New products, concepts coming to Munich show

The Munich auto show, finally taking place Sept. 7-12, hasn't had an easy go of it. The expo, also known as IAA Mobility 2021, was intended to succeed Frankfurt as a still-Germanic go-to European show after the Frankfurt effort succumbed to automaker marketing pull-backs and consumer indifference in 2019.

Then a new complication hit, COVID-19.

Primarily, the fledgling Munich show is organized in three pieces:

• The Summit, a traditional trade show
• Open Space, mostly outdoor interactive exhibits around the city
• Blue Lane, which "will connect the city center and the trade show with a test track where forward-looking mobility becomes a real experience."

Still, it's largely going to be a German-centric show for a German-centric audience, with some outside automakers dropping in new products or concepts because it has become harder to find an auto show that's still running right now. And while there may be some surprises, here's what's known or likely to be shown in Munich next week.

Audi

The German premium brand will highlight its display with the second of three promised concepts that it believes will lay out the future of both electrified propulsion and autonomous driving. Though details of what the Grandsphere will entail remain under wraps, it's likely to focus on the automobile's role as people mover and include some aspects that will be production-intent. Much like the Skysphere concept shown in Pebble Beach this month that envisioned how a comfortable two-seat grand tourer might transition into a sports car that would still offer an on-demand active role for the driver, the Grandsphere is likely to look at the future of the SUV/crossover. A third concept, called Urbansphere, will debut later.

BMW

In its hometown, BMW will preview the shape and key design elements of the next-generation 7 Series in a concept vehicle, a company source told Automotive News Europe. The concept will be the first BMW Group vehicle to be based on the Neue Klasse, German for New Class, architecture, which is designed to be primarily full electric but can also accommodate diesel or gasoline engines, including plug-in hybrids. The New Class architecture will be the central pillar in BMW's plan to have full-electric models account for at least half of global deliveries by 2030.

Additionally, BMW will showcase its fuel cell capabilities with the iX5 Hydrogen. The drive system includes the company's fifth- generation electric drive technology, and the crossover will deliver up to 374 hp.

Dacia

The Renault Group brand will show the Jogger seven-seat family model that will replace the Logan MCV station wagon in its lineup.

Mercedes-Benz

The luxury brand will demonstrate its enthusiasm for EVs at the Munich show, where it will debut the EQE sedan. The electric version of the E-Class is expected next year, based on the all-new Electric Vehicle Architecture, and will compete against the Audi A6 E-tron and BMW's planned electric version of the 5 Series. The sedan will be built at Mercedes' factories in Bremen, Germany, and Beijing. Mercedes will also premiere a battery-powered Mercedes-Maybach, as well as two Mercedes-AMG models — a plug-in hybrid and an all-electric model. Electrifying those high-end nameplates would allow Mercedes to meet escalating vehicle emissions targets — especially in Europe and China — without compromising the driving performance customers expect.

Porsche

The German sports car brand will debut what it referred to on Twitter as a "future-oriented" concept, sharing only an image of a headlight. Given the VW Group's broad EV commitments, it's likely this concept will show a different electric future beyond the Taycan, but details are so far unavailable.

Renault

Renault will reveal the Megane-e full-electric compact car and a prototype version of the Renault 5 retro-themed EV.

The Megane-e, which will be launched in early 2022, is one of the most critical new models since CEO Luca de Meo took over the French automaker in July 2020. The Megane-e is based on the Renault-Nissan alliance's CMF-EV platform, which also underpins the coming Nissan Ariya crossover. Renault's other Munich debut will be its R5 EV hatchback, which harks back to the Renault 5 that the company sold between 1972 and 1996.

Volkswagen

It will debut a city car-size EV for its home market that is smaller than the Golf-size ID3. While its name is not yet official, it would be surprising given the nomenclature for the rest of the brand's EV lineup if it wasn't called the ID2 or even ID1.

VW is also expected to show a camouflaged sport version of the ID5 called the ID5 GTX.

Larry P. Vellequette, Urvaksh Karkaria and Automotive News Europe contributed to this report.