Bill Visnic analyzes the confirmed list of Frankfurt Auto Show debuts over on Auto Observer today and makes the suggestion that the sort of old-school luxury associated with big engines, rich interiors and large profit margins might end up being a casualty of our current economic times. In its place is a more rational, environmentally minded view of the top end of the market.
"How else to interpret the rash of hybrid-electric and pure-electric unveilings from the German automakers -- on their Frankfurt home field, no less -- the ones who long pooh-poohed any kind of vehicle electrification in favor of advanced diesel engines?" Visnic asks.
He points to the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics diesel-electric, plug-in hybrid concept, which balances its 356 horsepower with a claimed 63 mpg on the European test cycle, and the Mercedes-Benz Vision S500 Plug-In Hybrid that will supposedly haul to 60 mph in the low 5s while returning 74 mpg (Euro test cycle). And of course there's the Lexus LF-Ch, which is both a hybrid and a compact hatchback.
Then again, more traditional high-end cars like the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Ferrari 458 Italia and Lamborghini Reventon Roadster will be on the floor, too. Are they still relevant?
Auto Observer: Frankfurt Motor Show: Enviro Plays, Luxury the Big Question
See the full list of introductions at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show
estreka says:
10:55 AM, 09/14/09
I'd say electric vehicles are still a fad right now. There are very few of them on the road right now and there's no reason to believe they'll become economically viable in the near future.
Turbodiesels are viable, however. Why can't we get those?
In the showroom, consumers will buy what looks good on paper, which may not be the most practical. Sure, an electric vehicle might get 230mpg (calculated via some weird undisclosed unofficial formula), but if it only goes 40 miles, who cares?
cwc1 says:
05:59 PM, 09/14/09
Absolutely, high performance cars are still relevant, particularly exotics like the Ferrarri 458 Italia.
So far, there is more hype about electric cars than reality. We'll see more of them around for a while, and they may have a bigger role at some point, but right now, they're still a niche product. And the electricity to charge them still has to come from somewhere; mostly conventional sources for now.