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Sunday Drive by Hormazd Sorabjee: The fab four of Frankfurt Motor Show
Check out the top vehicles on display at this year’s edition of the international automobile exhibition
Touted as the largest motor show in the world, Frankfurt has traditionally played host to automotive heavyweights, and in particular, the German carmakers who come here in full force. For show visitors, a good pair of shoes is an absolute must to comfortably walk through the massive halls, which are miles apart from each other.
This year however, participation in the Frankfurt Motor Show wasn’t that big (though the amount of walking didn’t reduce) and over a dozen global brands chose to stay away. This reflects a new trend amongst car manufacturers of diverting market budgets from expensive motor shows like Frankfurt, to their own bespoke events. In fact, Ferrari skipped Frankfurt this year and launched the gorgeous F8 Spider at its home base in Modena, just a day before the show.
That said, there was still a lot to see at this year’s Frankfurt show, and not surprisingly, electric cars were in the limelight and lots of them made their global debuts here. The Chinese manufacturers came down in full force and of course, the Germans put their best foot forward. Here are my top picks from the show.
Volkswagen ID.3
Volkswagen kicked off its bid for world domination in the electric car race with the ID.3. VW feels this compact and relatively affordable hatchback will become the ‘electric car for everyone’ and in time reach the same iconic status of the Beetle and Golf. These are big ambitions, but VW has thrown its might behind its first mass market electric car in a bid to redeem itself from the diesel scandal, which continues to haunt the company. The ID.3 also debuts a new VW logo, which will be seen on all new Volkswagens as a part of the company’s brand makeover.
A multiple choice of battery packs power a rear-mounted motor, which develops 200hp of juicy electric thrust. The futuristic design, a minimalistic yet funky cabin, marks the ID.3 as a cool, clean car to have. The range is upwards of 400km and is part and parcel of this car’s everyday usability. The €30,000 price which drops to 25,000 after the government gives you back €5,000 by way of subsidies is within reach of European car buyers. Will it come to India? Sadly not. It would be just too expensive, despite the GST cut to five per cent recently given to EVs.
Land Rover Defender
With a 70-year-old heritage, the Land Rover Defender is the most iconic 4x4 in the world with a legendary reputation for going where few other vehicles have dared to go. The original model, which ran for decades, was discontinued in 2016 but the legend has made a comeback in the form of the all-new Defender, unveiled at Frankfurt.
The Land Rover design team has done an outstanding job in keeping the design as true to the original as possible. The upright, square and clean styling points to the hard-as-nails character of what Land Rover touts as ‘the most capable off-roader ever built’. The massive ground clearance and water wading capability is good for traversing rivers but its more likely owners will use these strengths to tackle monsoon flooded roads in cities like Mumbai.
Lamborghini Sian
Outrageous looking like most Lamborghinis, the Sian is also the Italian super sports carmaker’s first hybrid model. It produces a humongous 819hp, of which 34hp is produced by an electric motor. That’s good enough for short runs in full electric mode, useful in the city or to wash away the guilt of driving a car that is insanely fast (top speed 350kph) and guzzles petrol.
Mercedes-Benz EQS
The Mercedes-Benz Vision EQS is an all-electric concept car that is a strong hint at what Mercedes’s future flagship sedan will be like. Due for launch in 2021, the 470hp EQS will be sold alongside the S-class and Maybach series to rival the next-generation Jaguar XJ and Tesla Model S. Expect this one to set a new benchmark for refinement.
Hormazd Sorabjee is one of the most senior and much loved auto journalists in India, and is editor of Autocar India
Sunday Drive appears every fortnight
From HT Brunch, September 22, 2019
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