular caught the eyes of journalists and readers alike. The 2012 Porsche 911 was the darling of the Frankfurt show, and the data backs it up.
According to browsing and social media data compiled by UK company Kantar Media Precis, the new 911 was the most (virtually) talked about machine in attendance. Websites, blogs and social media feeds were all abuzz, and it was the latest 911 that dominated all discussions.
We're guilty of falling in love with the German sports car as well. We spoke about both the standard 911 and the Carrera S, and are gearing up for another 50 or so variants set to debut in the next decade and a half.
Porsche 911 found to be Frankfurt favorite originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Budget, Videos, Hatchback, Hyundai, Volkswagen
Someone at the Frankfurt Motor Show caught Volkswagen Group CEO Martin Winterkorn investigating a Hyundai i30 as if he was just like one would expect from an intrigued engineer at a rival company. It might be too much to infer that the Herr Doctor is impressed by what he finds, but there is no doubt that he's got some questions that will need answering when he leaves.
At about 1:45, while sitting in the cabin, he adjusts the steering wheel and begins to query his seconds on what he discovers. As far as our native German speaking helper could tell, Winterkorn wants to know how Hyundai managed to make an adjustment mechanism that doesn't make any noise, going so far as to say, "How do they do it? BMW can't do it, we can't do it... no clanging!" And then one of the gentlemen appears to answer, "We had a solution but it was too expensive..."
Follow the jump for the video and our best attempt to transcribe what Winterkorn says. Feel free to fill in the blanks in the comments, and we believe this officially means everyone is watching Hyundai. Closely.
Continue reading What can Hyundai do silently and inexpensively that Volkswagen and BMW can't?
What can Hyundai do silently and inexpensively that Volkswagen and BMW can't? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Motor Show, Technology, Hatchback, Honda, Electric
Japanese automaker Honda may not have stolen the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, but Honda did use the stage to present some of its greener prototypes, most notably, its EV Concept.
Still without a proper name, the Honda EV Concept is designed to meet the daily driving needs of the average commuter and utilizes the same five-passenger layout found in the popular Honda Jazz Fit.
When the production version of the Honda EV Concept hits the streets in 2012, it will be powered by a lithium-ion battery and coaxial electric motor. The motor, derived from the unit found in the FCX Clarity fuel cell car, is efficient and powerful while remaining quiet at highway speeds (top speed is listed at 90 miles per hour), according to Honda.
Honda says the EV Concept will achieve an estimated 100-mile driving range per charge using the EPA's LA4 city cycle and claims that range can be maximized by use of an innovative three-mode electric drive system adapted from the Honda CR-Z.
There's still no word on pricing for the Honda EV Concept and the Japanese automaker remains mum on the vehicle's rollout schedule. However, we'd assume Honda will follow the lead of most other automakers by launching the electric Fit in select states in 2012 ahead of a nationwide rollout a year or so later.
Continue reading Honda releases more details on Fit electric concept
Honda releases more details on Fit electric concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Coupe, Budget, Europe, GM, Opel, UK, Design/Style, Electric
Soon after unveiling the Opel RAK e concept at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, General Motors of Europe president Nick Reilly revealed to Autocar that the RAK e is a "very serious concept," adding that Opel is currently investigating production feasibility and believes the two-seat electric could launch with a £9,000 price tag (Around $14,216 U.S. including England's massive Value Added Tax)
The RAK e's lead designer told Autocar that the lightweight concept has been constructed "with production in mind." Meanwhile, Reilly says, "We've got to work on costs and we've got to refine [the RAK e] and do it right."
Autocar claims the RAK e could replace Opel's now-abandoned electric version of the Junior minicar, which was recently scrapped due to "excessively high" costs. While we'd be thrilled to see the RAK e enter the production cycle, there seems to be no indication that it will ever come to the States.
Is the Opel RAK e electric concept headed for production? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Motor Show, Hybrid, Etc., Ford, Electric
Ford model names have always been rather esoteric. Okay, so Model T was fairly straightforward, but just about everything since has been named to evoke an image of something else: Mustang. Explorer. Focus. Heck, even Taurus is more imaginative than calling it the Ford Rental Car. The Blue Oval's latest product, however, is considerably more straightforward. At least in name.
Dearborn's newest debut is an e-bike called... the E-Bike. And as you might have guessed, it's an electric bicycle. The lightweight frame, made of carbon-fiber and aluminum, incorporates a 340Wh lithium-ion battery pack that drives a 350W electric motor in the front wheel hub. The system is managed by state-of-the-art electronic sensors which, Ford is keen to point out, are derived from Formula One - although the company hasn't been active in the series since 2004.
The concept bike is being showcased at the Frankfurt Motor Show, but only after all the journalists have gone home. And though Ford admits it has no plans to put the two-wheeler into production, the E-Bike Concept is part of its ongoing research into alternative transportation. We'll be waiting for the Ford Bus Pass to debut sometime in the coming months. Read more about it in the press release after the break.
Continue reading Ford channels Captain Obvious with new E-Bike Concept
Ford channels Captain Obvious with new E-Bike Concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Motor Show, Coupe, Budget, Technology, Opel, Design/Style, Electric
Before we delve into the details of the RAK e electric concept, let's step back in time with a brief historical primer. The oldest industrial division within General Motors' current portfolio, Opel started as a sewing machine manufacturer way back in 1862. Evolving to the production of bicycles soon after, Opel's presence in wheeled transportation turned to automobiles in 1899. Now, at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Opel looks to the future with its debut of the ultra-modern RAK e Concept.
Back in 1928, Opel captivated the media with its experimental rocket-powered RAK 2. Its streamlined shape and solid-fuel rocket propulsion system demonstrated Opel's vision of the future. Developed 83 years after the RAK 2, the RAK e tandem 1+1 concept projects Opel's take on personal urban mobility.
As an experimental design and technical platform, the RAK e is a narrow four-wheeler built around a steel space frame. Built with an eye toward inexpensive materials, the RAK e is a lightweight (838 pounds) concept presented as a vehicle that Opel says even the youngest of buyers could afford.
Propulsion for the RAK e comes from a 49-horsepower electric motor that draws juice from a five-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Range is listed at up to 62 miles and operating costs are claimed to be only one euro per 100 kilometers ($2.19 per 100 miles).
Follow the jump to read over the complete press release from Opel and be sure to check out our live photos of the RAK e in the high-res image gallery.
Continue reading Opel RAK e electric concept looks to the future of low-cost urban motoring
Opel RAK e electric concept looks to the future of low-cost urban motoring originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Truck
We saw the concept at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, but the real thing showed up at the Frankfurt Motor Show. SsangYong used the German auto show stage to reveal its all-new production-ready SUT-1 quad-cab pickup truck. SsangYong refers to the SUT-1 as a Sports Utility Truck, hence the SUT name.
Available in rear or four-wheel-drive, the SUT-1 will be sold with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. Either gearbox will pair up with the 153-horsepower 2.0-liter diesel four-cylinder engine mounted under the hood.
A true body-on-frame pickup, the SsangYong SUT-1 features a double-wishbone suspension up front and a five-link rear out back. Four-wheel discs sit at each corner, and tuck in behind either 16 or 18-inch alloy wheels. Still, just because the outside conditions might get tough, it doesn't mean you have to feel it inside of the South Korean utility. Among the options list niceties? Power leather heated seats an audio system that supports Bluetooth connectivity and MP3 playback.
Continue reading SsangYong shows production SUT-1 pickup
SsangYong shows production SUT-1 pickup originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Motor Show
Seventy-five. That's how many vehicles we managed to cover from the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. And we're completely spent. Our men on the scene have boarded their jumbo jets and are finally on their way home.
While we take a short break from auto show coverage - at least until November, when SEMA, the LA Auto Show and the Tokyo Motor Show are all vying for space on our calendar - we suggest you revel in all that Frankfurt had to offer by reliving it all in our table of concepts and production cars below.
Maserati GranCabrio Fendi
Radical SR3 SL
Aston Martin DBS Carbon
Techart GTStreet RS
2012 Fiat Punto
Hamann BMW M6 conv't
Rimac Concept One
Bentley Interior Concept
Audi A8L W12 Exclusive
VW Polo R WRC
MB Viano Vision Pearl
2012 Opel Zafira Tourer
2012 Fiat Panda
BMW Motorrad Concept E
MB C-Class Coupe DTM
Peugeot 508 RXH
Audi A5 DTM
2012 Seat Exeo
VW Buggy Up! Concept
Alfa Romeo 4C Concept
2012 Suzuki Swift Sport
Brabus E-Class Electric
Seat IBL Concept
2012 Opel Astra GTC
2012 Ferrari 458 Spyder
2012 Toyota Avensis
Toyota FT-86 II Concept
Volvo Concept You
Ssangyong XIV-1
2012 Audi S6
2012 Audi S8
2012 Lexus GS 450h
Lancia Flavia Cabrio
Mercedes SLK55 AMG
2012 Toyota Prius PHEV
2013 Mazda CX-5
Brabus Rocket 800
Eterniti Hemera
Wiesmann MF3 Final
2012 Mercedes B-Class
Audi e-tron prototype
Alpina B6 Biturbo Conv't
Abarth 695 Competizione
Ford Evos Concept
2012 Ford Focus ST
Jaguar C-X16 Concept
2012 911 Carerra S
Peugeot HX1 Concept
Kia GT Concept
2012 Subaru XV
VW Beetle R Concept
2012 Audi S7
Citroen Tubik Concept
2012 Hyundai i30
Fisker Surf Concept
Audi Urban Spyder
Gallardo Super Trofeo
Infiniti FX Vettel edition
2012 Honda Civic (Euro)
Yo-Auto Concept
2012 Lotus Exige S
Skoda MissionL Concept
Maserati Kubang
Volkswagen Nils Concept
Ducati Diavel AMG
Land Rover DC100
2012 Volkswagen Up!
Ford Focus ST-R
Mercedes-Benz F-125!
2012 Porsche 911
2012 Honda Insight
Ford Fiesta ST Concept
Aston Martin V12 Zagato
Lotus Exige R-GT
Audi A2 Concept
We obsessively covered the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 20:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Classics, Etc., Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Design/Style
There were plenty of curiosities to see art the Frankfurt Motor Show this year. City cars converted into beach buggies. Electric supercars. Exotics with trick folding roofs. Even a tuner Porsche crossover posing as a new vehicle. But few were as intriguing as what we found in one of the back halls of the Frankfurt Messe.
What you see here is a pile of scrap metal transformed by artistic vision into a full-scale replica of the iconic Mercedes-Benz 300SL "Gullwing." It's made entirely of reclaimed car parts and random pieces of scrap by German firm Giganten Aus Stahl, which roughly translates as Giants of Steel. It's just one of a number of creations the studio offers to those with enough, um, "scrap" to buy the unique creations.
Other projects have varied to include full-scale replicas of famous movie characters - from Peter Fonda in full Easy Rider glory to Aliens and Predators - as well as animals, athletes, even pieces of furniture. Of course we were most interested in the cars, and in addition to the Gullwing we found similar replicas of a classic Porsche Spyder and pre-war Auto Union grand prix racer.
You can check 'em out in our trio of high-resolution image galleries, but if you like what you see, don't expect them to come cheap: the Gullwing fetches a princely €69,000 ($96k), while the Porsche and Auto Union are available for €39,000 ($54k) and €54,000 ($75k), respectively. Head over to Classic-Sportwagen.de and Giganten-Aus-Stahl.de for more information.
Turning scrap metal into German classics is our kind of recycling program originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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