See all Motoring NewsBMW has revealed in full its plans for the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show and though we've already driven many of the stars of the company's stand (it's actually a gigantic standalone building) it's still an impressive line-up. In total there are five world premieres and a distinct focus on electric and hybrid technology.
First up is the brand new BMW 7 Series. Visitors to the Frankfurt show will get a chance to check it out in person, including the new plug-in hybrid version badged 740e, which comes with an impressive set of figures: 326hp, 2.1 litres/100km (that's 134.5mpg in old money) and emissions of 49g/km. All anyone will want to see though is the remote control parking. Very cool - and especially useful in the Brown Thomas car park...
Second world premiere is for the all-new BMW X1 SUV. No sign of an e-badged version as yet, but given how much of its drivetrain it shares with the 2 Series Active Tourer, surely it's a matter of 'when', not 'if'. Nonetheless, owners of the existing X1 will be astounded by how much space BMW has liberated by changing to a transverse engine layout. It's almost good enough to step on the toes of its big brother, the X3.
The facelifted BMW 3 Series also makes its world public debut in Germany. The aesthetic tweaks are minimal, but they combine with considerable engineering work to create an even better 3. Highlights of the range include the ability to have the Sport trim with the full suite of EfficientDynamics measures, plus the arrival of a new plug-in hybrid version called the 330e (252hp, 1.9 litres/100km and 44g/km). Frankfurt will also be our first opportunity to see the mildly restyled BMW M3 Saloon. Or was that the model Tom Cruise totalled in Rogue Nation?
Of interest to motorsport fans will be the first full revealing of the mighty BMW M6 GT3 racer, a vehicle designed for customer racing teams. It's powered by a twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which should have no problem shifting the carbon-skinned car at a decent rate... For those that want a road-going version(ish) BMW has introduced the 600hp M6 Competition Edition, but that sadly doesn't come with the huge package of aerodynamic measures.
Last, but certainly not least, is the new BMW 225xe Active Tourer. We'll go into more detail on this in a separate article as there's much to say, but as an overview, it's a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with four-wheel drive, where the rear wheels are driven solely by an electric motor. Key figures are 224hp, 2.0 litres/100km and 46g/km.
BMW's stand (it covers 12,000 square metres over two levels) features a 400m-long test track on which visitors may experience certain BMW and MINI models from the passenger seat. There's a 50-metre wide stage on which 20 tech demonstrations will take place per day and even a specific smartphone app to download and use as a guide to everything on the stand.