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Frankfurt Motor Show 2009 Preview

The Frankfurt Motor Show 2009 runs from 17th -27th September to the public Many of the Japanese makers will be conspicuous by their absence, but that should be more than made up for by the launches from the big European makers. And of course the Koreans – in the guise of Hyundai and Kia – will do what they’re starting to do in the market place and fill the gap left by the Japanese. You can already check out all the stories in one place for The Frankfurt Motor Show 2009, but we thought we’d highlight a few of the cars we know are making an appearance, in case you’ve missed them in the last few weeks.

College Exhibition: RCA/GM - Fast Forward 2049

First year students at the Royal College of Art recently held an exhibition at the London Transport Museum commemorating the 40th anniversary of the school's vehicle design course. Sponsored by GM's Opel/Vauxhall division, 19 students responded to a brief that called for them to ‘Fast Forward into the Future'. Divided into three groups - Inside Out, Urban Flow and Automark - the students devised their own notions of vehicles for the year 2049, and in some cases entirely reinvented Opel brand values and aesthetics.

BMW 2 Series Active Tourer specs and prices – costs from £22,195

The new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer (pictured) specs and prices BMW’s foray in to the world of front wheel drive MPVs arrived at the Geneva Motor Show as the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, BMW’s answer to the Mercedes B Class. Sitting on the same platform as the new MINI, the Active Tourer will come with FWD as default but will be available with 4WD too and in a choice of four trim levels – SE, Luxury, Sport and M Sport. Engine choices at launch are limited, with the just the 1.5 litre three-cylinder with 134bhp in the 218i and the 2.0 litre diesel with 148bhp available in the 218d.