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FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW COMMENTARY
Hot, and not so hot, on the show floor
Dale Jewett
FRANKFURT -- All the Frankfurt auto show unveilings are condensed into one day, Tuesday, Sept. 11, and that means sometimes two automakers have their events at the same time, at opposite ends of the mile-long Frankfurt Messe show site.
So any sorting out of what was hot, or not, at this year's show was helped by taking another trip through the stands today -- when the masses of journalists were replaced by masses of industry analysts, and "spies," who take measurements, pull on trim pieces and take detailed pictures of the grain and color of instrument panels and carpets.
After a good dose of walking and chatting, here's what has folks buzzing:
HOT: City cars
The United States is about to get its first dose of a city car via Roger Penske's effort to sell the Smart. In Europe, it's a hotly contested segment. Joining that segment will be the Toyota iQ, Suzuki Splash and Opel Agila -- all three solid executions of the space-maximizing small box-on-wheels concept. And the phone hasn't stopped ringing at Fiat since it unveiled its new 500 in July. It's worth wondering: If Penske does well with the Smart in the United States, will other automakers be willing to send more city cars into the market?
NOT HOT: Volkswagen Up
The Up is Volkswagen's city car concept on display here. VW has big plans for the rear-engined platform -- a sedan, small wagon and even a convertible. But the two-door bodywork on this concept doesn't generate any excitement. VW is pushing to get the platform ready by 2011. I'm holding out for better-looking Up concepts that are due at the Tokyo and Los Angeles shows.
HOT: Ford's stand
Three cars -- two production and one concept -- lit up the Ford stand. All share dramatic styling and have a strong visual link for the hot-selling Mondeo sedan, particularly around the grille and in the C pillar. The Verve concept gives a good impression of Ford's plans for its Fiesta small-car replacement. The Focus, with its racy front end and bulging wheel arches, shows that Europe gets the best Focus. And the Kuga compact crossover has the look of attitude that buyers crave. All three would look good in a showroom; Mercury showrooms perhaps? Can we say "Mercury Kuga?"
HOT: Jaguar XF
The wide, curved body style is what people expect from Jaguar. And the XF's interior reeks of refinement and attention to detail. This is the car that will banish the memories of the X-Type and S-Type sedans. Too bad it wasn't ready sooner.
NOT HOT: Martin Motors CEO
This is the Chinese-built clone of the BMW X5. And clone is the right word. From side profile, to split opening rear gate, to basic instrument panel design, this is an X5 wannabe. But you don't have to look too hard to find the flaws: A huge gap between the steering column and instrument panel that exposes the wiring harness; hard plastic exterior door handles that feel fragile; and sheet metal that vibrates like a subwoofer when the door is closed. This can't be a good deal, no matter how low the sticker price. But the SUV's presence, and BMW's battle to keep it out, reaped plenty of publicity for retailer China Automobile Deutschland.
HOT: Audi A4
Audi's A4, which has always been fun to drive, is growing up and maturing in its latest generation. The new A4 has a more pronounced shoulder underneath the beltline, dynamic character lines along the body sides and a serious-looking front end treatment. Interior refinement also has been taken up a notch.
HOT: Suzuki Kizashi concept
This long, flowing concept is marred only by the nearly vertical nose. But from the side, the Kizashi looks fast, even anchored to the show turntable. Buzz has it that this basic form will translate into a new Suzuki, adding sizzle to the automaker's value image.
NOT HOT: Renault Laguna
Early in this decade Nissan dealers in the United States were hurting, starved for new product. The arrival of the redesigned 2003 Altima, with its dramatic roofline and large interior, breathed life into the brand. Now, Renault dealers have been waiting for new products. Will the redesigned Laguna be their Altima? The new Laguna looks refined, with flowing sheet metal and a large interior. The interior plastics have a high-quality look and feel to them. To American eyes the new Laguna looks OK. But compared with other Renaults, the styling is tame. And there's too much competition in the segment for bland to succeed.
HOT: Renault Laguna coupe
Now along with the Laguna sedan and wagon, Renault showed a concept of a Laguna coupe. This is a gorgeous car. It should see the production line. Tomorrow! Same goes for the Citroen C5 Airscape concept convertible.
HOT: Green cars
It's finally happened. This is the show where carbon dioxide numbers have become as important as horsepower. Every stand has something that promises to be nicer to the environment. The best part: In most cases going green won't be at the expense of fun. The best examples are GM's Flextreme concept, with the E-Flex architecture; and the slew of Mercedes-Benz powertrains that include diesels, hybrids, diesel hybrids, homogeneous combustion engines and a fuel cell.
NOT HOT: Green credentials
OK, OK. I get it. Everyone is going green. That's great, really. But all this green talk (and dance) has got me going a bit green, if you know what I mean.
Dale Jewett is a senior writer for Automotive News and Automotive News Europe You may e-mail him at djewett@crain.com
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