I’m at my favorite automotive event of the year: The German Car of the Year event near Frankfurt, Germany. The event involves staying in a beautiful villa for a few days, during which you eat good food, hang out with good people, and spend both days driving whatever cars you want. This year is going to be epic, and if you don’t believe me, just look at this list of cars. Members, I need your help choosing which ones to drive and review!
My friend Jens just picked me up from the Frankfurt airport and drove me to a small town nearby, where dozens of cars are awaiting 40-ish journalists traveling from all over the globe. I’m here early, so I get to drive whatever the hell I please tomorrow, but despite that, things are going to be tight. As such, I need your help prioritizing! Here’s the list of
- Aiways U6
- Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV
- Alfa Romeo Giulia (facelift)
- Audi TT
- Audi TT RS
- BMW Alpina B5 GT (static)
- BMW iX1 xDrive 30
- BMW 750e xDrive
- BMW M2
- DS3 E-Tense
- DS9 (facelift)
- Genesis GV60 (face recognition)
- Genesis GV70 Electrified
- Hyundai Ioniq 6
- Ineos Grenadier
- Kia EV9 (static)
- Lexus RX500h
- Maxus MIFA 9
- Maxus T90 EV
- Mazda CX-60 Diesel
- Mazda MX-5 RF
- MG4
- Microlino
- Mitsubishi Colt (static; remote venue)
- Nissan Ariya e-4ORCE
- Nissan X-Trail e-4ORCE
- Nissan Qashqai e-POWER
- Opel Astra GSe
- Ora Funky Cat
- Ora Next GWM (static)
- Peugeot E-2008
- Peugeot 3008 MHEV
- Peugeot 508 SW PSE
- Polestar 2 (new gen)
- Porsche 911 T
- Porsche Cayenne E-HEV Prototyp
- Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid
- Volkswagen ID.3 Facelift
- Volkswagen Polo GTI 25 Years
- Volkswagen T-Cross Facelift (static)
- Volkswagen ID.4 GTX (Performance powertrain, embargo)
- Volkswagen ID.5 GTX (Performance powertrain, embargo)
- Volkswagen ID.7 Limousine (uncovered, static)
- Volkswagen ID.7 Limousine (covered)
- Volkswagen ID. Buzz LWB (static)
- Volkswagen Touareg facelift (static)
- prototypes Gentex (Volvo XC90 and Volkswagen Tiguan als tech showcases)
- Audi TT Gen 1
- Audi TT Gen 2
- Mazda MX-5 Gen 1
- Mazda RX8
- Mitsubishi Colt (all gen)
- Toyota Prius Gen 1
- Toyota 2000 GT (static)
- Volkswagen Classic Beetle GSR
- Volkswagen Beetle GSR
Whatever, James Bond.
Volkswagen ID. Buzz LWB! And please imagine sleeping and hanging out inside [with hopefully inevitable] camper and weekender versions, and report back! Danke.
1) Volkswagen Classic Beetle GSR – if you don’t, Torch will never forgive you!
2) Microlino – because cute!
3) Opel Astra GSe – Stellantis PHEV hot-ish hatch, platform may make it to the US in some form
4) Peugeot 3008 MHEV – because mild hybrid is the way I thought electrification should have gone (at least at the start) instead of the ‘skip to the back of the book’ path the US ended up trying to take
5) Ineos Grenadier – new-old school range rover
6) Ora Funky Cat – because funky cat
7) Aiways U6 – how close to legit are the low cost Chinese EV’s coming into the EU?
8) Audi TT RS – pour one out for the last of the turbo 5’s
9) BMW M2 – is it the last of the ‘ultimate driving machine’ BMW’s, or has that already passed?
if he doesn’t drive the Microlino, I will never forgive him
Ineos Grenadier!
MICROLINO!!!
If you don’t drive the Microlino, I swear to parsh I will hock a kidney on the internet, buy a gott dang plane ticket, find where this is and go drive it myself.
I am also interested in that Cayenne, but not at the expense of a Microlino drive. MICRO. LINO. MI. CRO. LI. NO. DO IT OR ELSE.
Tough choice and they won’t let you see “Which keys do yo want?” “Yes”.
While other people’s Alfas are fun, I would go with the Alpina.
Wait what are those Hyundai vans??? VANS!!
also please drive the Ineos Grenadier because the Tour de France
Top 5, in no particular order:
Or drive them all. After all, sleep is for the weak, right?
I guess I’m the outlier; I want reviews of stuff we *can* get over here. Because maybe I’ll be interested in getting one. Stuff I can’t get? While somewhat interesting, I’m sure I can find Euro reviews of those if I care to look.
I think a mix of both would be good. Especially since there are European readers who can get some of the stuff we can’t get here.
Looking good, Drew!
I see a picture of the Hyundai Staria, but it’s not on the list. This is what I want.
Also the Funky Cat and of course the Microlino. And why not the latest Opel Astra?
Maybe you should just drive all of it.
YES! Staria, Microlino and Funky Cat were on my list.
As others have mentioned, it would be great to hear about models we don’t get in the US – an additional vote for the Microlino, bitte.
Having said that, I would like to see your feedback on the Tonale.
Viel Spass!
I vote for a selection of vehicles we don’t see here in North America, but might be suited to US conditions.
My top 5 picks:
-Toyota 2000 GT
-Volkswagen Classic Beetle GSR
-Mazda MX-5 RF
-Microlino
…and because you are the one driving them, something you would probably enjoy driving
-Ineos Grenadier
Honestly if you’re in Europe, drive all the sensible diesels you can while you still can, bonus points if they don’t take DEF
As far as what’s on the list Mazda CX-60 Diesel
I remember buying my ‘11 Jetta TDI and being impressed that it didn’t require DEF. I thought to myself “Man, these VW guys have it figured out! Why can’t anyone else get their emissions to an acceptable point with DEF?” We all know the answer, now!
How many do you have time for? I’m interested in the new gen Polestar for purchasing reasons, but that feels like a missed opportunity with all the cooler things.
The Cayenne prototype, the CX-60 diesel, and whichever Peugeot interests you would all be interesting, I think, and at least a couple heritage.
Priority on stuff we don’t get here along with the Grenadier and the RX-8 of course.
Please to drive all the classics! And any supercars, and call it a good day!
I don’t know what many of those are (yet), so drive things we can’t get in the states. I like to learn about things like that.
Does “static” mean you can’t drive it? Aw… who cares… HOON THE ALPINA!
Otherwise, I’d just go for the Giulia and the 911. Then maybe some of the more interesting forbidden fruit we don’t get in the states.
Whatever the Maxus cars are, drive those! The Ineos, and the Microlino would be cool to see also
Another vote for the Microlino. A modern electric Isetta sounds interesting. My assumption is that it sucks, but I’d like to read about it nonetheless.
(Incidentally, Microlino’s website says it has enough space for two adults and three beer crates. How much beer does the average Microlino owner drink??? Is this a car for alcoholics? Maybe it should be renamed the Microwino?)
I used to have a mazda3 hatchback, and did liquor runs for the restaurant I worked at in it. The 3 could hold 45 cases of liquor with 2 passengers, and one time I got 52 cases in using the passenger seat. So as interested as I am in the Microlino it has way too small of an alcohol capacity.
sorry, spent the 90’s as a bartender: are you talking a standard case of liquor, twelve .75 Liter bottles? i’m trying to wrap my mind around fitting seven of those boxes in the passenger seat of any compact car, and i can’t. Never mind the 45 boxes in the rear area, as i’m never been inside a mazda3, but maybe folding the rear seats and leaving the hatch ajar…
Sometimes you’re just the poor sucker who ends up going on the group beer run.
Grenadier or Funky Cat.
Literally drive anything that we can’t get in America.
The Miata RF owner will give an exception to the Miata RF, though.