TODAY THE ESSEN Motor Show in Essen, Germany, opens. One of the best sports car shows ever opens with the fastest, best, widest, lowest and most powerful sports and racing cars from manufacturers like Porsche, BMW and Mercedes-Benz and tuning companies like Hartge, Carlsson, Steinmetz, AC Schnitzer and many, read my lips many others.

Star of the Show is the Toyota MR2 Roadster – this concept car sends regards directly to Formula 1 Grand Prix like not other. Especially the nose including the wing seems to come directly from the Toyota F1 department at the French track Paul Ricard. Next is the red colour with the white stripe.

Under F1 ideas and gimmicks is a Toyota MR2 with 4-cyl. midengine – in the Roadster version with turbo and 258 bhp. You will find more details and photos on the Star of the Show at the article Motor Show Special Essen 2001.

The trends of the show are easy to spot: More pure racing in tuning 2002. More power thanks to bigger engines – a Hartge M3 with the power of a slightly tuned M5-engine. More grip thanks to bigger wheels – we noticed 18 in wheels at hot Mini’s, 19 in wheels at almost every BMW and 20 in wheels at a lot of Mercedes-Benz SL-classes. And finally more brake power thanks to 6 piston calipers and discs as big as the wheels at a family-hatch.

FACTS
· Essen Motor Show 2001 – opens today
· Star of the Show – Toyota MR2 Roadster
· Trends: More engine power- more rubber power – more brake power
· Essen: Opens today – runs until December 9. – open every day

Images
1. Toyota MR2 Roadster with the nose from a Formula 1 racing car
2. Lexus IS 430 with – yes, 430 bhp
3. World Premiere – the coming VW Polo ready for FIA Super 1600 rally
4. 20 in wheel from Carlsson
5. 6 piston caliper from Brabus
6. Mini’s all over – this one with 18 in OZ wheels
7. We even met Michael Schumacher

EXTRA: In a few hours we will publish Motor Show Special from Essen with almost 200 images from the show including the best from: Steinmetz + Hartge + Carlsson + Opel OPC + MTM + Startech + Hamann + RalliArt + Brabus + J.S. Design + Gemballa + do we have to say many more.