We've taken a walk through some of the incredible concept cars launched in Frankfurt this year, but the madness doesn't stop there. Sports car manufacturers used the show to prove just how far hybrid technology has come as a way to lessen emissions and maximize power. From the Mercedes-AMG Project One to the neat-and-tidy 911 GT3 with Touring Package, here are the best sports cars from the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Mercedes-AMG Project One
This is an F1 car for the road, pure and simple. It's been described as the "most ambitious project" ever undertaken by AMG and looks unlike anything else we've seen from the team in Affalterbach.
Power comes from a hybrid powertrain, directly derived from that in the highly successful Mercedes F1 cars of the past few seasons. Internal combustion power comes from a 1600cc turbocharged six-cylinder, and there are four electric motors hidden under the body as well: a 90 kW unit integrated into the turbo, a 120 kW motor linked to the crankcase and two motors on the front axle. Pure electric range is 25 km (15.5 mi).
Total system output is north of 1,000 hp (740 kW), for a top speed in excess of 217 mph (350 km/h). Mercedes-AMG hasn't provided a 62 mph (100 km/h) sprint time, but we know the car will hit 124 mph (200 km/h) in less than six seconds.
Aspark Owl
You probably haven't heard of Aspark – we certainly hadn't – but the company certainly turned some heads with the Owl at the Frankfurt Show. It's a prototype at the moment, but Aspark says it will hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in less than two seconds, and carry on to 174 mph (280 km/h). Hang on tight, kids, you're going to feel that.
Beyond the headline figures, details about the Owl are difficult to come by. We've reached out to the company for more details, so stay tuned for a deeper dive. In the meantime, we can tell you the car weighs around 1,900 lb (862 kg) and outputs 429 hp (320 kW). A report from Autoblog says the car stores power in capacitors for quicker discharge, helping deliver that neck-snapping acceleration.
Since the slick-looking Owl is still a prototype, we're taking the bold performance claims with a grain of salt. But if the car does make production, there will be a few nervous executives over at Rimac and NIO ...
Porsche 911 GT3 with Touring Package
Another year, another Porsche 911 to drool over. We know, it gets tiring. But the GT3 with Touring Package stands out among the ever-growing crowd of rear-engined racers from Stuttgart because it so elegantly blends outright performance with the kind of pared-back driver focus for which Porsche is famous.
Power comes from the same four-liter flat-six you get in the regular (991.2-generation) 911 GT3, but the car is only available with a six-speed manual gearbox. That's right, no double-clutch here. Gone is the towering rear wing from the standard car, and all the gloss black trim designed to signify the performance potential on the outside of the car is trimmed in shiny chrome. It's like a 911 R, but without the limited build run and sky-high prices.
Obviously, this is just a taste of what was on show in Frankfurt. Take a flick through our gallery for the full set of sports cars from the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, and check out the best concepts from the show once you're done.
