Frankfurt star cars: Autocar's highlights of 2019

The 2019 edition of the Frankfurt motor show held a lot of promise, despite the glaring absence of Peugeot, Citroën, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Jeep, Aston Martin and others.

There were fewer crowd-drawing unveilings than have become the custom at such large-scale motoring events, but the models that did break cover were among the most hotly anticipated and important in recent years. 

Alongside the internet-breaking debut of Land Rover's new Defender, we got our first look at Volkswagen's ID 3 electric pioneer, important concepts from BMW and Mercedes, and much more. Here's a run-through of the new models that caught our attention. 

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Land Rover Defender

Could it be anything else? Bravo Land Rover for doing the car its own way. For me, the evolution matches that of the Porsche 911 70 years on; that’s what it would look like anyway. I liked it in the pictures, but can assure you it looks better and even more resolved in the metal. Wait until you see it before making a final judgement.

Mark Tisshaw

Lamborghini Sian FKP 37

To be clear, I prefer what's underneath the Sian's skin to what's on the outside. Lamborghini loves its V12 engine, doesn't want to stop making it and doesn't want to turbocharge it, so it has added a titchy electric motor to make pootling around cleaner but leave the character intact. And so the wildest supercar lives on.

Matt Prior

BMW Concept 4 Series Coupe

One of the few cars to divert attention away from the show-stealing Land Rover Defender, and not for all the right reasons. The front grille of BMW’s vision for the future 4 Series and electric i4 has divided opinion, but it proves the brand is committed to evolving trends at a time when rivals are more focused on modern reinterpretations of classic designs.

Tom Morgan

Alpina B3 Biturbo Touring

Take one five-star award-winning BMW 3 Series, cram 462 horses under the bonnet, throw on some characteristically huge wheels and lay some 1980s-style graphics up the side. That’s Alpina’s recipe for the new B3 Biturbo, and how could it possibly fail? In Touring form, especially, this looks fantastic, and should be very well placed to bridge the 130bhp chasm between BMW's M340i and upcoming new M3.

Felix Page

Volkswagen ID 4 prototype

Bit of an enigma, this: a camouflaged concept car inside a camouflaged box, tucked on VW's stand with little to no information and nary a fanfare. But I love it for what it represents. While the ID 3 was the centre of attention, this was a subtly placed yet confident reminder that the ID 3 is just the start of a hugely amibitious model line that will grow at an almost unprecedented rate. This time next year, the unwrapped, unboxed ID 4 will be fully in the limelight. And there's plenty more to come...

James Attwood

Mercedes-Benz Vision EQS concept

With long, low, sleek proportions and ultra-short overhangs, the EQS embodies what I most look forward to in seeing the new barrage of EVs. Like the Porsche Taycan, it’s how cars are drawn in the first place before being ruined by packaging restrictions. Their new electric design language also works far better here than on the disappointing EQC. Let’s hope the production version stays true to this elegant concept.

Ben Summerell-Youde

Audi AI:Trail concept

The prize for most outlandish car of the show goes to the Audi AI:Trail. Design boss Marc Lichte describes it as a car with “no compromises”, created for a world where you only use the car for the purpose for which it is intended – in this case, serious off-roading. The best gimmick? The structure on the roof that just happens to be drone lights, instead of headlights, able to fly ahead and light the way as desired. Genius.

Rachel Burgess

Porsche Taycan

The Taycan is one of the stand-out show stars for what it represents alone: Porsche's first electric car, and one that seems to balance usability with performance so deftly. But it's also mine because it makes the Panamera look bloated and the Tesla Model S look downright dated. It's impressive that Porsche has created something totally different in concept from the 911 but kept that family shape. 

Lawrence Allan

Volkswagen ID 3

The fact that the rate of progress is likely to be so fast-paced that Volkswagen’s ID 3 will be superseded in relatively short order should not be allowed to disguise its monumental importance. In terms of capability and price, it appears to be bang on the money of the very best, but in terms of sales ambition it has the capability to be ground-breaking, pushing electric car ownership into the mainstream conscience in short order. 

Jim Holder

Vauxhall Corsa-e

Nothing exotic to see here, you might think, but for me this excellent new battery supermini embodies the impressive ambition for the “British brand since 1903” being shown by its owner, the PSA Group. For weight and packaging reasons, it’s hard to build small electric cars with long ranges; Ford has yet to pull it off. But the Corsa-e is a reality. Important moment.

Steve Cropley

Audi RS6 Avant

I'm old enough to have started in this game driving the original S4 and the RS2. The combination of bombastic performance, quattro stability and grip, wrapped around a beautiful interior is a formula that never ages. The new RS6 is hardly understated, but it remains totally addictive.

Hilton Holloway