109 BRILLIANT NEW CARS
THE global automotive industry has weathered plenty of storms over the past two years, and with Covid delaying the launch of many products, we’re in for a bumper few years in the near future, as brands bring new technologies to the market in exciting new models.
We’ve lined up 109 of the best new cars for 2022 and beyond over the next 30 pages. Some will be vehicles that have just gone on sale, pushing the boundaries in their respective classes, while others will be undergoing development for launch in a few years, spied in testing camouflage or previewed by our exclusive images.
Inevitably, electric vehicles feature heavily in our rundown, but the industry isn’t turning its back on the combustion engine just yet, and there are plenty of exciting new models coming our way over the next few years, from city cars to supercars and everything in between.
One thing is for certain: with vehicles like the ones we’ve featured here in the pipeline, the future is bright.
1 MERCEDES CLE CABRIO
Price: TBC On sale: 2023
A TOTALLY new badge will take its place in the Mercedes line-up in 2023 with the arrival of the CLE. The car, previewed in our exclusive image, will in effect replace both the C and E-Class coupés and convertibles, giving Mercedes the chance to reduce the complexity of its product portfolio with a new purpose-made rival for the BMW 4 Series and Audi A5.
This four-seater will make use of the brand’s MRA2 architecture and will be offered with turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engines, although six-cylinder power would be compatible with the platform for high-power AMG applications. A four-door coupé version of the CLE is not expected.
2 VOLKSWAGEN ID.Life
Price: £20,000 (est) On sale: 2025
VOLKSWAGEN is gearing up to launch an affordable electric car, a feat that manufacturers have chased since the EV revolution began. The newcomer is expected to make its debut in three years’ time, and will be based on a stripped-back electric platform called MEB Entry. When it arrives, it’ll probably be called the ID.1 or ID.2.
The ID.Life concept (below) previewed the car’s look, and its boxy styling and minimalist interior are likely to be carried over to the production model, although its powertrain almost certainly won’t. We expect the 231bhp electric motor will be dialled back to a more reasonable level, to make the most of the car’s 54kWh battery pack.
3 BMW M3 Touring
Price: From £78,000 (est) On sale: Late 2022
KEEN drivers wanting space and pace should look no further than the M3 Touring. Designed to cash in on the success of go-faster estates such as the Audi RS 4, the BMW will pack the same 503bhp turbocharged 3.0-litre as the M3 saloon, as well the option of xDrive four-wheel drive.
No official figures have been released yet, but expect the Touring to blast from 0-62mph in less than four seconds, while the boot should be able to handle up to 500 litres of luggage. There will also be subtle tweaks to the suspension to compensate for the Touring body’s extra weight, while ensuring it drives with the same precision and engagement as the four-door.
4 ASTON MARTIN DBX707
Price: From £200,000 (est) On sale: Summer 2022
HOW do you make one of the best luxury SUVs even better? If you’re Aston Martin, you add more power to make one of the fastest off-roaders around. Packing 697bhp from its heavily reworked twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8, the bruising Brit claims 0-62mph in a supercar-slaying 3.3 seconds.
The three-chamber air-suspension and active anti-roll system have been tweaked to enhance agility, while carbon-ceramic brakes are standard. There’s also a new, faster-acting nine-speed auto gearbox. Finally, the car has a bespoke front grille, bonnet vents and the option of 23-inch wheels.
5 ALFA ROMEO small e-SUV
Price: From £30,000 (est) On sale: Late 2024
ALFA is late to the EV party, but is hoping its first battery-powered model will charge to the top of the class when it arrives. The small all-electric SUV is the first model to be developed using know how from parent firm Stellantis, meaning it’s likely to use the same e-CMP platform as cars such as the Vauxhall Corsa-e and Peugeot e-2008.
Expect more power from the 134bhp motor, an enhanced range and a chassis tuned to deliver more driver fun and greater refinement. While this Alfa will be able to make near-silent progress, distinctive design cues heavily influenced by the larger Tonale mean it should still turn heads.
6 ALPINE R5
Price: From £32,000 (est) On sale: 2025
FANS of fast French hatchbacks are in for a treat in 2025, when Alpine reveals a go-faster version of the forthcoming all-electric Renault 5. It’s been almost five decades since the sportscar brand first worked its magic on a souped-up version of Renault’s original supermini, but this all-new model is ready to roll back the years.
Featuring a 215bhp electric motor that drives the front wheels, it should cover 0-62mph in less than six seconds. There will also be a wider track, with lowered and stiffened suspension for agile handling, while the exterior will pay homage to the mid-engined Renault 5 Turbo of the eighties.
7 AUDI A6 E-TRON
Price: From £50,000 (est) On sale: Early 2023
WITH 20 new all-electric models due over the next three years, Audi is charging ahead with its EV future. Next in line after the Q6 e-tron is the A6 e-tron, which was previewed in concept form at the 2021 Shanghai Motor Show.
Featuring a sleek Sportback coupé-inspired design, the A6’s 100kWh battery and slippery 0.22Cd aerodynamics promise a range of up to 430 miles. There will be rear-wheel and quattro four-wheel drive versions, while the performance flagship is said to cover 0-62mph in less than three seconds.
8 MINI Crossover
Price: From £28,000 (est) On sale: 2024
TIPPED to occupy the space in the company’s line-up once filled by the short-lived three-door Paceman, a new compact MINI crossover (almost certainly with five doors) will be revealed in 2023 – and it will be a fully electric model.
Borrowing its platform from the pure-electric version of the next-generation Hatch, it will also be produced in China for global export, but no petrol-powered option is thought to be in the pipeline. The new MINI crossover will rival models such as the Peugeot e-2008 and the Vauxhall Mokka-e, taking advantage of the gap in the British firm’s range left behind by the next Countryman, which will grow in size.
9 BMW 8 SERIES/M8
Price: From £72,225 On sale: Now
IT’S all change for the 8 Series, with BMW’s luxury flagship being treated to a mid-life update. The Coupé, Convertible and more versatile Gran Coupé models all get a subtly reprofiled nose and rear diffuser, while the M Sport bodykit is now standard.
There’s the same 328bhp 3.0-litre straight-six for the 840i and 523bhp 4.4-litre V8 for the M850i, but the diesel-powered 840d is no more. Inside, there’s a wider range of high-grade materials, plus a larger infotainment screen. The M8 flagship gets the same upgrades, but its 616bhp V8 is unchanged.
FAST FACT
IF you’re quick, you could bag one of the 99 ‘comic strip livery’ Gran Coupés based on the 850i and designed by artist Jeff Koons.
10 RENAULT Mégane E-Tech Electric
Price: £35,000 (est) On sale: Now
THE first fruit of the ‘Renaulution’ strategy, the Mégane E-Tech Electric is a radically styled rival to the Volkswagen ID.3 and Nissan Leaf. It will offer a choice of 40kWh or 60kWh batteries, with ranges of up to 186 and
