Polo WRC, Super-Trof-Strad & A5 DTM
When you're on home turf you've got to do something special: when you're the Volkswagen Group and it's the Frankfurt motor show, you've got to do something huge...
VW's pre-show shenanigans involved turning the Ballsportehalle on the outskirts of the city into a massive stage last night, a venue to which 2500 of the world's media pitched up. Then again, there was lots to say by a group that now comprises Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, SEAT, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Porsche, Bentley and Scania. And while we all supposed to take away messages about 'sustainability' and 'eco' engineering, the cars that really made an impact were the quick ones.
New 911 finally starts on stage...
Which isn't to dismiss the cute VW up! city car or the all-electric Audi A2 concept, it's just that from a PHer's perspective, the fact that Lamborghini confirmed limited production - 20 only - of the lightweight (999kg) 570bhp Sesto Elemento, and announced the - 150 only - Gallardo LP570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale, was slightly more exciting news.
A WRC version of the VW Polo was also cause for celebration, along with Audi's A5 DTM warrior for 2012; improved steering for the RS5 provoked a smile, too. And it was encouraging to learn that the new Bentley GTC's twin turbo W12 engine enjoys a power hike to 567bhp and a plumping up of the torque curve so that it hits 516lb ft.
As is the German way, there was plenty of preposterous razzamatazz, including an incendiary display for the Super Trofeo Stradale, and a spoof James Bond sequence for the new 911, including acrobats, lasers and a car rising through the floor.
But to prove that the Germans aren't complete masters of the world, though, it took six or seven goes to start the 911 to drive it out of its smoke-filled container: the Polo R WRC was similarly reluctant to start, while the SEAT IBL concept didn't drive far enough back off the stage and was clobbered by the closing shutter door on the backdrop, knocking off a large chunk of the rear bodywork...