25 Future Cars You Won’t Want to Miss

N ovelist C.S. Lewis described the future as “something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is.” Pardon us for feeling as however the automobile’s evolution is occurring even quicker, from another forthcoming crop of intriguing production cars to rapidly shifting attitudes about how to address inner-city transportation and how to restore collectible classic cars. There’s no turning back.

This will be one of the very first Aston Martins to make use of a Mercedes-Benz engine, a benefit of the partnership inbetween the two companies. Mercedes-AMG will build a “bespoke V-8” for the British sports car, almost certainly a version of its Four.0-liter twin-turbo mill. The Vantage should look similar to the DB10 that Aston Martin created for the James Bond film “Spectre,” with an aluminum-intensive assets and liberal use of carbon fiber to help keep weight down. Its interior will be far more fashionable than the current car’s, and purists will appreciate that Aston is planning to suggest an optional manual transmission alongside the dual-clutch automatic most buyers will opt for.

Aston Martin might have an amazing lineup of fantastic, sporty cars, but it needs a true sports car. And however today’s Vantage is joy, it doesn’t fairly pack that slot. The next one will. And while purists might momentarily whine about the AMG-sourced engine, they’ll stop when they see the spectacle figures that come from using a “hot V” turbocharged V-8 from one of the world’s best engine builders.

Aston Martin is well aware that it can’t step on the character of its cars, but how well will that work when it starts using Benz bits? For example, the sound of an Aston Martin is crucial to the driving practice; will the Vantage sound any more special than, say, a Mercedes-AMG GT S? We’ll see.

Aston Martin DBX

The DBX cracks tradition to become the brand’s very first SUV (ahem, high-riding vehicle) as well as the very first Aston to use all-wheel drive. You’ll likely be able to choose inbetween a twin-turbo V-8, a V-12 of sorts, or an all-electric drivetrain that uses lithium-sulfur battery cells to power four electrical motors. Rumors suggest the EV model will have eight hundred hp and a range of about two hundred miles. The entire DBX lineup will have classic, splendid Aston proportions propped up by a lifted suspension and big wheels. Expect four doors, not two like you see here, and the DBX’s swoopy bod should wrap around a gravely swanky interior with seating for four and a lot more space than, say, the Rapide sedan.

Heretical as an Aston Martin SUV might seem, Porsche’s business model of paying for traditional fan favorites with high-profit crossovers, such as the Cayenne and Macan, is proven. Aston Martin has been bankrupt seven times in its 103-year history, and CEO Andy Palmer is committed to making sure that stops. The DBX should help. Albeit adding electrified powertrains to the mix might seem a bit risky, it’s necessary if Aston wants to meet emissions targets and still suggest its trademark V-12 engines.

Fiddling with the tradition of a storied brand such as Aston Martin is tricky. A crossover will certainly bring about a fresh, junior, and more diverse customer base, but might Aston also distance itself from its established clients? Aston would be wise to stay close to its core values of exclusivity, sophisticated English luxury, and thrilling spectacle.

Audi R6

The gap inbetween TT and R8 remains broad open. Audi has repeatedly said that an entry-level V-8-powered R8 isn’t in the cards, so management instead is reportedly considering a fresh and relatively affordable mid-engine sports car earmarked for 2021. It would use the same building blocks as the next-generation Porsche Cayman and be powered by an all-new, all-aluminum Two.5-liter inline-five that could be bookended by a more basic inline-four and a thicker V-6. Power would range inbetween two hundred fifty hp and three hundred fifty hp, and all-wheel drive would be optional. If the R6 does indeed come to fruition, a no-frills, 400-hp R6 Plus model with a manual transmission could go after a few years later.

Before twinning today’s R8 with the Lamborghini Huracán, Audi thought about substituting the R8 with a mid-engine nine hundred eleven fighter powered by a tri-turbo five-cylinder engine good for five hundred hp. Previous Audi R&D head Ulrich Hackenberg and Porsche R&D head Wolfgang Hatz weren’t very friendly at the time, which was part of the reason why that didn’t happen. But current leadership in Ingolstadt and Zuffenhausen are much chummier and in favor of extensive cooperation.

As much as enthusiasts the world over would welcome a car like the R6, sports car sales are on the decline. VW Group’s ongoing financial trauma could also mean that funds presently allocated toward brand-shaping niche models might have to be diverted to produce more low-emission, bread-and-butter cars. Audi has postponed all extra projects by one year to evaluate its options, and the R6 could end up a cost-cutting casualty.

Bentley Anaga

Bentley doesn’t want just one crossover when it thinks it can sell two. While the Bentayga is a high-end, spacious, range-topping model (with a Speed variant reportedly on the way), there’s room for a so-called Baby Bentayga below it. To be built on Volkswagen Group’s MSB modular platform that will be used for the next-gen Audi Q5, the car we’re calling Anaga will be to the big Bentayga what the Porsche Macan is to the Cayenne. Unlike the Bentayga, the smaller model would not be able to fit (or justify) a 12-cylinder engine, so expect turbocharged six- or eight-cylinder engines underhood. As far as design, look for the familiar Bentley face seen on everything from the Continental GT to the Bentayga but squeezed onto a smaller bod.

While the big Bentayga is the brand’s pinnacle model, its exorbitant price tag is so far out of reach that it won’t bring in many fresh customers. A smaller, more affordable Bentley crossover would presumably boost sales further and help fund the rest of the company’s lineup in the process.

Bentley officials have sent mixed messages about whether they want to launch a smaller crossover, and doing so could cheapen or water down the brand’s cachet. Plus, a Baby Bentayga would face stiff competition from all sides: Audi Q5 and Porsche Macan internally, plus newcomers such as Jaguar’s F-Pace.

BMW nine Series

The nine Series will be BMW’s reaction to the Mercedes-Maybach S600. With a beginning price of $170,000, BMW’s halo car should have styling not far from the Vision Future Luxury Concept shown here. Based off a spread version of the fresh 7 Series chassis, the nine Series will use a lot of carbon fiber to reduce weight. The sedan will likely be available with a twin-turbocharged V-8, a V-12 from Rolls-Royce tuned to BMW’s specs, and an all-new hybrid powertrain that pairs electrified motors with a turbocharged inline-six.

BMWs of late have felt less and less special, but maybe the nine Series will turn things around. Actually, it doesn’t have much choice in the matter; it needs to be engaging and unique to contest with the S-Class. It’s expected to be a high-tech tour de force with serious semi-autonomous capabilities and a lavishly appointed interior.

For BMW to be successful with this one, it will have to rival head to head with the uber-luxurious S600 and also on some level with the Rolls-Royce Phantom replacement with which it will share some components. The nine Series will also need to look and feel like a fully fledged flagship, which BMW hasn’t had for some time now. If BMW can’t create something truly special, it will fail.

Beginning of 2020.

Bugatti Chiron Grand Sport

We expect the Chiron’s life cycle to mirror the Veyron’s, which means more epic and powerful variants are coming, such as a convertible Chiron Grand Sport. While the Chiron’s base spectacle is staggering, there is undoubtedly room to grow. Its 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W-16 engine will likely hop from 1,500 hp to an astounding 1,700 hp or more when bolted into the stripped-down Chiron Super Sport, a car that will likely breach the 275-mph mark. An open-air Grand Sport Vitesse should go after soon after.

The Veyron reset the collective consciousness of what we considered to be “high spectacle,” and the Chiron resumes to carry the 250-mph torch for the brand. Not only can Bugatti achieve such mind-boggling spectacle, it does so with oversight from a company as large and diverse as Volkswagen Group.

VW’s diesel scandal will rear its soot-covered head, and however we don’t yet know its total financial implications, expect cost-cutting to affect niche products such as this. If VW Group deems the program joy but frivolous, the Chiron line might end at the standard model.

The Chiron Grand Sport should arrive around 2019, with the Super Sport and Grand Sport Vitesse following in two thousand twenty and 2021, respectively.

Cadillac XT7

General Motors has a fresh Chi platform for its medium and large crossovers: The Cadillac XT5 is on the smaller Chi, with the fresh XT7 on the spread, larger Chi. The three-row XT7 will come with Escalade-like levels of luxury and bling on a more convenient unibody platform and in a size more manageable for urban parking garages. It will look a lot like a longer version of the XT5. Expect front-wheel drive, optional all-wheel drive, and a selection of six-cylinder engines, including Cadillac’s signature twin-turbo Three.0-liter V-6.

Cadillac’s SUV lineup is much smaller than those of BMW and Mercedes-Benz, relying only on Escalade and the XT5, which substituted the recently deceased SRX. Large premium crossovers are fast-selling moneymakers, and Cadillac will eventually be able to catch up and keep sales from going to other luxury brands as the crossover market gets sexier and sexier.

The usual problems when a key product such as this shares its platform with seven or eight other models, all priced and placed lower than the XT7. And just as timing is everything in comedy, so too is it in fresh auto models. Will the economy keep improving over the next two years? Will the luxury market keep growing? What happens if oil prices climb again?

By the end of 2017

Ford Bronco

Ford has confirmed it will build two fresh vehicles at the Michigan factory where the Concentrate and C-Max are assembled. Sources say one is almost ensured to be the Ranger, Ford’s midsize pickup truck that’s already on sale overseas. A 2nd vehicle will join the plant in 2020, and a modern-day Bronco makes a lot of sense as that vehicle. It would essentially be Ford’s version of the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, built off the Ranger platform, underpinned by a harsh suspension, and sporting a boxy, retro look. Think of it as the pickup truck for people who don’t actually need an open cargo bed but want the ground clearance and towing capability a more capable, body-on-frame SUV would provide.

The Bronco would give Ford a credible competitor to the beloved Jeep Wrangler. Albeit it’s unclear whether the Bronco’s chops could truly match those of the Jeep, a xxx variant along the lines of the F-150 Raptor could be developed to help boost its go-anywhere appeal and highlight its roots in off-road racing.

Is there a business case for launching what would likely be a low-volume SUV when Ford already sells hundreds of thousands of pedestrian crossovers here? In addition, if gas prices all of a sudden spike, the market for vehicles like a Bronco could dry up. Ford has long voiced skepticism about selling pickups smaller than the F-150 in the U.S., despite its decision to reboot the Ranger. Attempting to shove through another body-on-frame suggesting below the F-150 won’t be effortless.

No sooner than two thousand twenty about two years after Ranger production would begin in the U.S.

Kia Stinger coupe

The Kia GT4 Stinger concept shown in two thousand fourteen had a rear-wheel-drive platform, an aggressive design, a six-speed manual transmission, and a 315-hp turbocharged engine. We haven’t seen much since, but we’re sure the Stinger is coming. The automaker has already trademarked the Stinger name in the U.S.; GT4 is off the table due to an existing trademark. The production model will very likely use a turbo-four engine putting out two hundred fifty to three hundred hp, and its rear-wheel-drive platform would be borrowed from parent company Hyundai. A four-door Stinger sport sedan will hopefully precede a two-door sports car.

Very first, Kia can’t let corporate sibling Genesis have all the joy with its planned BMW three Series-rivaling sport sedan. 2nd, a purebred, two-door sports car would help bolster Kia’s joy character, complementing its existing SX Turbo models. Eventually, suggesting a sports car would have a halo effect on the rest of the Kia lineup, hopefully persuading more buyers to consider the brand.

Suspension tuning has not historically been one of Kia’s strong points, tho’ the company has made big strides in past years and hired a former BMW engineer to help dial in fresh models. It’s going to be rough to get executives to proceed to support a costly rear-wheel-drive platform for a small-batch sports car.

In the next year.

Jeep Comanche

The Jeep pickup is coming back. Good thing, too, witnessing how it ideally encapsulates the brand’s “go anywhere, do anything” attitude. Underpinnings will come from the soon-to-debut all-new Wrangler. Like the Wrangler, the Comanche will interchange steel bodywork for lighter aluminum panels and be powered by a V-6 engine that will bolt to either a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed automatic.

It’s the very first production Jeep pickup in a quarter century; fans have been clamoring for a reboot since the Comanche went away in the early ’90s. Jeep has become one of the most thriving brands in the FCA family, and the all-new Comanche undoubtedly has the potential to become another best-seller overnight.

It’s a Jeep, and it’s a pickup truck—seems like a recipe for success. Jeep has predominated in sales, and enthusiasts haven’t shut up about the truck since the company announced it would be built. But will they open their wallets when it eventually arrives?

Genesis G60

The very first luxury sports coupe from Hyundai’s Genesis sub-brand will be a two-door version of the eventual G70 sedan, likely dubbed G60. Expect a graceful silhouette as well as a sporty, driver-centric cabin with a concentrate on innovative infotainment technology. Both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive will be available, as will two engines: a Two.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with about two hundred forty hp and a Trio.8-liter V-6 making just north of three hundred hp, both bolted to eight-speed automatic transmissions. A hybrid and a spectacle model with a twin-turbo V-6 are expected as well.

To legitimize its freshly minted Genesis brand, Hyundai must challenge against the BMW three Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Key design talents Peter Schreyer and Luc Donckerwolke, both poached from German companies, give Genesis a fighting chance, as do rear-wheel-drive platforms that won’t be collective with Hyundai’s mainstream fleet. Genesis just might have what it takes.

Good build quality, plentiful tech, and superb warranties only go so far. People have a hard time paying premium prices for cars from commodity brands such as Hyundai. Genesis prices need to undercut German rivals to get on shopping lists, but its cars can’t be billed as anything but legitimate luxury. Maintaining a healthy distance from its discreet Hyundai roots is essential.

Dodge Barracuda

When the third-generation Plymouth Barracuda debuted for the one thousand nine hundred seventy model year, it collective its platform with the then-new-to-the-market Dodge Challenger. But the ’Cuda—available as a coupe as well as a convertible—was shorter and lighter than the Challenger and had its own distinct styling. The song remains much the same for the all-new, modern-era Barracuda, now a convertible-only model wearing a Dodge badge. However it will share much of its components and powertrains with the all-new Challenger, including the platform plucked from the Alfa Romeo Giulia, it will be shorter and wear its own sheetmetal.

Building more cars on the Alfa Romeo Guilia platform means multiplicity at a relatively low cost and permits niche products like the ’Cuda to actually come to life. One more model on the fresh Alfa platform is good for enthusiasts, for Alfa, and for FCA, and it means Dodge can take the ponycar fight directly to Chevy and Ford.

FCA’s product plans have been fluid as of late, with CEO Sergio Marchionne aggressively seeking a fatter, healthier automaker to be FCA’s fucking partner. Even if he succeeds, the fresh fucking partner will direct its attention toward Jeep and Ram, not Dodge, and the two-model ponycar plan might become the one-model plan to save money.

Model year 2019

Dodge Challenger

Even when the new-age Challenger launched eight years ago, it was a larger, less arousing car than its Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang foils. Both of those cars were overhauled recently, but the Challenger has yet to receive a major update. That will switch with the smaller, lighter, all-new Challenger, which will share a rear-wheel-drive platform with the Alfa Romeo Giulia and proceed to suggest V-6 and Hemi V-8 options. And, yes, we expect to see a supercharged Hellcat model putting out at least seven hundred fifty hp.

Dodge is attempting to play up its muscle-car photo by further developing models such as the Challenger, the Charger, and the coming Barracuda. The plan is for Dodge to be the all-American, value-priced alternative to Alfa Romeo, which is targeting BMW. The Alfa-Dodge relationship is key to the future of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and the Challenger is its poster car. A nimbler, better-handling model should rival well with its Camaro and Mustang ponycar rivals.

FCA has delayed the launch of the Alfa Giulia, and while Marchionne says the issues are related to the model itself and not its platform, we wonder whether the fresh Challenger will be delayed as well. Also potentially affecting the Challenger’s future are the looming two thousand twenty five Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards. With Jeep and Ram accounting for some sixty two percent of FCA’s U.S. sales, Marchionne might have some hard product decisions ahead.

Model year 2019

Lexus LC F

Lexus has promised nothing wearing the F badge will have an engine smaller than a V-8, so look for the same naturally aspirated Five.0-liter V-8 from the LC 500 tuned toward the 500-hp mark. If the LC 500’s 10-speed automatic proves to be better for smoothness than spectacle, Lexus will most likely exchange in an eight-speed automatic. Expect a torque-vectoring system, beefed-up brakes, lightweight wheels, more aggressive aerodynamics, a rear diffuser, and quad harass outlets.

While the beautiful LC five hundred and innovative LC 500h hybrid help skin out the Lexus lineup, the F stable needs a halo car that’s more amazing than the RC F. It will get just that with the LC F, a desirable car with the design, cachet, and price to bring the spectacle nameplate to the next level.

The LC five hundred and its platform are tuned for luxury-car duties, meaning an LC F might be more of a symbolic gesture than an actual foray into competitive spectacle. It’s also not clear if there are still enough buyers willing to shell out $100,000-plus for a Lexus that doesn’t totally fall in line with the brand’s hallmarks.

Not before 2019

Lotus Exalt

Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales is wooed the automaker can build a lightweight, sporty CUV without shaming its name. It’s a departure from the brand’s ethos, but we thought the same thing when Porsche’s Cayenne launched more than a decade ago—and now it’s Porsche’s best-seller. Four lightweight Evora seats (claimed by Lotus to save forty four pounds over typical SUV seats), an aluminum chassis, and composite bod panels will offset its curb weight, and the supercharged Trio.5-liter V-6 engine from the Evora four hundred would be a fine fit here. The car we’re calling Exalt will be built with the brand’s Chinese playmate, Goldstar Powerful Industrial, and will be sold in China before making its way here.

Lotus isn’t exactly a healthy brand, but that isn’t stopping it from aiming high, with a aim of selling Ten,000 vehicles worldwide by decade’s end. That’s a lot of niche two-door sports cars to stir. A more practical vehicle that could help Lotus turn the tide on the sales side would put much-needed funds in the coffer to build more of the feather-light sports cars we love.

Just because Lotus believes people will buy a low-volume, lightweight crossover with a Lotus badge doesn’t make it true. Add to that the cash and development time needed to build such a vehicle—and the cracked promises of the brand’s previous concepts—and you realize you shouldn’t begin holding your breath anytime soon.

Production could commence in 2019

Mazda RX-9

Rotary fans and sports car paramours alike have been waiting for the RX-7’s come back since the U.S.-spec car went away in 1995. The RX-Vision concept shown at the two thousand fifteen Tokyo auto demonstrate gives the faithful fresh hope. Mazda CEO Masamichi Kogai says a production RX sports car could be based on the Miata’s platform, claiming the roadster’s chassis is “close to perfection” for such a task. Engineers would lengthen and stiffen the chassis to better cope with the higher horsepower a turbocharged rotary engine would provide—about four hundred hp. Expect significantly lower curb weight and cost than the standard F-Type, 911, or Corvette.

Mazda is a brand that builds sporty cars for those who still care about the driving practice. The rotary engine plays large in the automaker’s legend, and albeit the RX-8 attempted its best to succeed the RX-7, its frumpy styling made the rotary’s key shortcomings (poor low-end torque, worse fuel economy) even tougher to guzzle. The comeback of a true RX-7 as an affordable halo car would give inspiration to Mazda’s entire lineup and solidify the brand’s position as a maker of enthusiast cars.

The RX-7 might have been prompt, but it wasn’t cheap; the last-gen RX-7 was more expensive than a base Corvette. Bring the fresh car in at too high a price point, and Mazda risks alienating its core market. At the same time, Mazda must prove that it’s capable of producing a top-tier sports car that can take on the best in the business, and do it with a fresh, more efficient rotary engine that has enough power to challenge.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

The youth-oriented CLA-Class hasn’t done as well as the C- or E-Class, whereas the competitive Audi A3 is one of Audi’s best-selling cars. So Benz will add an all-new A-Class sedan to its North American lineup, with the CLA presumably living on alongside it. The A-Class will be a more spacious, more upright, front- or all-wheel-drive sedan in the A3’s mold. Picture it as a smaller C-Class, aping the styling cues of the car you see here. We expect a base Two.0-liter turbo-four engine with two hundred eight hp as well as a 375-hp AMG version.

Entry-level luxury models are designed to snare upwardly mobile first-timers to the brand in an effort to make lifelong customers out of them. When the Audi A3 launched, it highlighted the CLA’s lack of rear-seat space, an significant consideration for the junior set who likes to have room for friends or a puny family. The A-Class will be designed to remedy that issue.

Mercedes needs to make entry luxury buyers believe that the gap inbetween the A- and C-Class is petite and that they’re getting more than just a three-pointed starlet for their $35,000-plus. If Benz can’t pull that off, then the A-Class very likely won’t make it.

Mercedes-Benz X-Class

Mercedes-Benz’s X-Class is a rugged luxury pickup that’s been on the company’s back burner for years but is ultimately moving forward. Using Nissan’s Navara pickup architecture, the Mercedes truck will be available in many trims, ranging from a base tradesman edition without the brand’s signature comforts to more luxurious models. In addition to traditional diesel engines, the X-Class will also have both four-cylinder and six-cylinder gasoline engines, along with a hybrid electrified powertrain that will come later in the truck’s product cycle. The styling of the X-Class will parallel the rest of the company’s lineup of crossovers and should be fairly remarkable.

Midsize pickup trucks are the world’s workhorses. Leave behind what Ford, Ram, and GM have spouted for years; smaller, lighter duty trucks are big business and make up much of global truck sales. Mercedes-Benz adding a light-duty truck to its portfolio is the very first foray into the company’s technical partnership with Nissan. If the X-Class proves fruitful, it could further the relationship.

According to Mercedes’ vans chief Volker Mornhinweg, “The big three (Ford, GM, Ram) already own about ninety percent of this market. It’s a cutthroat environment; newcomers like us would invariably fight an arduous uphill battle.”

Sometime next year.

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

The Geländewagen has just been freshened for 2016, but look for massive switches to go after in the near future. The truck’s utterly powerful underpinnings will give way to ones composed of lightweight aluminum, shedding more than eight hundred pounds in the process. The equipment will get an even more civilian-minded interior, and its front live axle will evolve into an independent one. Don’t worry: The G-Class will still be a monster over rough terrain, as it’s expected to maintain its three locking differentials. Powertrains will stay the same—Four.0-liter and Five.5-liter turbocharged V-8s (we’re betting the 6.0-liter V-12 won’t get through)—with an expected twenty percent increase in fuel efficiency. A plug-in hybrid G-Class could also be in the works.

This will be the very first major update to the truck in ten years. The G-Class is a landmark vehicle from one of the best names in the business, and it is heartening to see support for such a historic model. This update will hopefully bring a healthy dose of manners to an otherwise unruly car; the weight loss and the interior refinements will go a long way.

Sales have been strong, but the market for an inefficient, brutish, slab-sided SUV might wane before Mercedes has a chance to truly convert the G-Class. And if dwindling request doesn’t spell doom, Benz’s latest shove toward efficiency and electrification might.

Porsche 929

People have dreamed an up-market, front-engine Porsche grand tourer for a while, but the automaker couldn’t make a fiscal case for it. That’s why the nine hundred twenty eight died off. But now that Porsche’s synergies with sister brands Bentley and Lamborghini are blossoming, a fresh GT might make sense. Bentley will use the platform from Porsche’s 2017 Panamera for a fresh coupe it is building, and it will in turn let Porsche dive into the same gene pool. The nine hundred twenty nine would launch as a coupe with a convertible variant to go after.

Porsche needs to expand its hybrid and electrical efforts to steer through upcoming emission chicanes without picking up too many penalty points. Since its sports cars must remain light and agile, we should see an intriguing mix of hybrid and plug-in powertrains for the 929. Total scalability will be required to react to improved batteries, e-motors, and spectacle electronics.

The nine hundred twenty nine is not a must-have for Porsche. In a crunch, decent cash cows, such as a baby Macan or a Cayenne coupe, would very likely take priority over a front-engine coupe. And tho’ the coming all-electric Mission E sedan will be Porsche’s green flagship, the brand might determine it needs a higher-volume EV more urgently.

two thousand twenty if it happens.

Mini Roomba

Mini should be the epitome of petite, stylish, and sporty runabouts, but its cars keep growing in size and price. The Roomba would be the brand’s largest suggesting by far, large enough to revive the long-forgotten Maxi nameplate. Benefits include superior space utilization, enhanced practicality, and the capability to accommodate enough batteries for a plug-in hybrid derivative. There is talk of making Roomba one of five so-called Mini “superheroes,” but the MPV faces strong in-house rival proposals, such as a nice sedan and a striking crossover.

Roomba could make it clear that Mini is prioritizing pragmatism over emotion. It would help parent company BMW cut costs by sharing key elements with its products while being emphatically Mini in appearance and appeal. Maybe, just maybe, a big car is what Mini needs.

An MPV might be the wrong signal to send to its youthfull non-conformist clientele, a brand-compatible minivan might not be possible, and the budget faithful to Roomba might tread on or cancel other, more innovative vehicle programs. Not to mention trademark issues.

Very likely not before 2021

Nissan Z

Albeit there is still no clear response whether there will be another version of the Nissan Z, it’s crazy to think given its heritage that Nissan will ditch the only true sports car left in its lineup save the high-priced, low-volume GT-R. Given the ties inbetween the 350Z and Infiniti G35 (and later the 370Z and G37), the logical path for a future Z car would be to use the bones of the fresh Q60 coupe as its base. There is also sentiment within the Nissan ranks to develop a smaller, purer Z along the lines of its well-received, rear-drive IDx concepts, but that would most likely require a costly, bespoke platform. Not likely.

Aside from the GT-R, Nissan sells a lot of solid but staid cars. The 370Z is the exception in that it appeals to enthusiasts, and despite waning sales of late, it draws on a long heritage of Nissan and Datsun sport coupes. With the latest resurgence of affordable, rear-wheel-drive models, including the Subaru BRZ and Mazda MX-5 Miata, we’d love to see Nissan launch a fresh competitor in the segment.

Top Nissan execs have waffled on whether they want to renew the Z, and they know there’s far more money to be made building crossovers than a lower-volume sports coupe. Developing a unique sports car is expensive as well (just ask Subaru and Toyota, which had to share costs to bring the BRZ/86 to life), and given Nissan’s fantasies of growing global sales and market share, the Z’s future is very much in flux.

No sooner than two thousand eighteen if at all

Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ

The “Toyobaru” sports car hasn’t sold particularly well for either Toyota or Subaru, so we were pleasurably astonished when officials from both brands confirmed the little coupe will live on for another generation. Toyota especially needs a joy car to remain in its lineup. While we’d like to see a turbocharged version of the Subaru-sourced, Two.0-liter direct-injected flat-four, we’re not expecting it. Margins on this car are petite, and turbocharging adds cost and complexity, but perhaps another twenty to thirty hp could come through some clever tuning.

These rear-wheel-drive coupes are unlike anything else on the market, especially for less than $30,000. The Mazda MX-5 Miata isn’t as practical, but that car and both the Toyota and Subaru come standard with a manual transmission. Love ’em now; niche cars never seem to live as long as they should.

Gains in weight and price, a dilution of the back-to-basics feel, or an unwillingness to give the car the extra power it’s capable of treating could kill the joy. The fresh car needs to address the few but widely held critiques of the current-gen car or buyers will walk.

Volvo XC40

Because the puny luxury crossover segment just keeps getting sexier and sexier, Volvo will debut its XC40 a year after it shows off its all-new, fatter XC60. The XC40 will feature a 1.5-liter three-cylinder as its base engine and potentially two optional Two.0-liter turbo-fours, including a version of the supercharged and turbocharged unit from the XC90. There should also be a plug-in hybrid variant that combines traditional Volvo design themes with more youth-oriented cues such as two-tone paint schemes presently popular in Europe.

The premium compact-crossover segment is on fire in Europe and North America, and it’s growing ever thicker in China too. A relatively popular model like this, priced less than $40,000, will play a major role in making Volvo a premium player globally and help build a loyal population of customers likely to comeback for fatter, more expensive models.

Hard to see where the Swedes might misstep with this model, but the fattest uncertainty here is the CMA platform Volvo is sharing with Chinese parent company Geely. The very first Volvo models to use the platform will be next year’s S40 and V40, so we’ll see how it is when those cars come out.

Volkswagen Bulli

Eventually, the modern Microbus is coming. VW management has reportedly signed off on a four-door, steel-body crossover with a one-box design more contemporary than the two thousand eleven concept you see here but with retro design cues. A turbocharged four-cylinder engine could lightly power the base Bulli, but given that the chic crossover will use VW’s all-new, electric-friendly MEB architecture, it might go the plug-in and EV-only route. If we’re right, the EV model could feature wireless inductive charging as well. It would show up the wait for another microvan has been well worth it.

The Bulli is the very first of many VW MEB models to come. They will share a trademark light signature, a clever air-intake design, and a trick windshield instrument panel, but with different assets styles, unique interiors, and made-to-measure chassis. The MEB platform will work for low- or high-floor applications and will accommodate up to four electrical motors. Zero-emission driving range will vary from one hundred eighty to four hundred miles, and MEB will be set up for autonomous driving and effortless battery exchanges.

The usual stumbling blocks: timing, volume, technology, cost, complexity, compatibility. Hardware and software are still in their infancy, and VW is attempting to figure out which electrical motors will work best for its needs. Not to mention that a heritage-derived electrical vehicle could gravely fight in a future-oriented market that loves modern shapes and visible advanced technologies.

25 Future Cars You Won – t Want to Miss, Automobile Magazine

25 Future Cars You Won’t Want to Miss

This will be one of the very first Aston Martins to make use of a Mercedes-Benz engine, a benefit of the partnership inbetween the two companies. Mercedes-AMG will build a “bespoke V-8” for the British sports car, almost certainly a version of its Four.0-liter twin-turbo mill. The Vantage should look similar to the DB10 that Aston Martin created for the James Bond film “Spectre,” with an aluminum-intensive bod and liberal use of carbon fiber to help keep weight down. Its interior will be far more fashionable than the current car’s, and purists will appreciate that Aston is planning to suggest an optional manual transmission alongside the dual-clutch automatic most buyers will opt for.

Aston Martin might have an amazing lineup of fantastic, sporty cars, but it needs a true sports car. And however today’s Vantage is joy, it doesn’t fairly pack that crevice. The next one will. And while purists might momentarily whine about the AMG-sourced engine, they’ll stop when they see the spectacle figures that come from using a “hot V” turbocharged V-8 from one of the world’s best engine builders.

Aston Martin DBX

The DBX cracks tradition to become the brand’s very first SUV (ahem, high-riding vehicle) as well as the very first Aston to use all-wheel drive. You’ll likely be able to choose inbetween a twin-turbo V-8, a V-12 of sorts, or an all-electric drivetrain that uses lithium-sulfur battery cells to power four electrified motors. Rumors suggest the EV model will have eight hundred hp and a range of about two hundred miles. The entire DBX lineup will have classic, killer Aston proportions propped up by a lifted suspension and big wheels. Expect four doors, not two like you see here, and the DBX’s swoopy figure should wrap around a gravely swanky interior with seating for four and a lot more space than, say, the Rapide sedan.

Heretical as an Aston Martin SUV might seem, Porsche’s business model of paying for traditional fan favorites with high-profit crossovers, such as the Cayenne and Macan, is proven. Aston Martin has been bankrupt seven times in its 103-year history, and CEO Andy Palmer is committed to making sure that stops. The DBX should help. Albeit adding electrical powertrains to the mix might seem a bit risky, it’s necessary if Aston wants to meet emissions targets and still suggest its trademark V-12 engines.

Audi R6

The gap inbetween TT and R8 remains broad open. Audi has repeatedly said that an entry-level V-8-powered R8 isn’t in the cards, so management instead is reportedly considering a fresh and relatively affordable mid-engine sports car earmarked for 2021. It would use the same building blocks as the next-generation Porsche Cayman and be powered by an all-new, all-aluminum Two.5-liter inline-five that could be bookended by a more basic inline-four and a fatter V-6. Power would range inbetween two hundred fifty hp and three hundred fifty hp, and all-wheel drive would be optional. If the R6 does indeed come to fruition, a no-frills, 400-hp R6 Plus model with a manual transmission could go after a few years later.

Bentley Anaga

BMW nine Series

The nine Series will be BMW’s response to the Mercedes-Maybach S600. With a commencing price of $170,000, BMW’s halo car should have styling not far from the Vision Future Luxury Concept shown here. Based off a spread version of the fresh 7 Series chassis, the nine Series will use a lot of carbon fiber to reduce weight. The sedan will likely be available with a twin-turbocharged V-8, a V-12 from Rolls-Royce tuned to BMW’s specs, and an all-new hybrid powertrain that pairs electrified motors with a turbocharged inline-six.

BMWs of late have felt less and less special, but maybe the nine Series will turn things around. Actually, it doesn’t have much choice in the matter; it needs to be engaging and unique to challenge with the S-Class. It’s expected to be a high-tech tour de force with serious semi-autonomous capabilities and a lavishly appointed interior.

For BMW to be successful with this one, it will have to contest head to head with the uber-luxurious S600 and also on some level with the Rolls-Royce Phantom replacement with which it will share some components. The nine Series will also need to look and feel like a fully fledged flagship, which BMW hasn’t had for some time now. If BMW can’t create something truly special, it will fail.

Beginning of 2020.

Bugatti Chiron Grand Sport

We expect the Chiron’s life cycle to mirror the Veyron’s, which means more extraordinaire and powerful variants are coming, such as a convertible Chiron Grand Sport. While the Chiron’s base spectacle is staggering, there is undoubtedly room to grow. Its 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W-16 engine will likely leap from 1,500 hp to an astounding 1,700 hp or more when bolted into the stripped-down Chiron Super Sport, a car that will likely breach the 275-mph mark. An open-air Grand Sport Vitesse should go after soon after.

The Veyron reset the collective consciousness of what we considered to be “high spectacle,” and the Chiron proceeds to carry the 250-mph torch for the brand. Not only can Bugatti achieve such mind-boggling spectacle, it does so with oversight from a company as large and diverse as Volkswagen Group.

VW’s diesel scandal will rear its soot-covered head, and tho’ we don’t yet know its utter financial implications, expect cost-cutting to affect niche products such as this. If VW Group deems the program joy but frivolous, the Chiron line might end at the standard model.

The Chiron Grand Sport should arrive around 2019, with the Super Sport and Grand Sport Vitesse following in two thousand twenty and 2021, respectively.

Cadillac XT7

General Motors has a fresh Chi platform for its medium and large crossovers: The Cadillac XT5 is on the smaller Chi, with the fresh XT7 on the opened up, larger Chi. The three-row XT7 will come with Escalade-like levels of luxury and bling on a more comfy unibody platform and in a size more manageable for urban parking garages. It will look a lot like a longer version of the XT5. Expect front-wheel drive, optional all-wheel drive, and a selection of six-cylinder engines, including Cadillac’s signature twin-turbo Three.0-liter V-6.

By the end of 2017

Ford Bronco

Ford has confirmed it will build two fresh vehicles at the Michigan factory where the Concentrate and C-Max are assembled. Sources say one is almost ensured to be the Ranger, Ford’s midsize pickup truck that’s already on sale overseas. A 2nd vehicle will join the plant in 2020, and a modern-day Bronco makes a lot of sense as that vehicle. It would essentially be Ford’s version of the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, built off the Ranger platform, underpinned by a raunchy suspension, and sporting a boxy, retro look. Think of it as the pickup truck for people who don’t actually need an open cargo bed but want the ground clearance and towing capability a more capable, body-on-frame SUV would provide.

Is there a business case for launching what would likely be a low-volume SUV when Ford already sells hundreds of thousands of pedestrian crossovers here? In addition, if gas prices abruptly spike, the market for vehicles like a Bronco could dry up. Ford has long voiced skepticism about selling pickups smaller than the F-150 in the U.S., despite its decision to reboot the Ranger. Attempting to thrust through another body-on-frame suggesting below the F-150 won’t be effortless.

No sooner than two thousand twenty about two years after Ranger production would begin in the U.S.

Kia Stinger coupe

The Kia GT4 Stinger concept shown in two thousand fourteen had a rear-wheel-drive platform, an aggressive design, a six-speed manual transmission, and a 315-hp turbocharged engine. We haven’t seen much since, but we’re sure the Stinger is coming. The automaker has already trademarked the Stinger name in the U.S.; GT4 is off the table due to an existing trademark. The production model will most likely use a turbo-four engine putting out two hundred fifty to three hundred hp, and its rear-wheel-drive platform would be borrowed from parent company Hyundai. A four-door Stinger sport sedan will hopefully precede a two-door sports car.

Very first, Kia can’t let corporate sibling Genesis have all the joy with its planned BMW three Series-rivaling sport sedan. 2nd, a purebred, two-door sports car would help bolster Kia’s joy character, complementing its existing SX Turbo models. Ultimately, suggesting a sports car would have a halo effect on the rest of the Kia lineup, hopefully persuading more buyers to consider the brand.

Suspension tuning has not historically been one of Kia’s strong points, however the company has made big strides in past years and hired a former BMW engineer to help dial in fresh models. It’s going to be rough to get executives to proceed to support a costly rear-wheel-drive platform for a small-batch sports car.

In the next year.

Jeep Comanche

The Jeep pickup is coming back. Good thing, too, observing how it flawlessly encapsulates the brand’s “go anywhere, do anything” attitude. Underpinnings will come from the soon-to-debut all-new Wrangler. Like the Wrangler, the Comanche will interchange steel bodywork for lighter aluminum panels and be powered by a V-6 engine that will bolt to either a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed automatic.

It’s the very first production Jeep pickup in a quarter century; fans have been clamoring for a reboot since the Comanche went away in the early ’90s. Jeep has become one of the most thriving brands in the FCA family, and the all-new Comanche certainly has the potential to become another best-seller overnight.

Genesis G60

The very first luxury sports coupe from Hyundai’s Genesis sub-brand will be a two-door version of the eventual G70 sedan, likely dubbed G60. Expect a graceful silhouette as well as a sporty, driver-centric cabin with a concentrate on innovative infotainment technology. Both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive will be available, as will two engines: a Two.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with about two hundred forty hp and a Three.8-liter V-6 making just north of three hundred hp, both bolted to eight-speed automatic transmissions. A hybrid and a spectacle model with a twin-turbo V-6 are expected as well.

To legitimize its freshly minted Genesis brand, Hyundai must contest against the BMW three Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Key design talents Peter Schreyer and Luc Donckerwolke, both poached from German companies, give Genesis a fighting chance, as do rear-wheel-drive platforms that won’t be collective with Hyundai’s mainstream fleet. Genesis just might have what it takes.

Superb build quality, plentiful tech, and superb warranties only go so far. People have a hard time paying premium prices for cars from commodity brands such as Hyundai. Genesis prices need to undercut German rivals to get on shopping lists, but its cars can’t be billed as anything but legitimate luxury. Maintaining a healthy distance from its modest Hyundai roots is essential.

Dodge Barracuda

When the third-generation Plymouth Barracuda debuted for the one thousand nine hundred seventy model year, it collective its platform with the then-new-to-the-market Dodge Challenger. But the ’Cuda—available as a coupe as well as a convertible—was shorter and lighter than the Challenger and had its own distinct styling. The song remains much the same for the all-new, modern-era Barracuda, now a convertible-only model wearing a Dodge badge. Tho’ it will share much of its components and powertrains with the all-new Challenger, including the platform plucked from the Alfa Romeo Giulia, it will be shorter and wear its own sheetmetal.

Building more cars on the Alfa Romeo Guilia platform means multitude at a relatively low cost and permits niche products like the ’Cuda to actually come to life. One more model on the fresh Alfa platform is good for enthusiasts, for Alfa, and for FCA, and it means Dodge can take the ponycar fight directly to Chevy and Ford.

FCA’s product plans have been fluid as of late, with CEO Sergio Marchionne aggressively seeking a fatter, healthier automaker to be FCA’s fucking partner. Even if he succeeds, the fresh playmate will direct its attention toward Jeep and Ram, not Dodge, and the two-model ponycar plan might become the one-model plan to save money.

Model year 2019

Dodge Challenger

Even when the new-age Challenger launched eight years ago, it was a larger, less titillating car than its Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang foils. Both of those cars were overhauled recently, but the Challenger has yet to receive a major update. That will switch with the smaller, lighter, all-new Challenger, which will share a rear-wheel-drive platform with the Alfa Romeo Giulia and proceed to suggest V-6 and Hemi V-8 options. And, yes, we expect to see a supercharged Hellcat model putting out at least seven hundred fifty hp.

Dodge is attempting to play up its muscle-car pic by further developing models such as the Challenger, the Charger, and the coming Barracuda. The plan is for Dodge to be the all-American, value-priced alternative to Alfa Romeo, which is targeting BMW. The Alfa-Dodge relationship is key to the future of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and the Challenger is its poster car. A nimbler, better-handling model should rival well with its Camaro and Mustang ponycar rivals.

Model year 2019

Lexus LC F

Lexus has promised nothing wearing the F badge will have an engine smaller than a V-8, so look for the same naturally aspirated Five.0-liter V-8 from the LC 500 tuned toward the 500-hp mark. If the LC 500’s 10-speed automatic proves to be better for smoothness than spectacle, Lexus will most likely interchange in an eight-speed automatic. Expect a torque-vectoring system, beefed-up brakes, lightweight wheels, more aggressive aerodynamics, a rear diffuser, and quad harass outlets.

Not before 2019

Lotus Exalt

Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales is wooed the automaker can build a lightweight, sporty CUV without shaming its name. It’s a departure from the brand’s ethos, but we thought the same thing when Porsche’s Cayenne launched more than a decade ago—and now it’s Porsche’s best-seller. Four lightweight Evora seats (claimed by Lotus to save forty four pounds over typical SUV seats), an aluminum chassis, and composite bod panels will offset its curb weight, and the supercharged Three.5-liter V-6 engine from the Evora four hundred would be a superb fit here. The car we’re calling Exalt will be built with the brand’s Chinese playmate, Goldstar Powerful Industrial, and will be sold in China before making its way here.

Lotus isn’t exactly a healthy brand, but that isn’t stopping it from aiming high, with a purpose of selling Ten,000 vehicles worldwide by decade’s end. That’s a lot of niche two-door sports cars to budge. A more practical vehicle that could help Lotus turn the tide on the sales side would put much-needed funds in the coffer to build more of the feather-light sports cars we love.

Production could commence in 2019

Mazda RX-9

Rotary fans and sports car paramours alike have been waiting for the RX-7’s come back since the U.S.-spec car went away in 1995. The RX-Vision concept shown at the two thousand fifteen Tokyo auto showcase gives the faithful fresh hope. Mazda CEO Masamichi Kogai says a production RX sports car could be based on the Miata’s platform, claiming the roadster’s chassis is “close to perfection” for such a task. Engineers would lengthen and stiffen the chassis to better cope with the higher horsepower a turbocharged rotary engine would provide—about four hundred hp. Expect significantly lower curb weight and cost than the standard F-Type, 911, or Corvette.

Mazda is a brand that builds sporty cars for those who still care about the driving practice. The rotary engine plays large in the automaker’s legend, and albeit the RX-8 attempted its best to succeed the RX-7, its frumpy styling made the rotary’s key shortcomings (poor low-end torque, worse fuel economy) even tougher to guzzle. The come back of a true RX-7 as an affordable halo car would give inspiration to Mazda’s entire lineup and solidify the brand’s position as a maker of enthusiast cars.

The RX-7 might have been rapid, but it wasn’t cheap; the last-gen RX-7 was more expensive than a base Corvette. Bring the fresh car in at too high a price point, and Mazda risks alienating its core market. At the same time, Mazda must prove that it’s capable of producing a top-tier sports car that can take on the best in the business, and do it with a fresh, more efficient rotary engine that has enough power to contest.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Entry-level luxury models are designed to snare upwardly mobile first-timers to the brand in an effort to make lifelong customers out of them. When the Audi A3 launched, it highlighted the CLA’s lack of rear-seat space, an significant consideration for the junior set who likes to have room for friends or a petite family. The A-Class will be designed to remedy that issue.

Mercedes needs to make entry luxury buyers believe that the gap inbetween the A- and C-Class is puny and that they’re getting more than just a three-pointed starlet for their $35,000-plus. If Benz can’t pull that off, then the A-Class very likely won’t make it.

Mercedes-Benz X-Class

Mercedes-Benz’s X-Class is a rugged luxury pickup that’s been on the company’s back burner for years but is ultimately moving forward. Using Nissan’s Navara pickup architecture, the Mercedes truck will be available in many trims, ranging from a base tradesman edition without the brand’s signature comforts to more luxurious models. In addition to traditional diesel engines, the X-Class will also have both four-cylinder and six-cylinder gasoline engines, along with a hybrid electrical powertrain that will come later in the truck’s product cycle. The styling of the X-Class will parallel the rest of the company’s lineup of crossovers and should be fairly sexy.

Sometime next year.

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

The Geländewagen has just been freshened for 2016, but look for massive switches to go after in the near future. The truck’s utterly intense underpinnings will give way to ones composed of lightweight aluminum, shedding more than eight hundred pounds in the process. The equipment will get an even more civilian-minded interior, and its front live axle will evolve into an independent one. Don’t worry: The G-Class will still be a monster over rough terrain, as it’s expected to maintain its three locking differentials. Powertrains will stay the same—Four.0-liter and Five.5-liter turbocharged V-8s (we’re betting the 6.0-liter V-12 won’t sustain)—with an expected twenty percent increase in fuel efficiency. A plug-in hybrid G-Class could also be in the works.

Sales have been strong, but the market for an inefficient, brutish, slab-sided SUV might wane before Mercedes has a chance to indeed convert the G-Class. And if dwindling request doesn’t spell doom, Benz’s latest thrust toward efficiency and electrification might.

Porsche 929

People have wished an up-market, front-engine Porsche grand tourer for a while, but the automaker couldn’t make a fiscal case for it. That’s why the nine hundred twenty eight died off. But now that Porsche’s synergies with sister brands Bentley and Lamborghini are blossoming, a fresh GT might make sense. Bentley will use the platform from Porsche’s 2017 Panamera for a fresh coupe it is building, and it will in turn let Porsche dive into the same gene pool. The nine hundred twenty nine would launch as a coupe with a convertible variant to go after.

The nine hundred twenty nine is not a must-have for Porsche. In a crunch, decent cash cows, such as a baby Macan or a Cayenne coupe, would most likely take priority over a front-engine coupe. And tho’ the coming all-electric Mission E sedan will be Porsche’s green flagship, the brand might determine it needs a higher-volume EV more urgently.

two thousand twenty if it happens.

Mini Roomba

An MPV might be the wrong signal to send to its youthfull non-conformist clientele, a brand-compatible minivan might not be possible, and the budget loyal to Roomba might tread on or cancel other, more innovative vehicle programs. Not to mention trademark issues.

Very likely not before 2021

Nissan Z

Albeit there is still no clear response whether there will be another version of the Nissan Z, it’s crazy to think given its heritage that Nissan will ditch the only true sports car left in its lineup save the high-priced, low-volume GT-R. Given the ties inbetween the 350Z and Infiniti G35 (and later the 370Z and G37), the logical path for a future Z car would be to use the bones of the fresh Q60 coupe as its base. There is also sentiment within the Nissan ranks to develop a smaller, purer Z along the lines of its well-received, rear-drive IDx concepts, but that would very likely require a costly, bespoke platform. Not likely.

Top Nissan execs have waffled on whether they want to renew the Z, and they know there’s far more money to be made building crossovers than a lower-volume sports coupe. Developing a unique sports car is expensive as well (just ask Subaru and Toyota, which had to share costs to bring the BRZ/86 to life), and given Nissan’s wishes of growing global sales and market share, the Z’s future is very much in flux.

No sooner than two thousand eighteen if at all

Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ

The “Toyobaru” sports car hasn’t sold particularly well for either Toyota or Subaru, so we were pleasurably astonished when officials from both brands confirmed the little coupe will live on for another generation. Toyota especially needs a joy car to remain in its lineup. While we’d like to see a turbocharged version of the Subaru-sourced, Two.0-liter direct-injected flat-four, we’re not expecting it. Margins on this car are puny, and turbocharging adds cost and complexity, but perhaps another twenty to thirty hp could come through some clever tuning.

Volvo XC40

Because the petite luxury crossover segment just keeps getting sexier and sexier, Volvo will debut its XC40 a year after it shows off its all-new, fatter XC60. The XC40 will feature a 1.5-liter three-cylinder as its base engine and potentially two optional Two.0-liter turbo-fours, including a version of the supercharged and turbocharged unit from the XC90. There should also be a plug-in hybrid variant that combines traditional Volvo design themes with more youth-oriented cues such as two-tone paint schemes presently popular in Europe.

Volkswagen Bulli

Ultimately, the modern Microbus is coming. VW management has reportedly signed off on a four-door, steel-body crossover with a one-box design more contemporary than the two thousand eleven concept you see here but with retro design cues. A turbocharged four-cylinder engine could lightly power the base Bulli, but given that the chic crossover will use VW’s all-new, electric-friendly MEB architecture, it might go the plug-in and EV-only route. If we’re right, the EV model could feature wireless inductive charging as well. It would emerge the wait for another microvan has been well worth it.

The Bulli is the very first of many VW MEB models to come. They will share a trademark light signature, a clever air-intake design, and a trick windshield instrument panel, but with different bod styles, unique interiors, and made-to-measure chassis. The MEB platform will work for low- or high-floor applications and will accommodate up to four electrical motors. Zero-emission driving range will vary from one hundred eighty to four hundred miles, and MEB will be set up for autonomous driving and effortless battery exchanges.

The usual stumbling blocks: timing, volume, technology, cost, complexity, compatibility. Hardware and software are still in their infancy, and VW is attempting to figure out which electrical motors will work best for its needs. Not to mention that a heritage-derived electrical vehicle could earnestly fight in a future-oriented market that loves modern shapes and visible advanced technologies.

25 Future Cars You Won – t Want to Miss, Automobile Magazine

25 Future Cars You Won’t Want to Miss

Aston Martin might have an amazing lineup of fantastic, sporty cars, but it needs a true sports car. And tho’ today’s Vantage is joy, it doesn’t fairly pack that crevice. The next one will. And while purists might momentarily whine about the AMG-sourced engine, they’ll stop when they see the spectacle figures that come from using a “hot V” turbocharged V-8 from one of the world’s best engine builders.

Aston Martin DBX

The DBX cracks tradition to become the brand’s very first SUV (ahem, high-riding vehicle) as well as the very first Aston to use all-wheel drive. You’ll likely be able to choose inbetween a twin-turbo V-8, a V-12 of sorts, or an all-electric drivetrain that uses lithium-sulfur battery cells to power four electrified motors. Rumors suggest the EV model will have eight hundred hp and a range of about two hundred miles. The entire DBX lineup will have classic, gorgeous Aston proportions propped up by a lifted suspension and big wheels. Expect four doors, not two like you see here, and the DBX’s swoopy figure should wrap around a earnestly swanky interior with seating for four and a lot more space than, say, the Rapide sedan.

Audi R6

Bentley Anaga

BMW nine Series

The nine Series will be BMW’s reaction to the Mercedes-Maybach S600. With a embarking price of $170,000, BMW’s halo car should have styling not far from the Vision Future Luxury Concept shown here. Based off a spread version of the fresh 7 Series chassis, the nine Series will use a lot of carbon fiber to reduce weight. The sedan will likely be available with a twin-turbocharged V-8, a V-12 from Rolls-Royce tuned to BMW’s specs, and an all-new hybrid powertrain that pairs electrical motors with a turbocharged inline-six.

BMWs of late have felt less and less special, but maybe the nine Series will turn things around. Actually, it doesn’t have much choice in the matter; it needs to be engaging and unique to rival with the S-Class. It’s expected to be a high-tech tour de force with serious semi-autonomous capabilities and a lavishly appointed interior.

For BMW to be successful with this one, it will have to challenge head to head with the uber-luxurious S600 and also on some level with the Rolls-Royce Phantom replacement with which it will share some components. The nine Series will also need to look and feel like a fully fledged flagship, which BMW hasn’t had for some time now. If BMW can’t create something truly special, it will fail.

Beginning of 2020.

Bugatti Chiron Grand Sport

We expect the Chiron’s life cycle to mirror the Veyron’s, which means more awesome and powerful variants are coming, such as a convertible Chiron Grand Sport. While the Chiron’s base spectacle is staggering, there is undoubtedly room to grow. Its 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W-16 engine will likely leap from 1,500 hp to an astounding 1,700 hp or more when bolted into the stripped-down Chiron Super Sport, a car that will likely breach the 275-mph mark. An open-air Grand Sport Vitesse should go after soon after.

VW’s diesel scandal will rear its soot-covered head, and however we don’t yet know its utter financial implications, expect cost-cutting to affect niche products such as this. If VW Group deems the program joy but frivolous, the Chiron line might end at the standard model.

The Chiron Grand Sport should arrive around 2019, with the Super Sport and Grand Sport Vitesse following in two thousand twenty and 2021, respectively.

Cadillac XT7

By the end of 2017

Ford Bronco

Ford has confirmed it will build two fresh vehicles at the Michigan factory where the Concentrate and C-Max are assembled. Sources say one is almost assured to be the Ranger, Ford’s midsize pickup truck that’s already on sale overseas. A 2nd vehicle will join the plant in 2020, and a modern-day Bronco makes a lot of sense as that vehicle. It would essentially be Ford’s version of the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, built off the Ranger platform, underpinned by a raunchy suspension, and sporting a boxy, retro look. Think of it as the pickup truck for people who don’t actually need an open cargo bed but want the ground clearance and towing capability a more capable, body-on-frame SUV would provide.

The Bronco would give Ford a credible competitor to the beloved Jeep Wrangler. Albeit it’s unclear whether the Bronco’s chops could indeed match those of the Jeep, a xxx variant along the lines of the F-150 Raptor could be developed to help boost its go-anywhere appeal and highlight its roots in off-road racing.

Is there a business case for launching what would likely be a low-volume SUV when Ford already sells hundreds of thousands of pedestrian crossovers here? In addition, if gas prices abruptly spike, the market for vehicles like a Bronco could dry up. Ford has long voiced skepticism about selling pickups smaller than the F-150 in the U.S., despite its decision to reboot the Ranger. Attempting to thrust through another body-on-frame suggesting below the F-150 won’t be effortless.

No sooner than two thousand twenty about two years after Ranger production would begin in the U.S.

Kia Stinger coupe

The Kia GT4 Stinger concept shown in two thousand fourteen had a rear-wheel-drive platform, an aggressive design, a six-speed manual transmission, and a 315-hp turbocharged engine. We haven’t seen much since, but we’re sure the Stinger is coming. The automaker has already trademarked the Stinger name in the U.S.; GT4 is off the table due to an existing trademark. The production model will most likely use a turbo-four engine putting out two hundred fifty to three hundred hp, and its rear-wheel-drive platform would be borrowed from parent company Hyundai. A four-door Stinger sport sedan will hopefully precede a two-door sports car.

Suspension tuning has not historically been one of Kia’s strong points, tho’ the company has made big strides in past years and hired a former BMW engineer to help dial in fresh models. It’s going to be harsh to get executives to proceed to support a costly rear-wheel-drive platform for a small-batch sports car.

In the next year.

Jeep Comanche

The Jeep pickup is coming back. Good thing, too, watching how it ideally encapsulates the brand’s “go anywhere, do anything” attitude. Underpinnings will come from the soon-to-debut all-new Wrangler. Like the Wrangler, the Comanche will exchange steel bodywork for lighter aluminum panels and be powered by a V-6 engine that will bolt to either a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed automatic.

It’s the very first production Jeep pickup in a quarter century; fans have been clamoring for a reboot since the Comanche went away in the early ’90s. Jeep has become one of the most thriving brands in the FCA family, and the all-new Comanche certainly has the potential to become another best-seller overnight.

Genesis G60

The very first luxury sports coupe from Hyundai’s Genesis sub-brand will be a two-door version of the eventual G70 sedan, likely dubbed G60. Expect a graceful silhouette as well as a sporty, driver-centric cabin with a concentrate on innovative infotainment technology. Both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive will be available, as will two engines: a Two.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with about two hundred forty hp and a Three.8-liter V-6 making just north of three hundred hp, both bolted to eight-speed automatic transmissions. A hybrid and a spectacle model with a twin-turbo V-6 are expected as well.

Good build quality, plentiful tech, and fine warranties only go so far. People have a hard time paying premium prices for cars from commodity brands such as Hyundai. Genesis prices need to undercut German rivals to get on shopping lists, but its cars can’t be billed as anything but legitimate luxury. Maintaining a healthy distance from its discreet Hyundai roots is essential.

Dodge Barracuda

When the third-generation Plymouth Barracuda debuted for the one thousand nine hundred seventy model year, it collective its platform with the then-new-to-the-market Dodge Challenger. But the ’Cuda—available as a coupe as well as a convertible—was shorter and lighter than the Challenger and had its own distinct styling. The song remains much the same for the all-new, modern-era Barracuda, now a convertible-only model wearing a Dodge badge. Tho’ it will share much of its components and powertrains with the all-new Challenger, including the platform plucked from the Alfa Romeo Giulia, it will be shorter and wear its own sheetmetal.

Building more cars on the Alfa Romeo Guilia platform means diversity at a relatively low cost and permits niche products like the ’Cuda to actually come to life. One more model on the fresh Alfa platform is good for enthusiasts, for Alfa, and for FCA, and it means Dodge can take the ponycar fight directly to Chevy and Ford.

FCA’s product plans have been fluid as of late, with CEO Sergio Marchionne aggressively seeking a thicker, healthier automaker to be FCA’s playmate. Even if he succeeds, the fresh fucking partner will direct its attention toward Jeep and Ram, not Dodge, and the two-model ponycar plan might become the one-model plan to save money.

Model year 2019

Dodge Challenger

Model year 2019

Lexus LC F

While the beautiful LC five hundred and innovative LC 500h hybrid help skin out the Lexus lineup, the F stable needs a halo car that’s more astounding than the RC F. It will get just that with the LC F, a desirable car with the design, cachet, and price to bring the spectacle nameplate to the next level.

Not before 2019

Lotus Exalt

Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales is coaxed the automaker can build a lightweight, sporty CUV without shaming its name. It’s a departure from the brand’s ethos, but we thought the same thing when Porsche’s Cayenne launched more than a decade ago—and now it’s Porsche’s best-seller. Four lightweight Evora seats (claimed by Lotus to save forty four pounds over typical SUV seats), an aluminum chassis, and composite assets panels will offset its curb weight, and the supercharged Three.5-liter V-6 engine from the Evora four hundred would be a good fit here. The car we’re calling Exalt will be built with the brand’s Chinese playmate, Goldstar Powerful Industrial, and will be sold in China before making its way here.

Just because Lotus believes people will buy a low-volume, lightweight crossover with a Lotus badge doesn’t make it true. Add to that the cash and development time needed to build such a vehicle—and the violated promises of the brand’s previous concepts—and you realize you shouldn’t begin holding your breath anytime soon.

Production could embark in 2019

Mazda RX-9

Rotary fans and sports car paramours alike have been waiting for the RX-7’s comeback since the U.S.-spec car went away in 1995. The RX-Vision concept shown at the two thousand fifteen Tokyo auto display gives the faithful fresh hope. Mazda CEO Masamichi Kogai says a production RX sports car could be based on the Miata’s platform, claiming the roadster’s chassis is “close to perfection” for such a task. Engineers would lengthen and stiffen the chassis to better cope with the higher horsepower a turbocharged rotary engine would provide—about four hundred hp. Expect significantly lower curb weight and cost than the standard F-Type, 911, or Corvette.

Mazda is a brand that builds sporty cars for those who still care about the driving practice. The rotary engine plays large in the automaker’s legend, and albeit the RX-8 attempted its best to succeed the RX-7, its frumpy styling made the rotary’s key shortcomings (poor low-end torque, worse fuel economy) even tougher to gulp. The comeback of a true RX-7 as an affordable halo car would give inspiration to Mazda’s entire lineup and solidify the brand’s position as a maker of enthusiast cars.

The RX-7 might have been swift, but it wasn’t cheap; the last-gen RX-7 was more expensive than a base Corvette. Bring the fresh car in at too high a price point, and Mazda risks alienating its core market. At the same time, Mazda must prove that it’s capable of producing a top-tier sports car that can take on the best in the business, and do it with a fresh, more efficient rotary engine that has enough power to contest.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz X-Class

Sometime next year.

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

The Geländewagen has just been freshened for 2016, but look for massive switches to go after in the near future. The truck’s utterly mighty underpinnings will give way to ones composed of lightweight aluminum, shedding more than eight hundred pounds in the process. The equipment will get an even more civilian-minded interior, and its front live axle will evolve into an independent one. Don’t worry: The G-Class will still be a monster over rough terrain, as it’s expected to maintain its three locking differentials. Powertrains will stay the same—Four.0-liter and Five.5-liter turbocharged V-8s (we’re betting the 6.0-liter V-12 won’t sustain)—with an expected twenty percent increase in fuel efficiency. A plug-in hybrid G-Class could also be in the works.

Porsche 929

The nine hundred twenty nine is not a must-have for Porsche. In a crunch, decent cash cows, such as a baby Macan or a Cayenne coupe, would most likely take priority over a front-engine coupe. And however the coming all-electric Mission E sedan will be Porsche’s green flagship, the brand might determine it needs a higher-volume EV more urgently.

two thousand twenty if it happens.

Mini Roomba

Mini should be the epitome of puny, stylish, and sporty runabouts, but its cars keep growing in size and price. The Roomba would be the brand’s largest suggesting by far, large enough to revive the long-forgotten Maxi nameplate. Benefits include superior space utilization, enhanced practicality, and the capability to accommodate enough batteries for a plug-in hybrid derivative. There is talk of making Roomba one of five so-called Mini “superheroes,” but the MPV faces strong in-house rival proposals, such as a lovely sedan and a striking crossover.

Very likely not before 2021

Nissan Z

No sooner than two thousand eighteen if at all

Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ

The “Toyobaru” sports car hasn’t sold particularly well for either Toyota or Subaru, so we were pleasurably astonished when officials from both brands confirmed the little coupe will live on for another generation. Toyota especially needs a joy car to remain in its lineup. While we’d like to see a turbocharged version of the Subaru-sourced, Two.0-liter direct-injected flat-four, we’re not expecting it. Margins on this car are puny, and turbocharging adds cost and complexity, but perhaps another twenty to thirty hp could come through some clever tuning.

Volvo XC40

The premium compact-crossover segment is on fire in Europe and North America, and it’s growing ever fatter in China too. A relatively popular model like this, priced less than $40,000, will play a major role in making Volvo a premium player globally and help build a loyal population of customers likely to come back for thicker, more expensive models.

Hard to see where the Swedes might misstep with this model, but the thickest uncertainty here is the CMA platform Volvo is sharing with Chinese parent company Geely. The very first Volvo models to use the platform will be next year’s S40 and V40, so we’ll see how it is when those cars come out.

Volkswagen Bulli

Ultimately, the modern Microbus is coming. VW management has reportedly signed off on a four-door, steel-body crossover with a one-box design more contemporary than the two thousand eleven concept you see here but with retro design cues. A turbocharged four-cylinder engine could lightly power the base Bulli, but given that the chic crossover will use VW’s all-new, electric-friendly MEB architecture, it might go the plug-in and EV-only route. If we’re right, the EV model could feature wireless inductive charging as well. It would show up the wait for another microvan has been well worth it.

The Bulli is the very first of many VW MEB models to come. They will share a trademark light signature, a clever air-intake design, and a trick windshield instrument panel, but with different bod styles, unique interiors, and made-to-measure chassis. The MEB platform will work for low- or high-floor applications and will accommodate up to four electrified motors. Zero-emission driving range will vary from one hundred eighty to four hundred miles, and MEB will be set up for autonomous driving and effortless battery interchanges.

25 Future Cars You Won – t Want to Miss, Automobile Magazine

25 Future Cars You Won’t Want to Miss

This will be one of the very first Aston Martins to make use of a Mercedes-Benz engine, a benefit of the partnership inbetween the two companies. Mercedes-AMG will build a “bespoke V-8” for the British sports car, almost certainly a version of its Four.0-liter twin-turbo mill. The Vantage should look similar to the DB10 that Aston Martin created for the James Bond film “Spectre,” with an aluminum-intensive figure and liberal use of carbon fiber to help keep weight down. Its interior will be far more fashionable than the current car’s, and purists will appreciate that Aston is planning to suggest an optional manual transmission alongside the dual-clutch automatic most buyers will opt for.

Aston Martin DBX

The DBX violates tradition to become the brand’s very first SUV (ahem, high-riding vehicle) as well as the very first Aston to use all-wheel drive. You’ll likely be able to choose inbetween a twin-turbo V-8, a V-12 of sorts, or an all-electric drivetrain that uses lithium-sulfur battery cells to power four electrical motors. Rumors suggest the EV model will have eight hundred hp and a range of about two hundred miles. The entire DBX lineup will have classic, remarkable Aston proportions propped up by a lifted suspension and big wheels. Expect four doors, not two like you see here, and the DBX’s swoopy bod should wrap around a gravely swanky interior with seating for four and a lot more space than, say, the Rapide sedan.

Heretical as an Aston Martin SUV might seem, Porsche’s business model of paying for traditional fan favorites with high-profit crossovers, such as the Cayenne and Macan, is proven. Aston Martin has been bankrupt seven times in its 103-year history, and CEO Andy Palmer is committed to making sure that stops. The DBX should help. Albeit adding electrical powertrains to the mix might seem a bit risky, it’s necessary if Aston wants to meet emissions targets and still suggest its trademark V-12 engines.

Audi R6

Bentley Anaga

BMW nine Series

The nine Series will be BMW’s response to the Mercedes-Maybach S600. With a kicking off price of $170,000, BMW’s halo car should have styling not far from the Vision Future Luxury Concept shown here. Based off a spread version of the fresh 7 Series chassis, the nine Series will use a lot of carbon fiber to reduce weight. The sedan will likely be available with a twin-turbocharged V-8, a V-12 from Rolls-Royce tuned to BMW’s specs, and an all-new hybrid powertrain that pairs electrical motors with a turbocharged inline-six.

BMWs of late have felt less and less special, but maybe the nine Series will turn things around. Actually, it doesn’t have much choice in the matter; it needs to be engaging and unique to challenge with the S-Class. It’s expected to be a high-tech tour de force with serious semi-autonomous capabilities and a lavishly appointed interior.

Beginning of 2020.

Bugatti Chiron Grand Sport

We expect the Chiron’s life cycle to mirror the Veyron’s, which means more awesome and powerful variants are coming, such as a convertible Chiron Grand Sport. While the Chiron’s base spectacle is staggering, there is certainly room to grow. Its 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W-16 engine will likely leap from 1,500 hp to an astounding 1,700 hp or more when bolted into the stripped-down Chiron Super Sport, a car that will likely breach the 275-mph mark. An open-air Grand Sport Vitesse should go after soon after.

The Chiron Grand Sport should arrive around 2019, with the Super Sport and Grand Sport Vitesse following in two thousand twenty and 2021, respectively.

Cadillac XT7

General Motors has a fresh Chi platform for its medium and large crossovers: The Cadillac XT5 is on the smaller Chi, with the fresh XT7 on the spread, larger Chi. The three-row XT7 will come with Escalade-like levels of luxury and bling on a more comfy unibody platform and in a size more manageable for urban parking garages. It will look a lot like a longer version of the XT5. Expect front-wheel drive, optional all-wheel drive, and a selection of six-cylinder engines, including Cadillac’s signature twin-turbo Trio.0-liter V-6.

Cadillac’s SUV lineup is much smaller than those of BMW and Mercedes-Benz, relying only on Escalade and the XT5, which substituted the recently deceased SRX. Large premium crossovers are fast-selling moneymakers, and Cadillac will ultimately be able to catch up and keep sales from going to other luxury brands as the crossover market gets sexier and sexier.

By the end of 2017

Ford Bronco

Ford has confirmed it will build two fresh vehicles at the Michigan factory where the Concentrate and C-Max are assembled. Sources say one is almost assured to be the Ranger, Ford’s midsize pickup truck that’s already on sale overseas. A 2nd vehicle will join the plant in 2020, and a modern-day Bronco makes a lot of sense as that vehicle. It would essentially be Ford’s version of the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, built off the Ranger platform, underpinned by a rough suspension, and sporting a boxy, retro look. Think of it as the pickup truck for people who don’t actually need an open cargo bed but want the ground clearance and towing capability a more capable, body-on-frame SUV would provide.

Is there a business case for launching what would likely be a low-volume SUV when Ford already sells hundreds of thousands of pedestrian crossovers here? In addition, if gas prices abruptly spike, the market for vehicles like a Bronco could dry up. Ford has long voiced skepticism about selling pickups smaller than the F-150 in the U.S., despite its decision to reboot the Ranger. Attempting to shove through another body-on-frame suggesting below the F-150 won’t be effortless.

No sooner than two thousand twenty about two years after Ranger production would begin in the U.S.

Kia Stinger coupe

The Kia GT4 Stinger concept shown in two thousand fourteen had a rear-wheel-drive platform, an aggressive design, a six-speed manual transmission, and a 315-hp turbocharged engine. We haven’t seen much since, but we’re sure the Stinger is coming. The automaker has already trademarked the Stinger name in the U.S.; GT4 is off the table due to an existing trademark. The production model will most likely use a turbo-four engine putting out two hundred fifty to three hundred hp, and its rear-wheel-drive platform would be borrowed from parent company Hyundai. A four-door Stinger sport sedan will hopefully precede a two-door sports car.

Suspension tuning has not historically been one of Kia’s strong points, however the company has made big strides in past years and hired a former BMW engineer to help dial in fresh models. It’s going to be harsh to get executives to proceed to support a costly rear-wheel-drive platform for a small-batch sports car.

In the next year.

Jeep Comanche

The Jeep pickup is coming back. Good thing, too, witnessing how it flawlessly encapsulates the brand’s “go anywhere, do anything” attitude. Underpinnings will come from the soon-to-debut all-new Wrangler. Like the Wrangler, the Comanche will interchange steel bodywork for lighter aluminum panels and be powered by a V-6 engine that will bolt to either a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed automatic.

It’s the very first production Jeep pickup in a quarter century; fans have been clamoring for a reboot since the Comanche went away in the early ’90s. Jeep has become one of the most thriving brands in the FCA family, and the all-new Comanche certainly has the potential to become another best-seller overnight.

Genesis G60

The very first luxury sports coupe from Hyundai’s Genesis sub-brand will be a two-door version of the eventual G70 sedan, likely dubbed G60. Expect a graceful silhouette as well as a sporty, driver-centric cabin with a concentrate on innovative infotainment technology. Both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive will be available, as will two engines: a Two.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with about two hundred forty hp and a Three.8-liter V-6 making just north of three hundred hp, both bolted to eight-speed automatic transmissions. A hybrid and a spectacle model with a twin-turbo V-6 are expected as well.

Good build quality, plentiful tech, and excellent warranties only go so far. People have a hard time paying premium prices for cars from commodity brands such as Hyundai. Genesis prices need to undercut German rivals to get on shopping lists, but its cars can’t be billed as anything but legitimate luxury. Maintaining a healthy distance from its modest Hyundai roots is essential.

Dodge Barracuda

When the third-generation Plymouth Barracuda debuted for the one thousand nine hundred seventy model year, it collective its platform with the then-new-to-the-market Dodge Challenger. But the ’Cuda—available as a coupe as well as a convertible—was shorter and lighter than the Challenger and had its own distinct styling. The song remains much the same for the all-new, modern-era Barracuda, now a convertible-only model wearing a Dodge badge. Tho’ it will share much of its components and powertrains with the all-new Challenger, including the platform plucked from the Alfa Romeo Giulia, it will be shorter and wear its own sheetmetal.

FCA’s product plans have been fluid as of late, with CEO Sergio Marchionne aggressively seeking a thicker, healthier automaker to be FCA’s playmate. Even if he succeeds, the fresh playmate will direct its attention toward Jeep and Ram, not Dodge, and the two-model ponycar plan might become the one-model plan to save money.

Model year 2019

Dodge Challenger

Dodge is attempting to play up its muscle-car pic by further developing models such as the Challenger, the Charger, and the coming Barracuda. The plan is for Dodge to be the all-American, value-priced alternative to Alfa Romeo, which is targeting BMW. The Alfa-Dodge relationship is key to the future of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and the Challenger is its poster car. A nimbler, better-handling model should challenge well with its Camaro and Mustang ponycar rivals.

Model year 2019

Lexus LC F

Lexus has promised nothing wearing the F badge will have an engine smaller than a V-8, so look for the same naturally aspirated Five.0-liter V-8 from the LC 500 tuned toward the 500-hp mark. If the LC 500’s 10-speed automatic proves to be better for smoothness than spectacle, Lexus will very likely exchange in an eight-speed automatic. Expect a torque-vectoring system, beefed-up brakes, lightweight wheels, more aggressive aerodynamics, a rear diffuser, and quad harass outlets.

While the beautiful LC five hundred and innovative LC 500h hybrid help skin out the Lexus lineup, the F stable needs a halo car that’s more incredible than the RC F. It will get just that with the LC F, a desirable car with the design, cachet, and price to bring the spectacle nameplate to the next level.

Not before 2019

Lotus Exalt

Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales is wooed the automaker can build a lightweight, sporty CUV without shaming its name. It’s a departure from the brand’s ethos, but we thought the same thing when Porsche’s Cayenne launched more than a decade ago—and now it’s Porsche’s best-seller. Four lightweight Evora seats (claimed by Lotus to save forty four pounds over typical SUV seats), an aluminum chassis, and composite bod panels will offset its curb weight, and the supercharged Trio.5-liter V-6 engine from the Evora four hundred would be a excellent fit here. The car we’re calling Exalt will be built with the brand’s Chinese playmate, Goldstar Mighty Industrial, and will be sold in China before making its way here.

Lotus isn’t exactly a healthy brand, but that isn’t stopping it from aiming high, with a aim of selling Ten,000 vehicles worldwide by decade’s end. That’s a lot of niche two-door sports cars to budge. A more practical vehicle that could help Lotus turn the tide on the sales side would put much-needed funds in the coffer to build more of the feather-light sports cars we love.

Production could begin in 2019

Mazda RX-9

Rotary fans and sports car paramours alike have been waiting for the RX-7’s come back since the U.S.-spec car went away in 1995. The RX-Vision concept shown at the two thousand fifteen Tokyo auto showcase gives the faithful fresh hope. Mazda CEO Masamichi Kogai says a production RX sports car could be based on the Miata’s platform, claiming the roadster’s chassis is “close to perfection” for such a task. Engineers would lengthen and stiffen the chassis to better cope with the higher horsepower a turbocharged rotary engine would provide—about four hundred hp. Expect significantly lower curb weight and cost than the standard F-Type, 911, or Corvette.

Mazda is a brand that builds sporty cars for those who still care about the driving practice. The rotary engine plays large in the automaker’s legend, and albeit the RX-8 attempted its best to succeed the RX-7, its frumpy styling made the rotary’s key shortcomings (poor low-end torque, worse fuel economy) even tougher to gulp. The comeback of a true RX-7 as an affordable halo car would give inspiration to Mazda’s entire lineup and solidify the brand’s position as a maker of enthusiast cars.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz X-Class

Sometime next year.

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

The Geländewagen has just been freshened for 2016, but look for massive switches to go after in the near future. The truck’s enormously strong underpinnings will give way to ones composed of lightweight aluminum, shedding more than eight hundred pounds in the process. The equipment will get an even more civilian-minded interior, and its front live axle will evolve into an independent one. Don’t worry: The G-Class will still be a monster over rough terrain, as it’s expected to maintain its three locking differentials. Powertrains will stay the same—Four.0-liter and Five.5-liter turbocharged V-8s (we’re betting the 6.0-liter V-12 won’t get through)—with an expected twenty percent increase in fuel efficiency. A plug-in hybrid G-Class could also be in the works.

Porsche 929

The nine hundred twenty nine is not a must-have for Porsche. In a crunch, decent cash cows, such as a baby Macan or a Cayenne coupe, would very likely take priority over a front-engine coupe. And however the coming all-electric Mission E sedan will be Porsche’s green flagship, the brand might determine it needs a higher-volume EV more urgently.

two thousand twenty if it happens.

Mini Roomba

An MPV might be the wrong signal to send to its youthfull non-conformist clientele, a brand-compatible minivan might not be possible, and the budget dedicated to Roomba might tread on or cancel other, more innovative vehicle programs. Not to mention trademark issues.

Most likely not before 2021

Nissan Z

Albeit there is still no clear reaction whether there will be another version of the Nissan Z, it’s crazy to think given its heritage that Nissan will ditch the only true sports car left in its lineup save the high-priced, low-volume GT-R. Given the ties inbetween the 350Z and Infiniti G35 (and later the 370Z and G37), the logical path for a future Z car would be to use the bones of the fresh Q60 coupe as its base. There is also sentiment within the Nissan ranks to develop a smaller, purer Z along the lines of its well-received, rear-drive IDx concepts, but that would most likely require a costly, bespoke platform. Not likely.

Top Nissan execs have waffled on whether they want to renew the Z, and they know there’s far more money to be made building crossovers than a lower-volume sports coupe. Developing a unique sports car is expensive as well (just ask Subaru and Toyota, which had to share costs to bring the BRZ/86 to life), and given Nissan’s wishes of growing global sales and market share, the Z’s future is very much in flux.

No sooner than two thousand eighteen if at all

Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ

The “Toyobaru” sports car hasn’t sold particularly well for either Toyota or Subaru, so we were pleasurably astonished when officials from both brands confirmed the little coupe will live on for another generation. Toyota especially needs a joy car to remain in its lineup. While we’d like to see a turbocharged version of the Subaru-sourced, Two.0-liter direct-injected flat-four, we’re not expecting it. Margins on this car are puny, and turbocharging adds cost and complexity, but perhaps another twenty to thirty hp could come through some clever tuning.

Volvo XC40

Volkswagen Bulli

Ultimately, the modern Microbus is coming. VW management has reportedly signed off on a four-door, steel-body crossover with a one-box design more contemporary than the two thousand eleven concept you see here but with retro design cues. A turbocharged four-cylinder engine could lightly power the base Bulli, but given that the chic crossover will use VW’s all-new, electric-friendly MEB architecture, it might go the plug-in and EV-only route. If we’re right, the EV model could feature wireless inductive charging as well. It would show up the wait for another microvan has been well worth it.

The Bulli is the very first of many VW MEB models to come. They will share a trademark light signature, a clever air-intake design, and a trick windshield instrument panel, but with different figure styles, unique interiors, and made-to-measure chassis. The MEB platform will work for low- or high-floor applications and will accommodate up to four electrical motors. Zero-emission driving range will vary from one hundred eighty to four hundred miles, and MEB will be set up for autonomous driving and effortless battery interchanges.

The usual stumbling blocks: timing, volume, technology, cost, complexity, compatibility. Hardware and software are still in their infancy, and VW is attempting to figure out which electrified motors will work best for its needs. Not to mention that a heritage-derived electrical vehicle could gravely fight in a future-oriented market that loves modern shapes and visible advanced technologies.

25 Future Cars You Won&#8217;t Want to Miss

Aston Martin DBX

Audi R6

Bentley Anaga

BMW nine Series

Bugatti Chiron Grand Sport

Cadillac XT7

Ford Bronco

Kia Stinger coupe

Jeep Comanche

Genesis G60

Dodge Barracuda

Dodge Challenger

Lexus LC F

Lotus Exalt

Mazda RX-9

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz X-Class

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Porsche 929

Mini Roomba

Nissan Z

Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ

Volvo XC40

Volkswagen Bulli

25 Future Cars You Won&#8217;t Want to Miss

Aston Martin DBX

Audi R6

Bentley Anaga

BMW nine Series

Bugatti Chiron Grand Sport

Cadillac XT7

Ford Bronco

Kia Stinger coupe

Jeep Comanche

Genesis G60

Dodge Barracuda

Dodge Challenger

Lexus LC F

Lotus Exalt

Mazda RX-9

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz X-Class

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Porsche 929

Mini Roomba

Nissan Z

Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ

Volvo XC40

Volkswagen Bulli

25 Future Cars You Won&#8217;t Want to Miss

Aston Martin DBX

Audi R6

Bentley Anaga

BMW nine Series

Bugatti Chiron Grand Sport

Cadillac XT7

Ford Bronco

Kia Stinger coupe

Jeep Comanche

Genesis G60

Dodge Barracuda

Dodge Challenger

Lexus LC F

Lotus Exalt

Mazda RX-9

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz X-Class

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Porsche 929

Mini Roomba

Nissan Z

Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ

Volvo XC40

Volkswagen Bulli

25 Future Cars You Won&#8217;t Want to Miss

Aston Martin DBX

Audi R6

Bentley Anaga

BMW nine Series

25 Future Cars You Won’t Want to Miss

25 Future Cars You Won’t Want to Miss

25 Future Cars You Won’t Want to Miss

25 Future Cars You Won’t Want to Miss