Whether you're a fan of electric cars or can't wait to see the next supercar, there should be something for everyone coming in 2021 and beyond.
It’s no surprise to see EVs dominate, with Mercedes and Audi set to provide for the luxury saloon market with the new EQS and e-tron GT and the Citroen e-C4 sitting at the more affordable end of the EV spectrum.
However, just one look at the list of new cars coming in 2021 and beyond and you will see that the SUV boom will continue to gather pace with the likes of Alfa Romeo launching the Tonale and BMW pulling the covers of its all-electric iX3. Plus, the sporty SUV segment will increase further with the introduction of the Hyundai Kona N.
There are still cars aiming to appeal to the driving enthusiasts however, with the Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA super saloon, Hyundai i20 N hot hatch and Lotus Type 131 sports car.
Scroll down below to see our list of the best new cars coming in 2021 and beyond, with information on pricing and when we can expect to see them hit showrooms...
Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA
- On sale: Summer 2021
An even hotter version of the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is on its way, in the form of the Giulia GTA. It uses the same 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6, but power rises to 533bhp.
More important is the GTA’s crash diet; carbon fibre is used for the driveshafts, bonnet, roof, front bumper, front wheelarches and rear arch interiors to save weight. The engine uses more aluminium, too.
Alfa Romeo Tonale
- On sale: Spring 2021
Next on the agenda for Alfa Romeo is another SUV to sit beneath the Stelvio. It will be called Tonale, and the wait for the Italian brand’s Mercedes GLA and Audi Q3 rival has been a lengthy one; it was previewed as a concept at the Geneva Motor Show in 2019, but the production car has yet to be revealed.
Regardless, Alfa’s concept is a very thinly veiled glimpse of what to expect, while under the skin the Tonale will use familiar underpinnings and engines, sharing its platform with the current Jeep Renegade. That means front and all-wheel drive, as well as petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid power.
Audi e-tron GT
- On sale: Spring 2021
Audi’s answer to the Porsche Taycan is coming in 2021 in the form of the e-tron GT. In fact, the all-electric four-door performance coupé shares its platform and battery technology with its Porsche-badged sibling.
Acting as an electric alternative to the A7 Sportback, the e-tron GT will be the flagship in Audi’s electric car line-up, which is promised to grow to 12 vehicles by 2025. Technical specs are scarce, but it’s likely that the Audi will use the Taycan’s battery and charging tech, enabling up to 281 miles on a single charge and a class-leading recharging rate of up to 350kW. An performance-orientated RS e-tron GT is also on the way.
Audi Q4 e-tron
- On sale: Autumn 2021
Audi’s electrification efforts heading into the next decade will be spearheaded by this: the Q4 e-tron. When it arrives in 2021, the electric SUV will shape up as a competitor for the Tesla Model Y.
The Q4 e-tron will be Audi’s first car on the VW Group’s MEB platform – its multi-billion-pound modular architecture designed specifically for EVs. The Q4 e-tron should stand out from stablemates such as the VW ID.4 by being the most upmarket model sitting on the MEB components, and act as an all-electric alternative to the hugely popular Q3.
Audi Q5 Sportback
- Price: From £45,000 (est)
- On sale: Spring 2021
As has already happened with the smaller Q3, there's a new coupe-SUV based on the larger Q5 called the Q5 Sportback. The new model follows a familiar format: the nose of the latest Q5, but with a rakish rear end - like the Q8 and e-tron Sportback.
The Sportback will allow Audi to compete against the BMW X4 and Mercedes GLC Coupé in an increasingly popular market. Powertrains are lifted from the normal Q5, so that means a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel with mild-hybrid assistance, a 2.0-litre petrol and even a 342bhp 3.0-litre diesel for the upcoming SQ5 Sportback.
Audi RS 3
- Price: £49,000 (est)
- On sale: 2021
As ever the latest A3 range will be crowned by a hot RS version, which Audi hopes can retake super hatch class honours from the latest Mercedes-AMG A 45 S. The new RS 3 will stick with 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder power, and the latest unit is expected to produce in excess of 400bhp.
Drive will be sent to all four wheels, just as with the S3. However, the RS 3 will stand apart from its less powerful stablemate thanks to a far sportier bodykit and a wider track, as seen in the spy image below. A saloon version will follow the Sportback five-door hatchback into showrooms next year.
BMW 2 Series Coupe
- Price: From £30,000 (est)
- On sale: Late 2021
BMW looks set to appease the brand purists with the next 2 Series Coupé. While the four-door Gran Coupé has made the switch to front-wheel drive, the two-door will maintain the rear-driven format of the current car.
As our image shows, the design of the new car will take an evolutionary step forward. But it’s all change under the skin, because the next model is set to switch to the lighter and more rigid CLAR underpinnings used by the larger 3 Series.
BMW 4 Series Convertible
- Price: From £45,785
- On sale: Early 2021
Hot on the heels of the 4 Series Coupé, this is the new 4 Series Convertible - designed to take on the Mercedes C-Class and Audi A5 cabriolets. The new car ditches the folding hard-top construction of the previous model for a lighter, more compact fabric roof.
The new model will share its four and six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines with the coupé and will make use of the same interior design. Pricing starts from £45,785 with entry-level 420i models powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. The 430i uses the same powertrain, albeit with a remap which increases its output to 254bhp and 400Nm of torque. Top range-topping M440i has a starting price of £58,865 – and it’s powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine, which develops 369bhp and 500Nm of torque.
BMW i4
- On sale: Late 2021
Switch out the delicate headlights, slender door mirrors and huge wheels of the Concept i4 for more conventional items, and you’re looking at BMW’s answer to the Polestar 2 and the Tesla Model 3.
Production specs have yet to be confirmed, but should the concept match reality, the i4 has potential: 523bhp from an electric motor drives all four wheels to deliver a 0-62mph sprint in four seconds and a top speed of 124mph. An 80kWh battery promises 373 miles of range, and we expect 150kW compatibility, allowing an 80 per cent top-up from flat in little more than half an hour.
BMW iNEXT
- On sale: Late 2021
BMW’s electrified i sub-brand will rapidly expand in the next couple of years, and the iX SUV will sit as its halo model.
Previewed by BMW’s iNext prototype, the all-electric iX will be positioned as a zero-emission SUV that’s roughly the same size as the current X5. BMW’s halo EV will return a 376-mile range and a 0-62mph of under five seconds. 5G connectivity will also be available as well as radar sensor technology for automated driving.
BMW iX3
- On sale: Summer 2021
The next model to join BMW’s ever-expanding i-badged electric family will also be its first SUV. The iX3 will take on the Mercedes EQC and Tesla Model Y when sales begin in the middle of next year, and it will enter the fight showcasing the brand’s very latest fifth-generation EV technology.
- SEE MORE New BMW iX3 2020 review
The iX3 rides on an adapted version of the combustion-powered X3 platform, but under the skin there’s a rear-mounted 282bhp electric motor and an 80kWh battery. The latter is 20 per cent more energy dense than any unit BMW has used before. The result? 279 miles between charges.