101 BRILLIANT NEW CARS
@jimmybrods
IF things have felt a little slow over the past 12 months with life on pause, the car industry has certainly defied life’s new, gentler pace.
The previous calendar year has seen a blitz of official new metal, concepts, leaks, spy shots and scoops reshape the road ahead for all things new on four wheels.
And just like previous years, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to compile a comprehensive round-up of every exciting new car you can expect to see in showrooms over the coming months and years.
Predictably, electric cars continue to grow in presence. Around 10 per cent of our list comprises production-ready electric cars you’ll soon be able to buy, and that doesn’t even count spied prototypes and near-finished concepts. But with hot hatches, new roadsters and sleek executives also in the mix, the future looks set to offer something for everyone.
1 MERCEDES SL.
Price: £80,000 (est) On sale: December
WHEN the glamorous SL convertible arrives, it will transition from a two-seat roadster to a fractionally more practical 2+2. The trade-off is that it misses out on the folding hard-top the last car came with, but few will care because our exclusive image here suggests the SL will have gorgeous looks.
Under the bonnet, the new model will be no less appealing. Expect a mild-hybrid 3.0-litre six-cylinder for the SL 43 to pump out at least 430bhp, while the new plug-in hybrid SL 73 is set to muster a barely believable 800bhp, giving it near hypercar-levels of acceleration. Throw in a cossetting, beautifully trimmed cabin, and the SL is shaping up to be one of the most desirable cars of 2021.
2 VOLKSWAGEN ID.4
Price: £37,800 On sale: Now
VOLKSWAGEN is off to a great start with the ID electric sub-brand. Its first offering, the ID.3, is a firm hit, but now it’s time for the second act, the ID.4. The new model takes the ID.3’s styling cues and boosts them to create a small electric SUV.
Designed to take on its close relative, the Skoda Enyaq, and the forthcoming Tesla Model Y, VW’s all-electric SUV shares the same MEB underpinnings as the ID.3 hatch and, initially, gets the same 201bhp rear electric motor, which can be had with a large 77kWh battery that offers a decent claimed range of 310 miles.
ID.4 buyers get a taller, more commanding driving position than the ID.3’s, as well as more interior space. A four-wheel-drive version with 302bhp is planned too, which could carry GTI-aping GTX badges.
If the ID.4 can mimic the ID.3’s decent ride and drive, then its generous cabin space and ultra-low running costs could help it steal sales not only from rivals, but also from VW’s own top-selling Tiguan.
3 DACIA SANDERO
Price: £7,995 On sale: Now
COSTING just £7,995, the new Dacia Sandero picks up where the old one left off as the UK’s most affordable new car. But it’s also spacious, pleasingly unpretentious and good to drive – all of which has helped it to become Dacia’s best-selling car for retail buyers in Europe.
Unlike the old Sandero, which used an adapted Mk3 Clio platform, this new model is right up to date. It’s based on the Renault-Nissan CMF-B platform, which means it has exactly the same underpinnings as the latest Mk5 Clio – our current class favourite. The Sandero is available with frugal three-cylinder petrol and LPG bi-fuel engines, and either CVT auto or manual transmissions.
Among the Dacia’s driver-assistance features are Emergency Brake Assist, Blind-Spot Warning, Park Assist and Hill-Start Assist.
For a little extra ruggedness, the Sandero Stepway adds crossover cred to the mix, courtesy of 41mm of extra ground clearance and chunkier styling. It’s yours from £10,995.
Driven
John McIlroy
Deputy editor
“The new Sandero feels like a very well targeted update to its predecessor. It drives better than ever and introduces more big-car features and technology – but not at the expense of value, which remains pretty much unrivalled”
4 BMW 2 SERIES ACTIVE TOURER
Price: £28,000 (est) On sale: Early 2022
SUVs might be all the rage at the moment, but BMW is giving the MPV a boost by bringing back the 2 Series Active Tourer for a second generation. Caught testing by our spy photographers, the Mercedes B-Class rival’s windowline has a sportier profile than before, and its wheelbase now appears slightly longer, which should unlock extra cabin space. A seven-seater is unlikely this time, however.
The Active Tourer will again use the UKL underpinnings that were first developed for larger MINIs and are shared with the BMW 1 Series and X1. Expect three and four-cylinder petrol and diesel versions, and a return for the plug-in hybrid variant, which will add an electric motor at the rear for reduced CO2 emissions and all-wheel drive.
5 ALFA ROMEO COMPACT E-SUV
Price: £33,000 (est) On sale: Late 2022
FOLLOWING close behind the Tonale SUV (see page 38), and expected to go on sale late in 2022, is a baby Alfa Romeo crossover that will be the Italian maker’s first ever all-electric model.
Designed to take on compact SUVs such as the Audi Q2, the unnamed junior Alfa seen here in our exclusive rendering is expected to draw on the electric know-how of Stellantis’s former Groupe PSA brands, and borrow the EV-ready CMP platform that is already used by cars such as the Peugeot 2008 and Vauxhall Corsa.
The similarly sized e-2008 currently serves up 134bhp and a 206-mile range. However, advances in battery technology could mean the baby Alfa offers improved figures by the time it arrives next year.
6 MERCEDES S-CLASS
Price: £78,705 On sale: Now
HISTORICALLY the S-Class has always been a real pioneer when it comes to advancing the automobile, and the latest seventh-generation Mercedes limo is no exception.
Not only is it claimed to be the world’s safest car, introducing airbags for those sitting in the second row, it will also be the first car ever to offer Level 3 autonomous cruise control that allows you to read, watch TV and relax while it takes care of the driving. If that’s not enough, the levels of refinement and luxury now encroach into Rolls-Royce territory, while its epic 12.8-inch infotainment system is among the best in the industry.
Under the bonnet there are electrified petrol and diesel engines, plus a plug-in hybrid that offers a 62-mile EV range.
Driven
Chris Chilton
Contributor
“Once again the Mercedes S-Class pushes boundaries with game-changing technology and an even greater focus on refinement than the previous version”
7 TOYOTA AYGO
Price: £12,000 On sale: Mid 2022
TOYOTA will go it alone for the next Aygo after severing its partnership with Citroen and Peugeot. Not having a Peugeot 108 or Citroen C1 in the mix might explain why the Japanese brand will opt for a change in direction and ramp up the sophistication for the third generation of its city car.
Forget the previous budget and simple versions, the next Aygo will be based on the car maker’s latest TNGA platform and get smart looks that are inspired by the Yaris supermini, as previewed in our exclusive image. Electrified powertrains will become a part of the package, and we could even see a full EV version launched in due course.
Where the old car was cheap and cheerful, the new one will be as smart as the rest of the Toyota range.
8 PORSCHE 911 GT3
Price: £123,100 On sale: May 2021
FEW road cars are as hardcore as the Porsche 911 GT3, and from May there will be an all-new version to fight the Ferrari F8 Tributo and Mercedes-AMG GTR.
The headline news is Porsche hasn’t messed with a winning recipe; the GT3 keeps its 4.0-litre flat-six-cylinder engine, missing out on the turbo the rest of the 992 series uses. The new GT3’s unit spins to 9,000rpm producing 503bhp and emitting an incredible soundtrack.
With a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch auto and launch control, 0-62mph takes 3.4 seconds and the top speed is 199mph. Motorsport-inspired aero maximises
