Frankfurt Motor Show

Bentley Motors finally took the wraps off its all-new flagship grand tourer, the Mulsanne, at the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance in Monterey, California on the weekend. The Mulsanne is inspired by the company founder W.O. Bentley’s crowning achievement in 1930, the 8-liter. Fittingly, W.O.’s own sensitively preserved 1930 company car shared the podium with the new Mulsanne in Pebble Beach. This early motoring masterpiece represented the last big Bentley that was designed, engineered and built from the ground up by Bentley engineers – until now.  Read More

In 1974 Porsche introduced the 911 Turbo (Porsche 930 in the U.S.) and it became an instant classic with its swollen wheel-arches, whale tale spoiler, distinctive exhaust rasp, demanding handling and 256 bhp of eye-popping acceleration. Now Porsche is poised to release a next generation 911 Turbo at Frankfurt Motor Show next month and the extensive check list of techno-wizardry highlights just how far automotive technology has progressed in a third of a century – driving dynamics have improved dramatically from previous turbos, it uses less than half the fuel (24 mpg) of the original and produces TWICE the power.  Read More

It might seem like only yesterday that the Mazda MX5 hit the market, but the iconic roadster actually celebrated its 20th birthday on the U.S. Market last month (March in Japan). In order to commemorate two decades of the best-selling two-seat sports car in the world, Mazda has released a special edition in Japan, but the prospect of something even more special looms at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show where an MX-5 Superlight version will be unveiled with a radical exterior design requiring no windshield.  Read More

The 458 Italia is the latest incarnation of the mid-rear engined Ferrari berlinetta and will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. While it’s true that every Ferrari is innovative by definition, it’s equally true that in the course of the Prancing Horse’s history, certain cars have marked a genuine departure from the current range. This is very much the case with the Ferrari 458 Italia, which is a massive leap forward from the company’s previous mid-rear engined sports cars.  Read More

February 14, 2008 Launched as a concept at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, a market-ready version of the Toyota iQ will debut Geneva next month. A compact urban vehicle that can can carry three people in comfort despite being less than three meters long, Toyota hopes the iQ will change the entrenched wisdom that buying a small car means less comfort and a compromise on safety.  Read More

January 27, 2008 Suzuki will present both the Kizashi and Kizashi 2 Concept cars together for the first time at the upcoming Geneva International Motor Show. Unveiled separately at the 2007 International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt and 2007 Tokyo Motor Show respectively, the Concepts showcase the company's intention to build on its automotive presence already established in the compact car (Swift) and sport utility vehicle (Grand Vitara) segments by entering into the sedan market. The Kizashi - a Japanese word meaning “prelude” or “foretaste” - will feature a 2.0L 4-valve turbo diesel engine coupled with an intelligent all-wheel drive system targeting low CO2 emissions in a lean, muscular design that aims to optimize interior spaciousness and apply the no-nonsense, user-oriented approach to driver functionality gleaned from Suzuki's experience in motorcycle production.  Read More

October 24, 2007 Volkswagen will use this week's Tokyo Motor Show as the platform to launch its new Space Up! Concept. Following on from the launch of the two-door urban Up! at the IAA in Frankfurt six weeks ago, the company is expanding its "New Small Family" with the Space Up! – a small van designed to provide the interior space of a larger vehicle despite its relatively small 3.68 x 1.63 meter dimensions. Between 220 and 1,005 liters of cargo space are made available (depending on how many of the removable seats are needed) through the use of rear mounted engine and powertrain reminiscent of the Beetle and the Kombi.  Read More

September 20, 2007 Ah, the Bugatti Veyron – the supercar to end all supercars. The one million Euro, 400 km/h (248.5 mph) machine laid claim to the title of the fastest, most powerful and most expensive street-legal production car in the world in 2005. But more than that, it’s an engineering achievement of epic proportions, a 1000-horsepower, aluminum and carbon-fiber celebration of the pinnacles of speed, power and aerodynamics that are possible when no expense is spared. The sheer genius and artistry of its construction are highlighted by the limited edition Veyron Pur Sang unveiled at Frankfurt, the first supercar ever released without a paint job. The raw beauty of the Pur Sang’s perfectly shaped materials is even more striking and inspiring than the gorgeous paint jobs on the standard production models.  Read More

September 17, 2007 BMW has showcased two innovative new systems in the guise BMW Concept X6 Sport Activity Coupé at the 62nd International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt. As well as being the first vehicle to be fitted with a unique stabilization system known as Dynamic Performance Control, the concept incorporates BMW's ActiveHybrid system – a combination of a combustion engine and two high-performance electric motors aimed at delivering greater efficiency over a wider speed range than conventional hybrid designs.  Read More