Frankfurt Auto Show (IAA)

The Frankfurt Motor Show is one of the largest and most important international auto shows in Europe. Although it occurs on an annual basis, it alternates between passenger vehicles one year and commercial vehicles the next. Because of this, the Frankfurt auto show swaps positions with the biannual Paris International Motor Show as Europe's most important auto show.

As you might expect, the Frankfurt auto show is dominated by German manufacturers. Companies like Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche typically use the Frankfurt Motor Show as their launching pad for new models. It's still an international show, however, so there's an occasional U.S. or Japanese debut thrown in for good measure. If there's one thing that distinguishes the Frankfurt Motor Show from the other international auto shows, it's the sheer size of its displays. Spread out over roughly 10 halls, walking the show floor means putting in at least a few good miles. It takes 10 minutes just to get from one hall to another, and once you're in them they have so many cars on display you can spend hours in each one.

In an effort to cut through the clutter, BMW and Mercedes have halls of their very own. They take on different looks with each show, with high-tech displays, dramatic lighting and at least a dozen cars of one form or another. They also serve as the promotional stages for the latest model reveals. Unlike the usual debuts at most other European auto shows, Mercedes and BMW go to great lengths to make it a show. You're apt to see anyone from famous singers to Formula One stars at some of their bigger intros, an atmosphere that gives the Frankfurt auto show a tinge of glamour that you might not otherwise expect in a city known as the financial center of Germany.

At the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show there were over 30 new concepts and production vehicles. BMW led the way as it introduced four new or revised models. The 2004 5 Series was the first redesign in several years, one that gave the midsize sedan the look of its bigger brother, the 7 Series. The 2004 BMW 6 Series had been absent for over a decade before it came rolling into Frankfurt wearing all-new sheet metal. On the SUV side, there was the all-new 2004 BMW X3 and the slightly updated 2004 BMW X5. They looked a lot alike and as we found out later they drove alike, too.

There weren't quite as many cars from Mercedes-Benz at the 2003 Frankfurt auto show, but the cars that were there had enough star power to make up for their small numbers. First up was the Mercedes-Benz Vision CLS concept, a sleek new sedan with a roof so low you almost mistake it for a coupe. Then came the 2004 Mercedes SLR McClaren supercar. Volkswagen brought out a few sports cars of its own, including the sleek Audi Le Mans with a twin-turbo V10 and the Volkswagen Concept R, a Boxster-like roadster that promised similar performance at two-thirds the price.

But the Germans aren't the only ones who use Frankfurt's European stage to make a splash. In 1997, Cadillac introduced the all-new 1998 Seville in Frankfurt. The American car company was trying to emphasize the Seville's appeal as a global car. It didn't exactly catch on in a big way, but it's a good indicator of just how influential the Frankfurt Motor Show is when it comes to giving vehicles a big entrance on a world stage.