The International Motor Show (IAA) proved once again that it is no longer merely a venue for displaying polished metal and leather interiors.
Instead, it is a declaration of intent – a strategic battlefield where the future of mobility is being fought.
For an event that traces its lineage back to 1897 in Berlin, the IAA’s shift to Munich from its long-standing home in Frankfurt was a seismic event.
It was not just a change of location but a reimagining of its very purpose. IAA Mobility, as it is now known, seeks to embrace the entire ecosystem of transport, from two-wheeled electric bikes to urban air mobility concepts, all while grappling with the tectonic shifts threatening the dominance of Europe’s incumbent carmakers.
The show’s dual concept, with the IAA Summit for industry professionals at the exhibition grounds and the public-facing IAA Open Space across the city, made it a festival of technology and a public showcase of a future that is rapidly arriving.
According to the VDA (German Association of the Automotive Industry), the 2025 show was a signal of strength, featuring 748 exhibitors from 37 countries, with a record 57 per cent of companies being international. More than 300 world premieres and innovations were on display, underscoring the event's global relevance.
This renewed focus on international participation and a broader mobility concept is a direct response to a changing industry.
The event serves as a critical platform for German carmakers to demonstrate their innovative power and make a clear statement to political leaders in Berlin and Brussels about the need for supportive policies that favour technological openness and flexibility.
The electric front: German engineering on display
This year’s show was defined by the relentless march of the electric vehicle, a tide that is swelling with a ferocity that few had just a decade or so ago anticipated.
The headline announcements were dominated by batteries, charging ranges and the kind of digital cockpits that would make an airline pilot feel at home.
Leading the charge was BMW, which celebrated the world premiere of the new BMW iX3. The first production model from the brand’s Neue Klasse line-up, the latest arrival is a fully electric Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) featuring sixth-generation eDrive technology. BMW claims a range of up to 805km and a peak charging rate of up to 400kW.
The vehicle also introduces a new electronics and software architecture with four high-performance (or “superbrain”, as the brand calls them) computers, designed to make the vehicle smarter and more future-ready than ever.
It served as a powerful statement that Munich is not prepared to cede its crown without a fight, leveraging its long-standing reputation for luxury and engineering prowess to redefine what a premium EV should be.
Not to be outdone, Mercedes-Benz held the world premiere of its all-new electric GLC with EQ Technology. As the first member of a new vehicle family, the electric GLC reinterprets the brand's face with a redesigned grille and introduces a new interior design language. The vehicle, which will be available as the GLC 400 4MATIC with EQ Technology, boasts a range of up to 713km. Mercedes also introduced the CONCEPT AMG GT XX and the new CLA Shooting Brake.
Meanwhile, the Volkswagen Group showcased its commitment to a broader, more affordable electric future with what it termed an Electric Urban Car Family. The new ID. CROSS Concept made its global debut, with the Skoda Epiq SUV presented as a physical concept car. The Volkswagen ID. Polo and CUPRA Raval were shown as camouflaged series vehicles, all promising a range of up to 450km.
It was a clear signal that the German auto giant is aiming to make EVs accessible to the masses, a strategy crucial to meeting the continent's ambitious emissions targets.
Porsche also had a significant presence, unveiling the 911 Turbo S Cabriolet. This latest version incorporates a T-Hybrid power-train, delivering record levels of grunt and an electrifying 0-100kph sprint time of just 2.5 seconds.
It was a powerful reminder that even as the industry electrifies, performance and engineering excellence remain paramount.
The new contenders: China’s arrival in Europe
Perhaps the most significant theme of this year's IAA was the presence, bolder than ever before, of Chinese carmakers.
BYD, now a global powerhouse, arrived with a fleet of models ready for the European market, including the new Seal 6 DM-i Touring, offering a staggering range in excess of 1,500km. The brand's messaging was clear: it offers high-tech, high-quality EVs at a price point that puts immense pressure on its European counterparts.
At a technology-focused space at Konigsplatz, BYD also demonstrated its fast-charging system, claiming it can add around 400km of range in just five minutes.
Joining them were other ambitious players like Leapmotor, Deepal, GAC and Dongfeng, which showed off new models and technologies aimed at the European consumer. Their presence was a stark reminder that the decades-old automotive hierarchy is being dismantled.
The European players are no longer just competing with each other or with Detroit's finest; they are now in a global battle for market share against a new wave of highly agile and technologically advanced competitors from the East.
This shift has created a new dynamic at the show. The focus has moved from just speed, power and luxury to a more holistic evaluation of what a car offers.
Consumers are now asking about the battery's chemical composition, the speed of over-the-air software updates, and the seamless integration of a vehicle into their digital lives. The Chinese brands, unencumbered by a century of internal combustion engine legacy, are built from the ground up to answer these very questions.
The Munich show was a powerful lesson in adaptation. The German automotive industry, a cornerstone of its economy and global identity, is grappling with a challenge unlike any it has ever faced. While the brands on home soil put on a defiant display of innovation and ambition, the real story of the show was the new global order taking shape.
The IAA has become a vibrant showcase of the new competitive landscape, proving that in the race to electrify, the finish line is still a long way off.
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Norwich City 0 Southampton 3 (Ings 49', Armstrong 54', Redmond 79')
THE SPECS
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RESULT
Aston Villa 1
Samatta (41')
Manchester City 2
Aguero (20')
Rodri (30')
Tom Fletcher on 'soft power'
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Power: 575bhp
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Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
What it means to be a conservationist
Who is Enric Sala?
Enric Sala is an expert on marine conservation and is currently the National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence. His love of the sea started with his childhood in Spain, inspired by the example of the legendary diver Jacques Cousteau. He has been a university professor of Oceanography in the US, as well as working at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-Economy. He has dedicated his life to protecting life in the oceans. Enric describes himself as a flexitarian who only eats meat occasionally.
What is biodiversity?
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, all life on earth – including in its forests and oceans – forms a “rich tapestry of interconnecting and interdependent forces”. Biodiversity on earth today is the product of four billion years of evolution and consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The term ‘biodiversity’ is relatively new, popularised since the 1980s and coinciding with an understanding of the growing threats to the natural world including habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity itself is dangerous because it contributes to clean, consistent water flows, food security, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The natural world can be an ally in combating global climate change but to do so it must be protected. Nations are working to achieve this, including setting targets to be reached by 2020 for the protection of the natural state of 17 per cent of the land and 10 per cent of the oceans. However, these are well short of what is needed, according to experts, with half the land needed to be in a natural state to help avert disaster.
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
HIJRA
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Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Jetour T1 specs
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