2008 Frankfurt Auto Show Coverage   
2009 Mazda6  








Volvo ReCharge

Looks like: A Volvo C30 with green wheels
Defining characteristics: 66 percent fewer emissions than today's best hybrid car
Ridiculous features: Did we mention the green wheels?
Chance of being mass-produced: We'd like to see a plug-in hybrid like this as much as the next guy, but there are still lots of issues to be ironed out — mainly how much people are willing to spend on very pricey technology

We can see it now: The horsepower wars that brought us a 300-hp Mustang GT and a new wave of Hemi engines are over and the new battle will be waged in mpg. We're probably stating the obvious at this point, but with each auto show that passes we're seeing more attention paid to how technology can increase mileage and decrease emissions. Now that we can go as fast as we can possibly handle, we might as well save some money at the pump.

That's Volvo's aim with the ReCharge concept. Based on the C30 hatchback that just went on sale in the U.S., the California-developed ReCharge teams a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with four electric motors, one at each wheel. This gives the C30 some gusto: It hits 62 mph in 9 seconds, which puts it about a half-second ahead of a Dodge Caliber R/T. That's not Hemi speed, but Volvo says that, on a full charge, the ReCharge will return 124 mpg on a 93-mile trip.


BMW X6









Looks like: A Hot Wheels car brought to life
Defining characteristics: A sports-car body dropped onto Bigfoot's wheels
Ridiculous features: A sports-car body dropped onto Bigfoot's wheels
Chance of being mass-produced: BMW doesn't often introduce concepts that aren't meant for production; the X6 looks so ready to hit dealerships, we expect to see the real thing revealed by the end of this year

We're kind of at a loss here. We knew BMW was working on an SUV with a swoopy shape, but nothing could have prepared us for this. The Concept X6 is a real BMW, folks. The name might say concept — a hybrid version of it will be another Frankfurt concept — but BMW has been testing the X6 for production for quite some time. It seems BMW actually intends to sell this "sport activity coupe" to the masses. How big the masses are remains to be seen.

Why are we blown away? Well, despite recent anti-SUV sentiment in the U.S., luxury SUVs are still selling well, and the redesigned BMW X5 is the company's best SUV to date — perhaps even the best luxury SUV on the market. BMW doesn't need another vehicle in this segment, and the X6 will have less room inside than the X5. Perhaps the radical look, augmented by ridiculously huge 21-inch wheels, will draw those who don't want a soccer-mom mobile.

The idea of a four-door coupe body style isn't new — see the Mercedes-Benz CLS — but putting it on an off-roadable platform seems like an odd choice; it certainly doesn't look like anything else on the road.  

Mercedes-Benz F700












Looks like: A nightmarish version of an S-Class
Defining characteristics: Huge grille, huger headlights, tiny little engine
Ridiculous features: A backward-opening rear door only on the passenger side
Chance of being mass-produced: Looking like this, little. An efficient luxury sedan? Not too much chance of that, either.

Mercedes' F700 Concept is an interesting look at how fuel efficiency will impact this auto show season. Sure, lots of companies are bringing out small little hybrids, plug-ins and other gas-sipping concepts, but Mercedes thinks there's also a market for affluent greenies. The F700 isn't a hybrid, though — it uses a super-efficient four-cylinder engine with a prototype powertrain that moves like a V-6 but gets a dreamy 44.3 mpg.

Remember this is a concept, so those numbers aren't even close to being real yet. The F700 also features an active suspension that predicts road conditions to mute bumps as much as possible. That's one of those concept ideas we like. What we don't understand is a seating configuration that allows passengers to face backward. Perhaps that would facilitate a face-to-face business meeting in the backseat — or high-speed nausea, depending on your travel habits.


2008 Aston Martin DBS












2008 Saab Turbo X














Competes with: Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Infiniti G35, Lexus IS
Looks like: Suspiciously similar to the Saab 9-3
Drivetrain: 280-hp, turbocharged 2.8-liter V-6; all-wheel drive
Hits dealerships: First half of 2008

We don't mean to confuse you — though perhaps that's Saab's aim — but the Turbo X is none other than a limited edition of the company's recently updated 9-3 sedan. The big difference is that the Turbo X is the first application of Saab's new all-wheel-drive system that they're naming — so originally — XWD. This setup was designed by Saab in Sweden and differs from the all-wheel-drive system used in models like the recently discontinued 9-2X and the current 9-7X.

The Turbo X will be a limited-edition model, all in black, but an all-wheel-drive option will become available on the regular 9-3 at roughly the same time in 2008. The Turbo X also gets a sport-tuned chassis and a rear limited slip differential that drivers can control. The limited run of the Turbo X will come only in black with unique wheels and more aerodynamic body panels. GM says the Turbo X is available for order.



Competes with: Maserati Gran Turismo, Ferrari 599 GTB
Looks like: An Aston
Drivetrain: 510-hp, 6.0-liter V-12 with six-speed manual; rear-wheel drive
Hits dealerships: Early 2008

It's the time of year where you can afford to spend a few minutes checking out a car as gloriously over-the-top as the all-new Aston Martin DBS.

You might recognize the DBS from the movie "Casino Royale," where a blond Bond staved off a heart attack using a gadget in the glove box. This DBS, however, is no movie prop — this is a production version set to go on sale in early 2008. It hits 62 mph in a scant 4.3 seconds and has a top speed of 191 mph, plus it's damn sexy.

BMW
X6
oh,shit~
my favorite!