ALFA ROMEO
New concept cars: None.
New production cars: 156 Sportwagon.
What you won't see: The 147, which is now due at the Turin auto show in June. The 147 replaces both the 145 and 146.
Worth a second look: Any Alfa is worth a second look these days.
Talking points: Fiat Auto is considering building Alfas outside Italy - in Thailand - for the first time.
Luca Ciferri
ASTON MARTIN
New concept cars: None.
New production cars: None.
What you won't see: A smaller Aston Martin, the much anticipated 'third model.'
Worth a second look: Aston Martin will show the 6.0-liter, 420hp DB7 Vantage with the new-to-Europe Touchtronic auto-manual shifter. A full 30 percent of Aston Martin DB7 customers now request the Touchtronic automatic setup.
Talking points: Aston Martin has just produced its 3,000th DB7, a Vantage Volante with automatic transmission and Touchtronic control. Such production figures would be
miniscule for most manufacturers - but not for tiny, exclusive Aston Martin. There are major goings-on at Aston Martin these days, with talk of it becoming the Ferrari of Ford Motor Co. 'We are anticipating a record year for both production and sales,' said the usually reserved Robert Dover, chairman and chief executive of Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd. Now if they could only lure James Bond out of his BMW back into an Aston...
Bradford Wernle
AUDI
New concept cars: None.
New production cars: Allroad Quattro.
What you won't see: New A4 - it could debut at October's AAA auto show in Berlin.
Worth a second look: Minor facelift for the A3.
Talking points: TT safety - and the fallout at Audi. The measures taken in Germany to safeguard customers' cars will have to be adopted everywhere else. This means that all cars sold overseas will have to be returned to Germany for modification. Customers are wondering why they are being asked to pay DM650 (A329) for Audi's stability package, when Mercedes-Benz fitted its safety device at no cost after the A-class scare. Who will take the blame at Audi for what is becoming a public relations disaster?
Dorothee Ostle
BMW Group
New concept cars: Not exactly a pure concept, but BMW promises 'a spectacular derivative of an existing car.'
New production cars: BMW M3, BMW 3 series convertible.
What you won't see: New BMW 7 series, new Mini (due at this autumn's auto show in Birmingham, England).
Worth a look: Land Rover Freelander V-6. BMW X5 with 3.0-liter, six-cylinder engine. Various Mini Classics and Coopers - perhaps the last of their kind before the new car debuts. Have another look at the Rover 25, 45 and 75 - their looks improve the more you see them. Many people now reckon the 75 looks better than the Jaguar S-type, both inside and out.
Talking points: Will the European Union prevent BMW from receiving funding for the renewal of Rover's Longbridge factory? Who is really trying to buy BMW? General Motors, VW and Ford have all been mentioned in recent weeks.
Dorothee Ostle
CHRYSLER
New concept cars: None.
New production cars: Sebring, successor to the Stratus.
What you won't see: New Voyager minivan, which debuted in Detroit last month.
Worth a second look: The PT Cruiser goes on sale in Europe this summer. Is it a fabulous, innovative product destined for success in Europe? Or is it an eccentric exercise in American nostalgia that fails to cater for European tastes? Chrysler is also displaying three previously-seen concept cars - the Jeep Varsity (cross between sporty hatchback and rugged off-roader), Chrysler Hemi C (luxury convertible) and Chrysler ESX3 (hybrid vehicle).
Talking points: With less influence on the DaimlerChrysler board than many in the USA hoped when the Daimler-Benz/Chrysler Corp. union was announced, what is Chrysler's strategy for Europe? Can Chrysler establish a profitable passenger-car business in Europe? And if it can, does it need mainstream lower-medium and upper-medium products built specifically for Europe?
Wim Oude Weernink
CITROEN
New concept cars: None.
New production cars: None.
What you won't see: Facelifted Xsara, due later this year. New Xantia, due at the Paris auto show in the autumn.
Worth a second look: The versatile Pluriel supermini. Several configurations are possible thanks to original architecture with no B-pillar, a cloth/canvas roof, and a foldaway rear bench seat. Shown at the Frankfurt auto show last year, the Pluriel is a preview of a production supermini based on the Peugeot 206 platform.
The Xsara Windows comes equipped with a personal compuer and high-tech communications devices. It is designed as a showcase for the multimedia services that PSA intends to offer on all models in association with Vivendi, a French utilities and communications group.
Citroen will also display the third generation of its hydraulic suspension system - due to equip the future Xantia.
Talking points: Has Citroen decided whether to build a top-of-the range sedan, such as the C6 concept unveiled at Geneva last year?
Stephane Farhi
Daihatsu
New concept cars: Two cars expected.
New production cars: None.
Worth a second look: The YRV - dubbed Daihatsu's most European car yet - makes its European debut.
Talking points: Will Daihatsu become Toyota's small-car brand?
