GLAMOUR has finally returned to Frankfurt. The 62nd Internationale Automobil Ausstellung (IAA) - otherwise known as the Frankfurt Motor Show - is packed with sexy concepts and utterly desirable production cars this year.

The scene couldn't have been more different two years ago. Then, the 61st IAA looked grim. Filled with cautiously styled replacement models and eco-friendly clean-fuel technology, it looked like carmakers were falling over themselves in an effort to be politically correct.

Not any more, though. The 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show has more than a few drool-worthy candidates. Not surprisingly, most of them are German, like the Audi A4. The smooth soapbar styling has been ditched for an edgier, sculptured look that is refreshingly similar to the new A5 coupe. With the front overhang reduced and the wheelbase lengthened, the car's overall proportions have changed.

An interesting new feature is its variable steering option - like BMW - which varies the ratio according to the car's speed.

Petrol engines will be carried over, so the entry-level offering is still the four-cylinder 1.8-litre turbocharged unit. Expect the A4 to arrive some time in the second quarter of 2008.

BMW unveiled its 1 Series Coupe, which many call the spiritual successor to the 2002 of the 1960s. It may be diminutive but it is still desirable, if only because its shorter wheelbase will mean even more scintillating handling.

It combines an aluminium front suspension with a five-link rear axle, and apart from being lighter and more agile than the 3 Series Coupe, the 1 Series Coupe will be more affordable as it will sit neatly between the 3 and the Mini, which is also made by BMW.

Petrol engines will include both the naturally aspirated and turbocharged versions of the brilliant three-litre straight-six.

Even more exciting than the 1 Series Coupe is the BMW X6 Concept. This curvaceous 'Sport Activity Coupe' crossover makes the X5 and X3 Sport Activity Vehicles look like bricks on wheels.

As usual, BMW is calling it a concept but going by previous examples, it is likely to make it into production soon.

Another BMW Group model being introduced at Frankfurt is the Mini Clubman. This cool Mini 'estate' is a new addition to the tiny Mini range and it has a quirky feature - a 'suicide door' on one side of the car. Called the 'Clubdoor', this rear-hinged door on the right side offers improved access to the rear bench.

The Clubman is essentially a Mini with an extended wheelbase for improved rear legroom and greater luggage space. It will arrive here in the second quarter of next year.

Volkswagen, Germany's and Europe's biggest carmaker, unveiled the Tiguan. This compact SUV is based on - no surprises here - a VW Golf platform.

One of the Tiguan's many engines will be the accomplished two-litre, direct injection turbocharged unit found in the effervescent Golf GTI. In this case, however, it will power a fully functioning SUV with all-wheel-drive and a special offroad mode, which when chosen, activates a range of safety features like hill descent control and hill climb assist. Think of it as a baby Touareg.

The Tiguan is scheduled to appear in VW Group Singapore's showroom in the fourth quarter of 2008.

The hot new Porsche 911 GT2 also broke cover at Frankfurt. The 530 hp model is the fastest ever 911, nailing the zero to 100 kmh sprint in just 3.7 seconds. Its 3.6-litre Boxer engine is based on the 911 Turbo, with its high-tech variable turbine geometry. But the breathtaking GT2 has an additional 50 horses because of the twin turbos' larger compressor wheel and higher turbocharger pressure.

The maximum torque is also higher at an amazing 680 Newton-metres, available from just 2,200 rpm. Carbon ceramic brakes come standard to haul in all that power more effectively.

Also standard are the titanium rear silencer and tailpipes - the first time a Porsche has been homologated for road use with this exotic material.

The GT2 arrives in November. Not everyone with a fat chequebook will be able to handle it, though. Unlike the all-wheel-drive 911 Turbo, the GT2 only features rear-wheel-drive and a six-speed manual gearbox.

Even faster than the GT2 is the new Lamborghini Reventon. It hits 100 kmh from a standing start in just 3.4 seconds.

But what is likely to be even more attractive to its wealthy buyers is the fact that it will be super exclusive. Volkswagen-owned Lamborghini says it will build only a handful of this one million euro (without tax), or S$2.1 million, model each year.

Amid the new German cars at Frankfurt was a British classic. Jaguar showed off the XF, which replaces the S-Type. This avant garde cat marks a move away from the 'Type' moniker and a return to the traditional X-prefix model names like XJ and XK.

The mid-size Jaguar XF is also distinctive for conveying the British carmaker's new design language in a sedan. Customers' views and desires were solicited and incorporated into the design, resulting in a contemporary look and feel that is vastly different from more traditional Jags.

Matching the sleek exterior styling is the revamped cabin architecture. For example, there is no gear stick - just a rotary gear selector.

The XF is likely to arrive in the third quarter of next year after a spring delivery date in its UK home market.