In the spirit of what’s to come, here are 10 cars to watch out for. That is, these are some of the cars we’re looking forward to trying out, hopefully in the near future. Cars on this list are either confirmed for production, or at least likely to make it in some form. If there’s a car you’re excited about, let us know in the comments below! With everything that’s coming, it is difficult to narrow the list down to just ten.
Jump to car:
10) Infiniti Q80 Inspiration
It certainly looks familiar to current cars in the lineup, like the Q50 and Q60. If Infiniti does build this model and it does have 550 horsepower, we’re seriously looking forward to trying it out.
9) Mazda Mazda6 – now in turbo flavor
At last year’s LA Auto show, we previewed the new Mazda6, now with a 2.5-liter turbocharged heart. While the naturally aspirated version is a great-driving car, one area where it lacks is oomph. Thanks to forced induction, the Mazda6 now makes 250 horsepower (on premium fuel) and 310 lb-ft of torque. It’s an engine shared with the three-row CX-9 crossover. Although, in this sleeker sedan, it should offer up a bit more zest. The naturally aspirated version, with 187 horsepower and 186 lb-ft of torque, carries over as well on the Sport and Touring trims.
8) Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door coupe
Mercedes-AMG brought out the AMG GT coupe (and accompanying roadster version) as their second in-house model after the SLS AMG. Now packing a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8, the coupe makes 550 horsepower and 502 lb-ft of torque. Now, Mercedes-AMG has brought out a four-door version, so twice as many people can come along for the ride. This model offers engine options ranging from a 429 horsepower inline-six to a 630 horsepower V8. Whichever configuration it comes in, the AMG GT 4-door coupe is sure to be pretty brisk. Although we’re hoping to get a shot with the AMG GT 63 S, since it hits 0-60 in a reported 3.1 seconds. And it has a top speed of 195 miles per hour.
7) Hyundai Veloster N
Hot hatches offer fizzy performance with down-to-earth practicality and value. The Volkswagen GTI, the Ford Focus ST and RS, the Honda Civic Type R – they all offer great fun and everyday practicality. Now, there’s a new contender from Hyundai – the Veloster N. What does the N stand for? As Hyundai’s new performance division, N promises a whole new level over Turbo models.
6) Cadillac CT6 V-Sport
Cadillac’s flagship CT6 sedan hasn’t yet seen a high performance variant, until now. Named “V-Sport”, this new CT6 comes with a twin-turbocharged 4.2-liter V8 engine. It packs 550 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque in its most powerful form. The V-Sport’s engine is also the first brand-exclusive unit since the Northstar V8 went out of production back in 2011. A detuned version will also be available in the ordinary CT6, with 500 horsepower and 556 lb-ft of torque.
5) Audi RS 5 Sportback
Roman drove the Audi RS 5 coupe in Arizona, and experienced everything you’d expect from a fast Audi. 444 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque comes courtesy of a 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine. With Audi’s signature all-wheel drive system, 60 mph and eight gears snap by in 3.7 seconds. In the latest iteration, that power is available along a more accessible torque curve then before.
So what happens when you take that sort of firepower and add two extra doors? You get the Audi RS 5 Sportback that we saw at the New York Auto Show. Still 2.9 liters, still 444 horsepower, but now there’s a bit of practicality as well. In a similar vein to driving a hot hatchback, we’re looking forward to getting our hands on this sportback model.
4) BMW 8 Series
2) Toyota Supra/BMW Z4
We’ve gone nearly two decades without the Toyota Supra in our market. We haven’t gone that long without the BMW Z4, but new versions of both these cars are coming. They’re on the same level in this last since Toyota and BMW co-developed their new models on the same platform. They may likely share powertrains as well, but that’s where a lot of the similarities end. They have distinctly different styling, and different philosophical approaches. Despite that, we’d enjoy getting our hands on both these cars when the opportunity arises. While the Supra’s reveal was a racing concept rather than a production version, and BMW has yet to unveil the Z4 at all, both of these cars should be coming to the public in the near future.
2) Ford Mustang – Shelby GT500
1) Ford Bronco
Bonus) C8 Chevrolet Corvette (the mid-engined one)
The Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 pictured above is the swan song for the current C7 generation. Its front-mounted, 6.2-liter V8 churns out 755 horsepower and 715 lb-ft of torque, making it the most powerful and fastest Corvette to date. And that’s great, but there’s even bigger Corvette news that’s swirled about for awhile. The next Corvette, the C8 generation, will be mid-engined. While Chevrolet has yet to officially confirm the new car, reports suggest they have shown dealers the new model, so it’s almost certainly coming soon. We don’t know exactly what will be powering the mid-engined model (it’ll definitely have eight cylinders, though). That said, it’s a mid-engined Corvette – a total departure for the model. It’s definitely worth keeping an eye on.
Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more news, views and real-world reviews!
