Frankfurt Motor Show 2015: OEMs look to steal competitors' thunder at Frankfurt pre-show reveals

There have been a number of key new model launches on the eve of the Frankfurt Motor Show as the OEMs increasingly look to copy Volkswagen's (VW) traditional preview night in an attempt to steal each other's thunder and create as much media buzz as possible around their new model launches.

Jaguar

Jaguar's new F-Pace sport utility vehicle (SUV) had a full reveal on the eve of the show, with its full technical specifications. Jaguar's aluminium platform and chassis technology features prominently in the F-Pace with a core development target to keep weight down in order to bolster efficiency and maintain Jaguar's traditional strong driving dynamics. Around 80% of the F-Pace's body is aluminium and the car's "body-in-white" weight stands at just 298 kg. It shares common architecture with the XE and XF, although Jaguar claims that 81% of the car's components are new. There will be a mix of efficient diesel variants and a high-performance version at launch. These will include an entry-level 178bhp diesel which also generates 318 lb/ft of torque using the same four-cylinder diesel offered in the XF and XE. This variant will only be available in rear-wheel drive and Jaguar is claiming combined fuel economy of 57.7mpg and CO2 emissions of 129g/km with the manual gearbox. There will also be gasoline (petrol) and diesel V-6 variants and a range-topping supercharged 3.0-litre gasoline V-6 taken from the F-Type will generate 375bhp and 332 lb/ft of torque. The styling is successful and very much in the Jaguar lineage and the car looks sleeker than most SUV-D premium rivals with a lower roofline.

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz has also shown its advanced IAA (Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile) concept on the eve of the show. The car showcases elements of Mercedes-Benz's future design language as well as advanced technological concepts such as active aerodynamics to bolster efficiency. The model's styling is that of a very sleek and futuristic coupé-sedan with dramatic surfacing and a distinct and equally dramatic slatted grille design. The concept is likely to predict design elements of the next-generation E-Class which is due next year and the third-generation CLS due in 2017 or 2018. Power is provided by the plug-in hybrid powertrain found in the C350, which comprises a 208-bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder gasoline engine with an 80-bhp electric motor. The most advanced element of the IAA is its moveable aerodynamics that extend the rear bodywork by 390mm when the car is travelling at over 50mph in order to improve its drag co-efficient to an impressively low 0.19.

Volkswagen

The most important mainstream production model at VW's preview show was the VW Tiguan concept. It has elements of the bigger Touareg to its design with more modern detailing and it is certainly less upright and frumpy than the previous Tiguan. It will be a big seller in Europe, and VW also has high hopes in China and the US. The new model has vastly improved interior space, which has been partly achieved simply by making it larger. It is 60mm longer, 30mm wider and 33mm lower than the outgoing model, while its wheelbase is up 77mm. This has given the rear passenger compartment almost 3cm more rear leg room while the boot is now nearly 20% bigger at 615 litres.

Powertrains will include an entry-level 1.6-litre diesel developing 114bhp and 2.0-litre units developing 148bhp, 178bhp and 217bhp respectively. There will be 1.4- and 2.0-litre turbocharged gasoline variants, and a coupé R variant launched at a later date.

Bentley

The Bentley Bentayga made its debut at the VW night. The long-awaited Bentley SUV has been much trailed and there was a fairly good idea of what it would look like, as many pictures have been circulating of lightly disguised pre-production prototypes and toy models of the car being shown prematurely. It did not confound expectations. It is bold and imposing, and boasts very recognisable Bentley design language with the prominent silver mesh grille and the now traditional Bentley round headlamps. The Bentayga employs the latest variant of the VW Group's MLB-Evo platform for large passenger cars and also uses aluminium in order to keep the weight down. It also features a re-engineered variant of Bentley's 6.0-litre W12 that develops 600bhp.

Porsche

Porsche surprised at the VW launch night with a four-door EV that would have the ability to challenge the Tesla Model S if put into production. The concept has the performance to rival the company's range-topping 911 Turbo with a 0-60mph time of 3.5 seconds while it can accelerate to 0-200km/h in less than 12 seconds. At the same time it has claimed range of 331 miles and also boasts the latest 800-volt recharging technology. The concept is four-wheel drive with an electric motor powering each axle and is capable of carrying four people in comfort, although perhaps the styling is not the most eye-catching that will appear at the show.

Audi

Another important EV reveal as the preview show was the Audi e-tron quattro concept. It has been much trailed as the car that will predict the Q6, which will be introduced in 2018 and Audi's head of research and development Ulrich Hackenberg confirmed this. The quattro concept has a claimed range of 311 miles and has a standard output of 429bhp, which can be boosted to 496bhp, and 590 lb/ft of torque. Audi also claims the concept can reach 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds and its top speed is limited to 131mph. Its EV motor is powered by a 95kWh battery pack and styling is successful, sleek and recognisably Audi.

Outlook and implications

This spate of pre-show launches show how competitive the major automotive shows are in terms of getting air time for the latest concepts and production models from the major global OEMs. More and more brands are looking to steal the thunder of their rivals in making earlier and earlier show launches in order to attract the most possible press attention. The trends at this year's show seem set to be dominated by premium SUVs and crossovers and EVs, and increasingly a combination of these vehicle types. Electrification of SUVs removes the traditional objections to these vehicles, that they are less efficient and more polluting than conventional vehicle types, allowing consumers a guilt-free motoring experience while still enjoying the imposing styling, road presence, feeling of improved safety and higher driving position that consumers increasingly look for from crossovers and SUVs. While the e-tron quattro is an excellent example of the EV crossover, the Bentayga shows there is still life in more traditional premium SUV concepts, although the Bentayga will be Bentley's first hybrid. IHS Automotive forecasts that sales of premium and ultra-premium crossover and SUV models will triple this decade from 1.2 million units in 2010 to 3.5 million units by 2020 as the volume premium carmakers expand their ranges and the market gets new entrants at the top end from the likes of Bentley, Rolls Royce, Lamborghini and Maserati.