2007 Frankfurt Motor Show - Europe Focuses on Fuel Emissions

FRANKFURT September 10, 2007; The AIADA newsletter reported that Europe's anticipated tightening of auto emission standards will be reflected in the new cars and concepts on display at the Frankfurt motor show opening this week.

According to the Detroit News, examples range from the tiny car concepts that Volkswagen and Toyota plan to unveil, to the gas-electric X6 crossover concept designed by BMW.

Germany's automakers stand to lose the most from tighter regulations. While the French and Italian manufacturers specialize in small cars, the Germans pride themselves on designing powerful vehicles for driving enthusiasts.

Of all the German-owned brands, only VW's Seat and Skoda nameplates are on track to meet the CO2 emission targets for 2008, while Porsche's emissions are roughly double the desired levels.

Among the German carmakers, VW has the most fuel-efficient lineup and recently introduced ultra-low-emission versions of VW cars under the Blue Motion label.

Opel, based in Ruesselsheim, Germany, will market an ecoFLEX version of the Corsa small car in Europe later this year.