What started out as a small sideshow in
a Berlin Hotel in 1897 would go on to become the world's largest
automotive Expo. Humble beginnings indeed for a show which is
attended by denizens of nearly every country on the face of the
planet. The global downturn has meant that exhibitors were pulling
out of Detroit, but not so with the Internationale
Automobil-Ausstellung. It's just too
big, and too
important a PR exercise for any serious manufacturer to miss, with
only a handful of Japanese makers notable by their absence.
The show is also a
crucial commercial melting pot for suppliers of components and
after-market accessories. This international forum allows for
networking and collaboration, and deals are routinely done under the
IAA's glowing halogen spotlights. These smaller companies have been
hit hard in recent months, but at least the IAA offers the valiant
minnows an opportunity to fight back and display their prodigious
talents. The metal has been buffed, the glass polished, and the
stand girls are ready to pout.
For
2009's show, 700 exhibitors arrived to display their delicately
prepared wares, laid out like a vast, glittering city, spanning the
length and breadth of Frankfurt's obscene 170,000 square meters of
floor space. The show runs from the 17th
to the 27th
of September, but 2 Magazine arrived a day earlier for the exclusive
press preview.
There are nine
halls in total, and you could be forgiven for wondering where to
begin. The show runs annually, but one year in two is dedicated to
commercial vehicles, so Frankfurt as a car show is held effectively
every two years. It alternates with the Paris Motor Show, which
takes place in Porte de Versailles in France.
Exhibition Theme
2007's show was
probably the most successful in its history, with 1 million visitors
from 125 countries. The exhibition centred around Co2 reduction and
climate change, so it was interesting to see how the last 24 months
of economic difficulty has affected our caring, sharing outlook.
With a big push on downsizing at the moment, even America has had to
finally concede that the time for gas-guzzling and conspicuous
consumption may now be at an end.
“Our
outlook for next year is more confident. 2009 has been a tough year
indeed, for all of us.”
- Markus Hann, Marketing Manager, Chrysler
What
2009 has brought upon us has been a year of realisation, where the
“happy times will never end” bubble finally burst. We've come to
the conclusion that we are
responsible for our own future, whether it be political, economical
or financial. It has taken time, but now we at least know that loans
must be paid back and ecological damage must be repaired.
The theme for this
year was “Experience What Moves”, which reflects perfectly our
human desire to move forward and not dwell on times of difficulty.
There was much hope that this positive mantra suggested car makers
were now interested in offering vehicles which focussed on driving
sensation and the experience of movement, instead of simply in
reducing Co2 and cutting cost. But is it just a façade? As you
walk into the hot and stuffy show halls, is it possible to sense that
panic still hangs in the air?
IAA 2009 kicked
open the doors with an arrogant swagger and a somewhat forced
confidence. Glamour kittens sprawled themselves over expensive and
lurid Coupes to the accompaniment of blasting music, while the sales
guys sung product virtues through dry throats. A lot of questions
being put to the representatives seemed to focus more on their
personal view of next year's market, rather than a particular new
model launch or feature.
The exhibition
hall is only 8 kilometres from Frankfurt airport, but you will be
charged around 1600 baht for the 15 minute taxi journey. Welcome to
the European Free Market Economy. When you do eventually
arrive, what you will find it is a show split effectively down the
middle. On one hand you have the mass-market, who are desperate to
convince you that their particular blend of fuel-efficient
petrol/diesel/electric/whatever technology will save the world.
And then on the
other, we have the high-end Bad Boys, displaying their
recession-ignorant and environmentally-destructive exclusive product,
and who really do not care what you think . . .
New Car Launches
When you get here,
you will find various layout boards located around the site, but if
you are determined to see everything, then a little pre-planning is
essential to avoid endless walks back and forth across the 2km sprawl
of the site.
It is
so refreshing to have the whole, complex automotive muddle focussed
into one big pot! For most of the year, car buyers are
subjected to a gently-pulsing push of subtly-revised product, cast at
predetermined intervals according to the car makers' particular
demands of their marketing mix. It is a soft but steady assault upon
our subliminal desire, in an attempt to get us to buy new cars we
probably don't need. They usually stop briefly around August though.
This is because Frankfurt then becomes the established forum
for introducing new models or changes to existing ones around that
time.
The media get their product seminars,
and then the show opens to the public, who can then poke, prod and
place orders on anything that takes their fancy. It's a joyous
experience, because it alleviates the hassle of actually travelling
to a showroom, making excuses, and then travelling to the next. At
Frankfurt, you can sit in and ask questions about any car you like,
and there will likely be an alternative offering parked virtually
opposite too. Some were more anticipated than others, and some were
more talked about too . . .
Aston Martin Rapide
Aston first showed a concept for their
four-seater back in 2006 at Detroit, and there's been a constant
string of gentle press teasers since then. The car will go
head-to-head with the Porsche Panamera, but on looks alone, Aston may
well have a winner. The car is based on the existing DB9 chassis, so
its confidence on the road should be assured. Whether it will be as
effectively packaged as the Porsche remains to be seen.
Audi R8 Spyder and Electric R8
The R8 has been the surprise Supercar
entry in the last couple of years. It's a wonderfully complete
driver's car, and the only criticism you may level at it is that it's
more of a thorough science project than a passionate mad-car
enterprise. The R8 Spyder is the perfect way of injecting a
much-needed dose of utter impracticality into the model. There was
also an electric version on display, but details of the power-plant
were still sketchy.
Bentley Mulsanne
Bentley's new limo wore the nose of the
lesser Continental model, and many said they actually miss the more
angular and charismatic styling of the old Arnage. There just seems
to be more of a corporate "you must comply" feel to the
Mulsanne. This is what happens when one manufacturer sets out to own
the planet. VW Group had one massive show hall all to themselves,
consisting of its constituent companies; Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley,
Seat, Lamborghini and Skoda. World domination must beckon soon,
surely. Still, Bentley must move forward with their own design
direction, and the Mulsanne styling is far sharper than the
bar-of-soap Continental.
Ferrari 458 Italia
The Ferrari stand was a surprisingly
understated affair, with none of the pumping rock music and
half-dressed Italian femmefatale types that populated
rival Lamborghini's pitch. The big news here is that the 458 is now
Ferrari's entry level car. As is typical with the marque, it remains
a consistent evolution of the Italian VeloceBerlinetta
ideal, and Ferrari's Coupe just gets better each year; more torque,
quicker gear shift patterns, prettier and more functional aero, and
(alarmingly) better fuel economy. It would be great to drive this in
anger soon. Styling was commissioned out to Pininfarina of Italy,
who themselves have had a difficult year just staying afloat. On the
strength of this though, it's just a temporary blip.
Fiat Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari
This is exactly what car makers should
be doing; a People's Car with a spattering of Glamour.
Congratulations must go to Fiat, who are one of the few car makers in
the world who are actually having a fairly decent year. The Fiat 500
was set to be a massive seller even when it was first shown back in
2004, yet Fiat resisted the urge to go for bigger profit margins and
instead priced the car at the low end of the market. The result is
that the 500 is one of the best and most popular small cars ever
made. Here it gets a 180 bhp engine from Abarth (Fiat's super-cool
tuning arm) and some body kit from sister company Ferrari. This is
brand marketing taken to its extreme, yet the end result is
brilliant. You want one, simply because it looks fun.
Hyundai Coupe
While it will be the electric concepts
and big-power Italian Supercars that grab the headlines, it is the
well-priced interpretations that will sell. Hyundai have always
offered cars with a focus on value, and many think the Hyundai Coupe
will be another worldwide success. The old car was a well-priced
machine too, which went on to outsell Fiat and Alfa Romeo cars in
Italy, despite it not being alll that great to drive. The third
generation Coupe on display here is a rather poor excuse; the world
is waiting for the 3.8-litre, rear-wheel-drive cut-price rival to the
Nissan 370Z.
Jaguar XJ/XF/XK
Jaguar's XF model has been a great
success in Europe. It is a characterful alternative to the German
mainstream executive saloons, which marries wonderful ride comfort
with a beautifully resolved profile. The XJ is Jaguar's long-running
luxury saloon, and borrows heavily from its sibling. The new car was
on display at Frankfurt, and continues the smart styling theme.
Apart from this it was business as usual; the XK convertible
(pictured) remains one of the prettiest cars currently on sale, and
more than a match for her glamorous Aston Vantage sister.
Maserati GranCabrio
We tried to grab a brief interview with
one of Maserati's pale-faced suits, who politely told us where to go.
It's a shame, as it would be interesting to ask if the new Cabrio
would be as unreliable as the previous 4200GT Spyder. The GranCabrio
is a topless version of the GranTurismo Coupe, itself a portly but
pretty 2+2. It's undoubtedly a svelte and stylish beast with a
fabulous interior, but the Italian maker will need to prove its
commitment to making luxury goods that last before the world will
take its relaunch seriously.
Peugeot RCZ
Peugeot's cut-price Audi TT rival
attracted some real excitement. Much like Fiat, Peugeot has realised
that people want all the spark and fire for less money these days,
and the RCX melds practicality, value and excellent styling. It's
based on the RC Concept of two years ago, and the French maker has
used its existing 308 chassis to underpin its funky, fresh lines.
This is no fantasy though, and you can even have a diesel engine if
you choose. This looks a dead cert for impending production, and has
every chance of being a top sales success story. Peugeot is so
confident that for the first time ever they have abandoned their
model-number convention; the RCZ is a new name for a bold, new car.
Toyota IQ
It seems like every manufacturer is
racing to develop their latest fuel-efficient, super-advanced model
with clever Tech and crazier features. Toyota went back to basics
with the IQ. It's just a brilliantly-packaged small car that works.
It is flexible because it is well designed, and it is fuel-efficient
because it is light, and so only requires a small petrol engine.
Simple, really. The car shown here is a sportier and more
youth-orientated take on the IQ theme, and looks set to expand the
concept of IQ, a car which has already won several awards around the
globe.
The Sublime And The Ridiculous (The
Concepts)
With just a few halls visited, we've
not really scratched the surface yet. Whilst the soon-to-be-released
showroom models will be of interest to anyone actually looking to buy
a car right now, general show-goers are unquestionably here to sample
The Concepts.
Walking around the halls and taking in
the futuristic, slightly camp and incomprehensible madness of some of
the show-pieces is like taking part in a far-flung space opera of
biblical proportions. Think of it as a 2009 re-imagining of Luc
Besson's The Fifth Element, except everything is more
colourful, and the cars are even less believable! A few of the
makers had given up on the idea of concept cars entirely this year,
and rightly reasoned that now is perhaps not the appropriate
time to be spending vast sums on spaceship-like fuel cells and
light-speed mobility solutions.
Thank God some still did though . . .
BMW EfficientDynamics Concept
Such a German description for
what was one of the most talked about concepts on display at
Frankfurt. BMW were refreshing in their honesty when they admitted
the concept will not be a production reality until 2020, but the
thinking is there, and the technology is moving on quickly. The
EfficientDynamics mates a diesel engine to electric drive to
give 365 bhp when a turn of speed is required, but can switch to just
electricity when moving silently through town. The bodywork is
perhaps the most stunning feature. The body panels are layered in
such a way as to ensure airflow is filtered around and through the
profile, giving excellent low-drag performance. BMW were keen to
stress this design direction applies to all their current
cars.
“The
performance of our mid-range 3-series models matches the levels in
our last M-powered car, so there is a constant push towards improving
the breed. BWM is known as the Ultimate Driving Machine, and driving
sensation is key to us.”
-
Jonathan Cole, UK Sales, BMW
BMW also showed a hybrid 7-series,
though trying to mate such a frugal power-plant to a heavy luxury car
has its obvious drawbacks. Porsche also had a hybrid version of its
huge Cayenne, which begs the question as to whether buyers of these
vast indulgences really care all that much about a need to respect
the environment. It probably has more to do with EU demands on car
makers to lower their fleet average Co2 levels across their model
ranges.
Citroen Revolte
Even Citroen UK seemed slightly
embarrassed at the unfortunate title bestowed upon this interesting
concept car. The interior is supposed to be based on a girl's
jewellery box, which in itself gives a firm indication as to the type
of buyer to which this car is aimed. Citroen claim this is a
production certainty for 2012, though it's doubtful that much of the
exotic chaise-longue seating arrangement or mad body panelling
will be carried over into the final car. It features the ubiquitous
hybrid drive, and will be sold under the name of DS4, which sounds
immediately better than Revolte.
Lexus LF-CH
The Japanese are relearning how to make
pretty cars. This is the Lexus rival to the BMW 1-series, which has
proven to be a best-seller, despite not actually being that great a
car. The production hatch is unlikely to get those amazing 20-inch
chrome wheels, but everyone hopes the rakish body lines will make it
into production. Emission figures are claimed to be less than 100
grammes of carbon per kilometre, yet performance is said to match its
European rivals. Lexus has lost some of its 90's cool, but this
sporty hatchback may yet rejuvenate the brand fortunes here in
Europe.
Volkswagen 1L & E-Up
Typical motor show madness! The 1L has
been on the drawing board for ten years, and group boss Ferdinand
Piech was adamant that this concept be shown in its complete form.
It features two seats in tandem, with an 800cc diesel engine and a 14
bhp electric motor. It uses exotic materials like carbon to keep
weight down, and the end result is an astonishing Co2 output of just
39 grammes per kilometre. Fuel consumption is claimed to be a
world-beating 100km per litre.
“You will see
that Volkswagen is working hard to reduce it's fleet emissions across
all of its models, whether it is petrol, diesel or hybrid. Green
cars which are economical are important to the customer regardless of
the type of fuel used.”
- Constance
Koffmann, European Marketing, Volkswagen
Volkswagen's other electric hope is
riding on the E-up concept. This car will be released in the near
future with a small petrol engine, but the press conference centred
around the electric version, good for an 80-mile range after a home
charge. It raised an interesting question too; electric cars are
silent, so will there be a spate of pedestrian accidents resulting
from our inability to hear them coming? Don't laugh! It's likely to
be a serious problem, and one that the makers are spending large sums
of money investigating.
Renault Electric Business Model
The French maker had no less than four
extraordinary concepts on display this year, and they were all
electric vehicles. Renault's version of the E-up concept was called
Zoe, and its cute styling clothed a thoroughly modern city car
concept with a short range but zero emissions. The larger Fluence ZE
saloon gave an indication as to how Renault plans to get around
issues with a non-existent infrastructure for electric cars. The
vehicle features a removable battery pack which Renault say will be
exchanged at charge stations called Quickdrops. A robotic arm
will automatically exchange the battery pack without the driver
having to get out of the car.
It all seems quite far-fetched right
now, but the car makers are going to have to put some thought into
how we overcome the limited range and lack of facilities that
currently inhibit the roll-out of this type of car. The system will
first be put in place in Paris and Israel, and the scheme will work
using a system of rented battery packs. You pay a monthly
subscription and are then free to access the supply of batteries
provided by the charge stations. Science fiction? Maybe, but its
great to know that one maker at least has gone beyond the simple
notion of, “we make electric cars”, without first considering how
we may live with them day to day.
Reflections
Walking round the IAA, you notice the
sheer size of the exhibitions on display at Frankfurt, and it shows
just how important the car makers consider this event to be.
Alarmingly, there were three big names missing from the line-up;
Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi. This was made more surprising by the
large number of Far East delegates and journalists who had made the
hellish flight over from Japan and China.
This was not a coincidence.
Journalists had to busy themselves between stands and really push for
information and comment, whereas the manufacturer representatives
were cautious in their outlook, and reluctant to offer their views on
how our market may evolve next year. For once you will find that you
are not rushed by sales people as you walk between the stands. It's
been really tough for them, and the underlying mood remained
one of caution.
The surprise exhibitors were Citroen,
Fiat and Peugeot, who pushed on regardless with innovative design
concepts based on established chassis and componentry. For the
consumer, this means that we are likely to see good, stylish,
affordable cars that we want to buy next year. With this bright and
spirited approach comes positivity, which in itself is essential to
get the public buying cars again.
”Citroen
are known in many markets for their small cars, but actually, the C4
family car is our European best-seller. We will continue to develop
exciting models across the board.”
-
Alexander Wolski, European Sales, Citroen
This probably explains why these three
companies in particular have been able to effectively trade above the
crushing losses experienced by their rivals. Volkswagen, for
example, had around fifty cars on display, but they were all largely
similar evolutions of established sellers. A good example of French
and Italian exuberance versus German understated pessimism, in full
effect.
The journalists had made their calls
prior to the event but they arrived to find their contacts were
locked in ad hoc boardroom meetings, where group directors met
with sales manages in sealed enclaves hidden in corners around the
Frankfurt site. This is perhaps confirmation that the big smiles and
the grip-and-grin motor show mentality has given way to pressing
concerns over operating profit and repressed market conditions.
Frankfurt serves now as a central meeting place, existing largely to
serve as a convenient hook-up point for stress-frazzled corporate
chiefs as they ponder their insecure futures.
As you walked under the marvellous
architecture and beaming spotlights towards the exit of the last
hall, it was evident that beside the wild and tiny electric cars
there lay an array of fairly average metal. The tightening of purse
strings had become a dominant feature, where once the outlandish and
the surreal had historically taken precedent. The new electric
concepts seem to have been supported out of necessity rather than
want. It's just the way everyone seems to be heading.
“The
theme of the show was undoubtedly electric, but again, this isn’t a
post-crunch theme. The slump has just accelerated a trend begun by
the EU’s carbon dioxide regulations, and the fact that nobody knows
what’s going to happen to the supply or price of oil.”
- Ben
Oliver, Journalist, CAR Magazine
There was still a definite buzz
surrounding the show though. Around Frankfurt airport later in the
evening, German TV was already broadcasting their round-up features
on the many LCD televisions dotted throughout the departure terminal.
There is still a huge amount of interest the IAA.
Should you visit the show in future? A
tough call, and one that will depend on your personal circumstances.
Whilst it is always exciting to be presented with a glimpse of the
next three years of automotive offering, one can't help but bemoan
the lack of true and gripping innovation. Frankfurt as an experience
within itself though, is a rewarding one. Do not worry about any
perceived language barriers; you will struggle to find anyone here
who doesn't have a good command of English. Take the time to learn
some basic German though, and your efforts will be greatly
appreciated.
You would have to be truly hardcore to
fly for twelve hours to sample its delights, but make it a highlight
as part of a 14-day European itinerary, and you will no doubt be
flying back home with tired legs and a smile on your face.
