


Being bashed for gas guzzling V12 and V8 engines and high-perfor- ance
evolution cars, Germany's premium car makers are now forced to play the
green card when it comes to new developments. They may also specialise
in fuel saving Diesel motors, but in the future, other drives are
anticipated to be required. Possibly it will turn out a tempo- rary fashion,
but many believe electro motors are going to make the world go round in
upcoming decades. So Audi, BMW and Mercedes are thinking over what their
wealthy buyers would like to invest on.
Answers will soon be given at their home motor show, the IAA 2009 at Frankfurt.
Audi retrofits their super car R8 with an electro drive. Because its motor
doesn't need some air to breath, the designers have eliminated most air
inlets. So also the side blades - the vertical covers behind the doors - are
omitted, as it will be the case with the R8's soon-to-come open top version.
Thus the sports car from Ingolstadt is sleeker than the recent
production model.
Also some details at the front are expected to be changed according to Audi's
new front design. Meaning, the grille's shape will be a hexagon rather than a
rectangle. Mercedes-Benz unveils the new SLS-class at the show. Though the
production model starts with conventional combustion engines only,
Daimler AG showcase an example with electro drive. However, the concept is not
just for show! Reportedly a production is planed for 2015.
Their archenemies from Munich are going to present another approach. First BMW
mount two electro motors on their exhibit. Second, a small combustion aggregate
turn it into a hybrid car. And third, the thing is laid out as a 2+2 seater,
while Audi's and the Mercedes' sports cars are for two persons only. The exterior
will be similar to the M1 Concept which had been introduced recently. But, although
the interior provides room for four, overall length is shorter then the first
concept's.
|

|