2020 has not been the greatest year. Disease, fires, civil unrest, and a myriad of other factors have put a serious vice grip on the automotive industry. Many car manufacturers have decided to put releases and major industry game-changers on hold but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some great things to look forward to.
From concepts turning to reality, to decade long promises being fulfilled, and a whole slew of top-notch electric vehicles 2021 will be the resurgence the auto industry sorely needs. Here are some of the most highly anticipated cars to look forward to.
10 Alfa Romeo Tonale
The Tonale was first revealed as a concept car back in 2019. Slated for a 2021 release there is still much we don’t know about the newest Alpha Romeo but pre-production models have been seen in the wild.
What we do know is that it will be a smaller SUV that competes against BMW X1. It will cost around $35,000 which will make it the cheapest car in the Alpha Romeo lineup but Alpha has specifically stated that it will continue to have the high performance that the brand is known for. There will also be a hybrid version and possibly a Quadrifoglio version down the line.
It’s unclear how much power the Tonale will have but thanks to its lower price, the crossover is likely going to be the most popular Alpha Romeo.
9 Nissan Z Proto (400Z)
The current Nissan 370Z is almost ancient by auto industry standards, 11 years on a poorly aging platform, and extremely outdated tech. Many enthusiasts feared the Z line would be discontinued especially with the rise of the SUV and diminishing sedan sales but to everyone’s surprise, Nissan announced that the Z will live on. The Z Proto was unveiled and the enthusiast community let out a collective sigh of relief.
The Proto Z will be more powerful than the current 370Z and have either 300 HP or 400 HP paired with an honest to goodness manual transmission. Nissan emphasized the new Z is all about the driver experience saying "The Z must have a strong connection between human and machine, like a dance partner." The interior shots also revealed advanced tech that will likely be the best that Nissan has to offer. The Proto Z will likely be a strong competitor to the Toyota Supra.
8 Ford Bronco
Many car manufacturers have been following the trend of reviving old nameplates to stir a lot of attention. No car has revived as much interest as the Ford Bronco. Unlike the Chevrolet Blazer, another off-roading legend that was revived, the Bronco is a perfect mix of modern and retro styling. The Bronco promises to be a serious contender against the likes of Jeep for the off-roading title.
Despite its off-roading chops, it is loaded with technology like a 12-inch touchscreen and specially made off-roading performance programs that can go toe-to-toe with Jeep’s. The turbo inline-four engine produces 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, more than adequate for most people but the twin-turbo 2.7-liter V-6 that generates 310 horses and 400 lb-ft is what enthusiasts really want. The long list of features includes a super-low 94.75:1 crawler ratio, an advanced AWD system, mud-terrain tires, beadlock-capable wheels, electronic locking front and rear differentials, long-travel dampers, and a sway-bar-disconnect. The Bronco will certainly live up to its reputation.
7 Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86
The current BRZ and 86 are on an aging platform and the current model year is expected to be the last before a drastic redesign. A quick history lesson, the BRZ and the 86 were developed as a joint venture by Subaru and Toyota to design a brand new sports car while only having to spend half as much. As a result, the two cars are nearly identical aside from a few brand-specific touches like infotainment and performance tuning. Now the two companies are at it again and redesigning the cars from the ground up.
There are few details provided but the new models have promised to handle some of the biggest complaints from current owners. While the styling and driving dynamics were great, the power has a consistent complaint among owners and reviewers. No matter what trim customers got, the cars only had about 200 HP. The new models will have 217 HP in the form of a naturally aspirated engine or 260 HP from a turbocharged engine. There is also a hope that Toyota will come out with a GR version like the Supra and the Corolla which can potentially have more than 300 HP. Regardless of the specifics, owners and enthusiasts will finally be able to have the power they need to match the car’s sporty look.
6 Audi e-Tron GT
The car featured in Avengers Endgame as Tony Stark’s ride, the Audi e-tron GT isn’t like the SUV e-tron, it's for enthusiasts. With the success of the Porsche Taycan, enthusiasts believe the e-tron GT will feature many of the same systems but in the typical super luxury-performance Audi package. The GT is reported to hit 60 MPH in around 3.5 seconds less than a second slower than the performance-oriented Taycan.
But what’s really important is the charging and range. The GT will have a range of roughly 250 miles on a single charge, more than 100 miles less than the top of the line Tesla Model S. But The GT will have the Taycan’s charge rate meaning it can go from 0%-80% charge in just 20 minutes at a fast-charging station, about half as long as a Tesla Model S.
What the GT lacks in range it makes up for in luxury. The GT promises to be the most luxurious experience in high-class EVs.
5 BMW i4
BMW had an early entry in the EV market with the i3 but aside from an underwhelming exterior and interior, it was a largely disappointing car with just a 153-mile range. For seven years, BMW has rested on its laurels with very little competition but with Audi, Porsche, and Mercedes-Benz joining the EV battle BMW had to step up its game. The i4 promises to be the best EV BMW can muster.
The i4 will cost around $50,000-$60,000 meaning it will compete with the highest trim Tesla Model 3 and perhaps the lowest trims of the Audi e-tron GT. BMW claims the i4 will have a range of 372 miles on a single charge exceeding the Tesla Model S, the current class leader. There are very few performance figures so we can only guess the 0-60 MPH but with 80 more HP than a Tesla Model 3, it is likely very quick.
4 Lucid Air
A self-proclaimed “Tesla-killer” the Lucid Air isn’t all talk. Backed by seriously wealthy investors, the Air was designed by a former Tesla engineer. On paper, the Air seems to beat the Model S everywhere it matters like 517 miles of range (under perfect conditions) to the Model S’s 373 miles, 1,080 HP to Tesla’s 503, and more than twice as many sensors and cameras as the Model S ensuring safety and features galore.
Curiously, despite having more than twice the horsepower, the Tesla Model S sprints from 0-60 MPH 0.2 seconds faster than the Air but Lucid may be taking a play out of Porsche’s playbook and be prioritizing robust repeatability and reliability compared to Tesla’s one-and-done acceleration that severely strains the powertrain. We won’t know if the Air is truly a serious contender to Tesla’s EV crown until real buyers get their hands on it, but if the numbers are real it may be enough to topple Tesla.
3 GMC Hummer Electric
GMC made huge waves when they announced they would bring back the Hummer. Based on military Humvees, the Hummer was a massive gas-guzzling SUV that often took up more than their fair share of the road. While GMC continuously made refinements and more efficient Hummers it was too little too late for the behemoth as the environmentally friendly wave swept the auto industry and sales quickly dried up.
It was often believed that the Hummer in any form would simply fail emissions rules in the US and would be impossible to bring back but nobody expected the once carbon-spewing factory to come back as one of the most efficient vehicles on the road. The Hummer EV is self-proclaimed as the world’s first “supertruck.”
The Hummer EV claims a 350-mile range and a 3 second 0-60 MPH acceleration. The truck is set to go into production in 2021 and may beat Tesla’s Cybertruck to the market.
2 Ford Mustang Mach-E
Ford is pretty late to the EV game. The carmaker has dabbled in EV technology with plug in hybrids but it hasn’t released a full EV. It certainly seems like they’re making a big splash with the Mach-E. Putting their most well-known nameplate, the Mustang, on the EV shows their commitment to the technology moving forward.
The Mach-E is a crossover and a direct competitor to the extremely popular Tesla Model Y. Its range is up to 370 miles, significantly greater than the Model Y’s 300 miles. The Mach-E also accelerated from 0-60 MPH in less than four seconds, faster than a comparable Model Y. Ford also included loads of impressive tech, a center console screen similar to the Model S with a physical dial as well as free wireless updates, a hallmark of Tesla’s success. Make no mistake, the Mach-E, backed by one of the biggest car manufacturers in the world has what it takes to topple Tesla.
1 Tesla Roadster
Speaking of Tesla, the current king of EVs. The Roadster is a complete redesign of the original design that established Tesla in the first place. Also known as the first production car launched into space, the Roadster claims to have 620 miles of range from a 200-kWh battery, the longest range of any current or planned EV on the market.
The Roadster is also supposed to be one the fastest production car on the planet with an acceleration time of 0-60 in an impossibly fast 1.9 seconds. Only other EV hypercars like the Rimac can even come close to that speed.
In terms of comfort and convenience, it’ll have the latest and greatest tech including autopilot, and all the sensors Telsa can fit into its light frame. But if early reports are to be believed don’t expect the most luxurious interior, imitating the spartan minimalist interior of the Model 3, this is a machine built for speed. There aren’t official numbers outside of Tesla’s claims but if the hype is even remotely true, this will be a fearsome car.