One need look no further than the Autobahn to ascertain that Germany is one of the most car-focused societies going. In a land where a speed-no-limit road system defines priorities, it’s no surprise that the Frankfurt International Auto Show is the largest and craziest of the breed – several industry shows within an industry show. With those sorts of event credentials and a home field advantage, it’s also no surprise that Frankfurt is perhaps the most important show stage for Audi and its parent the Volkswagen Group.
Frankfurt, a.k.a. the “IAA”, only happens once every other year. It annually alternates with the Paris Auto Show, building up the hype and expectations for roughly 730 days between runnings. Given this, it’s no surprise that manufacturers, Germans in particular, pull out all the financial stops to put on a proper show.
The multi-hall convention campus in Frankfurt is a perfect example of this competition between the German big three of Mercedes, BMW and VAG. The Volkswagen Group takes out an entire ground floor of the expansive Hall 3, while Mercedes has built their own permanent building on site and BMW erects a temporary show hall just for this event. Even the show schedule has become increasingly crowded, with up to four official product reveals at a time in far flung buildings.
Volkswagen Group “Night of Driving Ideas”
With so much to see by day, nightlife during the two short press days at Frankfurt has also become congested with evening reveal parties as well. One of the most extravagant of these nocturnal events this year was the Volkswagen Group’s “Night of Driving Ideas” display held on the eve of the first press day.
As our group’s Volkswagen Transporter caravan approached Frankfurt’s Ballsporthalle, a basketball arena any other day, lines of parked A8s, Phaetons, Flying Spurs and even Skoda Superbs sat in front of the structure with drivers standing at attention. Translation: any VIP from VAG was in attendance.
Once inside, it’d be hard to guess that basketball was the main reason for this facility. One main stage with gargantuan presentation screen dominated the hall, surrounded by temporary tile walls dotted with smaller screens. As the presentation moved from brand to brand, the color of the tiles and the brand badge on the screens changed the ambiance of the entire area. Extravagant? That wasn’t the half of it.
Each brand within the Volkswagen Group presented a new model or concept, with each car displayed under wraps atop a large remote controlled platform that would move to center stage for each vehicle’s presentation. Audi revealed its new A4 first, followed by Bentley and their GT Speed, Bugatti with its polished aluminum and carbon fiber Veyron Pur Sang, and Lamborghini unveiling its $1M+ (and also sold out) jet-inspired Reventon. The mass market badges within the Volkswagen Group went for concept debuts, with the three-door SEAT Tribu SUV, Skoda Fabia Combi Scout Design Study and the rear-engined Volkswagen Up! all making their first public showing.
Worth noting, Pink Floyd drummer and all-round car guy Nick Mason was also on hand during the presentation. Having hooked up with Audi lately, Mason recently drove one of Audi Tradition’s priceless Auto Union Type C racecars at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and was on hand this particular evening to help introduce the SEAT Tribu.
Audi Show Stand
Back at the show, Audi’s onslaught of new and refreshed products was quite evident. The big news from Audi, of course, was the planned reveal of the new A4 and RS 6 Avant. Canadian singer Bryan Adams would help Audi AG’s Rupert Stadler and company to present these two new models.
Once the wraps came off, several new A4s sat on display.
Center stage was a red sedan with the Euro-only 1.8T FSI engine. Most easily identified by its lower sideblades below the doors, this was the only car with the S-line spec body kit to be shown.
A silver 3.0 TDI quattro sat nearby, closer in spec to how we may likely see a standard American car. Even a standard B8 A4 gets a more aggressive fascia – standard fare for even the most lowly A4. With a knod towards the American market and its more edgy styling taste, Audi pushed the envelope in the design of the standard A4, even beyond that of today’s S4.
The silver 3.0 TDI had MMI – optional in Europe, but Audi of America product planners tell us it’ll be standard for the USA. Navigation will be optional.
Also available for the USA will be Audi’s Drive Select feature. Planned with two levels of packaging in Europe, America will get solely the more extensive version. Controlling aspects such as steering weight, suspension dynamics and shift points, Drive Select can be run in Comfort and a more aggressive Dynamic settings. There’s even an Auto mode that learns your driving patterns and an Individual mode where the driver can choose his or her preferred settings on one’s own.
A Europe-specific grey 2.7 TDI also showed off a sample of an Audi Exclusive interior planned for the new A4.
A white 2.0 TDI E A4 concept also sat on the floor, displaying the sedan in its visually and mechanically most frugal form, while a cutaway display of a fourth new A4 on the landing above the main stand showed the B8 platform’s lower and more rearward engine placement.
Audi’s spotlight also shone brightly on the all-new RS 6. Worldwide, the A6 and the segment in which it competes has proven to be a tough sell, so a halo car like the twin-turbocharged V10 RS 6 should help rejuvenate the A6 within the Audi lineup.
With 580hp on tap, the car will be the most powerful Audi ever sold. Two RS6 Avants were displayed in the Audi stand, a red example and a stunning white and titanium package car complete with optional Audi Ceramic brakes.
While design elements from the current RS 4 such as its alloy wheels have filtered down into lesser Audi models, the RS 6 shows a new and more aggressive direction for the RS line of cars. From a new 5-spoke wheel design to fender flares that harken back to the ur Quattro, the new RS 6 is definitely the most in-your-face of the RS lineage to date.
A sedan version is expected to follow at a later date, though plans for an American debut of either sedan or Avant are uncertain and Audi execs remain steadfast in neither confirming nor denying. From the sounds of it, Audi may consider sale of the RS 6 in America but wants to leave their options open either way, without letting down those who may get their hearts set on the car should Audi suggest so today and then later choose to cancel out. “Under promise and over deliver” is often the motto internally at Audi, and this seems to be the case for the new RS 6 as well.
Looking around the Audi stand, there were even more all-new offerings to be seen – too much even to fit into Audi’s press presentation. While some companies scheduled reveals of one new model or perhaps a special edition, refreshened Audis and as-of-yet-unseen technologies sat on the floor with the most minimal of a mentions in the fast-paced presentation.
Though not on center stage, Frankfurt marked the first show display for the freshened A8, and even the first sighting of the updated S8 save a handful of photos found online. Specifics of the latter, such as a good look at the car’s new wheel design, were basically first-ever sightings.
Also seen for the first time was a display showing Audi’s latest hybrid drivetrain. The company didn’t package it in an all-new model as they had done two years ago with the Q7 Hybrid concept. Instead the drivetrain sat unbridled by body panels for full display – better for eying details but worse for grabbing attention in a target rich environment like the Audi stand.
The hybrid chassis was about the size of the also-on-hand new B8 A4, though a conversation later in the day with Audi AG boss Rupert Stadler confirmed why they didn’t make it an A4 Hybrid for the display. According to Stadler, the hybrid drivetrain will go to market first in the as-of-yet unreleased Q5 SUV.
The question of a pairing hybrid technology with diesel was also posed to Mr. Stadler and met with a fairly definitive “no”. Diesel and hybrid technologies are both quite expensive to build, which would place the price of a diesel hybrid at a severe premium. In as much, that’s a hard business case to make on the surface.
Nevertheless, seeing more and more celebrities who can afford Bugattis driving a Prius instead, you have to wonder if there aren’t as many environmental enthusiasts out there who’d buy diesel hybrid A4s as there are driving enthusiasts who are buying up high-performance RS 4s.
Most other Audi models were also on display, though it’s the R8 that garners extra mention. No, there was no new drivetrain or hardware to report, but an R8 in handsome Ibis White with contrasting carbonfiber side blades will still stop you in your tracks.
In several spots around the Audi stand, an array of new wheel designs could also be seen. While some were conservative in appearance, others were impressively avantgarde. A particular favorite was an anthracite 5-spoke design with machined blade-like segments at the end of each spoke.
As is standard fare at any European auto show, there was an Audi Collection store within the company’s stand displaying the latest goods the brand has to offer. Specific notable adds to the mix this year included limited run 1:43 scale S4 sedan and Avant models and vintage-themed Audi Sport apparel from Pikes Peak, Watkins Glen and more.
Lamborghini
As expected, center stage at the Lamborghini stand was occupied by the aviation-inspired Reventon revealed the night before. Sharing mechanicals with the Murcielago LP640, a very limited run of this super-aggressive Lambo is planned with a pricetag over $1M. If you’re thinking skeptically about whether the car is worth it, don’t bother. The entire production run was sold out before the car was even revealed.
Emphasizing the stealth and performance theme, the Reventon sat in formation between matching triple black stablemates – a Murcielago LP640 Roadster and Gallardo Superleggera. Attractive booth models in flight suits stood at attention next to each and, no… they weren’t wearing Aviators.
A second Superleggera in bright orange was also on display on the second level of the stand.
Specialty Cars with the Heart of an Audi
Though Lamborghini is wholly owned by Audi, it’s usually not the only make displaying cars with ties to Ingolstadt at Auto shows like Frankfurt.
Spyker with its recent financial problems that have included sale of the company’s F1 team and a resignation by its founder, was notably absent this year. A bare C8 Spyder chassis, normally fitted with Audi’s 4.2-liter V8 in full production form, was seen in the Karmann Coachworks display, though that was the only hint of the Dutch manufacturer at this year’s IAA.
Browsing through the OEM halls, we also stumbled across a KTM X-bow. Though the motorcycle manufacturer wasn’t present at the event, one of their 2.0T-powered ultra-light cars was on display in the Polytec Group stand.
Most notable this year amongst the niche sportscar manufacturers using Audi mills as a heart was the German-based Artega and their GT coupe penned by Henrik Fisker. Not surprisingly given Fisker’s Aston Martin past, the GT bears a slight familial resemblance to the British marque. However, it’s the FSI-powered 3.6-liter as Audi’s Q7, mounted amidships and mated to the company’s DSG gearbox, that powers this interesting new coupe. Other Volkswagen Group components can also be spotted on the inside of the car, along with revolutionary new technology from paragon.
Tuners and Vendors
Almost like a mini version of Las Vegas’ SEMA Show, Frankfurt boasts the largest tuner and vendor involvement of any major auto show. Most of this can be found in Hall 1 of the Frankfurt convention center.
The top floor of the building is dedicated almost exclusively to the large tuning houses that are a staple of Germany’s aftermarket.
Abt Sportsline is perhaps the best known in the Audi and Volkswagen arena – the Kempten based Abt family owning several VAG dealerships, managing one of the Audi DTM race teams and operating their tuning business for many years.
The biggest news at Abt was the introduction of a new 5-spoke wheel design, though two Audis were also on display – a TT Coupe and a Q7.
Another Audi and Volkswagen oriented firm that’s been around for years is Nothelle. As part of a multi-brand stand, Nothelle showed off a white Audi Q7 with their full kit installed.
Within the same stand as Nothelle, Lambo-Style Doors (LSD) showed off their new A5/S5 kit on a black S5.
Less known for aftermarket offerings in the US and more often a behind-the-scenes supplier, the Austrian firm MS Design showed several new body kit packages. Among them, a full kit for the R8 was displayed, consisting of front and rear pieces and more aggressive sideskirts.
Germany’s Eisemann Exhaust Systems also chose to showcase Audi’s R8 in their stand. The car was fitted with a prototype retro faux-intake atop the car’s 4.2-liter V8, and another prototype center-mount exhaust. Company representatives said that it was the exhaust that was expected for production, though whether it will be center-mount or made to fit the R8’s current configuration has not yet been decided. Also up in the air is whether the system will be fabricated in stainless steel or more expensive titanium.
Lamborghini has also drawn its own healthy following from the aftermarket. Lamborghini tuner BF Performance displayed a Gallardo and Murcielago with their full treatment, while jack-of-all-trades Hamann also showed kitted versions of each of the two Lambos amongst numerous other offerings.
Below the tuner hall, on a lower level of Hall 1, reside a range of vendors. From boutiques to model car manufacturers like Herpa, Wiking and Minichamps, there’s much to be seen… especially if you’re a model car enthusiast.
HO-scale (1:87) model manufacturer Herpa showed off new offerings such as the A5 and the new B8 A4 that will be first available through the Audi Collection. Wiking introduced a limited run IAA-edition 1:43 scale red and silver Audi R8, special editions being a tradition of the event.
At a model car boutique stand, we also found more of the Audi Collection’s limited edition 1:43 scale S-cars. In addition to the S4 sedan and Avant seen in the Audi Collection store , it appears that the modern S6 and S8 are also available.
In the center of the vendor hall there was also the traditional display of vintage cars. Borrowed from larger collections, there’s always a healthy range of primarily German automobiles. This year’s display included a Horch roadster and the Audi 200 Turbo quattro that had a starring role in a James Bond movie were both on loan from Audi Tradition for the event.
OEM Supplier Halls
For the true car geek, perusing the halls of the OEM suppliers is also worth some time. More here for industry purposes, such as manufacturers making relations with suppliers, you never know what you’ll find amongst the throngs of OEMs.
Displays of things like the S5’s LED-equipped headlight assembly aren’t terribly surprising to find, though a more extensive display of the entire S5 chassis, complete with hood, trunk and doors at a body stamping supplier’s stand drew our attention.
Audi’s supplier for MMI controllers also showed what could be done with metal plating on interior controls with a display of several MMI units. As seen in the RS 6, satin silver buttons look fantastic, and they also offer a gold-plated version in case that ever comes back into style.
The Frankfurt IAA continues to be our favorite event of the show season. For anyone interested in Audi and the ripples it makes in the industry, this is one show not to miss. There is so much to see, you’ll need several days to do so, but it’s well worth the trip.
For Audi themselves, there should be no better measure of a brand’s success than its presence at an event as important as Frankfurt. Whether that be crowd-drawing new products, a healthy aftermarket following, OE Supplier attention or even the number of new scale model cars from toy manufacturers, seeing just how many facets of the Audi story there are to tell at Frankfurt is proof enough that Ingolstadt is on a roll.
2007 Frankfurt International Auto Show: Audi Perspective
