New Car Launches at the IAA 2007

First run in 1897 in Berlin, the Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (IAA – International Automobile Exhibition) was moved to Frankfurt in 1951. The 2007 event was the 62nd show, and it certainly lived up to its reputation as the largest motor show in the world. VIRTUAL MOTORPIX was there in September 2007, and we bring you here a selection of the new models launched at the IAA 2007. This selection is not based on any scientific method, rather it is intended simply to remind you of what was launched 10 years ago in Frankfurt. In total there were 44 new model launches and upgrades introduced at the IAA 2007. We hope that you enjoy your trip down memory lane…

Although the Aston Martin DBS was revealed at the 2007 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, it was given its first European outing at the Frankfurt show in September of that year. The DBS was of course the chosen steed in Daniel Craig’s debut in the 2006 James Bond movie Casino Royale. It was powered by a 6-litre V12 engine producing 510bhp and ensuring the 0-62mph sprint came up in just 4.3 seconds, going on to a top speed of 191mph.

Audi’s new compact executive model, the A4 3.0 TDI quattro was unveiled at the Frankfurt show. Having attending numerous Audi launches in the UK, this model was yet another bullet-proof example of a well-made, solid and comfortable performer. It was powered by a double overhead camshaft, 3-litre turbocharged 6-cylinder engine with 4-valves per cylinder producing around 237bhp. Driven through a 6-speed manual gearbox, this executive model was no slouch and could reach a claimed top speed of 155mph.

You either love it or hate it, but there is no denying that the BMW X6 has presence. With its command driving position, you really can feel like the proverbial master of all that you see, looking down on most other cars on the road. See this in your rear-view mirror and you will be intimidated enough to stay in the slow lane.

It’s hard to believe that Citroën’s Cactus Concept was first shown at the 2007 Frankfurt show. I thought it was an appealing model back then (I am talking about the car, for those in any doubt), and that it would quickly catch on. Today that perception has proved true, as they are to be found all over in both town and country. Of course, the production model has lost some of its concept styling peculiarities, but it has gained others.

The Ferrari 430 Scuderia was, like most other Ferraris, designed by Pininfarina. The 430 Scuderia was powered by a 4.3-litre V8 engine and with significant improvements in aerodynamic downforce and weight reduction, this model was a real performer. This model was unveiled by Michael Schumacher at the 2007 IAA, but when I was there, he had already left. The Ferrari 430 Scuderia could accelerate from 0-62mph in 3.6 seconds, with a top speed of 198mph.

Great expectations were placed on Jaguar’s XF when it was launched a decade ago. It had to sink or swim, as it was being thrust into a crowded market of established German marques such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi. It had smooth, elegant lines, and was powered by engines from a 2.2-litre diesel up to (eventually) a 5-litre V8. The XF has gone on to forge its own band of loyal supporters.

The Lamborghini Reventón looked like something out of a Batman movie. You wouldn’t want to mess with this baby on the road, and it fell clearly into the ‘outrageous’ camp. Just 20 were built and sold for a mouth-watering €1-million each, which reaffirms its classification as outrageous. Looking like it would be more at home on the runway of a military airfield alongside a squadron of Eurofighter Typhoons, the Reventón boasts a similar grey military colour scheme. It is powered by a 6.5-litre V12 producing 641bhp that will reach 60mph from rest in just 3.4 seconds, reaching a top speed of 212mph.

The Roadster version of the SLR McLaren Mercedes was given pride of place on the Stuttgart-manufacturer’s stand for its World Premiere. It was powered by the same supercharged V8 AMG engine as fitted to the Coupé, developing 617bhp, giving it an acceleration figure of 0-62mph in 3.1 seconds and a top speed of 208mph. The Roadster did suffer from the additional weight of the folding roof, but the manufacturer claimed that one could hold a conversation in the cabin with the roof down, at speeds of up to 120mph.

The world got to see Peugeot’s attempt at the compact, sporty, coupe market. From the side you could be forgiven for thinking that the Peugeot designers had an Audi TT in the studio when they were penning this new model. That’s the only criticism you will get from this writer though, because it is a brave step to even attempt at producing a TT-rival. The Peugeot 308 RCZ is its own model though in a number of ways, with its double-bubble roof and rear windscreen, and the scooped-up waist line around the B-pillar. And boy does this baby go, for a 1.6-litre, it sure has some fire under that bonnet. Launched a decade ago, it was not a long-lived model however, but this a future classic for sure.

Launched in 1995, the GT2 model was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show as the homologation model for Porsche’s entry in the GT2 class of motor racing. In 2007, Porsche launched the most powerful 911 so far homologated for road use. Available exclusively with rear-wheel drive and a manual six-speed gearbox, this high-performance sports car could accelerate from standstill to 62mph in just 3.7 seconds, reaching a top speed of 204mph. The emphasis was on the car’s reduced emissions and much improved fuel consumption, quite a phenomenal achievement in a performance car of this standing.

I wonder how many of the mode launches you remembered?

Written by: Glen Smale
Images by: Virtual Motorpix/Glen Smale