That's right, it's time for the Frankfurt Motor Show once again. And with the show just around the river bend, let's take a look at some of the cars that are going to make an appearance.
Alfa Romeo
The Alfa Romeo Giulia has been popping up increasingly regularly over the last few months, but despite this, we only know details about the Quadrifoglio Verde model. Its 3.0-litre bi-turbo petrol V6 produces 503 bhp making it good for 0-62 mph in 3.9 seconds. The Giulia will come as rear- or all-wheel-drive models with automatic and manual transmission available. It boasts a 50:50 weight distribution and plans to steal some of the BMW M3's thunder.
Alpina
The Germany-based BMW tuners have changed their D3 Biturbo inkeeping with BMW's new 3 Series. It keeps the 3.0-litre bi-turbo diesel engine, producing 345 bhp and 700 Nm. Thanks to a slick 8-speed automatic transmission, the 0-62 mph time is 4.6 seconds for both the Saloon and Touring models. CO2 emissions are 139 and 142 g/km respectively, and whilst the saloon comes in at £47k, there's a £3,000 premium for the Touring.
Audi
The Audi A4 has been redesigned, head to toe, and as always the saloon model will be joined by an estate. Engines come in the form of a 1.4 TFSI, a 2.0 TFSI, a 2.0 TDI and a range-topping 3.0-litre V6 diesel which takes 5.3 seconds to reach 62 mph. Front-wheel-drive and quattro® all-wheel-drive are your options, although the 1.4 TFSI is strictly FWD. Ultra models will be the best sellers among motorway cruisers thanks to their improved fuel efficiency, partially aided by the 120 kg maximum weight drop and a 0.23 drag coefficient value. Prices kick off at £26,000.
An e-tron quattro concept uses 3 electric motors and a lithium-ion battery to achieve a 310-mile range. The all-wheel-drive coupé SUV rivals BMW's X6 and Mercedes-Benz's GLE Coupé, but most importantly the Tesla Model X and hints towards a future Q6.
Bentley
We've waited what seems like years, but finally, Bentley's SUV has been announced. The Bentayga will be attending the Frankfurt Motor Show. The £160k price tag and the 600 bhp, 900 Nm W12 engine all scream high-end luxury, but down-to-earth diesels and a plug-in hybrid are on the horizon too.
BMW
Arriving in showrooms in November, BMW's most luxurious 7 Series will be priced from a touch under £65,000, with the options of a single petrol (740Li) and two diesels (730Ld and 730d, with the latter available as an xDrive AWD model). The 740e will be previewed at the Frankfurt Motor Show, though.
A second-generation BMW X1 comes in at £28k, and with three diesels and one petrol available, its transition from rugged estate to baby SUV helps it take on Audi's Q3 and Mercedes-Benz's new GLC. The xDrive20d will be the best-seller, according to experts.
As part of a facelifted 3 Series range, the 330e comes a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit with an electric motor which is built into its 8-speed automatic transmission. A whole 248 bhp and 420 Nm are driving through the rear wheels, and despite only having a 41-litre fuel tank, BMW claims the 330e can travel up to 370 miles.
Another new hybrid comes in the form of the 225xe. The all-wheel-drive car uses a 1.5-litre 3-cylinder turbo petrol unit and a scaled-down version of the i3's electric motor mated to the rear wheels to produce a system output of 221 bhp and 385 Nm. It can travel up to 25 miles in electric-only mode and at speeds of up to 77 mph, but when in full-hybrid mode it will emit as low as 46 g/km of CO2.
Borgward
The German auto manufacturer makes a return with its BX7 SUV which goes on sale in China early next year and then in Europe later on. Taking on the other German compact SUVS (Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC), the BX7 will use a 2.0-litre 221 bhp 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit. Also on offer will be a 296 bhp hybrid with a range of up to 34 miles in electric-only mode.
Bugatti
With the number '16' on its grille, the Vision Gran Turismo concept is thought to be a proud user of a W16 engine, just like its Veyron sibling. This concept is to be used in the Gran Turismo 6 video game, but hints at Bugatti's future.
Citroën
The Citroën Cactus M concept is a throw back to the Méhari buggy. Its 1.2-litre PureTech 110 petrol engine mated to a 6-speed automatic 'box helps it achieve the claimed figures of 58.9 mpg and 110 g/km of CO2. Could there be a convertible Cactus on the way?
DS
PSA's upmarket sub-brand DS has finally made the move and taken the DS4 from Citroën to become just the 4. DS's 4 has received some minor tweaks, including a new grille with DS badging, extracting all Citroën badges altogether.
The DS 4 Crossback adds grey roof bars and more off-roady looks to set it apart from its hatchback counterpart.
Ferrari
Ferrari's 488 Spider uses the same 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8 at its hard-top GTB brother to produce 660 bhp and 760 Nm. Its 0-62 mph sprint time remains unchanged, at 3.0 seconds. Its likely to come at a £20k premium, and although the roof disappears in 14 seconds, it must be done when stationary.
Fiat
The Fiat 500 facelift includes 1,800 changes. Apparently. The most obvious are a tweaked front end, reworked tail lights and a new dashboard. And yes, the Fiat 500 now has a glovebox. The new 500C comes with a £2,650 premium, but the standard 500 is available for less than £11,000. It's already on sale.
Ford
As part of the firm's 'One Ford' strategy, Ford is introducing its full-sized Edge SUV, already a successful car over the pond. It'll be on sale as of 2016 and with a sub-£30k price tag it's set to take on Volvo's XC60 and Land Rover's Discovery Sport.
A complete redesign gives the Ford Ranger a better chance against the Volkswagen Amarok and Nissan Navara (renamed NP300 Navara, see under Nissan section). Its 198 bhp 3.2-litre 5-cylinder Duratorq diesel powerplant sees an 18% cut in fuel consumption and the 128 bhp engine sees an even better improvement of 22%. The 2.2-litre 158 bhp unit has a similar treatment. With a proper low-range gearbox, switchable four-wheel-drive and a locking rear differential, the Ranger is a proper workhorse. It will wade through water as deep as 80 cm and tow up to 3,500 kg.
Honda
The Project 2&4 concept features a cabinless design, boasting a floating seat. It uses the RC213V motorcycle 999cc engine to produce 212 bhp. A 6-speed dual clutch transmission, a kerb weight of 405 kg and a red line of 14,000 rpm are some of the things that suggest that this car is one to be thrashed, a rival of the Caterham 620R and the Ariel Atom.
The second concept that Honda will bring along is the Civic Tourer Active Life. It incorporates a smart bike loading rack for 2 bikes to be housed in the cabin with access through the boot, which in turn has a built-in extendable shade, an inbuilt light and a retractable bench so that owners could easily repair their bikes on the go. The 1.6 i-DTEC engine achieves 100.31 mpg and holds the Guinness World Record for fuel economy.
Hyundai
BMW M's ex-Chief Engineer made the move to Hyundai earlier this year. Something that's helped the Korean auto maker decide to form its own performance sub-brand. Hyundai N is displayed through the latest prototype of the WRC car (this time based on the i20 Coupé), the N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo concept and the RM15 concept. The latter is a heavily-modded Veloster with a mid-mounted 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged 296 bhp engine. The first car likely to get the 'N' treatment is the i30, and it could be as early as 2017, with the 'i20 N' following shortly after.
Infiniti
The Infiniti Q30 shares more than just its rivals with the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. It also shares its platform and engines. On sale in 2016, it's likely that the 2.2-litre diesel engine will be a high-seller as the '2.2d' designation has been spotted on the Q30 pictures. A jacked-up QX30 will follow too, sharing its platform with the GLA.
Jaguar
Jaguar's introducing an SUV into its mix of saloons, coupés and roadsters. It's likely to use a rational range of 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol and diesel powertrains, with 3.0-litre supercharged V6s topping the range. There's talk of a supercharged V8, too, wearing the SVR badge.
Kia
A brand new Kia Sportage will be on display at the Frankfurt Motor Show, so different that at first sight it doesn't resemble any Sportage we know. It incorporated a low tiger-nose grille and rumours have it that 3-cylinder engines would be a possibility.
Enhancements to the Cee'd will include a new 1.0-litre ecoTurbo 3-cylinder engine, a new dual clutch auto 'box and improved interior tech and safety.
The 4th generation Kia Optima will stand proudly at the show too, displaying its wireless phone charging capability. Wow. A 175 bhp petrol engine will be offered next to a 141 bhp diesel, and they're both available with a 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission.
Lamborghini
To complete its range, Lamborghini will be unveiling its Huracán LP 610-4 Spider convertible. The 'Spider' name has been confirmed to be carried over from the Gallardo and it's likely to retain its soft-top retractable roof. Other details are thin on the ground at the moment.
Lexus
Its new RX takes ideas from the smaller NX, particularly its origami-like design and the introduction of a smaller engine. As well as the 300 bhp 3.5-litre petrol V6 and the 3.5-litre petrol-hybrid V6 which also has a target output of some 300 bhp, we're likely to see an RX 200t with around 225 bhp.
The facelifted GS will also have a 200t model (238 bhp_, although this won't be coming to the UK).
Lotus
A reincarnation of the 2-Eleven, the Lotus 3-Eleven uses a 3.5-litre V6 to produce 443 bhp. If that's not enough, its sub-900 kg kerb weight should be the icing on the cake.
Maserati
Maserati? SUV? That's right. This stylish coupé SUV will use an on-demand four-wheel-drive setup, with twin-turbo power coming from a 3.0-litre V6 and a 3.8-litre V8. There's even a 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6 with power output lying between the two petrols.
Mazda
The Koeru concept car hints at a future SUV that will sit between the CX-3 and the CX-5. Its coupé-like styling would place the SUV up against the BMW X4 and Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupé.
Mercedes
Finally, the C-Class Coupé is on its way. With design cues from the S-Class Coupé, it will come with 3 sensible diesel engines. A 134 bhp 1.6-litre C200 and two 2.1-litre units, the 168 bhp C220 and the 210 bhp C250. One petrol will be available too, it's a 181 bhp, 300 Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged unit. A C300 BlueTEC diesel-hybrid is on the decks too, producing 237 bhp yet achieving 74 mpg.
Mercedes-AMG has taken the C-Class Coupé and made it better. The C63 will use a twin-turbocharged V8 in favour of efficiency.
We've been given the GLE Coupé, but now we'll see some more of the GLC Coupé. The Shanghai concept used the 362 bhp 520 Nm V6 from the C 450 AMG, but it's likely to have a range of four-cylinder turbocharged petrol and diesel options similar to the GLC SUV and C-Class on which it's based. It's not irrational to expect a Mercedes-AMG GLC 63, just like the C63 above, and it's even possible that Mercedes could be hiding plans for a plug-in hybrid variant.
Wait, there's another Mercedes? Yes, the S-Class Coupé is going to have a closer relative than the Saloon. The S-Class Cabriolet will debut with a twin-turbo 449 bhp 4.7-litre V8 (S500). The 5.5-litre bi-turbo V8 will produce 577 bhp, making it good for 0-62 mph in 3.9 seconds.
MINI
After lying dormant, the Clubman is back. It swaps its controversial 'Clubdoor' rear door for a more conforming 4-door layout, but the double-door boot remains. Priced from £20k, it'll be available with 1.5-litre or 2.0-litre petrol engines, or a 2.0-litre diesel unit under the names of the Cooper, Cooper D, Cooper S and Cooper SD.
Nissan
Nissan's Gripz concept shows its face in some official pictures. But that's all it does show. What do we know? That Nissan is planning to replace the Juke soon, and it wants an all-new sports-orientated SUV.
The Navara has been renamed the NP300 Navara and debuts the 2.3-litre dCi engine, available with a single turbocharger and a 158 bhp output or 187 bhp with a twin-turbo. With its 6-speed manual or 7-speed automatic transmission, it will tow up to 3,500 kg.
Everything remains unchanged in the new Leaf apart from its battery. The 30 kW battery gives a range of 150-160 miles as opposed to the current 80-100 miles.
Peugeot
Peugeot's 308 is coming in two forms, the GTi and the R HYbrid. The former producing 266 bhp and the latter, no less than 493 bhp. Way above that of the ludicrous Ford Focus RS's 345 bhp.
The Fractal concept uses a 3D-printed interior and keyless entry accessible by a smartwatch. Although the car itself is unlikely to be used for a production car, the technology on display certainly hints and PSA's aims.
Porsche
Mild tweaks form the facelifted Porsche 911, but new 3.0-litre turbocharged engines sit in the new Carrera and Carrera S.
Renault
To improve the French firm's sales, a longer, lower and wider Mégane will be on display at Frankfurt, sharing dynamic, in-your-face design cues with the Clio and new Kadjar.
The 7-seat Espace is, in my eyes, Renault's best-looking car in a long time! It's essentially a squished MPV that doesn't compromise on space and wouldn't look massively out of place in the streets of Monte Carlo. Well, slight exaggeration.
The Talisman is also a great improvement on Renault's recent ventures. Replacing the Laguna, the saloon and estate models boast high levels of equipment and certainly turn heads.
Oh, and did I mention, the Espace and Talisman will not be coming to the UK? Hmm.
Rolls-Royce
The driver-orientated Dawn shares its platform with the Wraith. The £250,000 droptop uses the Ghost's 6.6-litre twin-turbo V12 giving the mini barge 563 bhp and 780 Nm. It achieves a dismal 19.9 mpg, emitting 330 g/km.
Seat
A facelifted Ibiza Cupra uses a 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol engine, the one found in its German counterpart, the VW Polo GTI. It produces 189 bhp.
In other Cupra news, the Leon Cupra 280 is replaced by the Leon Cupra 290. The uprated engine now produces 286 bhp.
Smart
Joining the new ForTwo is the Smart ForTwo Cabrio. It uses an electric folding roof and will be on sale at the end of the Frankfurt Motor Show.
SsangYong
SsangYong will be displaying two new concept cars at the show. The first, the XLV-Air, appears to be an elongated Tivoli. A 7-seater Tivoli? Will it arrive the UK?
The second is the XAV-Adventure. It's a rugged off-roady compact crossover. Maybe a replacement to the Korando?
Suzuki
The new Suzuki Baleno indirectly follows on from the Swift, offering more space and a fresh design.
Thunder Power
Yes, that's right, there's an auto company under the name of Thunder Power. The Taiwanese maker is planning to release an electric car to rival Tesla's Model S. With a 373-mile range, 430 bhp, a top speed of 155 mph and a 0-62 mph sprint time of less than 5 seconds, it's not bad for such a new member to the industry. The company plans to sell it for 400,000 Chinese Yuan (just over £40,000).
Toyota
Whether you like it or not, the Toyota Prius has been very successful in terms of alternative powered cars. Although it's likely to keep its 1.8-litre petrol-hybrid formula, the design has had a major rework. It's now more in line with the Mirai.
Vauxhall
The new Astra hopes to steal the Mégane's thunder (see what I did there?). It promises up to 90 mpg, boasts Apple CarPlay and starts at just over £15,000.
Sitting next to the new Astra, the Astra Sports Tourer will be displaying its upmarket design and improved quality.
A 6-seater Vivaro Surf concept using a 140 bhp bi-turbo CDTI diesel engine and standard air suspension hints at a limited edition model ideal for those who frequent the beach with more company than what a traditional car can carry.
Volkswagen
VW's Tiguan is far away from production, but the CrossBlue concept car will be demonstrating its next move.
The refreshed Golf Cabriolet is now available with a red fabric roof, further customisation and sportier front and back accenting.
Celebrating 40 years of GTI, the 261 bhp Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport storms out of Germany with a £28,000 price tag. To further demonstrate the technological advances we've seen in those four decades, VW has given it the ability to have up to 286 bhp for bursts of 10 seconds when you floor the throttle.
Lastly from VW is the Caddy Alltrack. Available as a 5-seater or just a 2-seat load-lugger, 4MOTION four-wheel-drive is an option. Over in mainland Europe it will even come with a 1.4 TGI engine, a unit that utilises natural compressed gas. This is staying with Renault's Espace and Talisman, though, as it won't be coming to the UK any time soon. It's available in Germany for the equivalent of £14,500.
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