"This is a stark paradigm shift."

This year's IAA Mobility showed that 'the Germans' have understood the signs of the times, notes Johannes Plass in his interview with Autoren-Union Mobilität on the evaluation of the trade fair in Munich. Plass, co-founder and CEO of Mutabor, which he says is the largest independent design agency and brand consultancy in Germany, wonders "whether we will also be able to keep up with the key figures - such as performance, convenience and price - when the 2023 showcar generation comes on stream."

Currently - according to Plass - the business model is still based on the combustion engine. "I think the next generation of vehicles will have to equalize the balance of power. If that doesn't happen, it will certainly be uncomfortable," says Plass. Mercedes, Volkswagen and BMW have at least found an answer to the product needs of global customers with mid-range concepts, he says.

With "The New New Class" and "Defining Class since 1886," BMW and Mercedes have formulated new beliefs, which Plass sees as an inner appeal from the manufacturers. At the same time, he is convinced that the Germans do not have much time to defend their home market "because the Chinese are pushing into Europe with finished products in this very class. And: "I perceived the interest in these vehicles from China and the USA to be very lively at the Summit and Open Space. So we are not in the role of the driver, but the driven. That's a stark paradigm shift." (aum)