The most anticipated cars of 2021 – including a pace-setting VW and an old-school Porsche monster
They might not be the best cars on the way this year, but they are some of the most intriguing, which is why they are on this list. Can Alfa Romeo produce a world-beater, can Volkswagen build on the good it has done with the excellent ID.3 electric car (EV), will Mercedes-Benz finally take EVs seriously and what will Toyota’s battery-powered efforts look like?
All these questions and more are answered below, representing the five cars I’m most looking forward to over the next 12 months. Plus one, you’ll have noticed (and you’ll have to forgive that extra one, which slipped in because it might be rather special indeed).
So here’s to a darn sight better year in 2021 and happy and peaceful motoring to you all.
Alfa Romeo Tonale
All cars look the same, folk wail; not at Alfa they don’t. Recently leaked pictures of the production version of this mid-sized family SUV/crossover show that it’s been calmed down slightly from the gorgeous concept, but it’s still by far the best-looking car in its class.
The Tonale’s front recalls the monster SZ coupé of 1989 and this car will fit into Alfa’s range below the Stelvio, rivalling popular SUVs such as the Volvo XC40, BMW X1 and Audi Q3.
Based on the same hardware as the latest Jeep Renegade, there will be a range of conventional petrol and diesel drivetrains, as well as a plug-in-hybrid version with a front engine and rear electric motor. Prices are expected to start at about £30,000.
Ford Mustang Mach-E
Using the Mustang name and iconography for a battery-powered model is controversial, but this is a big moment for Ford. Its expertise lies in making things easier and cheaper to manufacture and while it cannot exempt itself from the horrendous cost of lithium-ion cells (Mach-E prices will start at £40,350), the driving quality of this 4.7-metre-long SUV/crossover will be key.
There will be a choice of 76kWh and 99kWh battery capacities, two- and four-wheel drive, with a range of between 260 and 370 miles. I’ve just driven one of the first examples in the UK: read the full review here.
Volkswagen ID.4
The ID.4 will be the second vehicle based on VW’s battery-only MEB platform and the company’s first “global” [sold in all markets] electric car. So underneath it’s the same as the excellent ID.3 and will come with both rear- and all-wheel drive.
Four power outputs and two battery capacities will be available, with a range-topping ID.4 GTX performance model to follow. This is interesting as VW has just withdrawn from motorsport activities and dispensed with the services of Jost Capito, who headed the company’s R Division, as it concentrates on electric cars.
There are no UK prices yet, but expect the ID.4 range to start at about £55,000.
Mercedes-Benz EQS
Up to now, battery electric Mercedes-Benzes have been notable for their middling performance and unspectacular looks. That’s all going to change in 2021, with the debut of the A-class-based EV crossovers starting with the EQA and this, the EQS, which is set to take the fight to Tesla with its Model S, BMW with whatever comes out of last year’s i-NEXT concept and Jaguar with its new electric XJ.
Super-sleek design, check, ghostly blue translucent lighting, check; the EQS ticks a lot of boxes and shows the German firm is posing a clear and present danger to electric rivals in the field.
Judging by the concept car (shown above) we should expect the latest screen-based control systems and a 435-mile range, with the capability of charging to 80 per cent from a 350kW DC fast charger in only 20 minutes.
Toyota BZ
Last year’s Lexus UX 300e was a bit of a damp squib; Toyota had bigger plans for its entry into the battery electric market but had been bounced by circumstances into releasing that car first. There was (a lot) more to come, although the Japanese giant (unlike some European makers we could mention) isn’t rushing to release teaser images of its forthcoming electric cars..
Sharp-eyed journalists noticed Toyota registering trademarks for BZ (standing for Beyond Zero), which the company has already used in its declarations about future low emissions driviing.
Its management remains tight-lipped, however, about the new stand-alone battery range, although it has said the new e-TNGA platform can be stretched longer and wider, drivetrains can be front, rear or four-wheel drive, and the signs are that the first model will be about the size of the existing RAV4 SUV, but with a higher price.
And a special mention: Porsche 911 GT3
A tip of the hat to the forthcoming Porsche GT3, one of the last naturally-aspirated, high-performance screamers that will ever sit in a new-car showroom. We’d challenge anyone to notice the hike of 10bhp to 503bhp compared with the outgoing model, but they’ll certainly notice the glorious soundtrack from the 4.0-litre flat six at 9,000rpm.
Being based on the latest 992-series bodyshell means the new GT3 is larger than the previous version but no heavier despite its huge, top-mounted, motorsport-derived rear wing.
Covid permitting, we’re aiming it early in the new year and are wondering whether this might be something of an end of an era.
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