Frankfurt 2007 Auto Show

The Frankfurt auto show is the quintessential automotive spectacle--and IAA 2007 was no different. You could easily spend the entire week here taking it all in, but here are some of the notable European exhibits which caught our eye.

Daimler chairman, Dr. Dieter Zetsche, and an E320 Bluetec face the media frenzy at IAA 2007. Here, he outlines Mercedes' `Road to the Future' spearheading the European effort to offer cleaner and more efficient powerplants.	Mercedes-Benz had probably the most impressive product showcase--three stories of cutting-edge automotive engineering and design. The company presented its agenda with 19 new models, including seven hybrids.	The Mercedes-Benz F700 concept car features hybrid drive and an innovative DiesOtto powerplant, which combines the performance of a petrol engine with the efficiency of a clean-burning diesel.
Already `CO2 champions' in the automotive world, Smart cars continue to push the clean efficiency envelope with new electric and micro-hybrid drivetrains.	We couldn't decide which was hotter, the Maserati GranTurismo or the tall drink of water cocking her hip in front of it.	The VW Passat R36 features a 300-hp V6, all-wheel drive and revised aerodynamics. And it still isn't coming to America.
BMW X6: Still categorized as a concept, sources tell us something similar will see production in early 2008. It represents the first SUV `coupe' but other manufacturers are said to be close behind with their own versions. The biggest news is that the initial unveiling of the vehicle was shown with a hybrid drivetrain.	The new RS6 Avant will be the most powerful production Audi ever, pumping out 570 hp from a twin-turbocharged V10. It won't be coming to America either, at least for the time being.	Audi's new A4 is a complete redesign rather than a simple re-skinning. It takes many styling and design cues from the two-door A5, including a greater use of aluminum in the suspension, a longer wheelbase and repositioned differential.