One of the coolest attractions at this past week’s Frankfurt Auto Show wasn’t a new model but rather a series of vehicles set to appear in the upcoming James Bond movie Spectre. The coolest was easily the burnt orange Jaguar C-X75 supercar that one of the villains drove. The car doesn’t feature the complex hybrid system that featured in the original C-X75 concept but rather one of the automaker’s familiar supercharged V-8s. Jaguar’s Special Vehicles Operations division built seven of the cars for filming, but only two managed to survive. Unfortunately, Jaguar plans to keep both of 'em.
Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo concept, 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show
Another popular attraction was the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo. Though it isn’t intended for production—it was designed purely as a virtual race car for the Gran Turismo video game series—it does hint at the design pegged for the Veyron successor, a car everyone seems to think will be called a Chiron.
Nissan Gripz concept, 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show
Another concept from the Frankfurt show was Nissan’s Gripz. The sporty crossover doesn’t herald a replacement for Nissan’s 370Z sports car, as was rumored. Instead, it hints at an expanded Z car family, one that would include a crossover in addition to a coupe and convertible. Furthermore, take away the car’s tall ride height and supercar-style doors and you’ve got a preview of the next Z sports car, or at least that’s what we’ve been told.
Porsche Mission E Concept - 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show live photos
Porsche’s Mission E was one of the big surprises, and in a few weeks it will probably be the car that’s still making headlines. Numerous rumors suggest Porsche is planning a new sedan to slot in under its Panemera, similar to how the Cayenne received a little brother in the form of the Macan, and chances are the Mission E is a preview of it.
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile concept, 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show
For anyone getting tired of all the concept cars that are simply thinly-veiled previews of future production models, may we present the Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile. Mercedes calls the car a “transformer”, because it will actually change shape as you drive along in order to alter the car's coefficient of drag from 0.25 to a very slippery 0.19. Some of those sensuous lines, by the way, may still feature on the next-generation CLS.
2017 Rolls-Royce Dawn, 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show
But what about the production cars in Frankfurt? Well, one of the surprise crowd favorites was Rolls-Royce’s new Dawn. Though only a fraction of the people attending the show could actually afford one, there were constant queues of showgoers keen to take some snaps to share on social media.
Lamborghini Huracan Spyder, 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show
If you prefer your open-top driving with a little extra pace, then perhaps the Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder is more your style. The roof is an automated soft-top just like the one on the previous Gallardo Spyder, and it can be folded away in just 17 seconds. Coinciding with the arrival of the Huracán Spyder, Lamborghini is also introducing cylinder-deactivation and an engine stop-start system across the Huracán range.
2017 Jaguar F-Pace - 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show live photos
Another major fan favorite was the Jaguar F-Pace. It promises to be an SUV that handles like a sports car, and hopefully we’ll be able to find out soon. The vehicle will be going up against small SUVs from the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, but what makes the F-Pace stand out from the crowd is its aluminum-intensive construction.
2017 Bentley Bentayga, 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show
Bentley’s first ever SUV, the Bentayga, was revealed in Frankfurt. The vehicle can handle the roughest terrain and be driven at speeds as high as 187 mph, all while cosseting you in the finest luxury. We hear the first one off the line is going to the Queen of England.
2017 Audi S4, Frankfurt Auto Show
Audi’s new S4 spiced things up in Frankfurt. The car sticks with a V-6 engine but instead of the supercharger of the previous model it now features a turbocharger. Peak power is 354 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, with the latter delivered from 1,300 all the way up to 4,500 rpm. Sadly, a manual is no longer offered—the sole transmission is an eight-speed auto.
There was much, much more on show in Frankfurt. You can catch our complete coverage over at our dedicated hub.
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