Germans take centre stage in Frankfurt

The Frankfurt International Motor Show (FIMS) is arguably Europe's biggest automotive event, and there are few exhibitions that consistently see new model launches as the premier German show.

This year German stalwarts BMW and Mercedes will be making a lot of noise for their respective new models, and other European marques such as Maserati will be commanding attention on the show room floor.

Also of interest to our local Australian readers will be the fact that many of the new and prototype vehicles shown will make their second-ever appearance at the Sydney Motor Show that commences about a month later on October 16.

The Frankfurt International Motor Show is now in its 60th year and kicks off on the 13th of September 2003, and winds up on the 21st of the month.

Mercedes

Hometown heroes Mercedes will be showing off a number of new motors, the Mercedes CLE attracting plenty of attention - and speculation.

This new four-door 'coupe' (oxymoron anyone?) is expected to rival the BMW 6-series and insiders suggest it will be on sale in 2004.

There's no official word on whether the car will be unveiled at Frankfurt, but rumours indicate it will at least be hinted at, if not shown.

The CLE range will fit into the Merc line-up between the curvy CL and elegant CLK classes, giving the Germanic automaker a total of five different coupes.

As the artist's impression indicates, the car will have a very coupe-ish look, albeit with four doors. The wheel arches are tastefully flared giving the car a subtle yet aggressive stance in combination with the large diameter wheels.

The headlights could take Mercedes in a new design direction, and on the whole it's not a bad looking Merc.

Rumours suggest that the CLE-class will be fitted with V6 and V8 engine variants, starting with a 3.0 and then 3.5-litre V6 engine block.

Mercedes' trusty 5.0-litre V8 will more than likely top the CLE range.

Also showing in its final production form will be the heart-stopping Mercedes SLR McLaren, which is alleged to offer manic performance (340km/h top speed) as well as everyday drivability.

Can it done? We'll know soon enough. Click here for a full report on the SLR, which stands for Sport Light Racing.

Audi

Keen to please in Frankfurt, Audi will show off its attractive Nuvolari concept, which was first seen in Geneva earlier this year.

The Nuvolari concept (click here for more) is believed to be the basis of new A4 and A6 coupes, and word is that Audi may even unveil the 2004 model-year A6 at this years German show.

The new A6 is a closely-guarded secret at Audi, and this artists impression sheds some light on the new model, which will compete with the new BMW 5-series and Mercedes E-class.

Like the new A8, the upcoming A6 is expected to be lighter than the current model thanks largely to its adoption of the marque's Space Frame chassis construction technique.

This will also improve rigidity and, along with new design direction, the next generation Audi A6 will get a lighter and more responsive aluminium suspension rig.

While nothing is concrete in terms of the A6's powerplants, word on the street suggests that V6s will be the volume sellers in 2.7-litre (135kW) and 3.0 to 3.2-litre capacities (180kW).

Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system will be offered, and rumours of a bahn-storming S6 model variant with the Nuvolari concept's engine (5.0-litre, twin turbo, direct injected V10 mill with 441kW and 750Nm) would give BMW's M5 some solid competition.

BMW

Speaking of which, the Bavarian's aren't taking any risks at this years Frankfurt show either, unvieling no less than two new models and one facelifted vehicle, and possibly even the marque's new 1-series small car.

The BMW X5 is getting a facelift, with new front and rear ends and the 4.4-litre V8 model gets a boost in power (a 25kW increase to 235kW at the flywheel).

The range-topping 4.6is will be given another boost in 2004 with yet another increase in capacity and power, now to be named the 4.8is.

The new 6-series (click here for more) will also make it's official entrance at the 60th annual FIMS, sporting a very suave new look, with just two doors, a nifty heads-up display and a number of powerful six and eight-cylinder engines.

The 645i (pictured right) is expected to complete the 0-100km/h dash in a measly 5.6 seconds, which is impressive for a 4.4-litre V8.

While new 5-series will also make its official debut - click here for the full rundown - the biggest news is that the new X3 will be launched.

The X5's baby-brother, the X3 is a 3-series sized soft-roader akin to Land Rover's Freelander.

The 2004 X3 is being called an SAV, or sports activity vehicle, and upon first inspection looks pretty dull.

It gets a classic "Hofmeister kink" in the rear side windows, though the newly-styled headlight cluster gives the X3 a bland face, while the rest of the car [sides, rear end] is less offensive to the eye. Perhaps Bangle has been asked to tone it down somewhat?

Either way, the X3 will be offered with a couple of engines to begin with, though expect a red-hot 'i.s' model similar in concept to the 4.8is X5.

The standard engine on offer will be BMW's oft-used and more-than-capable 3.0-litre inline six cylinder engine, developing 170kW of power and 300Nm of torque.

A diesel variant will also be on show in the X3 in Frankfurt: The newly built inline six-cylinder diesel engine makes a healthy 150kW of power and cliff-climbing 410Nm of torque.

It can hit 210km/h in standard guise and 218km/h when optioned with the Sports Package.

The word xDrive will also make itself well-known when the X3 launches, as it's BMW's clever new AWD system.

Simply put, xDrive functions to allow an infinitely variable distribution of torque from the front to the rear axles.

It will change torque distribution on the fly and is reported to be quite advanced, though don't expect it to allow you to challenge rough terrain - BMW types suggest that it helps correct over and under-steer on the blacktop, and judging from the racecar-like low-profile tyres, rocky terrain will be a no-no.

Maserati

Maserati's new 7-series and S-class killer, the Quattroporte, will make its long-awaited debut in Frankfurt and could deal a huge blow to the local limosine market.

To start with, it is designed by Italian coach-builders Pininfarina and basically offers a long-wheel based four-door über-cruiser of presitigious proportions.

While interior comfort is a big factor for the Quattroporte, the 4.2-litre V8 engine will help it take on the big guns from Mercedes, BMW and Audi, producing a whopping 298kW of power, which enables a snappy 270km/h top speed.

The Quattroporte also positions the engine behind the front axle for better weight distribution (hence handling), which is a first for a car of this size. Maserati also opted for an unorthodox rear-mounted gearbox, which is believed to be coupled with the differential. The Quattroporte measures some 5.0 metres in length and will be coupled to an electro-hydraulic auto gearbox.

The massive Maserati will be joined in Australia for the Sydney International Motor Show by new models from Subaru, Mazda and GM Daewoo - all direct from Frankfurt.

Subaru will show its new-generation Outback all-wheel-drive wagon, GM Daewoo will be hoping its new Lancetti small car will be a hit with Australian buyers and Mazda will unveil its replacement for its top-ten selling 323, the all-new Mazda3.

We'll have all the late breaking news from the 60th annual Frankfurt International Motor Show as it happens, so be sure to check the News and general reports.