The Frankfurt Auto Show can trace its roots back nearly 115 years to a small exhibition that was held in 1897 at the Hotel Bristol in Berlin.
Since then, the Frankfurt Auto Show has been hailed as one of the largest in the world, welcoming over 1 million visitors every odd year. Even-numbered years feature IAA Commercial Vehicles in Hanover, while the car show makes its way to Paris.
This year's show offered up plenty of technology and sensual sheetmetal, as is typically the case for such a huge event. There were loads of exotics like the (deep breath) Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale and the delectable Jaguar C-X16, quite likely the star of the show.
As I perused through our Frankfurt coverage, I did notice one commonality, one theme that permeated most of the new cars unveiled during the event. This element also happens to be one of my favourite in any body style, should it apply: hatches.
Browse through our Auto Show coverage page and you'll notice numerous cars laden with this most useful feature. From the Subaru VX, the Mazda CX-5, the Maserati Kubang and the super sweet Fisker Surf; hatches are everywhere.
As far as I'm concerned, I don't get why consumers would purchase a sedan/saloon when a perfectly good hatch is available. It's so obvious that a third or fifth door (or best of all, a wagon) makes life easy and far more versatile than any enclosed trunk. Ever try to gracefully insert your bicycle into the trunk of a Hyundai Elantra sedan? How about an Elantra Touring? Now you get it.
The Europeans have always been trendsetters; heck, they've been at the forefront of automotive design for decades. True, Harley Earl was good, but it's tough to match, let alone beat the French and the Italians.
We may as well get used to it anyhow. Fiat is coming, and if we're lucky, we'll get a Punto and maybe even a Panda (both potential Caliber replacements, perhaps?). Suzuki's hanging by a thread, and so injecting some life into dealerships with the new Swift would be good. How about the Audi A2 and the new Ford Focus ST Wagon?
The 2011 edition of the Frankfurt Auto Show is nothing less than a fashion show for car junkies, and I think it's high time that North America becomes fashionable again. May we embrace the European way and open up our minds and wallets as we would to Karl Lagerfeld's latest CHANEL collection.
Since then, the Frankfurt Auto Show has been hailed as one of the largest in the world, welcoming over 1 million visitors every odd year. Even-numbered years feature IAA Commercial Vehicles in Hanover, while the car show makes its way to Paris.
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| Mazda CX-5 (Photo: Mazda) |
This year's show offered up plenty of technology and sensual sheetmetal, as is typically the case for such a huge event. There were loads of exotics like the (deep breath) Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale and the delectable Jaguar C-X16, quite likely the star of the show.
As I perused through our Frankfurt coverage, I did notice one commonality, one theme that permeated most of the new cars unveiled during the event. This element also happens to be one of my favourite in any body style, should it apply: hatches.
Browse through our Auto Show coverage page and you'll notice numerous cars laden with this most useful feature. From the Subaru VX, the Mazda CX-5, the Maserati Kubang and the super sweet Fisker Surf; hatches are everywhere.
As far as I'm concerned, I don't get why consumers would purchase a sedan/saloon when a perfectly good hatch is available. It's so obvious that a third or fifth door (or best of all, a wagon) makes life easy and far more versatile than any enclosed trunk. Ever try to gracefully insert your bicycle into the trunk of a Hyundai Elantra sedan? How about an Elantra Touring? Now you get it.
The Europeans have always been trendsetters; heck, they've been at the forefront of automotive design for decades. True, Harley Earl was good, but it's tough to match, let alone beat the French and the Italians.
 |
| Subaru VX (Photo: Subaru) |
We may as well get used to it anyhow. Fiat is coming, and if we're lucky, we'll get a Punto and maybe even a Panda (both potential Caliber replacements, perhaps?). Suzuki's hanging by a thread, and so injecting some life into dealerships with the new Swift would be good. How about the Audi A2 and the new Ford Focus ST Wagon?
 |
| Fisker Surf (Photo: Fisker) |
The 2011 edition of the Frankfurt Auto Show is nothing less than a fashion show for car junkies, and I think it's high time that North America becomes fashionable again. May we embrace the European way and open up our minds and wallets as we would to Karl Lagerfeld's latest CHANEL collection.