"Press Day" at the Frankfurt Motor Show was a deceiving designation. The press were allowed into the show halls two days earlier than the dealers and three days before the public-in theory. But based on the sheer number of people, it didn't seem as if anyone had paid much attention to the rules, or there must be five million more automotive magazines in the world than we had previously thought. It should've been called "Press Kit Pack Rat Day."
Press kits weren't the only things that were eBay-worthy. Spain's Seat and France's Citroen handed out rolling luggage racks. We spent most of the show looking for the company that was giving away those narrow black suits and thick-rimmed glasses all the Germans were wearing. They seemed to be requisite for getting anywhere close to the cars, especially the new Mercedes SL, the new BMW 740i, and the Audi Avantissmo concept-all world premieres at Frankfurt.
Strangely enough, the new Smart tridion4 concept car drew an equally significant crowd, much larger than anything going on at the Honda, Toyota, Nissan, or Mazda displays. Of course, all the Japanese manufacturers were keeping their hottest products close to their vests, so as not to spoil their launches for the Tokyo Motor Show at the end of October.
Nonetheless, Honda introduced the new-for-Europe Jazz and announced the production of a new IMA hybrid Civic sedan to be sold in America this spring. Toyota revealed the new Euro-spec Corolla, which is probably what the company will ship to the States when our current model is replaced with the '03.