Frankfurt 2009 Wrap Up: We saw it all
by Jonny Lieberman on Sep 17th 2009 at 7:20PM 
2009 Frankfurt Motor Show – Click above for complete list of vehicles covered
You're looking at a Porsche Panamera S with a trailer hitch. We're looking at an empty bottle of scotch and 11-hour plane rides. But never mind all that – what you really need to know is five hacks blogged over 60 posts and approximately ninety-billion photos in two days.
Why so many cars? We're thinking that the OEMs had a ton of new metal lined-up pre-Great Recession then got spooked by the economic meltdown. Frankfurt proved to be a dumping ground for all the new stuff – or at least it felt that way. But hey, what's better than new cars? For us and you, not a whole lot. Follow the jump for a list of every car we covered in Frankfurt and discover exactly how we felt walking back to the hotel after being (almost) forcibly removed from the media room. At least you can't accuse us of not trying. Also let us know what you think of Best of Show was in the comments. Auf wiedersehen, Germany!
Discovered behind the Smart tent at the Messe. No, we have no idea either...
PRODUCTION VEHICLES
Aston Martin Rapide
2010 Audi A3 3.0 TDI
Audi A5 Sportback
Audi R8 5.2 FSI Spyder
Alfa MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde
Bentley Continental GTC Series 51
Bentley Mulsanne
BMW ActiveHybrid X6
BMW 5 Series GT
BMW 7 Series Active Hybrid
BMW X1
Brabus E V12 Black Baron
2010 Citroen C3
2010 Citroen DS3
Ferrari 458 Italia
Fiat Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari
Fiat Punto Evo
Ford C-Max and Grand C-Max
Hyundai Tucson ix35
Kia c'eed
Kia Venga
Lamborghini Reventon Roadster
Lotus Elise Club Racer and Exige 260 Cup
Lotus Evora Type 124 Endurance Racer
Mansory Cyrus
Mansory Vitesse Rose
Marrusia B2
Maserati GranCabrio
Melkus RS2000
Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Wagon
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
Opel Astra
2010 Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer
Peugeot RCZ
Porsche 911 GT3 RS
Porsche 911 Sport Classic
2010 Porsche 911 Turbo
Renault Twizy, Zoe, Kangoo and Fluence EV Concepts
Reva NXG
Rolls-Royce Ghost
2010 Saab 9-5
Volkswagen CC R-line
Volkswagen Golf R20
Volkswagen Phaeton Exclusive
2010 Volvo C30
2010 Volvo C70
Wiesmann MF5 RoadsterCONCEPT VEHICLES
Audi e-tron
Mirror-finish Audi R8 5.2 V10
BMW Vision EfficientDynamics
Citroen REVOLTe
Hyundai ix-Metro
Lexus LF-Ch
Mazda MX-5 Superlight
Mercedes-Benz F-Cell 
Mercedes-Benz S500 Vision Plug-in Hybrid concept
Mini Coupe and Roadster Concepts
Peugeot BB1 Concept
Seat IBZ Concept
Toyota Auris HSD Full Hybrid Concept
Volkswagen E-Up! ConceptNEWS
The Fraulein of Frankfurt
Porsche 911 GT3 RS goes 180 mph on way to Frankfurt
Benltey Mulsanne makes 505 hp and 752 lb-ft of torque
Ford introduces 1.6-liter EcoBoost
New Ford C-segment platform will spawn 10 models
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mike7 7:23PM (9/17/2009)
I see the Panamera saw "The Fraulein of Frankfurt".
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sparrk 7:24PM (9/17/2009)
LOL !
Krony 7:36PM (9/17/2009)
Mike7 that's freaking funny. Nice job on the coverage AB.
Jared 8:15PM (9/17/2009)
Where is the story about almost getting kicked out of the media room? I was hoping to read a big dramatic story about the AB writers getting into it with someone. I was let down.
Peter 7:36PM (9/17/2009)
All that's missing on the Panamera is a dangling scrotum.
Best in show for me as a daily driver is the Audi A4 TDI Avant. Want, want, want...
As a drean machine Ferrari 458 Italia, sex on wheels.
I think the VW E-Up! will prove a very significant concept.
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Brian 7:40PM (9/17/2009)
I have always found those Euro style trailer hitches slightly disturbing.
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artandcolour 7:48PM (9/17/2009)
thank you AB. i don't think there has been better coverage of a world-class car show than this one. every single important car was covered. every trend was covered. the mainstream mags will suffer next month when there is no need for me to buy them.
thank you again,
casey/artandcolour
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zamafir 10:10PM (9/17/2009)
x2, brilliant job, easily THE BEST coverage on the net.
that poor poor r8.
cancuno (formerly Mike) 8:09PM (9/17/2009)
Question: What the hell happened to the McLaren? I thought it was being unveiled at Frankfurt.
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ankit 8:30PM (9/17/2009)
VW e-up! 2 Thumbs up !
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Darren 9:50PM (9/17/2009)
Amazing coverage guys! I know exactly how you feel after a trade show, but from the reader-side, I can tell you the hard work is much appreciated!
-Darren from Engadget
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J 11:49PM (9/17/2009)
Quick, someone attach some Truck Nutz! As if the Panamera wasn't disturbing enough...
Sad thing is, I actually kind of like the Panamera. Is that bad?
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NunyaBizness 1:21PM (9/18/2009)
WHERE IS THE NEW AUDI RS4 ??????
WHERE IS THE NEW AUDI RS5 ?????
THEY BOTH WERE SUPPOSED TO DEBUT AT FRANKFURT.
AUTOBLOG PLEASE RESPOND !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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bart 5:16AM (9/18/2009)
AND RS3!!!!!!!
Avinash machado 2:27AM (9/18/2009)
Thanks guys.
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zigzagz94 2:34AM (9/18/2009)
Best coverage of an autoshow to date. You guys rock.
Go out get drunk this weekend and then get back to work on news from the Tokyo Auto Show.
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Josh 3:10AM (9/18/2009)
Agreed, fantastic coverage.
Seriously - someone decided to go offroading in their R8?
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jamie 12:10PM (9/18/2009)
How could you miss this one!?
Volkswagen L1 Concept...240 mpg!!!
VW’s one-liter car is finally on its way.
A one-liter car? This moniker describes a car that uses one liter of fuel—about a quarter of a gallon—to propel a car for 100 kilometers, or 62 miles. The one-liter car’s fuel economy translates to almost 240 mpg, and VW has had such a car in its sights for some time now. In 2002, outgoing VW CEO Ferdinand Piëch, now head of the company’s supervisory board, drove a cigar-shaped prototype from VW headquarters in Wolfsburg to a shareholders’ meeting in Hamburg.
Now the idea of the one-liter car has been resurrected. VW’s biggest news at the Frankfurt auto show was the L1 concept, a prototype that "is close to production" and "will be developed," the company says. Three ingredients were needed to make it happen: a supremely efficient powertrain, great aerodynamics, and lightweight engineering.
As to the powertrain, VW has opted for a two-cylinder, 39-hp turbo-diesel engine combined with a 14-hp electric motor. There is a stop/start system and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The L1 can reach 100 mph, but fuel economy at that speed drops to a shameful 1.38 liters per 100 kilometers, or 170 mpg.
The front-wheel-drive L1’s aerodynamics are optimized by the two-seat layout with the occupants sitting in a row. The result is a car that is relatively long, quite low, and extremely slim. The monocoque and body is made of carbon fiber, and total weight of the L1 is a mere 838 pounds. We think that the seating configuration will likely be changed as development progresses; two people sitting behind each other is too unusual for prospective buyers.
Even so, the L1 looks refined and close to series production, which couldn’t be said of the 2002 concept. It could be on the market as soon as 2013, Volkswagen sources tell us. The L1 may seem ironic to those who remember that VW is also responsible for Bugatti, which makes the fastest production car in the world, the Bugatti Veyron, and which just unveiled the W-16 Galibier sedan concept. But if you think about the styles of both Piëch and current VW chairman Martin Winterkorn, this contradiction seems logical: These guys both tend to go to extremes. And we submit that the Volkswagen L1 is a more significant step in saving resources than are heavy gasoline-electric hybrids.
http://autos.yahoo.com/auto-shows/frankfurt_auto_show_2009/1106/Volkswagen-L1-Concept
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lupejohnson 3:12PM (9/18/2009)
Man, you just gotta love those Porsche Design trailer hitches.
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