Borgward to launch new SUV at Frankfurt motor show

Reborn German manufacturer Borgward will present a new, premium SUV in September ahead of sales starting in 2016

Reborn German manufacturer Borgward will introduce its first new model for more than half a century at the Frankfurt motor show this September.

The new model, a premium SUV, has been previewed in these official pictures ahead of its launch. Sales of the as yet unnamed SUV are due to start in 2016.

These pictures show that the new Borgward SUV has similar dimensions to the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC. While most of the car’s styling traits are hidden under its camouflage, an oversized Borgward badge can be seen at the front.

Speaking at Borgward’s brand relaunch at the Geneva motor show back in March, company officials confirmed they were working on a plug-in hybrid system, suggesting that at least one powertrain option for the new SUV will be electrified.

Reports also suggest that the new model will be offered with all-wheel drive and a newly developed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Borgward is also placing a big emphasis on in-car connectivity for its new model range. Its bespoke telematic concept, dubbed 'Multiple Interaction', is claimed to “change the way you think about the car”.

The reborn manufacturer is targetting both European and emerging markets with its new models. It aims to deliver 800,000 per year by 2020, before ramping up production to produce 1.6 million cars annually by 2025.

Thanks to a recent tie-up with Chinese company Foton, rumours now suggest the SUV could be built in China.

Speaking at the Geneva motor show, Borgward president Karlheinz Knöss said: “We want to become one of the top players in the automotive industry.”

Following the launch of its initial SUV, Borgward will unveil a second production model at the Geneva motor show in 2016. The company has said its model range will be “luxurious, inventive and bold”.

Founded in 1919, Borgward went bankrupt in 1961. Its former production base in Bremen was purchased by Mercedes-Benz, and is now used to make the C-Class, SLK, SL and the GLC.

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