Buzz-worthy electric and gas-powered vehicles at Frankfurt

Auto makers at the Frankfurt show present a mix of gasoline- and electrically powered vehicles at press day, on Tuesday.

Audi R8 V-10 RWS

The first Audi production model with rear-wheel drive will be made available in Canada. Only 999 units are being manufactured "for purists," said Stephan Winkelmann, CEO of Audi Sport GmbH, adding that it "brings the driving concept of our R8 LMS racing car to the streets." The mid-mounted V-10 generates 540 horsepower, with 0-to-100 km/h acceleration in 3.7 seconds. Design is accentuated by a matte black grille and air apertures at the front and rear of the car. – Staff

Audi Aicon

Purely electric, conceived to achieve 700 to 800 kilometres on a single charge, the four-door sedan (a concept car) would pilot passengers from door to door as they worked or luxuriated in the bright cabin. At 5.4 metres in length and 3.47 in width, the Aicon would run on massive 26-inch tires under Audi's signature, flared wheel wells. Oh, there's neither foot pedals nor steering wheel. It would be fully autonomous, a luxury version of the robot taxi. – Staff

Ferrari Portofino

A so-called "entry-level" supercar, the hard-top convertible's 600-horsepower V-8 will be capable of acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds. Estimated to cost the equivalent of $290,000, the Portofino replaces the California convertible in the expanding Ferrari lineup. – Staff

VW I.D. Buzz

VW showed a revised version of its electric ID Buzz and Crozz crossover SUV concept vehicle as it announced a long-term electrification campaign, saying its brands would introduce 80 new electric vehicles by 2025. The company plans to invest 20 billion euros in upgrading plants, creating two new electric car platforms and training workers. – The Associated Press

Lamborghini Aventador S Roadster

"The next step for Lamborghini will be for sure hybridization," CEO Stefano Domenicali told Bloomberg TV. "But these iconic cars have to be different from others, so this is really the position we need to keep in order to keep alive the dream." Meantime, the 2018 Roadster delivers 740 horsepower from a V-12 with top speed around 350 km/h – in a convertible. "Every curve becomes a quiver of exhilaration on your skin," the company says. – Staff

Porsche 911 GT3

With a 4.0-litre flat-six engine producing 500 horsepower at 8,250 rpm, the new 2018 GT3 is a masterpiece of nerve-searing speed. While the rest of the 911 range embraces turbocharger technology as a way to jump through various government-mandated fuel economy and emissions hoops, the GT3 remains the purist's choice. – Brendan McAleer

Bugatti Chiron

The 2018 hypercar generates an unreal nearly 1500 horsepower from an 8.0-litre, 16-cylinder engine, for 0-to-100 km/h acceleration in 2.5 seconds. It's named for Louis Chiron, Bugatti's official race car driver in the 1930s. – Staff

Smart Vision EQ

This concept car from Mercedes-Benz could drive itself with no occupants, whether to pick up its next ride, make deliveries overnight while most human users are sleeping or take itself to the nearest station for an autonomous recharge. But you'll never be able to buy one; the cars will belong to Smart's Car2Go car-sharing scheme, which already has 26 million members worldwide. With vision EQ users able to share rides with strangers, and the cars constantly in use, the EQ fleet could provide current levels of Car2Go usage with half as many cars on the road, the company says. When parked, their glass side doors can become temporary billboards, and of course they're "connected," greeting you by name when interfaced through your smartphone. Smart isn't citing an output for the EQ's electric motor, but something close to the current ED's 60 kW seems likely. – Jeremy Sinek

BMW i3

BMW plans to offer at least 12 fully electric vehicles by 2025, including battery-powered variants of mainstream models such as the X3 SUV as well as the futuristic, self-driving iNext. New technology is facilitating the revival of the "i" sub-brand, which hasn't been assigned a new car since the i8 in 2014. BMW is predicting that next-generation batteries will allow driving ranges as far as 700 kilometres. "We wanted to have a sufficient range that's coming with the next technology jump," CEO Harald Krueger said last week. – Bloomberg

Porsche Cayenne Turbo

Now in its third generation, the Cayenne has transformed Porsche from a sports car company into an immensely profitable SUV powerhouse. The Cayenne looks nearly the same as its predecessor, but in the cabin and under the hood it's gone more high-tech, although still not fully electric. In terms of performance and handling, Porsche is keen to draw a more solid connection between its SUVs and the iconic 911 sports car. To that end, just like the 911, the Cayenne will have rear-axle steering for the first time. It should make this big SUV more agile and easier to manoeuvre in tight urban spaces by allowing the rear wheels to turn a few degrees in either direction. – Matt Bubbers

AMG Project ONE

Even though it boasts more than 1,000 horsepower, the Project ONE strives to pair a socially responsible yin with its 350-plus-km/h-top-speed yang. Like all current F1 cars, the racer has a hybrid powertrain. And "the future of AMG also lies in hybridization and electrification," said Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche. Consider the full name of the F1 car: Mercedes AMG F1 W08 EQ Power+. No surprise to see "AMG" there; it's Mercedes' high-performance division. But "EQ"? That's the auto maker's new electric-mobility brand. The car hasn't been made yet, but the entire production run of 275 copies has effectively been sold out. – Jeremy Sinek

Mercedes GLC F-Cell

GLC F-Cell is a battery-fuel cell hybrid that can run on hydrogen and emits only water vapour. – The Associated Press

Mercedes S Cabriolet

Interior enhancements include a new-generation steering wheel with more controls, the latest widescreen continuous-glass instrument panel, 64-colour premium ambient lighting, updated telematics and smartphone integration, and a new optional comfort-control system. The latter allows you to individually tailor your preferred combination of settings for the climate control (including fragrancing), seats (heater, ventilation, massage), the HVAC, and lighting and musical atmospheres. Up to six programs are available, with labels such as Freshness, Warmth, Vitality and Joy. You may also appreciate the 2018's new Intelligent Drive capabilities with the newest generation of driving-assistance systems. The part that gets our attention is that the 603-horsepower AMG S63 versions of Coupe and Cabrio can now be made to behave like total hooligans as per the stunning AMG E63. Their new 9-speed AMG Speedshift automatic (up from 7-speed) has a Race Start mode that delivers 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds. – Jeremy Sinek

Maserati Ghibli Granlusso

Aside from styling tweaks, the Granlusso trim of the Ghibli is reported to incorporate semi-autonomous driving technology. – Staff

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