All the most important cars coming this year & beyond

These are the cars we reckon are the ones to watch, illustrated by our spy shots and artist impressions of how they may look:

Even a sports car firm like Alpine can’t ignore SUVs for ever. Unveiled as a concept car in October 2024 this car will go on sale later in 2025. A sister car to the Nissan Ariya, we expect a range of around 310 miles.

Alpine will crown its electric sports car line-up with the A310 – a 2+2 tourer that will put the French firm toe to toe with the likes of Porsche, Maserati and Lotus.

Tipped by Alpine to be “an icon of future sports cars”, the new EV will arrive in 2028 and serve as a flagship for an expanded all-electric Alpine line-up.

The DB12 has been around since 2023, and we recently spotted a new top-of-the-range AMR model testing at the Nürburgring; we expect this to launch towards the end of 2025.

Audi is considering a new model that revives the spirit of some of its most iconic sports cars - and the original TT is cited as a key potential source of inspiration.

Having retired the TT and R8 in the past 18 months, Audi is currently without a dedicated two-door sports car in its line up for the first time in decades. But CEO Gernot Döllner has suggested that a new coupe might be a good idea, and new Audi design boss Massimo Frascella is a big fan of the original TT.

Audi’s new third-generation Q7 SUV is set to arrive in dealerships in later 2025. It will be powered by petrol and diesel engines; Audi has been revising its schedule recently, and it looks like it will continue selling conventional ICE cars for longer than previously thought. A fast SQ7 version is also being developed (pictured right).

Alongside the new Q7, a new larger three-row Q9 model will arrive, probably in 2026. We recently spotted the high performance SQ9 model hurtling around the Nürburgring, wheels in the air…

We spotted a range of new Audi models testing recently in the Arctic Circle. This model is the new A6 Allroad, and will have conventional engine options. All-wheel drive is standard, and we expect the car to arrive in 2025.

Audi Sport is to resurrect the RS6 saloon as an electric-powered rival to the likes of the recently unveiled BMW i5 M60 saloon and the Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 saloon.

It should arrive in 2025. There will be an RS6 Avant estate version too.

The new Q5 may have been unveiled but the new Q3 remains under cover and we recently spotted it out testing in Germany. It’s longer than the current Q3, and has very different headlights and rear lights. We expect to see it on sale later in 2025. Audi is also launching a Sportback variant (pictured right).

The new Audi RS5 Avant is due in 2025 as a fast sports estate that will kick off a move into electrification by the Audi Sport performance division. The first plug-in hybrid from Audi Sport will be a successor to today’s 2.9-litre V6 RS4. It will keep that engine, but the additional electric motor should boost power beyond the 444bhp currently available. In our new spy shots, the two RS oval tailpipes can be seen close to the centre, unlike previous Audi RS models.

… And we’ve spotted the RS5 saloon too.

Bentley’s first electric vehicle will arrive in 2026. The SUV will be one of 10 EV and plug-in hybrid models to be launched in the space of a decade.

The first EV from Bentley had been due in 2025 but, like other car firms, Bentley has pushed its timescales back, including its ambition to become electric-only, which is now set for 2035.

BMW was pleased with the reaction to its Skytop concept car in 2024, so it’s signed off a production version, though only 50 will be produced and sold to favoured customers. It’s based on the 8 Series platform.

In these photos we see the roadster testing at the Nürburgring; we expect it will receive a V8 engine from the M8 Competition, good for around 616bhp.

The BMW M3 will return for a seventh generation with the choice of either a straight-six turbo petrol engine or a high-tech EV powertrain with huge power and unprecedented dynamic ability.

Due by early 2028, the next M3 is being engineered for both powertrains in a bid to maximise its appeal and in line with BMW’s ongoing commitment to combustion power. In our photos the new M3 EV can be seen testing at the Nürburgring in Germany, where we spotted it a few days ago.

BMW will soon begin testing the new iX3 SUV, its first model to feature the Neue Klasse design language, as final-stage prototypes have rolled off production lines in Germany.

The iX3 will be launched at the end of 2025.

The radical new electric BMW 3 Series has hit the Nürburgring for testing for the first time, as the company gears up to take on cars like the Tesla Model 3 in 2026.

Expected to revive the i3 name, the electric 3 Series will be the second model to use BMW's new Neue Klasse modular EV platform, following the launch of the closely related iX3 SUV in 2025.

The new car will also get a wagon version, and this photo shows what we think it will look like.

This car is rumoured to be BMW’s first electric M car. It has carbon-ceramic brakes to match what we can only assume is rapid acceleration. The prototype shows a grille design similar to the M3 CS and M4 CSL. Expect this to be launched in 2025.

While Mercedes and Audi may be leaving the small car space, with both the A-Class and A1 not being replaced, BMW remains committed to this market and will relaunch the 1 Series as an Electric Vehicle in 2028.

We recently spotted the next generation X5 testing on the public road for the first time, in Munich. It looks like the model also adopts the new BMW ‘Neue Klasse’ design language.  Most recently, we also spotted it at BMW’s winter testing location in Sweden, where it got stuck in the snow. We expect this new model in 2026.

Cadillac has already unveiled its Optiq compact SUV, and we recently spotted a new high-performance Optiq V version testing in Michigan. We expect it to be unveiled later in 2025.

Four prototypes of the Chevrolet Corvette C8 Zora recently arrived at the Nürburgring for testing. This new high-performance C8 will be the second model to receive a hybrid system, following the C8 E-Ray, but the main power comes from a twin-turbo 5.5-litre V8. Expect total power of around 1000bhp, and we expect it on sale in the summer of 2025.

Volkswagen is developing a new small electric car to be called ID.2, and Cupra is developing a version of it too. Expect it in 2025.

We spotted the car we believe is the Roma facelift – to be called Roma M - testing in Maranello, the hometown of Ferrari in Italy. The prototype is very heavily camouflaged and only the daytime running lights shine through the camouflage. Similar in size to the current model, the interior was also camouflaged and appears to be new. Expect this car in 2025 or 2026.

We had assumed the first Ferrari EV would be a sports car, but we recently spotted the car out testing wearing modified Maserati Levante bodywork. So it could well be that the first Ferrari EV will in fact be an SUV. It will be unveiled on 9 October 2025.

Fiat will launch all-new versions of the 500 and Panda as the foundations for an  expanded range that will enable the brand to break out into larger vehicles over the next five years.

Both electric and hybrid versions of the 500 will be replaced in 2029 and now built in Turin, Italy. In 2030, a replacement for the Panda will follow, also with both powertrain options but built at the Pomigliano plant in Naples, Italy.

We recently spotted this rugged Ford Ranger testing in Dearborn, Michigan, and we believe it’s the prototype for the 2026 Ranger Super Duty. Designed for serious off-roading, it’s being developed by Ford Australia and will be available globally.

Recently, we also spotted a single cab version winter-testing in northern Europe (pictured at top right).

Ford is planning a new range of small electric cars on a new platform which will bring successor vehicles to the Fiesta and Focus, and also for the next-generation Puma. The new cars will launch first in America in 2026 before coming to Europe. Ford boss Jim Farley has made it clear that he wants to be able to compete with both the upcoming Tesla Model 2 and the large number of cheap electric cars from China.

This SUV EV will be the flagship Genesis brand when it launches in 2026, and we recently spotted it testing near Arjeplog in northern Sweden. It’s a sister car to the new Hyundai Ioniq 9, and like that car will have three rows of seats and a healthy range of up to 385 miles.

We saw photos of the concept version of this car earlier in 2024, but now the production car is out testing in Germany. The Prelude will inherit the self-charging hybrid setup and CVT gearbox from the Civic. The car is expected to be launched in mid 2025, and it looks like being a model that’s globally available – we recently learned it will be sold in North America as well as Europe and Asia.

The Infiniti QX55 hasn’t been selling very well, and is set to be replaced by the QX65 coupe-SUV towards the end of 2025. It will get power from a 2.0-litre petrol engine; it will be built by Nissan at the company’s Tennessee factory – handy as that will help it evade new US import tariffs.

The Cherokee was axed from the Jeep lineup in 2023, partially because the new Compass had grown enough in size to compete with it. However, the new Cherokee adopts the new STLA platform, which means it will be larger than the previous model. We expect it to arrive as a hybrid, with a fully electric version coming later.

In our recent photos we even got a look at the interior (pictured right).

A new Jeep Compass will arrive in 2025. It will sit above the Avenger in the Jeep range, and be a sister car to the Peugeot 3008 and Opel/Vauxhall Grandland; it will be built in the Stellantis plant in Melfi, Italy.

The Kia Seltos is a medium SUV that is currently only sold in India and Korea. We recently saw the next generation Seltos testing in Sweden, and it remains to be seen if this new car will be available in more markets than just those two.

Land Rover is going to capitalise on the success of its Defender model by expanding its range and introducing a smaller electric-powered Sport model in 2027. It’s possible that this car will effectively replace the ageing Discovery Sport model in Land Rover’s range.

The next-generation Mazda CX-5 will receive an all-new petrol engine, marking the brand’s latest commitment to offering conventionally-powered cars for the foreseeable future. Mazda says the new unit would be named the Skyactiv-Z, and will comply with the tough new upcoming Euro 7 emissions standards, and that it will be paired with a hybrid system in the CX-5. We expect the new car in 2026 or 2027.

Mazda is going to launch a large all-electric SUV, to be called Mazda CX-6e, and we recently spotted it testing in Germany. We expect it launch in later 2025 or 2026.

The new CLA has already been revealed, and the model will get an estate (Shooting Brake) version too, and we recently spotted it out testing. We expect it to be unveiled in the autumn of 2025, and to go on sale in 2026. Like the CLA, it will have both EV and petrol options.

The new GT 4-Door Coupé will feature 1000bhp of power in an electric super-saloon that will begin testing soon. Arriving in 2025, this will likely be the firm’s most powerful road car yet.

We spotted it testing once again recently, and it’s certainly very low and very long.

Testing has started for the next generation GLB which will launch in 2026. The new model will be launched as either a petrol hybrid or EV. The prototype pictured here is electric.

The GLB will share a platform with the new CLA; both will be available with rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. The 800-volt architecture should be able to charge with up to 320 kW and generate a range of around 250 miles in 15 minutes. The long-range model with a large battery is expected to have a range of up to 466 miles.

The Mercedes GLC model will become an EV in 2026. We do know that the car will be based on the MB.EA platform and we gather it will have an architecture that will  allow a range of 440 miles and recharging to 186 miles in just 10 minutes.

The V-Class is going all-electric in 2026, and it will also look very different. Whether as a van for workers, a large-capacity taxi or a MPV for families, the new V-Class will be ultra-modern. It will also feature a large amount of autonomous driving technology.

Mercedes will use its new MB.EA platform to create the first all-electric C-Class model, due to arrive in 2026. The company is working hard to improve its efficiency, which should yield a range of over 400 miles.

Mercedes-AMG is working on a new electric GT SUV, which will be among the most powerful cars the brand has ever made, with around 1000bhp. It’s the first SUV that AMG has developed independent of Mercedes-Benz.

The SUV will be heavily focused on road-going performance but insiders have said that it will offer variable ride height control to improve ground clearance in off-road use. We expect the car to the on the road in 2027.

This will be a new small SUV EV that will get the rugged looks of the full-size G-Class but be sized for city driving. It will be sister car to the GLB and new CLA models. We expect it in 2027 or 2028.

Peugeot will launch a GTi variant of the e-208, the company has confirmed, with the fast small hatchback set to spearhead an effort to improve Peugeot’s reputation for making exciting small cars . It will be the first GTi model since the previous-generation Peugeot 308 ended production in 2021, and it will be Peugeot's first sporty electric car. It will be probably be a sister car to the new Abarth 600e.

The key feature of the sleek new Polestar 5 EV is that it will have ultra-fast charging. Using new battery technology, Polestar claims that the new car will charge to 80% at a peak charging rate of 370kW. We believe the most expensive versions may offer a range of 500 miles.

We spotted the forthcoming Porsche 983 Cayman during winter tests near the Arctic Circle. We originally expected this car in 2025, but the slowing market for electric cars combined with continuing good sales for the existing petrol-powered models has led it to be delayed. We now expect this model in 2026.

The next generation Porsche Cayenne is going all-electric. We saw some early Cayenne EVs testing at the Nürburgring in 2023, but we have recently spotted the car winter testing near the Arctic circle. Expect to see the car formally for the first time in 2025, as a 2026 model.

Alongside the new Cayenne EV, Porsche will also launch a Coupé version. We expect to see the car launched in late 2026. Recently it’s also started to be tested at the Nürburgring (pictured top left).

The first electric Range Rover will be crucial to finding sales volume and perhaps helping convert a new group of buyers to EVs. The company says 57,000 people have expressed an interest in buying the new model.

We recently spotted the new all-electric Range Rover EV testing at the Nürburgring. Most notably, this prototype has a completely redesigned grille from the current petrol and diesel version of the car. We expect the car to be on the road in late 2025.

In addition to the all-electric Range Rover Electric and the future Range Rover Velar Electric, the Range Rover Sport will also be available as an all-electric model. We expect the car to be on the road in late 2025, also.

We spotted the new Range Rover Velar EV testing recently. It currently looks like the Velar Mk2 will only be available as an EV, with no conventional engine offering. We expect the car to be unveiled early in 2026.

The next-generation Renault Clio is set to ditch pure-petrol engines and go hybrid-only when it arrives in 2025. It will also introduce several new design cues, as shown in our pictures of a new prototype spotted testing on public roads. These include a more prominent nose as well as twin-decked lip spoilers at the rear.

We will get a look at the electric future of the Skoda Octavia electric future with a new concept car at the Munich motor show in September 2025.

The estate concept will trial a new design direction for Skoda and showcase a next-generation architecture that will be rolled out across the Volkswagen Group’s future electric models. We expect the new Octavia EV to be on the road in 2026 or 2027.

Skoda has begun testing on its new 7-seat SUV electric vehicle. It will arrive in 2026 to compete with models like the Kia EV9.

Toyota is testing a road-going version of its new GT3 race car. We suspect it may be a successor to the famous Lexus LFA supercar, and as such may receive the name LFR. Our photographer watched as the car moved silently before a conventional engine kicked in, suggesting this car will be a hybrid, with a V8 engine.

Toyota has confirmed that it’s working on a new Celica, 18 years after production of the sports car ended. Discussion on reviving the model name has been rife for years and Autocar was told in 2023 that a reborn Celica was being considered as part of a new-era of electric Toyota sports cars. But now it’s official.

The Rav4 is one of the world’s best selling cars, and we recently spotted a new sixth generation model testing in Detroit. The new model gets an all-new design, along with an expected technology upgrade on the engine front:  The new RAV4 is expected to go all-hybrid with this new generation, both self-charging and plug-in. We expect to see it on sale in early 2026.

The new Volvo EX60, which is set to arrive in 2026, will be the first car to sit on an advanced new platform that is highly scalable and features advanced computing technology.

The EX60 will be a key model for Volvo’s electric switch as the EV equivalent of the hugely popular XC60 family SUV, which has long been the Swedish firm’s best-seller.

We believe Volkswagen is working a new version of the Golf R, and will use the famous Club Sport name. It will be the first time the Club Sport name has been used on a car other than the Golf GTi.

Expect big power (of at least 345bhp), lower weight, and handling tuned for the race track.

Volkswagen will introduce a full-hybrid system to the second-generation T-Roc, which will be unveiled at the Munich motor show in September 2025.

The move marks a shift in the German car maker’s electrification strategy as it responds to slower than expected EV sales.

Volkswagen could revive plans to launch a highly capable electric off-roader by using a new platform being developed by Scout Motors. The new American brand, owned by Volkswagen, is currently developing an SUV and a pick-up truck.

The Terra pick-up and Traveler SUV will both be offered with electric and range-extender powertrains and will benefit from software developed by Volkswagen’s new joint venture with Rivian. The models will be built at a new US plant under construction in South Carolina, and are due to be launched in around 2028.

Volkswagen is scheduled to reveal a chunky, supermini-sized electric crossover called the ID 2X at the Munich motor show in September 2025. Previewed as a concept car in 2024, the ID 2X is a higher-riding sibling to the Volkswagen Polo-sized ID 2, which is due to be launched later this year, and will effectively serve as an EV alternative to the T-Cross.

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