Vw Concept d

In a show littered with more world debuts than ever, the company behind most of them -the VW Group - also took the wraps off the show's most controversial new car, the VW Concept D. Huge, streamlined, equipped with a vast array of features and powered by 10 or 12-cylinder diesel or petrol engines, the Concept D aims to take on top-of-the-range cars from Mercedes and BMW for the first time.

SEAT Leon

The Volkswagen group, which among its many brands counts Skoda and SEAT, had some important world debuts for ordinary motorists at Frankfurt. On the SEAT stand was the Leon, a Golf-sized hatchback based on the firm's Toledo that aims to muscle in on what is Europe's biggest sector of the market. There's a big range available -right up to a four-wheel drive version with 130 kW. The Leon, on sale now, ranges in price from DM26,450-DM40,990.

BMW Z9

BMW took the prize for surprise of the show with an extraordinary-looking GT coupe unlike anything in the current range. Although the Z9 won't be built in this form, the concept does hint at what future BMWs will be like, including more muscular styling, gimmick-free interior (the dashboard has hardly any switches) and weight-saving construction. The doors are novel: you open a normal one for access to the front or, if you have rear-seat passengers, swing open the whole side of the car. The Z9 is powered by a 3.9-litre V8 diesel engine, indicating that BMW believes its efficient new-technology diesels are now powerful and refined enough even for high performance sporting cars.

Smart Roadster

Smart city cars are now a familiar sight on Europe's roads but at Frankfurt the Mercedes-owned company took things in a new and different direction. So far it is only a concept car, with production mooted for 2002, but the Smart Roadster could have a market to itself as a small, fun, cheap to buy and run two-seater convertible sportster.

Skoda Fabia

Skoda, meanwhile, unveiled an even more important car than the Leon from sister company SEAT. The Fabia is the first in the VW group to be based on a new platform that will be used by the next Polo. With distinctive supermini styling and what are bound to be attractive prices, the Fabia at Frankfurt scored highly for its looks, interior space and high quality finish far removed from Skodas of old. With efficient petrol and diesel engines, it should be a hit.

Ford

Ford is still the classic American success story. Founded in 1903, the Ford Motor Company became a national hero in less than 12 years. It did so on the sturdy back of one car - the Model T. The world's first mass production car was the embodiment of Henry Ford's hopes and dreams. In the event, he held on to it for almost too long. Over 15 million "Tin Lizzies" had been made over a period of 19 years before the Model A took over.

A very public pacifist during World War I, Henry Ford sanctioned rapid conversion to war production in 1942. When the war ended, so did Henry Ford's reign at the controls. By then well into his eighties, he'd probably .stayed on for too long. Power passed not to his son Edsel -who died in 1943 at the age of 49 - but to grandson Henry Ford II. "HFII" retired in 1980, having steered the giant company to ever greater success. He did things differently to his grandfather, encouraging fresh new managerial talent instead of relying on stalwarts. On the other hand, was just as adept at firing anyone with overt power-lust. The Ford family no longer owns a holding, but the knack of know-ing what the public wants and selling it to them at the right price has remained with Ford for 90 years. It shows no sign of deserting them.