It’s 2020! A new year, a new decade and, according to a large number of people on my Facebook feed, “a new start”.
Whilst it will probably just be the same as last year, there is plenty to be excited about, especially in the automotive world. In no particular order, these are seven of the new cars coming out in 2020 that I cannot wait to see on our roads.
Audi RS6
Given that it’s predecessor is arguably the greatest and best looking estate of all time, this car has some seriously big shoes to fill. Thankfully Audi have been wise and built on a legend rather than replacing it completely.
For a start, it still looks absolutely incredible. A sporty bodykit, those gaping twin exhausts and the sheer size of the thing make it an eye-catcher to say the least.
The 4.0-litre V8 is tuned up to 592bhp and 590lb ft of torque and that power goes through all four wheels as it did before. A 48V mild hybrid system and cylinder deactivation increase efficiency.
The RS6 has a 0-62mph time of just 3.6 seconds and a 0-124mph time of an equally impressive 12 seconds. Top speed is limited to 155mph but it can be raised to 174mph. It can be raised again to 190mph if you wanted to spend £9200 on carbon ceramic brakes.
Toyota GR Yaris
Who would have ever thought the day would come that you could get excited by a Yaris? A bloody Yaris? Well, this one is far from anything the Yaris has ever been before.
Built with Gazoo Racing, a sub-brand of Toyota, it is completely bespoke and completely bonkers. Don’t believe me? They’ve fitted a 3-cylinder, 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine that puts out 260bhp through the lightest four-wheel drive system on the market!
Other ridiculous features include a carbon fibre roof that sits 95mm lower than normal and a “Circuit Pack” that comes with twin differentials offering limited slip and torque vectoring and stickier tyres on BBS alloys.
McLaren Speedtail
This one is, by far, the most expensive car on the list and rightly so. The McLaren Speedtail is being referred to as the spiritual successor to the legendary F1.
It’s unlike anything else on the market. The styling is futuristic, streamlined and unique and where the F1 had only one seat, this has three. It is powered by a hybrid V8 that puts out 1036bhp and gives it a top speed of 250mph.
Only 106 are going to be made and each one will cost a massive £2 million. I don’t know about you but that’s slightly out of my price range.
Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk8
Being a Volkswagen technician whose favourite car has been the incredible Mk1 Golf GTI since he was a boy, I may be slightly biased but either way, this is one of the most exciting new releases of the year.
Now VW have made a U-turn on the idea of making the GTI a hybrid, everyone knows what they can expect from the eighth generation of the iconic hatchback.
Power output from a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine will be around 250bhp, 0-62mph should be under 6 seconds and I’d guess the top speed will be limited to 155mph. If that’s not quite good enough for you, there will be a faster “TCR” variant soon after the release of the standard GTI.
In terms of styling, tweaks from the more basic models will include a sportier bodykit, a roof spoiler, bigger alloys and different lights. You can also expect some traditional touches such as the red strip across the front grille, other red detailing and the option of a tartan interior.
It’s a predictable but winning formula and it’ll probably cost you upwards of £29k.
Aston Martin DBX
I’ll be honest with you – I do not like SUVs. However, this one may have to be a rare exception. It’s the first model to be built in Aston Martin’s new factory in Wales and they seem to have got off to a good start.
It is powered by the same AMG-sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 as the Vantage but the DBX has been tuned up to 542bhp. This means that despite it’s size, it’s quick. Very quick. 0-62mph takes just 4.5 seconds and top speed is 181mph.
Of course, it is expensive, too, with a price tag of £158,000. If there is to be a downfall, it’ll be the saturation of the SUV market. They’ve come into the game quite late and pretty much all of the big names have already done it. The DBX is, however, the best looking SUV out there by a country mile which will, hopefully, be it’s saving grace.
BMW M3
The BMW M3 is and always has been one of my favourite cars and I’m hoping this one will not disappoint.
It shares its engine with BMW’s performance SUVs – a 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six with power outputs of either 480bhp or 510bhp.
The question many people have been asking is “will it be RWD or AWD?”. Well, the answer is both. The new M3 comes as a RWD as standard but there are pricier xDrive variants that offer the same switchable drive modes as the current M5.
I doubt the appearance will be too dissimilar to the outgoing M3. Features will include the usual aggressive body kit, flared wheel arches and quad-exhaust system. More drastic changes come inside the car. The latest dashboard and centre console reduce the amount of buttons using the iDrive 7.0 infotainment system.
Jaguar F-Type
Another of my favourites! The outgoing model is undeniably one of the prettiest cars on the road and Jaguar’s update brings it more in line with the rest of their range.
It terms of the view from the back and the side profile, not much has changed. The differences lie in the front end where you’ll find a new bonnet, new LED headlights and a lower bumper.
There is one piece of bad news regarding the new F-Type – the V6 variant is no more. For now, three engine options are available. A 2.0-litre four-cylinder option puts out 296bhp and the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 comes with either 444bhp or 567bhp.
The top of the range F-Type R gets AWD, new spring and damper settings, a 0-62mph time of 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 186mph.
In terms of prices, the 2.0-litre starts at £54,000, the 444bhp V8 starts at £70,000 and the 567bhp V8 will put you back £97,000. Expect about £5k to be added to each if you want the convertible.
So there you have it – the new cars I’m most excited for this year! Agree with my choices? What would your choices have been? Let me know in the comments section below of via our Twitter and Facebook pages.
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