Odd-numbered year it is; hence, it’s time for the German IAA Mobility auto exhibition. (In recent years, Hanover has hosted an IAA specifically for commercial vehicles.) The name of the event implies a lot of emphasis on future technologies, and this year, that included electric vehicles (EVs), innovations in hybrid technology, as well as the intriguing possibility of flying vehicles.
In the IAA Munich Auto Show, German manufacturers are naturally highlighted; Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, VW, and BMW feature their newest models, but Hyundai and several Chinese companies also drew attention. Impressions. Don’t forget to click the links for detailed coverage on each subject, and keep reading for crucial details on the major premieres and revisions from the program.
Though these three models might not be entirely new, they are making their first appearance in the European market as the Chinese brand AITO attempts to make its presence known across the continent. Range-extending hybrids, that is, vehicles that use an engine only as a generator with electric motors providing all the propulsion. Though it reflects aspects of Audi, Porsche, and Mercedes, the design is somewhat derivative; last year, we got to test drive one of these vehicles while traveling to China.
BMW considers this all-electric iX3 SUV to be extremely important since it is the first car introduced under the Neue Klasse program. IAA Munich Auto Show includes everything from powertrains and software to design and electrical architecture, which has a notion called the ‘heart of joy.’ Most especially, it appears to indicate a return to more subdued kidney grilles, which had been becoming rather extreme. Read the complete tale here for a thorough overview, as well as our thoughts following testing a prototype here.
Any flagship Ferrari is big news nowadays, even if Ferrari’s most recent supercar F80, formally debuted in its home country of Italy rather than in Munich. Furthermore, weighing the announcement is the resurfacing of a renowned nameplate. The only remaining issue is whether it can really live up to its legendary reputation.
