My Frankfurt five - top picks from the show
By Justin Couture
Now that the Frankfurt show is in full swing, I’ve had the chance to seriously give the dozens of drool-worthy concepts, supercars and production debuts a serious look-over from ... my desk in Toronto. That said, while I didn’t have the opportunity to see the cars in person, here are my top five picks of the show.
Volkswagen L1 Concept
Hands down, this is my favourite Frankfurt concept, because of the clever and creative thinking that went behind it. Certainly, there’s nothing unconventional about its drivetrain - it uses an uncomplicated two-cylinder diesel engine, a basic electric motor and a seven-speed DSG ‘box, all existing VW tech - but the layout and super lightweight construction is definitely out-of-the-box thinking in action. This car demonstrates VW’s engineering strength through and through.
Lexus LF-Ch
If Lexus wants to attract young, up and coming professionals - the ones destined for BMW, Audi and Benz dealerships - this is the car it should have spent its resources developing, not the awkward-looking HS 250h. Dynamic, aggressively-styled premium luxury cars are where it’s at. As for the hybrid bit, it’s an added, feel-good bonus.
Smart Fortwo Electric Drive
This is what the Smart should have been all along. What took you guys so long? Even better, the Electric Drive bypasses the standard Fortwo’s weedy powerplant and awful automated manual gearbox. For a city car, you couldn’t ask for anything more handy - simply plug it in and off you go. If I lived in a crowded urban area and needed a runabout (providing I didn’t have to travel too far) this would be it.
Saab 9-5
This is the car that proves there’s still fight - or would that be flight? - in the Griffin brand. Looking more like a concept than a production vehicle, it’s what Saab geeks (like me) have been waiting for ... for the past 12 years. Riding on a platform shared with this year’s World Car of the Year winner, and packing a clever lineup of turbocharged engines and an Einstein-brilliant all-wheel-drive system, it’s a real breath of fresh air for Sweden’s underdog car manufacturer. If this is the future of Saab, I like what I’m seeing.
McLaren MP4-12C
Mac strikes back! Slightly bland styling aside, it’s hard to think of a more exciting supercar than the MP4-12C. With a bespoke 600-hp 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8, and a curb weight that makes rivals look like they need to consider the South Beach diet, it’s focused on performance through and through. Best of all, unlike the legendary F1, the MP4 will be a mass-produced vehicle, bearing a pricetag that isn’t in the stratosphere (est. US$200,000.) Ferrari and Porsche, be very afraid. Mercedes-Benz? You shouldn’t have been so quick to sign those divorce papers.
- Click images for higher-resolution. All photos by Magic Car Pics / Microsoft.
Posted by: corry | 2010-03-15 7:08:23 AM
i think this car is ugly why have a door hatch style.
the front is boxy reminds me of the porsche a little
get own ideas vw no scratch that get a new concept car