What to look out for at the Frankfurt auto show

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — New small cars for the mass market from Opel and Renault and powerful, expensive SUVs from Jaguar and Bentley for the upper crust are among the top offerings on display this week at the Frankfurt International Motor Show.

A rise in demand for cars in the United States and Europe is lifting automakers' spirits as they prepare to open the show to news media on Tuesday and to the general public on Saturday.

The mood will be buoyed by a 23-month streak of rising sales in Europe, coming off a terrible slump during the 2009 recession and the subsequent debt crisis among countries that use the euro currency.

Bentley, the luxury brand owned by Volkswagen, has its Bentayga, which combines stylish touches such as the classic large Bentley front grille and a choice of 15 interior leather colors with off-road features such as a front skid plate and aluminum roof rails.

Mercedes-Benz offers its GLC, a midsize car-like crossover SUV that shares mechanical and design elements with its C-Class sedan.

In the field of automated driving, BMW is introducing a new version of its large, luxurious 7-Series sedan that can maneuver in and out of tight parking spaces while the driver stands outside and presses a button on a remote.

Tim Urquhart, an analyst with IHS, says after years of strong sales growth by German companies, "the coffers are full and confidence levels are high — as, it seems, is the desire to one-up neighbors and closest competitors on home turf."