9th (local time) in downtown Munich, Germany. As corporations participating in "IAA Mobility 2025," the world's largest mobility exhibition, set up "Open Space" sites across the city, the area turned into a paradise for car aficionados. Most global motor shows are held at large convention centers, but IAA installed brand booths throughout central Munich, turning the entire city into a mobility festival venue.
This year's IAA drew 748 corporations from 37 countries, with 57% from overseas, the largest scale on record. Not all of these corporations operate Open Space sites, but most global brands focused on the European market took part. Ken Beattie, a Briton living in Shanghai, China, said, "The Shanghai motor show is on the outskirts and indoors, so it doesn't feel like it's held in a major city, but IAA runs in open-air spaces in the heart of downtown, which feels much more vibrant."
Hyundai Motor, which unveiled the first small concept car of its electric brand Ioniq that day, built its booth with a glass structure inspired by the Ioniq's core design element, the "parametric pixel." Six massive blue pixels, each 7 meters high, stand in a row.
Mercedes-Benz maximized immersion with a booth featuring a massive sculpture shaped like its new grille with the star logo placed at the center, while Polestar, which pursues simplicity and minimalism, chose a clean white rectangular exterior to draw focus to its new car, the "Polestar 5." Porsche put forward an enormous brand crest taller than a two-story building to underscore its motto of "an irreplaceable Porsche."
BYD, China's largest electric-car corporation, set up Open Space sites in two locations. One focused on the latest models such as the "Dolphin Surf," while the other highlighted demonstrations of "megawatt (MW)-class" ultra-fast charging technology capable of enabling a 400-kilometer drive (passenger car standard) with just five minutes of charging. An auto industry official said it was "an attempt to stress both the intent to expand in the European market and its technological prowess."
A variety of vehicles that are rarely seen are also on display. Mercedes-Benz exhibited the luxury classic car "280 SE 3.5," produced from 1962 to 1972. With a maximum output of 200 horsepower and a top speed of 200 kilometers per hour at the time, the model boasted performance rivaling that of top-tier sports cars of its era.
Renault unveiled the high-performance, all-electric hatchback "Renault 5 Turbo 3E," an homage to the legendary rally car "Renault 5 Turbo." To commemorate the original model's debut in 1980, Renault decided to limit production to 19.80 million units. Cupra, the high-performance brand of Spain's Seat, showcased the Tribe Edition, a limited version of the compact sport-utility vehicle (SUV) "Terramar."
The chance to test-drive 232 cars and motorcycles from 22 exhibitors is another appeal unique to IAA. Brand-specific stops are set up across downtown Munich, and visitors can use them for free. Rebecca Cheng, a Chinese attendee, said, "A brand's image changes before and after you ride," adding, "The biggest advantage of IAA is that you can personally experience the flagship models of various car brands."