The most interesting cars presented at the Munich Motor Show

 

The automotive industry is going through a period of significant change, with the rapid growth of electrification and the growing importance of software, connectivity and data, which are driving fundamental changes in the way we interact with and use cars and the Nova Rent a Car Iasi airport office believes that the most important aspect of the 2023 Munich Motor Show is its familiarity. Most of the major launches from established manufacturers featured highly advanced cars with cutting-edge technology, but retained familiar styling and emblems.

The strong presence of ambitious Chinese electric car brands, which are expanding rapidly in Europe, was noted. BYD, Nio, Seres, Xpeng, Avatr and many more had booths at the show or were visibly present. The quality of the cars they produce now is impressive and is becoming more and more comparable to that of the big companies, and in terms of technology, equals or surpasses them. Certainly, what they cannot match is the rich history of established European brands, and it seems more and more that these established firms have realized that they should rely on this aspect as a real strength. It's not just cars and car companies that change, so do car showrooms. "The death of the motor show" has become almost a cliché at this point, and the Munich Motor Show certainly highlighted some of the challenges it faces. In fact, almost every major car was revealed before the show: Mini and BMW held their own events in Munich on Friday and Saturday, and Mercedes and Volkswagen were revealed at pre-show events on Sunday evening. We appreciate Renault's initiative to launch the Scenic model on the showroom stand.

As with the first edition in 2021, the show was split between the München Messe convention center and the central Open Space area of the city. This year, there was a real division between the two locations: the convention center hosted the "IAA Summit", while the Open Space area was intended for the general public. Even the BMW stand in the Open Space area was relatively small, and many brands, including Cupra and Polestar, chose not to have a stand there, preferring to display their cars in the public area. What remained was a trade fair, with a handful of automakers sharing space with a significant number of tech firms, from industry giants like LG and Bosch to computer companies like Qualcomm and a number of firms developing LiDar technologies , radars, batteries, EV chargers and more. However, there's no denying that the atmosphere was pretty grim, even though a significant number of electric bike and motorcycle companies were present.

Meanwhile, in downtown Munich, the event had a more glamorous and consumer-oriented side, from the huge Mercedes-Benz stand set up in the courtyard of the historic Residenz to the test track that allowed people to try out the new cars. Everything looked inviting and open - and a great way to bring the automotive experience closer to people. So it wasn't a motor show as we know it, and it's clearly a format that's still being fine-tuned. Perhaps, as with electric cars, auto show organizers will try a few new things before settling on a winning formula that combines the best of old style with a new approach.

In the lines below we present the most interesting cars revealed at the Munich Motor Show in 2023:

Audi Q6 E-tron

Audi has launched a completely redesigned electric SUV that sets the direction for a significant overhaul of the German firm's interior design. The new Q6 is scheduled to go on sale in February 2024 and the Nova Rent a Car Iasi Airport company announces that it is the first car built on the new PPE EV platform, opening up new packaging possibilities and introducing a new electronic architecture that allows an almost total reassessment of Audi's digital interfaces. Inside, the redesign includes a 30cm driver screen and a 37cm central infotainment screen sitting on a curved panel above the dash, as well as an augmented reality HUD (heads-up display) option.

Avatr

The new Chinese brand Avatr, resulting from the collaboration between the car manufacturer Changan and the smartphone giant Huawei, launched its European range in Munich. They previously unveiled the 11 electric SUV at the Shanghai Auto Show and are now expected to provide more details on the 12 sedan, which recently appeared in patent documents from China. The car is known to be 5020mm long, 1999mm wide and 1460mm tall (about the same size as a Tesla Model S) and will be available with two electric drivetrains: one with a single motor sending 308hp to the rear wheels and one with all-wheel drive, with two motors, delivering 570 hp. Battery details have yet to be revealed, but the 11 is available in 90kWh and 116kWh packs, capable of recharging at rates of up to 240kW.

BMW Neue Klasse concept

This is the future of BMW. Really. The New Klasse Concept in Munich completely redefines the rules of the game, offering a preview of the totally reconfigured styling, radical rethinking of the interior, futuristic (yet realistic) infotainment functionality and advanced drivetrain technology that will be the hallmarks of BMW's next-generation electric cars . The brand says it's not previewing a single production car, but rather the entire lineup of sedans and SUVs that will begin arriving in showrooms starting in 2025. We're sure that the next-generation 3 Series, slated to be the first of these new electric cars, it will be very close to the Neue Klasse concept.

BMW 5 Series

The hotly anticipated eighth-generation model will go on sale from October in 520i guise, equipped with BMW's latest 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with hybrid electric assist. The 530e and 550e xDrive plug-in variants will also arrive in Romania by the second quarter of 2024. The rear-wheel drive 530e models will produce 299 hp, and the 550e xDrive with all-wheel drive will produce 489 hp. Both plug-in hybrid models benefit from a new electric motor mounted on the gearbox, which develops up to 194 hp and a torque of up to 450 Nm. The BMW manufacturer took a radical decision, so the Nova Rent a Car Airport Iasi agency announces that these models will be the last cars in the 5 Series that will have an internal combustion engine, so the following models will be exclusively electric.

 

BMW 7 Series and i7 Protection

BMW's 7 Series has received a protective model, which will be available with both a gasoline and electric engine. It continues the tradition of armored vehicle production at BMW, with protective glazing, a stronger chassis and a body capable of providing protection against explosions. The car features VPAM 10-rated protective glazing - the highest level of protection for civilian vehicles - and is rated VR9, meaning it can withstand ballistic attacks from weapons traveling at speeds of up to 820 meters per second. It also offers PAS 300 blast resistance, plus a self-sealing fuel tank that prevents fuel loss. The electric BMW i7 Protection models develop 536 hp and 750 Nm of torque from two electric motors, but the increase in weight increases the acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h from 4.7 seconds to 9.0 seconds. The maximum speed is limited to 160 km/h. The BMW 7 Series Protection, on the other hand, is equipped with a 4.4-liter V8 mild-hybrid gasoline engine with 522 hp and a torque of over 750 Nm. The acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h increased from 4.2 seconds to 6.6 seconds.

BYD Seal U

BYD Seal U made its European debut in Munich, with confirmation that it will be available for sale in Romania. In China, where it is sold as the Song Plus Champion Edition, it is offered with 71kWh and 87kWh batteries, offering ranges of between 520 - 600km (according to Chinese test organization CLTC). Electric charging capabilities have yet to be detailed, but the Seal sedan - based on the same e-Platform 3.0 - can recharge the battery at rates of up to 150 kW. Prices for this rival Tesla Model Y are expected to start from around 50 thousand euros.

Cupra DarkRebel

The Cupra DarkRebel concept for a two-seater GT electric coupe has only been shown digitally so far, but it was brought into the physical world at the Spanish brand's stand in Munich. With its most radical design to date, the DarkRebel could become a production model based on the Volkswagen Group's new PPE platform, but such a car is likely to appear in a few years - certainly after the Cupra Tavascan and Volkswagen ID 2, the related brand.

Renault Rafale

Renault has unveiled its long-awaited D-Class model, the Rafale. The powerful hybrid SUV coupe promises to be "a vehicle born and bred for driving pleasure". The new top-of-the-line model, which is built on the CMF-CD platform, will first appear as a hybrid with front-wheel drive and 197 hp, but a version with all-wheel drive and 295 hp is also promised. The launch of the Rafale is the latest move in the comprehensive plan to revamp the Renaulution range set by group boss Luca de Meo after his arrival three years ago.

In the end, the Nova Rent a Car Iasi Airport office is of the opinion that the 2023 Munich Auto Show was a significant event, which illustrated the increasingly varied directions in which the automotive industry is developing. With innovative designs, cutting-edge technologies and a continued focus on sustainability and performance, the future of motoring promises to be very exciting for drivers around the world.

 

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