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There are over 50 new models scheduled to come out in 2020 alone and there’s something for absolutely everyone.
Ferrari is planning to release its most accessible car to date, Kia will again prove small and cheap doesn’t always mean basic, and we'll get the all-new Land Rover Defender (pictured).
If it’s an electric car you’re looking for, there are several in the pipeline. Or, how about a 600bhp SUV? There will be more than one available by the end of 2020, including a model that seats seven adults.
Here is a comprehensive guide to the new cars automakers will release to the world in 2020 and beyond. The date noted is the date we believe the vehicle will first be available to drive away from a dealership:
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EARLY 2020: Audi RS 6 Avant
The RS6 places 591bhp under the driver’s right foot thanks to a 4.0-litre V8 that’s twin-turbocharged and bolted to an eight-speed automatic transmission. It takes 3.6sec to hit 60mph from stationary thanks in part to some of the fattest rubber we’ve ever seen on an estate. And it will be the first RS6 ever to be sold in America. We’ve recently driven it and gave it the thumbs up.
Don’t fret if you’re a fan of fast Audis but you can’t get your mind around a wagon. The second-generation RS 7 Sportback will also arrive in showrooms in early 2020 with the exact same powertrain dropped in a sleeker, fastback-like package.
PICTURE: Actual car
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EARLY 2020: Aston Martin Vantage Roadster
The convertible variant of the Aston Martin Vantage will arrive in time for spring. It will look just like its fixed-roof sibling with the exception of a power-retractable canvas top. Both versions of the Vantage will share an AMG-sourced, 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged to 503bhp.
PICTURE: Autocar spyshot
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EARLY 2020: BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé
BMW told Autocar it couldn’t make the 2 Series Gran Coupé rear-wheel drive due to packaging constraints - consequently front-wheel drive is sported. It’s essentially a third-generation 1 Series in saloon form, but it relies on serious electronic wizardry to deliver sporty, engaging handling.
We drove the 228i xDrive and the M235i xDrive in prototype form and concluded that, while neither is as lively as a rear-drive 2 Series, both behave like proper sport saloons. We liked the 2’s intuitive tech features, too.
PICTURE: Actual car
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EARLY 2020: Chevrolet Corvette (C8)
The Chevrolet Corvette entered its eighth generation after undergoing a radical redesign that turned it into a low-slung, mid-engined two-seater with supercar-like specs and a shockingly affordable price tag. The 483bhp, V8-powered Corvette Stingray was delayed by the four-week long GM strike but Chevrolet remains on track to deliver the first examples during the first quarter of 2020.
PICTURE: Actual car
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EARLY 2020: Jaguar F-Type
Jaguar gave the F-Type comprehensive updates inside, outside and under the hood. While it’s not an entirely new model, it wears a more muscular-looking design and its cabin receives a tech-focused makeover that brings a new infotainment system.
The F-Type follows the rest of the Jaguar range’s shift away from V6 engines. The V6 is no longer available in Europe – it’s now a question of a four-cylinder or V8 engine, while both rear- and all-wheel drive remain available.
PICTURE: Actual car
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EARLY 2020: Mercedes-Benz EQC
After several false starts, Mercedes-Benz is finally ready to launch its electric car offensive. The first standalone member of its newly-founded EQ sub-brand is the EQC, which is loosely related to the GLC. It’s a 402bhp electric SUV that will join Tesla’s growing list of nightmares when it arrives in early 2020.
PICTURE: Actual car
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EARLY 2020: Mercedes-Benz GLB
As its name clearly implies, the Mercedes-Benz GLB fills the void that separates the GLA from the GLC. It’s built on the same front-wheel drive platform as other compact Mercedes models but stylists gave it a brawnier design that’s loosely reminiscent of the mighty G-Class. While buyers like rugged designs, one of the GLB’s main selling points is its ability to seat seven in a relatively constrained footprint.
Mercedes will offer the GLB 250 with either front- or all-wheel drive. The sportier GLB 35 (pictured) will arrive a little bit later in 2020 with 302bhp.
PICTURE: Actual car
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EARLY 2020: Mini Electric
Mini experimented with electric technology for over a decade before releasing its first series-produced battery-powered model. Due out in March 2020, the Mini Electric is an electric version of the two-door hatchback normally available with a petrol engine. The battery pack inevitably adds a lot of weight to a car known for being rather light, but Mini pledged its engineers went to great lengths to retain the go-kart-like handling that defines the model.
The car’s maximum range should check in at 150 miles, and Mini has stressed it developed the model with urban use in mind.
PICTURE: Actual car
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EARLY 2020: Porsche Taycan
Though it went on sale in late 2019, the long-awaited electric Porsche Taycan won’t begin arriving in showrooms until early 2020. The range will initially include three models named 4S, Turbo and Turbo S, respectively, but we expect Porsche will flesh it out like it has done with its other models. We could ultimately see a Taycan GTS, for example, or a base model without a suffix.
There are many options still on the table with the notable exception of a piston-powered engine. The Taycan is all electric, all the time and it will remain that way through its production run. We drove it recently and reckon it may well be the best electric car in the world right now.
PICTURE: Actual car
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EARLY 2020: Tesla Model Y
Tesla will expand its range of electric cars with a crossover named Model Y built using Model 3 components. It’s taller than the 3 it’s based on so it’s more spacious inside but the two cars share most parts in the cabin, including the giant dashboard-mounted touchscreen. Its maximum driving range will vary from up to 230 miles in the base model to about 300 in the long-range variant.
Model Y deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2020, though Tesla has made delays one of its trademarks.
PICTURE: Actual car
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EARLY 2020: Honda E
The E is the new five door electric car from Honda. Built on Honda’s new bespoke electric car platform, energy will be supplied to a single motor by a high-density, lightweight battery pack.
At entry-level the E has 134bhp and promises a single-charge range of around 136 miles. It’ll be priced from £26,160 in the UK.
PICTURE: Actual car
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EARLY 2020: Vauxhall/Opel Corsa
The new Corsa will be the first all-new car released under Vauxhall’s new owner, PSA. It makes use of PSA's Common Modular Platform (CMP), an architecture that’s also set to underpin its mechanically similar Peugeot 208 sibling, which arrives before the Corsa. We drove the new Corsa recently and found it more mature all-round, with decent handling and a much-improved interior.
There will also be an all-electric model, the Corsa-e, with a range of over 200 miles promised.
PICTURE: Actual car
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EARLY 2020: Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet
Recently unveiled, this new car fills the SUV-cabriolet gap left by the recently discontinued Range Rover Evoque Convertible. Though it shares much with the T-Roc, it has a mostly new structure to aid rigidity. It will be the only mainstream convertible SUV when it goes on sale.
Two petrol engines will be offered: a 113bhp 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine and a 148bhp 1.5-litre four-cylinder unit, the latter available with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
PICTURE: Actual car
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EARLY 2020: Volkswagen Golf
Recently unveiled, the eighth-generation Golf will move upmarket to carve out a distinctive new niche in the family hatchback segment. While the design is best described evolutionary, it will have levels of fuel-saving technology, connectivity, autonomous driving capability and refinement which is intended to render the mainstream competition second best.
The Golf will be permanently connected to the internet, and will feature advanced autonomous technology. Talking about the set-up, Volkswagen has said: “It will always be online and its digital cockpit and assistance systems will be the benchmark in terms of connectivity and safety."
PICTURE: Actual car
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MID 2020: Fiat 500
In a radical departure, a new Fiat 500 will make use of a space-maximising ‘suicide’ door arrangement, as our image (above) suggests. As on the BMW i3, a pair of small rear hinged rear doors are expected to be used to improve access and allow the model to compete with premium superminis such as the five-door Mini, and it will be electric-powered.
The conventionally-powered existing 500 will however continue on sale.
PICTURE: Autocar artist impression
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MID 2020: Mercedes-Benz C-Class
We spotted the next generation C-Class testing at the Nürburgring earlier in 2019. We understand that the bulk of the changes are focused more on under the skin advancements than a big external revamp. Insiders suggest it will offer new autonomous driving functions, including hands-off driving at speeds of up to 81mph.
PICTURE: Autocar spy shot
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MID 2020: Audi RS Q8
With 591bhp on tap, the Audi RS Q8 is only a few tenths of a second slower than the mid-engined R8 in the 0-60mph race. The sprint requires 3.8sec. Getting to 124mph takes 13.7sec and the twin-turbocharged, 4.0-litre V8 continues accelerating until the speedometer shows 189mph. The RS Q8 is one of the most impressive entries in the burgeoning high-performance SUV segment we’ve seen so far.
PICTURE: Actual car
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MID 2020: BMW 4 Series
There’s a big question mark hovering above the second-generation BMW 4 Series. The cars released recently by the Munich-based carmaker have all worn a gigantic grille and no one knows quite how big the 4’s will be. What’s certain is that the model will again be available as a coupé, a convertible and a four-door called Gran Coupé and we expect to find four- and six-cylinder engines on its powertrain palette. BMW will likely present it during the 2020 edition of the Geneva motor show.
The next 4 Series will spawn the second-generation M4 which will arrive later in 2020 with about 500bhp under the bonnet. Rear-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission will come standard.
PICTURE: Autocar spy shot
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MID 2020: Volkswagen ID 3
Not just an important car for VW, this is an important car for the world – an all-electric ‘people’s electric car’, with a decent range and an affordable price. Based on VW’s modular electric platform, MEB, the ID 3 promises ample space, and range between 249 and 373 miles depending on which battery pack you choose.
PICTURE: Actual car
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MID 2020: Audi A3
The fourth-generation of the A3 hatchback will be based on an updated MQB platform, similar to the current A4. It will grow in size slightly and will offer more equipment. Three and four-cylinder turbocharged petrol and, in Europe, diesel engines will be available. A mild hybrid system will also be offered, and it will sell in all major markets.
As before, we’ll get it as both a five-door hatchback and a saloon, but no longer as a three-door nor a convertible.
PICTURE: Autocar spyshot
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MID 2020: BMW iX3
The BMW iX3 will be fashionably late to the electric SUV segment when it makes its debut halfway through 2020. It’s the German company’s answer to the Audi E-Tron, the Jaguar I-Pace and the Mercedes-Benz EQC. Unlike its rivals, however, BMW chose not to start from scratch.
The iX3 will be an electric version of the X3 with a handful of powertrain-specific design cues. Driving range and horsepower will be released closer to its on-sale date.
PICTURE: Autocar spy shot
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MID 2020: Ferrari Roma
Ferrari hopes to reach new customers with the Roma, a 612bhp coupé characterised by a design that puts a greater emphasis on elegance than on performance. It’s less aggressive to look at than most of Ferrari’s other models and Autocar has learned it will also be less aggressive to drive. If there was ever a gateway Ferrari supercar, this is it. Don’t expect it to be less aggressive on the wallet, though.
PICTURE: Actual car
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MID 2020: Ford Bronco
Ford is resurrecting one of its most emblematic nameplates to capitalise on America’s insatiable appetite for off-roaders. Figuring out what the Bronco will look like requires slashing our way through a jungle of rumors, spy shots and insider information. Here’s what we know for sure: it will use a body-on-frame architecture shared with the F-150, it will launch with two doors and it will come with a removable top.
It won’t be merely an American-spec Everest as some have often speculated; Ford’s official teaser image (pictured) confirms the Bronco will be the Jeep Wrangler’s first true rival. We expect the company will release a four-door model, too. Whether non-Americans will get it remains to be seen.
PICTURE: Ford teaser image
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MID 2022: Land Rover Defender
The new Defender is possibly the most anticipated new British model for many years. The Defender will be a family of vehicles based around two sizes, with versions ranging from basic utilitarian vehicles up to luxurious high-end models. One innovation: the three-door will be available as a six-seater, with three people riding up front. One welcome return: steel wheels.
High-end models are set to take it well into the pricing territory of the new Mercedes G-Class. We can’t wait to have a drive.
PICTURE: Actual car
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MID 2020: Lexus LC 500 Convertible
Lexus will step up its offensive against Mercedes-Benz and BMW when it releases the convertible variant of the LC in the summer of 2020. The Japanese company’s alternative to the drop-top variants of the S-Class and the 8 Series will launch with a 465bhp, 5.0-litre V8 engine but Lexus confirmed the hybrid powertrain offered on the coupé will not be available to convertible buyers.
Making the LC Convertible was more difficult than simply chopping off the roof panel; Lexus notably redesigned the rear suspension to keep weight in check. All told, the Convertible is merely 99kg heavier than the coupé it’s based on, which is remarkable considering the work involved.
PICTURE: Actual car
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MID 2020: McLaren Elva
Demand for McLaren’s limited-edition models continues to rise and the British company is more than happy to give enthusiasts what they want. Limited to 399 units worldwide, the Elva is named after a British manufacturer that teamed up with McLaren in the 1960s.
It offers drivers rear-wheel drive, 804bhp from a twin-turbocharged V8 and the bug-in-your-teeth experience that comes with driving a car not fitted with a windscreen.
PICTURE: Actual car
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MID 2020: Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 S
Mercedes-Benz’s biggest SUV will get AMG’s corporate V8 engine halfway through 2020. Unveiled at the 2019 Los Angeles motor show, the GLS 63 S boasts 603bhp from the twin-turbocharged, 4.0-litre eight and it can seat seven adults in relative comfort. This behemoth exits AMG’s workshop with the ability to reach 60mph from a stop in 4.1sec, which is shockingly quick for such a huge machine.
AMG will drop the same V8 in the smaller GLE. It’s scheduled to go on sale as the same time as the GLS.
PICTURE: Actual car
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MID 2020: Mercedes-Benz GLA
The Mercedes-Benz GLA will return for a second generation in the summer of 2020. It’s slightly shorter than its predecessor, which is unusual in an era when cars grow every time they’re renewed, and it’s also taller to offer passengers more headroom while looking more like an SUV. The familiar-looking sheet metal covers up the same front-wheel drive platform found under other Mercedes-badged compacts like the A-Class, the second-generation CLA and the seven-seater GLB.
At launch, the range will include two models named GLA 250 and GLA 35, respectively. Expect a hybrid variant to join the range a couple of months after the regular model begins appearing in showrooms.
PICTURE: Actual car
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MID 2020: Mini John Cooper Works GP
The quickest, most powerful street-legal model Mini has ever released made its debut at the 2019 Los Angeles motor show. The winged, Batmobile-esque design hides a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine turbocharged to make 302bhp, which is good for a 5.2sec sprint to 60mph, en route to a top speed of 164mph.
We suggest being even quicker than that if you want to put the John Cooper Works GP in your driveway. Production is limited to 3000 units globally and it’s expected to sell out quickly. UK prices start at £33,895.
PICTURE: Actual car
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MID 2020: Ferrari SF90 Stradale
The SF90 Stradale will be the most powerful and fastest-accelerating road car Ferrari has ever produced. It will also be first series-production plug-in hybrid Ferrari.
The heart of the car is Ferrari’s award-winning ‘F154’ twin-turbocharged V8, bored out from the 3902cc of the 488 Pista to 3990cc. Engineers claim a complete redesign, including new combustion, intake and exhaust systems, while a narrow cylinder head, with a Ferrari V8 first in a new 350-bar direct injection system, features.
PICTURE: Actual car
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MID 2020: Polestar 2
Volvo off-shoot Polestar will release the 2, its answer to the Tesla Model 3, about halfway through 2020. Made in China, the 2 is an electric family car with the proportions of a sedan and the ground clearance of an SUV. It’s almost a follow-up to the short-lived Volvo S60 Cross Country. Polestar has previously quoted a 275-mile driving range and 402bhp from a pair of electric motors.
While the CMA platform it’s built on can underpin gasoline-powered cars, like Volvo’s XC40, Polestar has no plans to offer the 2 with anything other than an electric powertrain.
PICTURE: Actual car
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LATE 2020: Mercedes-Benz EQA
Seen in concept form (pictured) at the 2017 Frankfurt show, this new compact EV saloon promises a 249-mile single-charge range and pricing broadly competitive with the likes of the Tesla Model 3 and upcoming Volkswagen ID 3. It will be built at an upgraded Smart factory in France.
PICTURE: Concept car
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LATE 2020: Mercedes-AMG One
A star of the 2017 Frankfurt motor show in concept form (pictured), we should see the production version of this race-car-for-the-road by the end of 2020. The Formula 1-derived 1.6-litre V6 will produce more than 1000bhp, although the specific figure is yet to be confirmed.
Despite the car’s price of approximately £2.4 million, AMG received 1100 requests from credible customers for the 275 units that will be built.
PICTURED: Preview concept car
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LATE 2020: Alfa Romeo Tonale
The Tonale concept that Alfa Romeo presented at the 2019 Geneva motor show is already on its way to production. Images covertly taken during a design presentation suggest its front-end styling has evolved since its introduction but its proportions and dimensions have stayed the same.
It will be positioned below the Stelvio as Alfa Romeo’s smallest SUV and it will become the entry point into its global range once the Giulietta finally retires. Expect nothing bigger than a four-cylinder under the bonnet.
PICTURE: Preview concept car
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LATE 2020: Aston Martin DBX
The DBX is Aston Martin’s first entry into the lucrative SUV segment so it’s consequently one of the most controversial cars the firm has ever released. While purists certainly won’t like it, it’s a model that makes an immense amount of sense from a business standpoint. SUVs are hotter than ever and the DBX has the power and the looks to lure customers away from rivals like Lamborghini and Bentley.
The DBX looks like the Aston Martin of the SUV world and it should accelerate like it thanks to a 542bhp evolution of the AMG-sourced V8 that powers the Vantage, among other models. It was designed to be used as a daily driver so buyers can even order an optional pet pack that includes a bumper mat to protect the paint from scratches and a portable washer so your pooch won’t get mud on the leather.
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LATE 2020: Audi E-Tron Sportback
The electric E-Tron’s swoopier sibling wears the Sportback nameplate, which is par for the course when it comes to the Audi line-up. The two models share nearly everything under the sheet metal, including a 95kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a pair of electric motors, but the Sportback stands out with a fastback-like roof line that positions it as a rival to the BMW X6 and the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé. Motorists can expect to achieve about 220 miles of range in normal driving conditions.
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LATE 2020: BMW M3
BMW is remaining silent about the next generation M3 but it’s a difficult car to keep under wraps. We’ve seen a photo of it undisguised in what looks like a testing facility and we hear it’s scheduled to make its official debut during the 2020 Geneva motor show. Insiders suggest the model will receive an updated version of BMW’s latest 3.0-litre straight-six engine turbocharged to about 495bhp.
Rumors pointed to all-wheel drive and/or some form of electrification but it sounds like BMW has decided not to add either in order to save weight. Rear-wheel drive it is, then. Transmission options will include an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic and an enthusiast-approved six-speed manual.
PICTURE: Spy shot
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LATE 2020: Ford Baby Bronco
Colloquially called the Baby Bronco, this boxy crossover will fill some of the gaps Ford created when it started plucking hatchbacks and sedans from its American line-up. Its design will draw inspiration from the bigger Bronco but the sheet metal will hide a unibody platform likely shared with the Escape.
The Baby Bronco will be more capable off-road than the crossover it’s based on and it will look the part, too. It may come to Europe and other places outside the US.
PICTURE: Autocar spy shot
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LATE 2020: Mercedes-Benz S-Class
We spotted this next-generation car out testing earlier in 2019 and were intrigued to see it contained a giant touch-screen instead of the usual button-strewn S-Class dash. We expect a range of plug-in hybrid powertrain options.
PICTURE: Autocar spyshot
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LATE 2020: Ford F-150
As of 2019, the Ford F-150 is one of the oldest full-size pickups truck available in the United States. The company needs to maintain its decades-long sales lead - and over $40 billion in annual F-150 sales - at all costs so it’s pulling out all the stops to bring the next-generation F-150 to the market by late 2020. An updated version of the current truck’s underpinnings will be hidden by new sheet metal styled with an eye on the 2020s.
Bigger changes will be found under the bonnet. Ford will offer the F-150 with electric and plug-in hybrid powertrains for the first time to fend off competition from Rivian. The hybrid model will arrive before 2020 but the electric powertrain might not appear until 2021 at the earliest. Petrol- and diesel-burning engines will continue to be available; a 4.8-litre V8 will notably replace the venerable 5.0-litre.
PICTURE: Autocar spy shot
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LATE 2020: Ford Mustang Mach-E
Years in the making, Ford’s Mustang Mach-E shares nothing more than a name and a handful of styling cues with the two-door sports car introduced in 1964. We’re told its chassis was tuned with performance and handling in mind, and Autocar’s Andrew Frankel reported it felt composed through the slalom course in spite of its hefty weight after riding shotgun in one in Los Angeles.
The Mustang Mach-E is Ford’s answer to the Tesla Model Y and it was developed as an electric car from the ground up. You won’t find a V8 on the list of powertrain options. Instead, buyers will be asked to choose between rear- and all-wheel drive, a standard- or a long-range battery pack, and anywhere between 254bhp and 459bhp depending on the configuration. Driving range varies from 210 to 300 miles.
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LATE 2020: Hyundai Tucson
Tucson sales have sky-rocketed in most markets recent years. Hyundai will try keeping the momentum going with a new, more stylish model improved in every way. Designers took the front end in a bolder direction but they didn’t make significant changes to the model’s proportions. It should still stand out as one of the roomier models in its competitive set.
Expect a nicer interior with more tech features and new engine options to round out the changes coming.
PICTURE: Autocar spy shot
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LATE 2020: Jeep Grand Cherokee
The current, fourth-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee will pass the torch to its successor shortly after celebrating its 10th birthday in 2020. It will move away from the Mercedes-Benz ML-sourced platform and instead ride on a bigger version of the Giorgio architecture that underpins the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, among others. The change will make it bigger (and correspondingly roomier) in every direction.
The next Grand Cherokee will be one of the first cars to use FCA’s upcoming turbocharged straight-six engine. It will rely on a 48-volt mild hybrid system to keep fuel economy in check.
PICTURE: Autocar spy shot
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LATE 2020: Kia Sorento
Spotted towing a BMW X5 through the Alps, the next Kia Sorento will cater to buyers who need three rows of seats in a package smaller than the giant US market’s Telluride. It will follow the rest of the Kia range’s shift towards more stylish exteriors and interiors that rival luxury brands in build quality.
PICTURE: Autocar spy shot
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LATE 2020: Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600
Mercedes-Maybach has turned the seven-seater GLS into a palace on wheels with space for four or five passengers. While it was primarily developed for the Chinese market, where chauffeur-driven commuters love the Maybach brand, it will make its debut in most major markets in 2020.
In the past, the 600 nameplate has denoted a powerful V12. That’s no longer the case; the heavily chromed grille hides the familiar twin-turbocharged, 4.0-litre V8 found in a growing number of models. It makes 550bhp in this application. Pricing hasn’t yet been announced, but it won’t be cheap.
PICTURE: Actual car
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LATE 2020: Rivian R1T
For a while, everyone assumed Tesla would become the first carmaker to offer a full-size electric pickup. Rivian emerged from stealth mode in 2018 and announced plans to beat its California-based rival to the punch with a battery-powered truck that looks ready for adventure. The R1T concept will allegedly reach production with only minor visual and powertrain changes. The specification sheet lists up to 400 miles of range and at least 700 horsepower in the truck’s most expensive configuration.
Rivian can talk the talk; time will tell if it can walk the walk. It’s planning to simultaneously build the R1T and a similar SUV named R1S in a former Mitsubishi factory it purchased in Illinois starting in late 2020. It’s counting on major investments from Ford and Amazon to ramp up production.
PICTURE: Autocar spyshot
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LATE 2020: Rolls-Royce Ghost
Although this prototype is fully covered by camouflage, it’s obvious that it will take a well-trained eye to tell the next-generation Rolls-Royce Ghost apart from its predecessor. Due out in late 2020, the model will look like a Rolls-Royce, it will accelerate like one and it will ride like one but its handling might surprise you.
The British company is spending time on the Nürburgring to make the next Ghost sportier. It’s not giving up comfort but it sees performance as the key to attracting younger buyers.
PICTURE: Autocar spy shot
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LATE 2020: Volkswagen ID.4
The ID.4 will be the second model Volkswagen builds on the modular MEB architecture it developed specifically to underpin electric cars. This Tiguan-sized people-mover was loosely previewed by the 2017 ID Crozz concept but it will arrive in showrooms with a boxier, more SUV-like roof line that clears up additional space for people and gears inside. Expect rear- and all-wheel drive variants to be available when it reaches showrooms in late 2020.
And, while ID.4 production will begin in Germany, Volkswagen will also build the EV in its Chattanooga, Tennessee, factory starting in 2022.
PICTURE: Autocar spy shot
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LATE 2020: Volkswagen Golf R
We’ve only just seen the new Golf for the first time, and we still await to see what the Golf GTi variant will look like, but we do know that the all-wheel drive R model will make a comeback. Our exclusive rendering shows what it could look like when it reaches showrooms in late 2020.
While we think the standard R will get a 320bhp engine, we also believe there will be a R Plus model as well, delivering up to 400bhp – both from just 2.0-litre turbocharged engines.
PICTURE: Autocar artist
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LATE 2020: Nissan X-Trail
Nissan stylists walked a fine line as they redesigned the X-Trail. It’s one of the best-selling models in the United States (where it’s known as the Nissan Rogue) and it’s also in one of the market’s most competitive segments, so there’s no room for mistakes and no time for do-overs. It looks like the next-generation model due in showrooms in late 2020 gets a more daring design that falls in line with other additions to the Nissan range, like the second-generation Juke that won’t be sold in America, but its overall proportions don’t change. We expect the hybrid model axed for the 2020 model year will make a comeback.
The interior will receive a digital makeover. The infotainment system’s screen is bigger than the one in the current Rogue and Nissan will make a digital, driver-configurable instrument cluster available.
PICTURE: Autocar spy shot
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2021: Jaguar J-Pace
The new Jaguar J-Pace will be larger and more upmarket than the existing F-Pace and I-Pace SUVs. The J-Pace is also expected to be offered as a pure EV and is unlikely to be made public until early 2021.
PICTURE: Autocar artist impression
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2021: Maserati Alfieri
After being delayed, the Alfieri sports car will be unveiled at the 2020 Geneva motor show and go on sale the following year. The powertrain options on the Alfieri will include an electric version, which will use a tri-motor, four-wheel drive system with torque vectoring and 800V battery technology, and a plug-in hybrid.
PICTURE: Preview concept
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2021: BMW i4
The i4 will be the next all-new launch from BMW’s i brand. The i4 will be an all-electric ‘notchback’. We expect it to be heavily influenced by the BMW i Vision Dynamics concept car shown at the 2017 Frankfurt auto show. We reckon the car will be unveiled in 2020 and go on sale in 2021.
It’ll get design cues from the 4 Series Concept seen at the 2019 Frankfurt auto show, and reportedly a range of as much as 374 miles.
PICTURE: Autocar spyshot
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2021: ‘Road Rover’
Land Rover heads to new horizons with a more car-like Land Rover. A vehicle we dub the ‘Road Rover’ will probably wear a Range Rover badge in production. It will also be the firm’s first purely battery electric vehicle.
It will have an allroad-style estate body and deliver a capable, rather than outstanding, off-road performance. Its sister car will be the next Jaguar XJ, that brand’s first electric limousine.
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2021: Mercedes-Benz EQS
Jaguar and Tesla aren’t going to have the EV luxury executive market to themselves. Unveiled as a preview concept at the Frankfurt motor show in September (pictured), we’ll see this new Mercedes available to buy in 2021. It’s designed to attract new customers to the brand, rather than refugees from the S-Class.
A full 470bhp is said to be on tap, rapid 0-62mph acceleration of 4.5 seconds, 400+ miles single-charge range, and 350kW recharging to 80% capacity in just 20 minutes.
PICTURE: Preview concept car
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EARLY 2021: Jeep Grand Wagoneer
Jeep will position the born-again Grand Wagoneer above the Grand Cherokee as its range-topping model. We’ve heard a lot about the SUV over the past few years; the firm went as far as comparing upmarket variants to the Range Rover. While concrete details are few and far between, we’re nearly certain it will borrow a frame from the Ram 1500 pickup and top it with a body that could share some styling cues with the original Grand Wagoneer. Our exclusive rendering sheds light on what it might look like. Don’t expect the wood paneling to come back but it’s so iconic that stylists might create a modern interpretation of it and make it available on some trim levels.
Jeep will also offer a cheaper (and possibly slightly smaller) variant of the Grand Wagoneer badged Wagoneer. While range-topping trims might indeed knock on the Range Rover’s door, more mundane variants will compete against the Chevrolet Tahoe and the Ford Expedition.
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MID 2021: Ford Mustang
Designing a Ford Mustang for the 2020s is a Herculean task. The model carries decades of heritage that can’t be ignored but it nonetheless needs to comply with looming safety and emissions regulations. Stylists need to strike a balance between the current car’s retro-flavored lines (pictured) and a design that will age gracefully during the 2020s. And, to complicate the matter, Ford’s emblematic pony car competes in a segment of the market that’s shrinking as buyers flock towards high-riding models.
Talk about a tall order. Ford has until 2021 to figure it out. It already confirmed a hybrid system built around the Mustang GT’s V8 engine will be available and we’re betting all-wheel drive will appear on the list of drivetrain configurations for the first time.
PICTURE: Outgoing Ford Mustang
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2022: Range Rover Mk5
The next-generation Range Rover is intended to eclipse a new era of luxury rivals which have launched in its class since the luxury SUV’s last major model change in 2012. It will use a new architecture, delivering major weight saving, though its size will be similar. An evolutionary design is expected, but don’t expect an electric version at launch.
We spotted a test mule out testing in the summer of 2019 (pictured); we gather this one sports a 4.4-litre BMW V8, since the 5.0-litre engine currently being used will become unavailable when the Ford plant at Bridgend in Wales closes in 2020.
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2022: Ferrari SUV
Codenamed Purosangue, Ferrari claims its new SUV will redefine the luxury SUV class. Based on a unique platform, Ferrari claims it will offer Ferrari-performance combined with space, comfort and practicality of an SUV. What the power options will be is open to question, though both V6s and V12s have been suggested.
Key competitors include the likes of the new Aston Martin DBX SUV.
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2022: Small Jeep
A new small Jeep model to sit below the Renegade has recently been confirmed by the company. The compact-sized Jeep will launch by 2022 and will become the entry point into the Jeep range.
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2022: Lotus SUV
Even the famed British maker of lightweight sports cars can’t ignore the SUV trend. Luckily in China’s Geely it has an owner to make it happen. We expect the car will be based on the SPA platform as used on the XC60 and XC90 models from sister company Volvo, and to have a hybrid option.
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2022: Lagonda SUV
Aston Martin is reviving its Lagonda marque as an EV-only luxury brand. Previewed as a concept at the 2019 Geneva show, it should go on sale in 2022 and the company promises a private-jet like vehicle experience, a single-charge range of 400 miles and rapid wireless recharging in just 15 minutes. It’ll be built at Aston’s new factory in South Wales at St Athan.
PICTURE: Preview concept car
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