2011 Frankfurt Auto Show

2011 Frankfurt Auto Show

Summer is officially over, and those of us lucky to have had some time off are most likely back at the office now.

However, with the end of summer also comes the first major auto show of the new model year, in this case, the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, press days for which kick off on Tuesday, September 13.

Once again, the MotorAuthority team will be on hand at Frankfurt to bring you all the latest info and live shots, and there certainly will be a lot coming over the next couple of days as everything from new supercars to single seat electric concepts is unveiled.

Here’s a rundown of what you can expect, and remember, you can get our latest updates direct from Frankfurt by staying glued to our dedicated show page.

2011 Alfa Romeo 4C Concept

2011 Alfa Romeo 4C Concept

Concept Cars

2011 Alfa Romeo 4C: Destined to be one of the standouts at this year’s Frankfurt event, just as it was at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show back in March, Alfa Romeo’s sultry 4C concept is scheduled for production and could be in showrooms by the end of next year.

2011 Audi Urban Concept: Audi will have a pair of two-seater electric car concepts, one a coupe and the other an open-top spyder. Power for the concepts come from two ‘e-tron’ electric motors, which run on a lithium-ion battery stored in the floor, and the driving range is thought to be around 40 miles.

2011 Subaru BRZ Prologue - BOXER Sports Car Architecture II: Yes, Subaru has confirmed that its version of the rear-wheel drive sports coupe being jointly developed with Toyota will be called the BRZ. For Frankfurt, Subaru is bringing out a second engineering architecture instead of the actual car. Why? No one really knows.

2011 Jaguar C-X16 Concept: Jaguar will preview its upcoming entry-level sports car with a striking new concept in Frankfurt. It gets a supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 with 375 horsepower on tap, but if you need more, an F1-style 'push-to-pass' button provides a momentary 94 horsepower burst of energy thanks to the concept's innovative KERS hybrid system.

2011 Volvo SPA Concept: Volvo is working on a new modular platform design called the Scalable Platform Architecture (SPA), which will spawn most of the automaker's new lineup including everything from the replacement for the entry-level C30 right up to a new S80 flagship. A concept built on the new platform and previewing Volvo’s future design language will be in Frankfurt.

2014 BMW i8 Concept: The i8 concept previews a car we know is coming onto the market. Due in late 2013, the i8 promises 0-60 mph acceleration but with gas mileage of around 70 mpg or better.

2011 Fisker Surf Concept: As predicted, electric car startup Fisker will be showing a concept version of its next model, a shooting brake version of its current Karma range-extended electric car. Set to go on sale sometime next year, the new model will feature the gorgeous styling of the Karma while adding a little more practicality.

Hit the next couple of pages to see what else will be on display at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, and remember to follow our dedicated show page for all the latest updates.

2012 Porsche 911

2012 Porsche 911

Performance Cars

2012 Porsche 911: The seventh generation of the iconic Porsche 911 will be unveiled in Frankfurt, complete with fresh new styling, a standard seven-speed manual gearbox and new flat-six engines.

2012 Ferrari 458 Spider: Ferrari will show the highly anticipated ‘Spider’ convertible version of its stunning 458 Italia supercar. Unlike its previous Spider models, however, the new 458 Spider features an advanced folding roof made of aluminum.

2012 Lotus Exige: We’re still not sure if the heavily modified Exige prototype we’ve seen testing over the past several months will still be called an Exige. However, we do know that it will come with the Evora’s V-6 engine and be displayed in production trim at Frankfurt.

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG: With a peak output of 415 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG is the most powerful SLK of all time. However, it’s also quite frugal thanks to cylinder deactivation technology, direct fuel injection, and an engine stop-start system.

2012 Aston Martin V12 Zagato: We always knew that Aston Martin's race car for the road, the V12 Zagato, would be heading for production. And in Frankfurt we'll get to see the slightly tamer version that will be sold to the public.

2012 Audi S7: Audi has revealed a trio of S models ahead of the Frankfurt Auto Show, one of which is the new S7. As predicted, it comes with a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8, stiffened suspension, and a sporty bodykit.

Hit the next page for a rundown of the luxury cars appearing at the at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, and remember to follow our dedicated show page for all the latest updates.

2012 Bentley Continental GTC

2012 Bentley Continental GTC

Luxury Cars

2011 Bentley Continental GTC: Bentley has facelifted its Continental GTC luxury convertible and will be showing it for the first time in Frankfurt. The new Continental GTC will come onto the market as a 2012 model, complete with a sharper and edgier look, LED accented headlights similar to those on the Mulsanne flagship, a revamped interior, and best of all, a more powerful 6.0-liter W-12 engine.

2011 Eterniti Hemera Concept: A new British brand calling itself Eterniti will showcase a concept of a ‘super-SUV’ model currently in the works. Based on the underpinnings of an existing model, the new super-SUV will be called the Hemera and go on sale sometime next year.

2013 Lexus GS 450h: The wraps have already come off the new 2013 Lexus GS 350, but in Frankfurt we'll get to see the new GS 450h as well as the sporty GS 350 equipped with a range of new F-Sport accessories.

Maybach and Aston Martin collaboration: Although yet to be confirmed, Maybach and Aston Martin are expected to unveil a new concept, or perhaps two, that will preview the respective brands' next models.

2012 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible Fendi: Maserati is the latest automaker to announce a partnership with a fashion icon, joining the likes of Lamborghini, Bugatti, and even Fiat and Hyundai. For Maserati, it was fellow Italian label Fendi that was called upon due to its common values such as craftsmanship and tradition.

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster: It’s not often that convertible models look better than their coupe siblings, but in the case of the new 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster it’s certainly true. Otherwise, the two are much the same, featuring an aluminum spaceframe body, AMG’s 6.2-liter V-8 engine with 563 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, a seven-speed dual clutch transmission, and sports suspension with aluminum double wishbones.

Hit the next page for a rundown of the green cars appearing at the at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, and remember to follow our dedicated show page for all the latest updates.

2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid

2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid

Green Cars

2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid: We finally get to see the plug-in hybrid version of Toyota’s top-selling Prius next week. We say finally as Toyota has been testing near-production ready prototypes in the U.S. for the past year now, but this final production version gets a few new tweaks never seen before.

2011 Fisker Karma Shooting Brake Concept: Fisker has just started deliveries of its Karma range-extended electric car, but the automaker is already prepping its next model, a concept of which we will see in Frankfurt. This new model is thought to be a variant of the existing Karma, most likely a shooting brake or crossover.

2014 BMW i3 Concept: BMW will use the upcoming 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show to unveil to the public its new i3. Although still a concept, the tiny electric car gives us a preview of the futuristic design BMW is planning for its ‘i' range of cars, which will also include the high-performance 2014 i8 eco-supercar.

2011 Rimac Electric Supercar Concept: There’s no shortage of unknown companies announcing plans for ridiculously powered electric supercars, but few, if any, actually turn up at international auto shows to show off their wares. Croatian firm Rimac Automobili is one of these rare companies working on a new electric supercar project, and plans to show off a concept version complete with 1,088 horsepower and 2,800 pound-feet of torque in Frankfurt.

2011 Audi A2 Concept: Audi is working on a successor to its poor selling A2 hatchback, a concept version of which is due at Frankfurt. As for the production version, expect it to come with an electric drivetrain, plenty of LED detailing, and a mid-2014 release date.

2011 Volkswagen Up!: Volkswagen will show the production version of its Up!, which is expected to pick up the Lupo name when it finally goes on sale in Europe late next year. Two engines will be offered initially, both of them coming from a new family of three-cylinder units. They’ll develop 59 and 74 horsepower, respectively, and return up to 56 mpg on the European combined cycle. 

Hit the next page for a rundown of all the other cars appearing at the at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, and remember to follow our dedicated show page for all the latest updates.

2012 Audi S8

2012 Audi S8

2011 Skoda MissionL Concept

2012 Alpina B6 Biturbo Convertible

2011 Ssangyong XIV-1 Concept

2012 Honda Insight

Abarth 695 Competizione, 500 Cabrio Italia, and Punto Supersport

2011 Volkswagen Nils Concept

Wiesmann and Sieger Roadster MF3

2011 Infiniti FX Sebastian Vettel

2011 Smart Forvision Concept

Lotus Evora GTE, Elise S, and 2012 Exige

2011 Subaru XV Concept

2012 Audi S6

2012 Audi S8

2011 Land Rover DC100 Concept

2011 Ford Evos Concept

BMW Thermoelectric 5-Series Prototype

Peugeot 508 RXH Diesel-Electric Hybrid

2011 Peugeot HX1 Concept

2012 Mercedes-Benz B-Class

2012 Smart ForTwo Electric Drive

2012 Hyundai i30 (Elantra Touring)

2012 Suzuki Swift Sport

2012 Fiat 500 Cabrio by Gucci

Mystery Lamborghini supercar

2012 Mazda CX-5

2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Black Series

2012 BMW M5

2012 BMW 1-Series Hatchback

2012 Audi R8 GT Spyder

Remember to follow our dedicated show page for all the latest updates, and we hope you enjoy the show.