IAA tour of the Open Space in Munich: The Germans strike back

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The main part of the IAA motor show no longer takes place in halls. The organizers are moving to a location where they can expect a higher density of visitors – in the centre of Munich. The car market as it presents itself at the IAA Mobility remains exciting. It is not obvious when walking around the manufacturers' stands that the Germans are being left behind and lapped by the Chinese. But the customer can be pleased, because electromobility is coming with a vengeance and the standard is consistently higher. Competition stimulates business, and those who don't keep up in this race will go under. As expected, the electric SUV is still the big trend on the market. Of course, most of the new products in Munich are also electric SUVs.

BMW and Mercedes

What has happened in the development departments of the manufacturers recently is evident at BMW, among others. Even from a distance, an iX3 standing at a dizzying height on a roof platform indicates what BMW will mainly be focusing on at the IAA Mobility. The e-SUV represents more than just the start of the electrification of the 3 Series. It is nothing less than BMW's most important new launch and it will determine whether the brand can actually successfully embark on the path to a combustion-free future. The paper form speaks for it. Panoramic Vision iDrive, the wide display strip from A-pillar to A-pillar, looks better live than expected and impresses with its elegant sharpness.

At Mercedes, the focus is on two electric models that reflect the two major trends of the IAA Mobility 2025: the GLC EQ SUV, a BMW iX3 competitor, and the Mercedes-AMG GT-XX racing sedan study. Whether you like the looks of the GLC EQ or the iX3 better is, of course, a matter of opinion. The Mercedes offers more space and probably also more comfort. Its trunk is also larger, which is not least due to the front trunk being twice as large as in the iX3 at around 100 liters, which only has a comparatively small compartment of 58 liters under the hood. The BMW has a slight advantage in terms of charging power and range.

The little bad boys

At Mini, they show the other trend of this year's IAA with the "Deus ex Machina" study by John Cooper Works, a kind of Mini World Rally Car performer. Small electric cars that are inflated in every direction and are intended to show, at least as a study, that unreasonableness, emotion, and the joy of racing can also be represented by small electric cars. I was most visually impressed by the R5 Turbo 3E, which also has the advantage that you can buy it if the fun is worth 50,000 euros. It would be difficult to find more eye-catching qualities for the money anywhere. Compared to the R5 Turbo 3E, an Alpine A110 looks almost a little boring.

The new Renault Clio, one of the very few combustion cars to be unveiled at this year's IAA, also looks sharper. Whether you like the angular headlights, which look out onto the road like reptilian eyes from a giant snake's skull, or not, is certainly a matter of opinion. The Clio remains hugely important for the Renault brand. It is currently one of the best-selling cars in the EU and is heading towards Cupra in terms of design, where emotions are also to be conveyed with a clear edge. In particular, Cupra's Tindaya sports SUV study, named after a volcano on Fuerteventura, shows a wild mix of corners and edges that radiate dynamism even when stationary. The Tindaya is probably intended to convey the impression that it was created by a volcanic eruption.

Expected to be mass-produced again

It is therefore logical that the ID.Cross from VW comes across as comparatively well-behaved. After all, it is a near-series study of a type of electric T-Cross, i.e. an SUV on the ID.Polo electric platform. The same applies to the Skoda Epiq. This could indeed be what the upcoming bestsellers in the VW and Skoda range look like. People probably won't really look at them, but hardly anyone will find them ugly. VW has followed a similar recipe with the new edition of the T-Roc. An exterior that is not too polarizing, plus diesel engines are disappearing and hybrid drives are making their appearance. It would be very surprising if this composition were not still successful.

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Rundgang über die IAA Mobility in der Münchener Innenstadt (19 Bilder)

Volvo's new ES90 electric luxury saloon is somewhat more angular than many Chinese models. Most Chinese manufacturers present their cars without any major rough edges, both in reality and in transfer. For example, the BYD Seal 6 DM-i Touring hybrid station wagon is just as rounded as its main German competitor, the VW Passat. BYD's luxury brand Denza is a little more on – the luxury van D9 DM-i in particular. The luxury sedan DZ9 GT, on the other hand, looks like a long version of a Tesla Model S. This is a popular shape for high-performance sedans from China. The XPeng P7+ is another such expansive vehicle with a coupé-like five-door body. The XPeng X9 is a very luxurious seven-seater van with plenty of luxury.

Promising start from Togg

Following in the footsteps of the R5 Turbo 3E or the Opel Corsa Vision GSE Gran Turismo, Hyundai's "Insteroid" study shows what a particularly fast Inster for touring car racing could look like. The Three study shows a sporty, elegantly designed small car that is intended to whet the appetite for a small Ioniq model. At Kia, the EV2 study shows the first glimpses of a small SUV in the Polo class. The vehicles from the new Turkish brand Togg appear comparatively tame from the outside. With high quality, five stars in the Euro NCAP crash test and up to 320 kW of power at prices of 45,000 to 50,000 euros, the BEVs from Turkey could also spice up the mid-size class.

At the end of my tour, Audi makes a big splash with the Concept C study. The retractable hardtop impressed me more than the flat design, which was too brutal for my taste and somewhat reminiscent of the Jaguar 00 study. But perhaps I'm not the target group, as I had much less to say about the TT than most others. I end the tour at Porsche, where a brand new 911 Turbo S shows once again how the combustion era can come to a fitting end.

Conclusion

This year, German manufacturers are showing significantly more affordable electric cars with impressive figures than two years ago. With small fun cars and sports cars with electric drive, they are exploring how driving pleasure, emotion and irrationality can be maintained in the electric age. The Chinese are showing increasingly high-quality vehicles with more and more power. However, even Chinese cars with certain performance data are not a special offer here. The Turkish brand Togg is making an interesting debut. The vehicles bring a touch of luxury to the highly competitive mid-range segment. The performance and equipment data sound exciting for prices between 45,000 and 50,000 euros. It will be intriguing to see how they drive.

(chlo)