Bold new German models to debut in September

THERE'S a German electric SUV showdown looming, and it starts at the IAA Mobility Summit next month when the new BMW iX3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology will be revealed for the first time.

- JASON WOOSEY

Not only will the two battery-powered midsize SUVs be direct competitors when they hit the market, but both will usher in new design and engineering eras for their respective carmakers.

The Mercedes GLC electric debuts a brand new design language for the firm's electric vehicles, with the softer lines of its current EQ models having faced criticism for their lack of imagination and identity.

To whet our appetites, Mercedes released a teaser image this week, showing the new upright, and more traditional-looking, "grille" that will feature on its electric GLC.