Hits and misses: Car makers take big risks in future plans

The world’s motor show was home to some enormous reveals as brands detailed what our next cars will be. Here are some of the hits and misses.

Yesterday’s heroes were hailed as cues for the shape of things to come at the 2019 Frankfurt motor show, where the big premieres were Volkswagen’s ID.3 and the Land Rover Defender.

Germany’s biennial auto expo wasn’t as big as usual — many brands seem to think regular motor shows aren’t worth the trouble and expense. If the trend continues, the motor show as we know it seems doomed to extinction.

Mercedes-Benz revealed its futuristic EQS concept.

The list of no-shows was long, from affordable to exotic: Toyota, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki, Kia, General Motors, Jeep, Peugeot, Citroen, Volvo, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Lexus, Maserati, Bentley, Aston Martin and even Ferrari.

Here are some of the highlights:

VW ID.3

Volkswagen debuted its first electric car at the Frankfurt motor show.

This is the car that aims to make amends for VW’s “Dieselgate” crimes.

VW referred to the electric ID.3 hatch as the “third major chapter” in its 82-year history, behind the Beetle and Golf. Deliveries to customers in Europe will begin in the middle of next year and it will come with three different battery packs delivering claimed range of between 330km and 550km.

The cheapest variant — with the smallest battery — will cost less than €30,000 (about $48,000) in Germany. The medium battery pack will cost less than €40,000 (about $65,000). The cheapest local Golf is $24,990.

Land Rover Defender

This is the first all-new Land Rover Defender since 1948

Ruggedly good looking, the new Defender is a style-conscious update of a famously familiar shape. Beneath the skin, though, it’s all change.

The new Defender is built more like a car. It doesn’t have a separate ladder chassis and rigid axles underneath, and it doesn’t have a flat windscreen up top.

Still, Land Rover says it’s the most capable off-roader ever to wear the badge.

It will come in three sizes. The 110 five-door is due in Australia in the middle of next year. It will be followed by the shorter three-door 90 a few months later. Later still will come the biggest variant, the 130. Prices for the 110 should start at about $70,000, while the 90 is likely to be less than $60,000.

A plug-in hybrid is due later.

Mercedes EQS

The EQS will be the base of several future electric cars.

This big limousine previews the brand’s plans for a future EVs with stand-apart style.

Under the floor of the Vision EQS is a flat slab of lithium-ion battery pack to power electric motors front and rear.

Mercedes claims a comfortable range of 700km, snappy acceleration (0-100km/h in less than 4.5 seconds) and the capacity to recharge to 80 per cent in just 20 minutes.

The Vision EQS platform will form the base for several smaller vehicles, perhaps not as compact as the C-Class but certainly E-Class and GLE-size. The production version of the EQS should debut in 2021.

BMW Concept 4

The BMW Concept 4 has divisive styling.

It’s not pretty — the nose of the Concept 4 provoked an instant storm of negative comment when revealed at Frankfurt — but it is important. This show car marks big changes at BMW. It previews both the replacement for the current 4 Series coupe due late next year and a new EV, the i4, expected in 2021.

It also shows BMW is pushing ahead with its long-term plan for cost-effective production of conventional models and EVs with the same under-the-skin design basics.

Honda e

The cute-as-a-button Honda was one of the hits of the show.

Two years ago at Frankfurt, Honda wowed the crowds with the cute-enough-to-cuddle Urban EV Concept. The five-door production version revealed this week lacks the visual charm of the three-door show car but hasn’t lost all the cool touches. Even though it will be priced below €30,000 in Germany, the Honda has rear-view cameras that display images either side of the simple dash’s broad screen display.

The rear-drive EV has a super-tight turning circle and a nippy 0-100km/h time of less than 8.0 seconds. Claimed range is only 220km but the Honda is capable of fast DC recharging.

Honda Australia has not confirmed plans to sell it here.

Hyundai 45 EV Concept

The Hyundai 45 EV was one of the more out-there concepts.

This show car previews the Korean company’s vision for an electric-powered future … by looking backwards. Designed to evoke memories of a Hyundai show car from 45 years ago, the new concept has an underfloor battery pack and flat-floored cabin. “As an icon of Hyundai, the 45 clearly reveals how Hyundai heads towards the future through heritage,” says design centre chief SangYup Lee.

Mini Cooper SE

The urban focused Mini appears to be the ideal base for an electric car.

Mini presented its electric Cooper SE hatch to the public for the first time, confirming that the car will reach Australia mid-next year.

Driving the front wheels with a 135kW electric motor, the battery-powered Mini claims range of 235km-270km and 0-100km/h in 7.3 seconds, neither particularly far nor fast.

The brand says the vast majority of its owners do not regularly drive more than 200km daily.

Renault Captur

Renault’s new plug-in hybrid compact SUV made its global debut.

The replacement for the small French SUV was revealed at Frankfurt. It’s the first model with Renault’s new plug-in hybrid set-up.

This version, with a four-cylinder petrol engine and a four-speed transmission incorporating an electric motor, has a peppy combined output of 118kW. Renault execs expect the plug-in hybrid’s efficiency to tempt European buyers away from diesel in droves.