VW goes XXL at Frankfurt

The big German brands like to show off at their home motor show – the Frankfurt Motor Show, in early September – and for 2013 Volkswagen are getting about as showy as a peacock in platforms with their whopping 9,000 square metre show stand. Yes, that is way bigger than a football pitch and takes over 150 tonnes of steel to stand up!

Picture-wise, we have the VW stand concept images for you, and we fully expect the finished mini-auto-town to be stunning in the metal, MDF and carpet. You won’t get to see it for real unless you’re at the show however, with most manufacturers keeping finishing touches and show-day-surprises well and truly under wraps until the huge halls open their giant doors.

VW clearly decided they needed a big stand for this year, as they have a great deal to talk about. They’ll be showcasing their new, 300bhp Golf R model – the fastest Golf ever to bust out some big turbo boost – as well as giving more techy visitors the low down on their 4MOTION four-wheel drive system that underpins the Golf R and some other quick Dubs from history. Also on display will be their Polo R WRC from the World Rally Championship; one of the best-looking contenders in this 2013 season. If only all Polos looked like this!

As you might imagine, a fair chunk of work – and a tonne of money – goes into a show-stopping show stand like this. Here are the super-stats:

Location: Messe Frankfurt trade fair grounds, Hall 3.0

Stand area: 8,893 m2

Length and width of stand: 114.50 x 78.00 m

Erection commenced: August 14, 2013

Duration: 24 days

Enclosed space: 15,500 m3

Floor space: 3,397.5 m2 (one- and two-storey)

Façade height: Max. 7.50 m, covered with approx. 2,900 m2 of fabric

Glass floor: approx. 6,000 m2

Carpeting: 2,125 m2

Total number of lamps: approx. 2,350 with a total output of 1.7 megawatt and
approx. 90 km of cables

LED surfaces: In excess of 140 m2, including a 61 m2 highlight-LED on the stage

Vehicles: 53

Number of hosts/hostesses: approx. 140

Planning period: 11 months

Architects / Designers: 18

Architectural highlights: Cloud façade, innovation wall, highlight stage

That’s all awesome enough for sure, but what do you do if you fancy a full-on fix of all things VW and don’t want to fly to Frankfurt, pay a fortune for a hotel and get lost in a sea of mullets?

How about a bit of VW Action at Santa Pod, Friday 30th August – Sunday 1st September? They’ve got a seriously packed show planned for 2013, with far fewer mullets and not a dollop of sauerkraut in sight!

VW Action is the longest-running VW show ever and the famously fast Santa Pod show ground and drag strip will be packed with hundreds of every kind of VW show, race, camper and rat car, while the various stages, bars and marquees will all feature a special ‘Comic Book Superheroes & Villains’ theme, and, of course, the sausages will be real sausages!

We’ll see you at Santa Pod for VW Action, and leave Frankfurt to the suits!

By Dan Anslow