Autocar confidential: Volkswagen's rowdy crowds, Mini's sales success and more

In the Frankfurt motor show edition of Autocar confidential, we hear how Volkswagen kept order at the revealing of its new ID 3, how things are looking for Mini's first electric model, and more.

Keeping the (Green)peace

Volkswagen was taking no chances, given the threat of protesters disrupting its Frankfurt press conference, and had a ring of burly security guards set 20m from the stage to give anyone who dared to move within range the evil eye. It worked: despite the presence of Greenpeace protesters outside, the conference passed without incident. 

Goodbye-ton 

Byton CTO David Twohig claimed the surprise departure of joint founder Carsten Breitfeld is “normal for a start-up”. He said: “If Carsten had left earlier, it would be a serious blow. But we were stable by the time he left. He was a visionary, but now the priority is getting that vision to production”. The production M-Byte electric SUV, shown at Frankfurt and on sale in Europe by 2021, could also be offered in right-hand drive “if there’s enough interest”, Twohig said.

Shocking demand for Mini’s EV

Mini has taken 60,000 expressions of interest in its new Electric model, order books for which opened during the show. It’s the first time Mini has run a pre-sales programme and sales are well ahead of where the company expected them to be, according to its boss, Bernd Körber. 

Pura Vision… without the vision 

Automobili Pininfarina showed its new Pura Vision SUV concept in Frankfurt – but took away our iPhone for a picture that would have been worth 1000 words… Perhaps a cross between a Lamborghini Urus and an Aston Martin DB11 best describes it, but it’s elegant in a way most SUVs simply aren’t. We expect Automobili Pininfarina to reveal it next year.

Read more

Byton M-Byte: high-tech electric SUV could come to the UK

New Mini Electric revealed as affordable Brit-built EV​

Volkswagen ID 3: vital EV revealed with up to 341-mile range​