2015 Frankfurt Motor Show

Roundup up of the coolest new cars from the massive Frankfurt Auto Show

By Shahzad Sheikh

Frankfurt Motor Show 2015

Renault Megane

Renault Megane

This is the all-new Renault Megane, though I can’t be sure because I can’t remember what the current one looks like. This will go on sale early next year, and since the current Megane has been around since 2008, it’s about time they brought a new one out. It’s a bit longer, wider and lower than the previous car, which is why it looks sleeker. It doesn’t sell very well here, but will probably be a fine car. My question is, what happened to Dat Ass? Fans of the 2nd gen Megane will know what I mean 😉

Renault Megane

Nissan Gripz Concept

Nissan Gripz

Oh look it’s another radical sporty compact crossover – well the doors are pretty radical, so I’ll give them that. And it says it’s for a new, younger generation. Hang on a minute, I quite like it too you know. Nissan – stop being aegist! This Gripz Concept should certainly have a bit of grip because it has chunky tyres and probably AWD, but it also has the styling of a coupe, the size of a compact SUV, the interior is 2+2 and the 22-inch wheels look like they should be on racing bikes. This could be a bit of fun!

Nissan Gripz

Suzuki Baleno

Suzuki Baleno

Wasn’t the Suzuki Baleno a small four-door saloon? A sort of quiet Corolla rival that no one knew about? Well now it’s this. An all-new hatchback with ‘Liquid Flow’ design. Erm, okay. No idea if we’ll get this here, but it comes with a 1.0 BOOSTERJET direct injection turbo with hybrid or 1.2 DUALJET – I just wanted to write those out loud. There’s also Apple CarPlay, so suck on that Ferrari!

Suzuki Baleno

SSangyong XAV-Adventure concept

SSangyong XAV-Adventure concept

Is it just me, or does this have more than a hint of FJ Cruiser about it? From the press release it seems this will be the basis for the fourth-gen Korando, which would make it the best looking iteration of that model ever. Hmm… from the front there’s a bit of Kia Soul too, don’t you think? Anyway this compact SUV would come with a 1.6-litre engine and hybrid electric 4WD with electric motors on all four wheels.

SSangyong XAV-Adventure concept

Volkswagen Multivan Panamericana

Volkswagen Multivan Panamericana

How cool is this? I’ve always like the Multivan and this one looks great. Designed to transport racing bikes. But it has 4Motion All-wheel drive and a rear diff lock with 178mm ground clearance. They need to bring these here!

Audi S4

Audi S4

Here’s the new Audi S4, based on the new 2015 fifth generation A4. It gets a 3.0 V6 with 350bhp and 370lb ft of torque with a 0-100kph time of 4.7seconds through an 8-speed auto and Quattro. Loved the S3, so can’t wait to try this!

Volkswagen Tiguan

VW TIguan

All-new Volkswagen Tiguan has popped up at Frankfurt – the second generation of the popular small SUV. It’s a sportier, less dowdy looking thing, lighter too by 50kg, but interior space is better. Looking forward to trying this one soon!

VW TIguan

Infiniti Q30

Infiniti Q30

So which one’s the Infiniti Q30 then? Actually I think it’s just the Q30. An all-new debut, it’s a premium hatchback, and no it’s not a Tiida or something underneath – in fact it’s a Mercedes A-Class! It’ll come with a 2.0-litre 208bhp and we’re quite looking forward to trying it seeing as we gave the A45 an award.

 

Infiniti Q30

Ferrari 488 Spider

Ferrari 488 Spider

Feast your eyes on this – the Ferrari 488 Spider with a retractable hard top which is actually 25kg lighter than a soft-top somehow. Behind it is the 3.9 Turbo V8 0-100kph in 3 seconds and ahead of it is Apple Car Play. Do I need say more?

 

Mazda Koeru

Mazda Koeru

Yet another crossover SUV concept (these seem to be the big thing this year at Frankfurt. It’s all part of Mazda’s KODO Soul of Motion design theme, erm, I think I preferred it when they just zoom zoom all the time, less pretentious. This thing sits on ridiculous 21-inch wheels, but does look nice.

Mazda Koeru

Honda Project 2&4

Honda 2&4

The normally dull and dour types at Honda must have been at the happy juice because they turned up in Germany with this – the Honda Project 2&4. Designed together between Honda’s motorcycle design centre in Asaka and its automobile design centre in Wako, Japan. A track-based fun machine, no word on if this will ever be produced. Doesn’t matter, we won’t get it here even if it was!

Honda 2&4

Kia Sportage and Optima

Kia Sportage

Kia has brought two cars to Germany, most significantly the new fourth generation Sportage – it’s said to have a more practical and better quality interior. Will go on sale early next year.

Kia Optima

Not so interesting to you is this European-spec Optima – what might be interesting is that there will be high performance GT version soon powered by a 2.0 putting out 245bhp, as well as an estate based on the Sportspace concept shown in Geneva earlier this year.

Hyundai showcases N brand

Hyundai i20 WRC

No, not M for Motorsport but N for… I have no idea actually. Well it’s supposed to be a high-performance sub-brand – under which there will be performance-orientated and track-capable cars. It will feature new powertrains and lightweight materials derived from the company’s WRC efforts, like the new i20 WRC RM15. They also showcased Hyundai N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo which will be available in the Playstation Gran Turismo game.

Hyundai N Vision

Hyundai is also showing the Vision G concept – they love their single letters, don’t they? They claim the design language of this car will influence its future range of premium cars.

Hyundai G Coupe Concept

And finally there’s this i20 Active – a sort of mini crossover SUV with a 1.0-litre engine.

Hyundai i20 Active

Land Rover Defender

Land Rover Defender Pedal car

Oh look, it’s the all-new Defender revealed at last! Nah, just kidding. This is pedal car – a special collector’s edition, going on sale Spring next year. Beautifully finished to mimic the original, but price – £10,000!

Land Rover Defender Pedal car

Audi E-Tron Quattro Concept

Audi e-tron quattro concept

This will be the basis for an all-new full-electric car from Audi in 2018. The E-Tron Quattro Concept can apparently go 500km on a full charge and has a drag coefficient of just 0.25. Producing the equivalent of 430bhp and 590lb ft of torque, expect 0-100kph in 4.6 seconds from this family mover.

Audi e-tron quattro concept

Porsche Mission E

Porsche Mission E

This is Porsche’s answer to the Tesla. It’s a four-door full electric sports sports car with AWD and over 600bhp and a 500km range through 800 volts battery which will significantly speed up the charging time (they claim only slightly longer than just filling up a tank!). Never mind that – what we want to know is why the bloody Panamera doesn’t look like this – we wouldn’t mind it so much then!

Porsche Mission E

Jaguar F-Pace

Jaguar F-Pace

It’s the new SUV from Jaguar, the F-Pace fully revealed at last – although we’ve seen them hot-weather testing in this region for a while now! It’s a crossover SUV based on Jag’s Lightweight Aluminium Architecture with a 380bhp 3.0 supercharged V6. They’re taking orders now.

Jaguar F-Pace

Mercedes Concept  IAA

Mercedes Concept IAA

This is the new Concept IAA – no that’s not a sop to the Motor Show, although come to think of it, it probably is, but it’s supposed to stand for Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile with a drag figure of just 0.19cd. There’s something about it turning aerodynamic at the touch of button at 80kph, sort of like KITT’s Super Pursuit Mode we guess. Whatever dudes, it’s looks like it should be Thunderbirds! Build it, they will come!

Mercedes Concept IAA

Seat Leon Cross Sport

Seat Leon Cross Sport

300bhp and AWD – that caught your attention right? This concept will probably be a sporty crossover from Seat soon – well it is called Cross Sport. Don’t know if it’ll come here, don’t know if we’ll ever get to drive it. But there you, just thought I’d show you it, cause it’s cool.

New Rolls-Royce Dawn

Rolls-Royce Dawn

We already covered this here. 

New Bentley Bentayga

Bentley Bentayga

We’ve already covered this here 

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