The best new cars coming soon in 2024 and beyond

These are the ones we reckon are the ones to watch – and we preview some cars to come beyond this year as well, illustrated by our spy shots and artist impressions of how they may look:

This electric hot-hatch-crossover will be Abarth’s second hot EV. It looks set to adopt the Fiat 500e’s 152bhp motor and will almost definitely gain an array of lurid paint schemes and a stiffened chassis. We expect the 600e to come with a Scorpion Track driving mode, like its smaller sibling. It will likely be good for a 7.0sec 0-62mph time.

Classic Cobra package gets a radical reinvention thanks to a 654bhp V8 and carbonfibre body. The Cobra GT Roadster is made by AC, its first new model since it appointed Swiss financial backer David Conza as CEO in May 2022. It has a bespoke aluminium spaceframe chassis designed in Italy by Icona Design Group and Cecomp. It’s set to be built in the UK.

The spirit of Renaultsport has been revived for a rework of the upcoming Renault 5 with extra power, differential-simulating torque vectoring on the front axle, hydraulic bump stops and A110 brakes. Could it be the first truly great electric hot hatch?

Renault performance brand taps into the mainstream with a sporting compact SUV based on the electric Mégane’s platform. Don’t expect a jacked-up A110 - it’ll be much more like a Lotus Eletre or Polestar 3. It will likely utilise a second motor on the rear axle, much like Nissan’s range-topping e-4orce Ariya, which is also on the Mégane platform.

The new Aston Martin Vantage coupe was unveiled in February 2024 and features a very powerful 656bhp 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo engine, alongside a much-improved interior. We expect the convertible version to feature the same when unveiled later in 2024.

The all-new Audi SQ5 is approaching a launch in 2024 as the sportiest variant of the totally overhauled Q5 range. The third-generation version of Audi’s best-selling global model, the Q5, will also be one of the German car maker’s final new ICE cars. Before the German firm starts releasing only EVs from 2026, it will launch a new line of combustion engines compliant with the latest Euro 7 emissions regulations.

Audi has started on-road tests of a new, third-generation version of its three-row Q7 SUV. Set to arrive in early 2026, the SUV will be one of the last combustion-powered cars Audi launches. The firm plans to launch only electric cars from that year, on the way to phasing out ICE models completely in 2033.

Design-wise, the new Q7 follows Audi's upcoming Q3 and Q5 in adopting a new-style front end, with an expansive new version of the octagonal grille and sleek, split-cluster LED light designs and a clamshell bonnet. We're also expecting a larger Q9 model too.

We spotted this model testing in Germany; it replaces the A6 Allroad, and will have conventional combustion engine options. All-wheel drive is standard, and we expect the car to arrive in 2025 as a 2026 model year.

The new Audi A6 EV has recently been unveiled and now Audi is finalising a new RS6 high-performance model. It looks like it will sit wider than the A6, and also has different aerodynamic features. Expect more than 600bhp for the model and an arrival in 2025.

We also expect the RS6 to have a more coupe-like version, to be called RS7. Expect it also in 2025.

The new Audi A7 Avant range will also be available in hot S7 and RS7 versions. This particular example we spotted has four tailpipes, which in Audi tradition probably means means it’s the S7 model. Expect is in 2025 as a 2026 model.

We recently spotted the new RS7 Avant testing for the first time. It will be a plug-in hybrid car, coupled with a conventional engine. Heavy brakes, huge wheels and a wider stance are all signature RS features that we can see here.

This may look like a normal BMW i4 M50 in an M livery, but it's a much more than that. This is rumoured to be BMW’s first full electric M car hiding a quad-motor powertrain. Gold brake callipers tell us it has carbon-ceramic brakes to match what we can only assume is rapid acceleration. The prototype shows a kidney grille design reminiscent of the M3 CS and M4 CSL. Expect this to be launched in 2025.

We’ve recently seen the new M5 unveiled, and next up is the wagon. The first estate-bodied M car since 2010 will pack a V8 plug-in hybrid system, expected to kick a whopping 790bhp and 737lb ft through both axles.

The new BMW CS Touring is in development, and though we’ve spotted it testing before, this is the first time with the familiar CS headlights, that feature yellow daylight running lights. Expect the same 542bhp engine as in the saloon. We expect the model in 2025.

The next generation BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe should be unveiled at the end of 2024. Prototypes we’ve seen out testing have started to lose some camouflage and reveal more and more of more about the new car’s design.

We recently spotted the next generation X5 testing on the public road for the first time, in Munich. It looks like the model adopts the new BMW Neue Klasse design language.  Notably, the car doesn’t have any door handles. We expect this new model in 2026. 

Kick-starting the brand's push into the crucial C-segment, the Bigster is a 4.6-metre-long rival to the Ford Kuga when it’s launched later in 2024. It will be based on the same CMF platform as the Nissan X-Trail and Renault Austral, and is being engineered from the off with an outright focus on affordability. We recently spotted the car testing in southern Europe (pictured inset).

Ferrari hasn’t said what form its first EV will take, but it will feature in-house batteries, motors and electronics. The CEO has driven a prototype but would only say: “I like it a lot.” This is our guess of how it might look.

There is no name yet for this model set to come out in 2025, but we do know its internal code: F250. This model, like all new supercars, will be a hybrid and is expected to set a new benchmark in terms of performance at Maranello. This model can be seen with FloViz colour in the front air intake in the bumper, hinting at interesting aerodynamic developments…

We recently spotted this car testing in Italy wearing its full body for the first time. It’s a follow up to the SF90 model, and will feature a hybrid engine, like the SF90. We expect it to arrive in 2025.

Ford is planning a new range of small electric cars on a new platform which will bring successor vehicles to the Fiesta and Focus, as well as underpin the next generation Puma SUV. The new cars will launch first in the USA in 2026 before coming to Europe. Ford boss Jim Farley has made it clear that it’s essential to be able to compete profitably with both the upcoming Tesla Model 2 and a large range of affordable EVs from China.

Spyshots of Honda’s new mid-size SUV suggest that it will adopt a much more rugged design than the previous model. It’s notably more box-like in shape as well as taller, and the square cargo compartment should yield plenty of interior space.

We expect the launch of this new model in early 2025.

The three-row SUV market in America is very competitive, with impressive models like the Toyota Grand Highlander and Honda Pilot to beat. This second generation Palisade looks like it will adopt the same chunky design language we’ve seen with the new Hyundai Santa Fe. We expect two new engines: a 2.5-litre Hybrid, and a new turbocharged 3.5-litre V6. We expect this car in 2025.

This is the all-new seven-seater Hyundai electric vehicle, which will be the sister to the Kia EV9. If the EV9 is a guide, it should be capable of a range of around 300 miles in the real world. We expect to see it on sale in 2025.

Chinese car giant Chery is coming to Europe with Omoda and the Jaecoo brand.  The 7 SUV is Hyundai Tucson-sized and will likely come with plug-in hybrid powertrains.

Jaguar is shortly about to revamp its entire model range as the brand goes all-electric from 2026. The first clue we’ll have is in December of 2024, when a concept version of a new four door ‘GT’ EV will be unveiled, ahead of a production car launch in 2026. Expect a range of 435 miles, rapid charging and 575bhp.

Next up from Jaguar will be a new electric limousine – in effect a replacement for the XJ model that went out of production in 2019. We expect this car to broadly feature the same technology as the GT. Expect this car in 2028.

And finally: in 2028 or so we expect Jaguar to launch a new large electric SUV which will compete in the Bentley Bentayga and Aston Martin DBX class.

This car will be the first EV saloon car from Kia. It has a less sophisticated electric system than the EV6 – but will be cheaper as a result. Expect it in 2025.

The new KIA K4 has been caught out testing for the first time; it will become the replacement for the KIA Ceed in Europe in 2026. This hatchback will be launched after the K4 saloon in America.

Koenigsegg delivers its first four-seater. Power for it comes from either a twin-turbo triple cylinder engine, or a twin-turbo V8 engine, with 1381bhp or 2268bhp.

Lamborghini has taken the covers off the long-awaited replacement for its Huracán junior supercar: the Temerario. Lamborghini’s long-running 5.2-litre V10 engine has been dropped and replaced with an all-new twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8, assisted by three electric motors, to deliver 907bhp in total.

The first electric super sports car. Maserati says it’s committed to retaining the feel of a V6 while giving it whip-crack acceleration, courtesy of an expected 745bhp and 997lb ft of torque. Expect it in 2025.

The new mild hybrid Mercedes-AMG CLE 63 adds heavily ramped-up performance, a redesigned interior and sporty exterior styling over the standard car. Some 442bhp and 413lb ft of torque is pumped out from AMG’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine, which is backed up by an integrated starter-generator (ISG). You’ll be as fast as almost anything else on the road, with a 4.2sec sprint from 0-62mph and a top speed limited to 155mph.

The Mercedes-AMG is losing its V8 engine for a straight-six plug-in hybrid. But it’s not all bad - it will gain electric-only driving for improved economy, plus higher power and performance than ever before. Figures are still under wraps, but it’s claimed the brand is targeting more than 700bhp and 884lb ft, which puts many sports and supercars to shame.

The successor to the GT 4-Door Coupé will pack an unprecedented 1000bhp punch in a bespoke, electric super-saloon that will begin testing soon. Arriving in 2025, this will likely be the firm’s most powerful road car yet. Serving as an electric alternative to the V8 engined GT 63 4-Door Coupé, AMG’s first bespoke electric car will be tasked with taking on big-selling EV sports saloons such as the Porsche Taycan, Audi E-tron GT and Lucid Air. We spotted it testing once again recently, and it’s certainly very low and very long.

PHOTO: spy shot, Autocar artist impression

Maybach has turned its hand to the Mercedes-AMG SL, creating an ultra-luxurious sports convertible to rival the Bentley Continental GTC and Ferrari Roma Spider. Just revealed at the car show events at Monterey in California, the new Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series is "the sportiest model in the Maybach brand's history". We expect to see it on sale in 2025.

The Omoda C5 is a direct competitor (and lookalike) of the Aiways U5 found further up this list. The C5 showcases the work of Omoda’s owner Chery, which is one of the largest car firms in China.

We recently spotted the new Porsche Cayenne EV testing at the Nürburgring – the first time it’s appeared at the Nordschleife.  Judging by the pictures, Porsche is testing ground clearance and suspension travel in the wheel arches. All four wheel arches and the underbody of this prototype were covered with solid foam, and the active aerodynamics in the lower area of the front bumper were closed. We expect this car to launch in 2026.

This car may wear GT3 clothing, but the engine noise we heard at the Nordschleife suggests it definitely has a turbocharged engine. We reckon it will feature a 4.0-litre engine, but it’s early days here – we don’t expect this model to arrive until 2026 at the earliest.

New cars don’t get much more significant than this: JLR has invested heavily in its electric transformation, and while the reinvented Jaguars will steal the limelight, the first electric Range Rover will be crucial to finding sales volume and perhaps helping convert a new group of buyers to EVs.

Renault will revive another of its most popular historic models, this time as a small, retro crossover that’s aimed at the city but should be able to cope off road. Expect it to be mechanically similar to the 5 below. But Renault insists the interior will be very different.

This brand-new entrant to the French brand’s crossover range will fill the gap between the Captur and Arkana. With styling inspired by the latter, it will follow the firm’s latest design language and sit atop the CMF-EV platform, shared with the Nissan Ariya and Renault Mégane E-Tech.

The Rimac Nevera R has just been unveiled and is the fastest accelerating road car ever made, with 2078bhp on tap that can push this hypercar to 62mph in 1.81sec and all the way to 186mph in just 8.66sec.

Billed as the “alter ego” to the standard 1888bhp Nevera – the former fastest accelerating car – the R’s new monstrous power figure is only surpassed by the Koenigsegg Gemera which will arrive early next year powered by a 2268bhp hybridised V8.

This is the new electric SUV that will replace the Karoq model in 2024. It will have rapid charging capability, taking just 35 minutes to reach 80% capacity.

A smaller and more affordable Tesla has been rumoured for years, but recently Elon Musk teased a picture that may be the new ‘Model 2’. The market is crying out for cheaper EVs and we can certainly see this model selling like hot cakes, if and when it arrives. As with everything that Mr Musk does, it’s unlikely to be boring. We like to think this car could be on the road by 2025.

There have been press reports that this model has been dropped in favour of a Tesla robotaxi effort, but it seems this model is still on judging from what Elon Musk said on an investor conference call in April 2024.

A hotter new variant of the GR Supra is set to arrive later in 2024, swapping the BMW Z4’s B58 straight six for the fiery S58 one from the new BMW M2. That should make for a very healthy power bump, while track-focused revisions to the chassis could enable it to bid for sports car supremacy at the Nürburgring.

We saw this new Toyota EV on the road for the first time in 2023. This prototype is a pure electric vehicle, but the model will also be available as a plug-in hybrid. In terms of size, the new model is similar to the Yaris Cross; we expect to see this car officially in late 2024.

Toyota Gazoo Racing is launching a new GT3 racing car for the 2026/2027 motorsport season, and will launch a Lexus-branded road car version too. We previously spotted the car at Toyota’s Fuji Speedway, but it’s now arrived in Europe, testing in wet conditions at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium. The design reminds us of the Dodge Viper, and we gather power will come from a V8 engine.

Volkswagen released a concept version of its new ID.2 small EV in 2023, and we recently spotted the production car version out testing on the Nordschleife circuit for the first time. Our spyshots suggests that the new model will be based on a shorter version of the body used for the ID.3.

The outgoing Phideon has not set the market alight in its homeland of China with only 3500 units getting sold last year. Based on the spy photographs, it is likely the new Phideon will be using the same platform as current version. The test car appears to have a slightly longer wheelbase and Passat influenced styling. Expect it to arrive in some showrooms around the world in the latter part of 2024.

The Tayron is currently only available in China, but in 2025 it will go on sale in most major global markets as a replacement for the Tiguan Allspace, though it will be significantly longer than that car.

Volkswagen will launch the second generation of the Volkswagen T-Roc in 2025 as a 2026 model, and we’ve spotted it out testing several times. Significantly it will be Volkswagen’s final pure internal-combustion engine car. It certainly looks like it will be quite a stylish new entrant to the market, and an importance one for VW: The T-Roc was the third best-selling car in Europe in 2023.

We recently spotted the second generation of the Volkswagen Teramont/Atlas testing in Switzerland. Expect the model to arrive in 2025 as a 2026 model.

Volkswagen has launched internal studies around a new Scirocco as a part of a joint project with Porsche, Audi and Cupra. There have been hints that the design will resemble that of the original Scirocco and will come in the form of an electric sportscar, with a possible dual-motor, and an all-wheel drive flagship model badged as an ‘R’. Expect a launch in 2028 if production approval is granted by Volkswagen brand CEO Thomas Schäfer.

Electronics giant Xiaomi is entering the car market and the SU7 is its first model. The basis for it is a new electric car platform that goes under the internal name Modena. It has been conceived to support 400-volt and 800-volt electric architectures, plus single- and dual-motor drivetrains.