Visitors throng the Frankfurt Motor Show and (above) car-lovers are wowed by the latest from Lamborghini

The International Automobil Ausstellung (IAA) or the Frankfurt Motor Show (for those not well versed in German) is popularly known as the biggest car show in the world with hundreds of gleaming metallic beauties lining up to razzle and dazzle one and all. Indeed, one has to walk for miles around Messe Frankfurt, as the exhibition grounds are known, just getting from one hall to another, to have a look at all the spanking-new cars manufacturers put on exhibit. Till a few years ago, the show used to include LKWs or Lastkraftwagens ? commercial vehicles ? but now there’s a separate show for those. Today the Frankfurt show alternates with the LKW show each year.

This year, the 61st edition of the motorshow had a theme running through it ? alternative energy-driven automobiles. This meant that many manufacturers came up with hybrid options for powering their car ? quite appropriate really, given the spiralling costs of petrol and diesel.

Almost every manufacturer in the world was present at the IAA, including three from China ? Brilliant, Geely and Jiangling. Let’s take a look at some of this year’s highlights.

For German manufacturers, the IAA is in their collective backyard. Naturally then, they were out in full force. Audi’s Q7 SUV, which features a 4.2-litre FSI petrol engine and a unique lane- departure warning system, is bigger than the Mercedes M Class and the BMW X5 SUVs. It is also bigger than the top-of-the-line A8 luxury saloon. The reason for this emphasis on size is simple ? the Q7 is aimed at the US market. Which could see this car heading our way, (without the lane departure because that’s not of much use here) as Indians tend to like what Americans like ? well at least as far as cars are concerned! Audi also had a hybrid version of the Q7, with an electric motor taking some load off the engine and thus improving its efficiency.

BMW also had a hybrid SUV but what was more interesting was a concept car ? a coup? version of the Z4 roadster, no doubt intended to take the Porsche Cayman head on. The Cayman is based on the Boxster, which is generally bought on an average by 42-year-olds. Porsche hopes to attract a younger crowd with this car ? it has a hatch, lots of storage area and most importantly, an engine that is more powerful than the Boxster’s ? the 3.4-litre, 6 cylinder unit develops 295bhp.

Mercedes-Benz had a new S-Class on display. Looking at the boot area, it’s been very obviously ‘Bangled’. Perhaps the designer was a student of BMW’s designer Chris Bangle. Mercedes also premiered the ML 63 AMG and the Vision R63 AMG. AMG is the operative word here, as it is the company’s special performance tuning arm. Both ML and R class cars feature a 6.3-litre V8 engine that develops 510bhp and 630Nm of torque ? that’s good enough for a zero to 100kmph time of five seconds! The IAA also heralded the addition of the Maybach 57 S ? just another Rolls-Royce rivalling (or beating) luxury car with a 6-litre V12 biturbo engine developing 1000Nm of torque.

The rest of Europe was there too, in case anybody was wondering, and so were Japan and South Korea. Peugeot had some great concept cars ? brilliant design exercises but rather impractical as everyday road cars. Jaguar introduced its XK sportscar, built on an all-aluminium chassis to save weight. Ford had the striking Iosis, which though a concept of a four-seater coup? at present is regarded to be a representation of the direction the design of the new Mondeo is headed for. No more is the design philosophy New Edge as seen in the current Mondeo, for it’s become Kinetic now.

America was present too, showcasing Cadillac as well as Chevrolet and Dodge. Jeep had a couple of interesting design studies ? the Compass and the Patriot. The BLS from Cadillac is considered to be a baby Caddy and is expected to be built in Sweden at a Saab facility. In fact, the American cars were all much smaller than the usual American aircraft carriers that serve as cars in the US. Maybe that’s because the Americans are desperately trying to get a foothold in the European market.

Among the Japs, Honda made a huge impression with the devastatingly sexy new Civic. So did Mitsubishi with its very menacing, almost evil-looking Sportback concept with wicked slit eye headlamps and a shark-like mouth. Designed at Mitsubishi’s design centre outside Frankfurt, this apparently is the look of future Mitsubishis. All one can say is wow! Subaru’s face- lifted Forester was there too and that is scheduled to come to India ? but when?

Now one can’t talk of a car show and leave the Italians out of it. Especially when top guns like Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati were present at the Frankfurt exhibition. The baby Lambo, the Gallardo was present but with a more powerful engine and in Spyder (drophead) form. Ferrari had the 430 Challenge, most likely to make its way on to the Sportscar GT racetracks in future. On a more practical level, Fiat launched the Grande Punto. With a front end that borrows something from Maseratis, the beleaguered Italian company is hoping to turn its fortunes around with this car. Will it come to India? Unlikely, unless Fiat can do a Dacia Logan on it.

Road rage

Mona Lamba,
fashion designer

There are so many things that gets one agitated while driving on Calcutta’s streets. It’s really hard to pinpoint just one, as there are quite a few causes that may trigger an angry reaction. Sometimes it’s the traffic snarls, at others, it’s people jaywalking on the roads, and then there are also times when errant drivers flouting traffic rules are a pain.

That said, however, if I were to zoom in on one of the most irritating aspects of driving on this city’s roads, it would be the potholes. Almost every road here is riddled with potholes and ditches. And it’s so annoying when your car lands in one catching you unawares and jolting you out of your seat.

Also, while many may uphold the one-way system as a remedy to traffic jams, I think it’s a bother, especially when your destination is one furlong away and you have to drive for two kilometres to reach it