Frankfurt Motor Show 2011 A-Z Roundup: Best of British

Created Date: 21/09/2011

Another year, another major motoring show to knock off the calendar. To many the Frankfurt is regarded as the most important (it certainly is the biggest), and manufacturers always turn up on top form with their A-list vehicles being hot for the showcase. This year was no different, with big reveals coming from Six British manufacturers. This is the ‘Best of British’ roundup for Frankfurt 2011.

ASTON MARTIN

Aston Martin had three major reveals, 2 cosmetic re-bodies and something we’ve been waiting to hear more of for a long time. The first of the two re-bodies was the Aston Martin Zagato V12, which while revealed already was fully unveiled in Frankfurt for all to touch. Designed in partnership with the said coach builders over at Zagato, it was built to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the DB4 Zagato and will cost upwards of £330,000 for the redesign. The engine remains the same; it’s still the regular 6.0l V12 which can be found in the Vantage model, but it’s the cosmetic changes that justify that eye watering price tag. Its bodywork is a handcrafted mix of aluminium and carbon fibre, with subtle adjustments to the front and sides helping to give it that Zagato stamp of approval. The rear is a complete redesign, with lights which look like they were taken from the 458 Italia and an absence of a rear bumper in favour of letting it all hang out, exhaust and engine included. Their second reveal was the DBS Carbon Edition, which was again another cosmetic change to an existing model. With little difference to speak of besides a paint job that consists of seven layers and a unique hand stitched interior that supposedly took 70 man hours to stitch and finish, this one firmly falls under the expensive taste category. Prices for it are expected to start at £186,582 for the coupe and £196,581 for the Volante, with shipping beginning in early 2012. Their final reveal was the stunning One-77 which was unveiled back in 2008 at the Paris Motor Show. To keep the excitement pumping, they revealed yet more details on the cars performance and its price tag... which weighs in at a hefty 1.4 million U.S. Dollars. Such expense does bring some notable interests however, as this is sure to be right there at the very top in terms of performance. Engineers at Aston and Cosworth have managed to reduce engine weight by 25 percent yet increase displacement by 1.3 litres, giving it a final figure of 7.2 litres at 750 bhp! Take into account that the car itself weighs as little as 1500kg and this is going to be a very fast supercar.

BENTLEY

Bentley had one new offering in stall which was a rework of their classic and recently re-released continental GT. Named the GTC- in which the C stands for convertible, its every bit as great as its 2005 counterpart. On the outside it looks almost identical to the current continental GT alas from the motorised folding soft-top roof, but it’s when you get inside that you notice a rather generous array of changes. With 36mm more legroom and integrated massagers built into the seats, the premium tag continues in Bentley’s luxury classic. Power has also increased as well, thanks to the tweaking of the W12 found in the GT. It now produces 567bhp up from 552bhp and torque is up by 37lb/ft to 516lb/ft, meaning gear changes are twice as fast and acceleration is improved.

JAGUAR

Jaguar made a huge announcement, showing off a prototype that screamed gorgeous. The C X-16 Concept was Jaguars “production concept” and had its nose aimed squarely at the Porsche 911. Designed with mass production in mind, every piece of the car was made to meet regulations and ensure it could go into full production without major tweaking. The car will be powered by a 275bhp V6 which sounds pretty weedy at first, but with the added supercharger this figure rockets to 375bhp. The C-X16 also lends some of its power from a hybrid style drive train, which will deliver 173lb of torque when needed for them quick overtaking manoeuvres... very handy.  

LAND ROVER

Land Rover showed off two variants of their next generation Defender series, currently known as the DC100 concept. The standard DC100 and the DC100 Sport were both on display, but as is typical with full blown concepts lacked the necessary technical information to make an informed opinion. Nevertheless, on the looks department both seem to be heading away from the traditional defender looks in favour of a more modern up-to date styling. The Defender has remained pretty much unchanged since its arrival back in 1983, but this looks set to be a total revamp if it makes it to its slated production date of 2015. While the outside may pay respects to the modern stylings of the Evoque and the pimp status of the Range Rover sport, both carry a very minimalistic and functional interior, which thankfully makes me reminisce of the older Defender. The Sport appears to try and be a pseudo ‘coupe’, with the absence of a roof making it look like a pickup. Definitely a love or hate kind of car.

LOTUS

Lotus took their Exige series to centrefold at Frankfurt with the Exige S model, taking styling tips from their future line-up. It still looks like a Lotus, only larger, longer and more defined. I call it grown up, and am actually a fan of its new styling. This may disappoint a fair few diehard fans of the company – especially in regards to the Exige, as their mantra has always been lightness, but they have solid plans for where this car is going to be competing. They want it to be right up there with the 458, which is a bold statement to say the least. There are some specs to get you excited about though, as although weight is up 22%, from 889kg to 1080kg, the power output is up 35% to 345bhp. This means that the power-to-weight ratio actually increases from 288bhp/tonne to 319bhp/tonne – still a Lotus at heart then. My only concern is handling, as all this change may detract from what’s important, the feel of a Lotus. Opinions must be reserved until it is properly driven and tested.  

MINI

Mini arrived with the new Coupe model, which follows on from the Countryman and Clubman. As their attempted dominance of every market sector continues, the Coupe aims to be everything you’d want in a Mini. Lighter, faster and smaller are the perks to the Coupe, with its top end John Cooper Works twin-scroll turbocharged 1.6 litre developing 208hp. For a car of its size that is some mighty power, but the design for many is a bit of a letdown. Critics have argued it bears no resemblance to a Coupe whatsoever and the rear the window area is a mash of tessellating glass, metal and plastic. The roofline slopes down towards the rear to give it that Coupe appearance, but on a Mini it just doesn’t quite work. Still, if lightweight power is what you’re looking for, you could do much worse.

Sources

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http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/News/Search-Results/First-Official-Pictures/Bentley-Continental-GTC-2011-first-official-pictures/

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/articles/2011/09/cars/bentley/continental/bentley-continental-gtc

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/News/Search-Results/First-Official-Pictures/Land-Rover-Defender-DC100-Sport-concept-2011-at-the-Frankfurt-motor-show/

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http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/News/Search-Results/First-Official-Pictures/Lotus-Exige-S-2011-at-the-Frankfurt-motor-show/ 

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Drives/Search-Results/First-drives/Mini-Coupe-JCW-2011-CAR-review/  

Article written by Tom Wellburn 

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