Munich Motor Show to be Europe's first since COVID-19 outbreak

The International Mobility Show, being organised in Munich for the first time, will be the first full-scale motor show held in Europe since the pandemic took hold. This should come as positive news for the auto industry as well as aficionados, especially since the calendar of global automotive events continues to get affected. For instance, the 2021 New York Auto Show, which was postponed from earlier this year to August, has been cancelled due to the outbreak of the Delta variant in the US, as per a recent announcement. Even New Delhi’s 2022 Auto Expo, initially scheduled for February 2-9 next year, has been pushed back.

• Audi to display next phase of electrification with Grand Sphere concept
• Mercedes will debut five EVs

Several important models are expected to make an outing at the upcoming Munich motor show. Mercedes-Benz looks set to dominate proceedings with no less than five high-profile debuts, including the likes of the EQE, AMG EQG, AMG EQS and the Maybach EQS SUV.

Other models that will make an appearance are the Audi Grand Sphere concept, a 7-seater Dacia and the Renault Megane E-Tech.

Here’s a round up of what you can expect to see.  

Audi Grand Sphere concept

The Grand Sphere concept is Audi’s vision for an all- electric and highly autonomous successor to today’s A8 luxury sedan. Developed under the ‘Landjet’ codename by Audi’s Project Artemis division, the Munich-bound concept will be the first of three ‘Sphere’ concepts that Audi will show in the next year as a preview of flagship models with level- four autonomous capabilities.

Dacia seven-seater

Dacia will unveil a “versatile seven-seater family car” at Munich, unrelated to the large Bigster SUV that will crown the line-up when it arrives by 2025. It is thought that the unnamed new model will serve as a replacement for the Lodgy MPV in international markets, and it is likely to follow the Sandero hatchback onto parent company Renault’s newer CMF-B architecture, which would pave the way for a hybrid option.

Mercedes-Benz EQE

The EQE is due on sale in 2022 with an EQS-aping silhouette, E-Class practicality and a price that positions it as a direct rival to the Tesla Model S. Based on the same aluminium-intensive EVA architecture as Stuttgart’s larger, luxury-oriented electric flagship, it will offer more cabin space than its combustion- engined E-class counterpart, courtesy of its flat floors and short overhangs.

A variation of the brand’s new Hyperscreen infotainment display – spanning the width of the dashboard – is also tipped to feature. The model will spawn an EQE-badged SUV in 2022, positioned similarly to today’s GLE.

Mercedes-AMG EQG

Merc's EQ onslaught extends to its longest-serving model, with the all-conquering G-Class to receive a fully electric variant in 2024. The 'EQG' will be previewed with a concept at the Munich show, but we're not anticipating that it will look much different to the combustion car that's on sale today. Naysayers may be swayed by the promise of improved off-road ability, vastly reduced fuel costs and no doubt boosted on-road refinement.

Mercedes-AMG EQS

AMG will take the EQ flagship as the basis for its first EV and create a spiritual successor to the V12-powered S65, with output ramped up significantly beyond the standard car’s 523hp and 856Nm. Expect a bespoke grille, flared arches and large-diameter wheels as part of the AMG styling package, along with lower suspension and beefier brakes to lend the large sedan some sporting credentials. AMG’s first wave of EVs is expected to offer performance on a par with the current 53-badged cars, rather than the full-fat 63 models, but the hot EQS should still provide sufficient pace to rival the Porsche Taycan.

Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV

The EQS SUV will be a luxury-focused BMW iX rival and break cover first in top-rung Maybach guise, most likely in concept form at the Munich show.

It will play a vital role in the long-heralded rebirth of Stuttgart’s luxury division and will give strong hints as to how Maybach-badged models will be differentiated from their mainstream counterparts. Expect the EQS SUV to have styling heavily influenced by the lower-slung EQS sedan inside and out, and for the Maybach version to lean even more heavily on premium- focused materials, styling cues and technology.

Renault Mégane E-Tech

Destined for global markets in 2022, Renault’s first electric SUV will square up to the Skoda Enyaq and the Kia e-Niro with 218hp and a competitive WLTP-certified range of about 450km. The Mégane E-Tech sits atop the same CMF-EV platform as its Nissan Ariya sibling, which means that a four-wheel- drive performance range-topper, with more power and a bigger battery, could eventually follow the front-driven car into the market.

Smart SUV

Urban EV manufacturer Smart will make its first motor show appearance under the joint ownership of Mercedes and Chinese auto giant Geely, which also owns LEVC, Lotus, Volvo and Polestar. Codenamed HX11, the Smart concept on show will preview the EV-only brand’s first SUV model, which will arrive in production form in 2022.

Preview images hint at an all-new design approach for the premium-focused, five-seat crossover and leaked technical figures from China suggest it will use a 272hp rear-mounted motor and a 70kWh battery for an NEDC range of about 500km.

Volkswagen ID.5 GTX

The coupe-SUV version of the standard ID.4 will make its public debut at Munich. However, Volkswagen has said that it will showcase the model as “a disguised concept” and, as such, the ID.5 can be expected to be wearing a camo livery at its world premiere. Moreover, the new, all-electric model will debut in the GTX avatar. This means that it will share its 299hp, all-wheel drive powertrain with the ID.4 GTX which also gets a 77kWh battery pack good for a range of 480km.  

Also see:

Geneva motor show to make a comeback in 2022

Paris Motor show to be held from October 17-23, 2022