This year’s Frankfurt Motor Show is underway in Germany. This exhibition showcases new vehicles released or planned by motoring manufacturers from around the world. This year’s exhibition hosts 781 exhibitors from 30 countries. 100 vehicles are making their world premieres at the exhibition. 55 of the of the premiers are by German manufacturers. 10,000 journalists from 90 countries will be present at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. The show opens for the public today (17 September) and will be going on until the 27th of September. The last 2 days (15 and 16 September) were press days at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. German Chancelor, Dr. Angela Merkel will official declare the exhibition open today. It’s the 63rd time that the Frankfurt Motor Show is held this year. Unfortunately we do not have a Motoring Exhibition of this magnitude in South Africa, which is sad.
Here are some introductions at this years Frankfurt Motor Show:
- Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde
- Alfa Romeo 159
- Audi A5 Sportback
- Audi R8 Spyder
- BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo
- BMW 740D
- BMW X1
- BMW Active Hybrid X6
- BMW Active Hybrid 7
- Dodge Caliber
- Ferrari 458 Italia
- Fiat 500 Abarth
- Fiat Punto Evo
- Fiat Punto SuperSport
- Fiat Qubo Treking
- Fiat Sedici
- Ford C-Max
- Ford Grand C-Max
- Honda CR-V
- Hyundai i10 Electric
- Hyundai i30
- Hyundai ix35
- Hyundai Santa Fe
- Jaguar XJ
- Kia cee’d facelift
- Kia Venga
- Kia Sorento
- Kia Forte LPI Hybrid
- Kia cee’d Hybrid
- Kia Sorento Hybrid
- Kia Venga MPV
- Lamborghini Reventón Roadster
- Lexus IS-F sport package
- Lotus Elise Club Racer
- Lotus Evora Club Racer
- Maserati GranCabrio
- Mazda CX-7
- Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
- Mercedes-Benz S500 plug-in hybrid
- Mercedes-Benz E-class estate
- Mercedes-Benz BlueZero E-cell
- Mercedes-Benz B-class F-cell
- Opel Astra
- Peugeot RCZ
- Peugeot 5008
- Peugeot BB1
- Peugeot iOn
- Porsche 911 Sport Classic
- Porsche 911 Turbo
- Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
- Porsche 911 GT3 RS
- Porsche Panamera
- Range Rover Sport
- Rolls-Royce Ghost
- Saab 9-5
- Seat Leon Cupra R
- Skoda Sperb Estate
- Subaru Legacy
- Subaru Outback
- Toyota Land Cruiser
- Vauxhall Insignia Ecoflex St
- Volkswagen California
- Volkswagen Caravelle
- Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion
- Volkswagen Passat BlueMotion
- Volkswagen Polo 3 door
- Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion
- Volkswagen Polo GTI
- Volkswagen Golf R
- Volkswagen Transporter
- Volvo C30
- Volvo C70
- Volvo XC60 R-Design
You are probably wondering how this exhibition started in the first place? The Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (IAA) or International Motor Show is generally referred to as the Frankfurt Motor Show. This event is the world’s largest motor show and is organized by the Association of the German Automotive Industry (VDA). The Frankfurt Motor Show is scheduled by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles, which considers it to be a major international auto show. The first ever IAA was held at the Hotel Bristol in Berlin in 1897. Between 1897 and 1911 it became a fixed event in Germany. At least one was held almost every year, usually in Berlin. In 1905, 1906 and 1907 there were 2 IAA’s held. In 1921 the first IAA was held in Berlin since World War I. It was the 14th time that the IAA was held. At that stage, 67 automobile manufacturers were showing off 90 motor car and 49 Heavy Goods Vehicle models. In 1931, the IAA was held again for the 22nd time, despite after-effects of the global recession. 295,000 visitors were recorded for the show. Front-wheel drive vehicles were on display for the first time. In 1939, the last IAA was held in Berlin before the outbreak of World War II. This was the 29th IAA in history and a record breaking 825,000 visitors attented the exhibition. Volkswagen was presented for the first time at this show. The “strength through joy motor car” from the 1939 show later became known of as the “Beetle”. Between 1947 and 1949 German automobile and accessories manufacturers took part in the export trade fair in Hanover. The automobile industry’s hall attracted a lot of attention from the public. In April 1951 an automobile exhibition was held on the trade fair site in Frankfurt for the first time ever. This event attracted 570,000 visitors. In Sept 1951 a 2nd event was held in Berlin, attracting 290,000 visitors. This was the 35th time that an IAA was held. The German Automobile industry said goodbye to the old exhibition spot in Berlin and relocated permanently to Frankfurt. From now on the show would be held annually. In 1961, the 40th IAA in Frankfurt was visited by 950,000 people, breaking records from previous years. In 1965 a Japanese company presented its motor cars at an IAA for the first time. In 1989, an IAA was held featuring both cars and commercial vehicles. This confirmed that the exhibition site in Frankfurt was now too small for this major event. Almost 2,000 exhibitors squeezed onto an exhibition site measuring 252,000 square metres. More than 1.2 million visitors attended the event. The VDA decided to hold 2 IAAs from now on. From 1991, the Frankfurt Motor Show was split into 2 shows. In odd-numbered years the IAA Passenger Cars exhibition was to held in Frankfurt. On even-numbered years the IAA Commercial Vehicles exhibition would be held in Hanover. The first IAA Passenger Cars exhibition in 1991 was huge success. 1,271 exhibitors from 43 countries displayed their new products and innovations on an exhibition site of +/- 200,000 square metres. More than 935,000 visitors attended that year’s IAA. In 1992 the first IAA Commercial Vehicles Exhibition hosted 1,284 exhibitors from 29 countries on a 252,000 square metre exhibition site. 287,000 people visited this exhibition, 66 percent of them were trade visitors. The decision to split the Frankfurt Motor Show into 2 seperate events was a success.
Related Link:
IAA (Frankfurt Motor Show) – Official Website
