10 Cars to Look Forward to in 2020
A quick look at the cars that are kicking off the 20’s in style
10. Aston martin DBX
It’s no secret that Aston Martins first-ever 4x4 comes as a make-or-break model for the British manufacturer. Aston has desperately needed to up their sales figures over the last 10 years as well as boost their global appeal, particularly in the Asian markets. To do this they have released their DBX SUV and it is being constructed at a brand new, purpose-built site in Wales. Big investment, big expectations. Thankfully, it looks like Aston Martin have absolutely smashed it. The car is undoubtedly one of the best looking 4x4s on the market and early reports suggest it drives as beautifully as you would expect from an Aston. It will be one of the fastest accelerating luxury 4x4s on the market, with a 0-60 mph time of just 4.5 seconds, but the real party piece is the glorious leather-clad interior which is like no other.
Aston Martin is already accepting orders and the price starts from a steady £158,000.
9. Audi RS6 Avant
The return of the most demonic estate car on the market. Wherever you go in the world, the RS6 Avant commands respect for being a somewhat understated family car with exceptional practicality and a really high standard in terms of quality and fitment. Oh, and also because it’s an absolute monster of a car when you put your foot down and has been known to put even the most performance-orientated super cars to shame. The new model adopts Audi’s aggressive new styling which will be replicated across the RS range. The RS6 will now be powered by a 600 horsepower 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8 engine which means the 0-60 time drops to just 3.6 seconds and takes the top-speed to 190 mph when de-restricted. Deliveries are expected to start in the next few months and you can get an order in right now but it’s not going to be cheap… The new RS6 starts from £90,000.
8. BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe
It’s not all fast and the furious in 2020. Fun and functional is making a return too, with the introduction of a Gran Coupe version of the 2 Series Coupe. It fits into a niche that you probably didn’t know existed. Rivaling the likes of the Audi A3 saloon and the Mercedes CLA, the 2 Series Gran Coupe offers the slick looks of the 2 Series Coupe but with a pair of rear doors snuck beneath that swooping roofline. This new 2 Series will be available with a range of frugal and forgiving engines but the star of the show is the M235i xDrive model. The ‘entry-level’ will be the 218i petrol model in ‘Sport’ spec which comes with a starting price of £25,815.
7. Jaguar F-Type
Jaguar is back to wave their magic wand over their ferocious F-Type Roadster and Coupe. It’s strange to think that the previous model was on sale for 7 years, as it was introduced back in 2013. How time flies… The new model hasn’t been drastically changed, because you can’t fix what isn’t broken. You’ll see the main differences are a wider front grille, considerably slimmer headlights and a redesigned bonnet. More eagle-eyed readers will notice a slight adjustment to the front air ducts too and the splitter, but all-in-all it’s an evolutionary update, opposed to revolutionary. The new F-Type goes on sale for what is a relatively cheap price of just £54,060, which is for the 2.0 litre 300 horsepower turbo-petrol model. The one you really want is the raucous 5.0-litre supercharged V8 model, however, you’d be forgiven for not wanting to cough up the steep £97,280 price tag...
6. Land Rover Defender
Here’s one we’ve all been looking forward to… the rebirth of a British icon. We loved the old Defender, as did everyone from all corners of the earth, however it’s not controversial to say that this new revision has been a little more divisive than Land Rover may have anticipated. Of course, the new Defender will be supremely capable off-road but we think it will take some time for the British public to get used to seeing these on our streets. The new Defender is initially available in 110 form - with a longer wheelbase compared to the 90 - and it goes on sale as the 110 from £45,240, the 110 First Edition from £58,860 and the 110 X from £78,800. Each has progressively more equipment and better styling. Even the entry-level model comes pretty well equipped though, with all-wheel-drive, air suspension, terrain response and a whole host off-road technology. It’s one we’re looking forward to seeing this year, however, we’re getting very mixed reviews!
5. Lotus Evija
Now here’s one to keep an eye out for. Lotus’ first-ever all-electric sports car which was introduced in July last year. Upon launch, we were promised a 1,972 horsepower electric car… and yes I’ve double-checked and that is the correct number. That’s about a Dyson hoover short of 2,000 horsepower. Don’t expect to find any competitive lease deals on this one though, as the starting price is a cool £2million. This electric hypercar is a byproduct of China’s third-largest carmaker, Geely, taking financial reigns of the British sports car manufacturer. It’s a sight to behold and we can’t begin to imagine what it will be like to drive… I suppose we’ll have to wait and see as production starts in 2020.
4. Maserati Alfieri
The Alfieri was a model teased back in 2014 as a concept from Maserati, but 6 years later it looks like we’re finally going to get the real thing after spy shots taken toward the tail end of last year showed a Maserati sneaking around in camouflage. Finally, a fresh new Maserati 2+2 Grand Tourer to add to the mix of luxury motorway monsters. There are rumours that the Alfieri will be based on the Alfa Romeo 4C but early renders show a much further-reaching nose. There are very few concrete details thus far concerning the Alfieri but expect to hear more in May, shortly after the world-famous Geneva Motor Show….
3. Mercedes-Benz GLA
The GLA has been given a makeover and it enters the new decade with a real glow about itself. The GLA has sold pretty well since its introduction, outselling its main competitor the BMW X2 consistently, but it’s about time the model was given a slight nip and tuck to bring it up to date with the rest of the Mercedes showroom. As you’d expect, the front has been heavily redesigned with Mercedes’ new floating grille effect and the headlights are a diet version of the headlights you’ll find on the new Mercedes-Benz GLB. The car itself has actually swollen in size, with the roof 10 centimetres higher than the previous model, but the car actually sits lower… so that inevitably means plenty more headroom. There’ll be a huge number of engines available as well as both manual and automatic transmissions. The entry-level engine will be a punchy little 1.3-litre turbo petrol that’s been developed alongside Renault and Nissan. There’s no concrete dates or prices yet, we expect to hear about that in due course, but expect a starting price of around £30,000 and an on-sale date in Spring.
2. MINI John Cooper Works GP
Who doesn’t love a pocket-rocket? The JCW GP is another one of those cars that feels like it has been in the development stages for decades but it is finally here, the most powerful and potent version of the MINI Hatchback ever is going on sale in the UK in 2020. Deposits and orders were being taken over a year ago the MINI's cult-following ensured there was plenty of interest. It’s a 300 horsepower hot-hatch priced from £5 short of £35,000. It’s certainly not for the faint-hearted and this-track focussed beast will spare a lot of creature comforts in favour of shaving down lap times, but it will certainly be an awe-inspiring car to drive and own. Deliveries are expected to begin in Spring and we cannot wait to see these out on the roads.
1. Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet
Last but certainly not least is yet another niche-filler from Volkswagen. Just when you thought they had snuck a model into every nook and cranny on the market, here comes a B-segment SUV with a convertible fabric roof. It comes at a time where Volkswagen don’t actually produce any soft-tops since they abandoned the Golf, Beetle and EOS models but its a pretty quirky looking thing that we can see becoming quite desirable. Critics will argue that it's nowhere near masculine enough to appeal to a wide enough audience, but those critics probably aren’t the target market of this car anyway. The T Roc Cabrio was presented in Frankfurt back in 2019 and we’re expecting a Springtime launch so hopefully, you’ll have yours in time to cruise around in the summer...