Volkswagen is gearing up for the Munich motor show, which kicks off on September 9th, and among the stars of its stand will be sausages and a skier.
I beg your pardon?
I'll explain in a minute. First up, though, there will be some important new car debuts at Munich for Volkswagen. The biggest news will be a pre-production version of the ID.2X, a compact EV crossover which will be Volkswagen's rival to the likes of the Renault 4 E-Tech and the Toyota Urban Cruiser.
It should have a range of around 400km, perhaps a little more, and it will get the new interior from the ID.2 hatchback, which rolls back on the everything-on-a-screen thing, and brings back some proper buttons. Volkswagen isn't confirming it at the moment, but we're expecting to see the fully production-ready version of the ID.2 as well, and that's Volkswagen's answer to the Renault 5 E-Tech and the upcoming Kia EV2.
Speaking about the ID.2X, Kia Grunitz, Volkswagen's technology head, said: “The IAA show car completes Volkswagen's entry-level mobility for Europe - fully electric and highly efficient. The show car sets standards within its class in terms of design, quality, operation and space. It is a concrete preview of an affordable electric vehicle in the T-Cross class. The car will be on the market as early as next year.”
What else is Volkswagen showing off?
The all-new T-Roc will be in Munich too, and while it will have body styling that's fairly evolutionary, it will get an all-new hybrid petrol engine, which will eventually be used in lots of other VW Group models, and which will give Volkswagen a direct competitor to the likes of the Toyota C-HR.
And the sausages and skier?
Volkswagen is famed for its own-brand sausages, made for its factory canteens, but now so popular that they're actually sold in supermarkets, so proper VW-branded currywurst will be available to everyone visiting the stand. The skier reference is about famed ski racer Willy Bogner, who collaborated with VW back in the 1980s on a special edition Golf MkII and who is back to create a new ID.3 GTX Fire+Ice special edition with his sportswear branrd Bogner.
There will also be lots of interactive displays, a racing simulator, a 'GTI History Wall', and a future materials lab, focusing on recycled and recyclable materials.
Can anyone visit?
Yes, and everyone's encouraged to with a floor guidance system, tactile floor plans, stair lifts, ramps, Braille-friendly displays, and even furniture that can be driven under for those using wheelchairs.
Martin Sander, Volkswagen's head of sales and aftersales, said: “With our appearance at the Open Space, we are showing what Volkswagen stands for - today and tomorrow. It stands for innovative mobility, emotional products and a clear commitment to our customers. For us, the IAA MOBILITY is more than just a trade fair - it is a stage on which we make it possible to experience Volkswagen's vision of mobility for everyone. The Open Space illustrates how we are shaping the future - accessible, diverse and at the centre of life.”