Frankfurt 2017, what surprises did it have in store?

September brought with it some exciting changes and news updates in the car industry. Not least was the arrival of the new 67 Plate. We’ve been excited to spot the first of the new registration plates appearing on the roads and we’ve had some fantastic handover pictures coming in from our centres with some very happy new owners.

September also marked the arrival of the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, key diary date for any car enthusiasts. It’s brilliant to see some great designs coming out from our manufacturers with some big steps being made towards a greener future with incredible looking concept models. It really is an exciting time in the motor industry!

We’ve had a look at what our manufacturers have been up to and we have not been disappointed. There have been some great rumblings of what is to come in the future…

Citroën

Citroën certainly made a splash with their C3 Aircross. We have already had this compact crossover in our showrooms for an advance viewing for our keen Citroën fans and we love it. We are already taking orders for this vehicle and can’t wait to get it in our showroom. Citroën also came to Frankfurt with their C3 WRC, this car was designed for the Citroën World Rally Team and has fans of the hot hatch very excited about their plans for the future.

Contact your nearest Vantage Citroën Centre to find out more.

Honda

One of our Japanese brands, Honda, excelled themselves at Frankfurt with their Urban EV concept being a major talking point. This purely electric vehicle has taken a very retro design but with a modern finish to it which has had very positive reviews since it’s unveiling at Frankfurt. In addition to this, Honda unveiled their n ew Hybrid CR-V, which is their first foray into hybrids in the SUV section, and the upd ated Jazz, which will now be available with a 1.5l engine. The biggest news from Honda at the show though was their commitment that by 2025 all new models in their range will feature electrified technology

Hyundai

Hyundai’s showstopper was of course it’s all new Kona. The Kona is yet another newcomer to the small SUV section of the market and we can’t wait to get our hands on one. Raf Van Nuffel, Head of Product Management at Hyundai, said of the Hyundai Kona:

“We know we are late to the segment so we needed to make a bold statement with the design.”

The Kona is certainly bold, we look forward to it gracing our showrooms soon. We also set eyes on the Hyundai i30 N, with aggressive styling and a lower price tag than some of its rivals we are excited to see how this car goes down with our Hyundai fans at home.

Contact your nearest Vantage Hyundai Centre to find out more.

Kia

Kia have had some exciting developments on the way including the all new Stinger and the Kia Stonic, their latest offering to the small SUV market. It was certainly turning some heads and its highly customisable design should ensure that this buzz continues once it’s in our showrooms. In addition to the Stonic, Kia also brought with them their Pro_cee'd concept. This car was a major talking point of the show with its stunning styling getting. With the Kia range already extensive we can’t wait for these models to join the line-up.

Contact your nearest Vantage Kia Centre to find out more.

Lexus

Lexus took the opportunity to showcase their latest model updates for the smart CT200h and NX crossover. Both of these models have had a lot of subtle changes to them but not just in the styling. The biggest changes have been in the array of safety features. Lexus have clearly taken a lot of time to refine these models and have fantastic specification available on even the standard models. We even got a sneaky peak at the new Lexus LS.

With Tokyo Motor Show later this month, we’ve heard rumours that Frankfurt was just a taster of what Lexus has got coming up. Not only will they be officially unveiling their new flagship saloon, the 5th generation Lexus LS, but they will also be unveiling an entirely new concept car. We can’t wait to see what Lexus has in store for us.

Contact Lexus Leeds or Lexus Birmingham to find out more.


ŠKODA

​ŠKODA didn’t disappoint in Frankfurt, with the arrival of their Karoq their all new compact SUV. We’ve been lucky to already have seen a lot of information on this new model. Last week we shared a video walkaround of the vehicle on our social media channels which has seen lots of interest building for its arrival.

ŠKODA also showcased their new Kodiaq variations, the Kodiaq Sportline and the Kodiaq Scout. However, the star of the show came in the shape of their new concept vehicle the, Vision E.  The Vision E is a solely electrically driven concept car that can drive autonomously at level 3. ŠKODA are predicting that by 2025 sales of electrified cars will make up 25 per cent of Skoda’s total volume which is a pretty impressive figure. The Vision E is marked for arrival by 2020 and we look forward to learning more about it as we approach that point. 

Contact ŠKODA Morecambe to find out more.


Toyota

We were interested to see what Toyota brought with them to Frankfurt. The brands performance team, Gazoo Racing came with the hotly anticipated Toyota Yaris GRMN which they confirmed produces a peak of 209bhp at 6800rpm with its 1.8 litre supercharged engine. Toyota also unveiled the latest facelift of the Toyota Land Cruiser and the iconic Toyota Hilux Invincible 50. The special edition Toyota Hilux Invincible 50 has been released to celebrate 50 years since the arrival of the first Hilux. We’re expecting it to arrive in showrooms next year and it promises specification targeted at dual-use buyers who can make use of all the available accessories.

Toyota also unveiled the C-HR HY-POWER. It will be available in different colours, trim details and finish to the current model. It is also hailed as having an upgraded hybrid powertrain which promises great performance. This demonstrates Toyota’s plans for the future and their leadership in Hybrid technology, providing all models with two hybrid powertrains, one focusing on performance and the other on fuel efficiency and economy. If Toyota give this model the full go ahead we could expect to see it go on sale as early as next year.

Contact your nearest Vantage Toyota Centre to find out more.

So what's next?

It’s been fascinating to see how our brands are planning to develop and diverse and the next few years promise to be very exciting for us with the arrival of many new models and technological advances. In the very near future were anticipating some exciting news to come out of the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show, especially with the top-secret Lexus concept that has been tipped for the show. Keep an eye out on our website and social media channels for the latest updates.

​We’d love to hear which is your favourite model at the Frankfurt model. Let us know via our social media channels.​