10 all-new sportscars to look forward to
Johannesburg - Got some loot to spend on a sportscar and you must have the
latest and greatest? Here’s a list of ten fun-to-drive head-turners that will be
launched in the next couple of years.
1 Porsche 911 (2019)
Codenamed the 992, the all-new eighth generation 911 is due
to have its official world launch in November although spy pics have
essentially revealed it in its full glory.
The design follows the 911’s tried-and-tested evolutionary
approach, and under the familiar shell the car’s expected to become slightly
more spacious and rigid without putting on any extra weight. The modernised
interior will adopt a new digital instrument panel, touch-operated switchgear
and touchscreen infotainment.
The new 911 will initially come out in rear-wheel drive
Carrera and Carrera S versions with an uprated 3-litre six-cylinder engine, to
be followed by petrol-electric models - yes, the 911 is going hybrid. And there
are even rumours of a (gasp) all-electric version later down the line.
Porsche 911
Eleanor is back. Ford is developing a new Shelby GT500 to be
possibly unleashed at next year’s Detroit motor show in January. Details are
thin but the rumoured mill under the snout is a supercharged 5.2-litre V8. A
Ford teaser video reveals that the Mustang Shelby will have over 700hp (520kW)
of power on call, and that kind of power promises a top speed in excess of
320km/h.
Mustang Shelby GT500 teaser
In one of the most drawn-out teaser campaigns we’ve seen, a
new Supra coupe has been on the drawing board since Toyota revealed the FT-HS
concept back in 2007. A lightly disguised version made its appearance at last
month’s Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK, ahead of its official reveal in
the next few weeks.
The reborn 2019 Supra will share its platform with the
upcoming BMW Z4 - including a three-litre turbo petrol straight-six borrowed
from the M240i - reportedly upspecced to 285kW and 500Nm. And yes, it will be
driving the rear wheels. It should be in South African showrooms in the first half of
next year.
Toyota Supra
The next model in McLaren’s Ultimate Series will be the
fastest and most luxurious street legal McLaren yet. Though the design is only hinted at in teaser sketches, it’s
known that the British sportscar will have a petrol-electric 4-litre V8 twin turbo
drivetrain to give it a top speed around 390km/h - faster even than the iconic
F1 of the 1990s which topped out at 386km/h.
The Speedtail will have the driver sitting in the middle
with the passenger seats diagonally behind - the same layout as the F1. Starting in 2020, just 106 Speedtails will be built at a
cool £1.6 million (R29.3-million) each.
McLaren Speedtail teaser
This will be Toyota’s ultimate supercar. Having first
revealed the GR (Gazoo Racing) Super Sport concept at the Tokyo Auto Salon in
January, Toyota displayed the car again at June’s Le Mans 24-Hour race in which
the Japanese automaker claimed first and second places.
The potent GR Super Sport concept is based on the Le
Mans-winning TS050 Hybrid LMP1 car and is powered by a combination of a
2.4-litre V6 petrol engine and an electric motor for a whopping total output of
735kW. Without revealing a date, Toyota said its supercar will
reach showrooms “at some point in the near future”.
Toyota GR Super Sport Concept
Superleggera
Aston Martin is launching a new mid-engined sports car to
replace the Vanquish. Power comes from Aston Martin’s 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12,
which produces 533kW and 900Nm for a claimed 0-100km/h sprint in 3.4 seconds
and a 340km/h top speed.
The carbon fibre bodied two-seater has advanced aerodynamics
including an F1-inspired double-diffuser to generate the highest downforce
figure yet for a production Aston Martin. The cars are currently available to order with the first
ones arriving in South Africa in October.
Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
The reborn 8C supercar will be an Alfa Romeo to take on
Ferrari and Porsche. Successor to the 8C Competizione that was built from 2007
to 2010, the new 8C coupe will be built around a carbon fibre monocoque like
the current Alfa 4C. The all-wheel drive hybrid car will be powered by both a
mid-mounted twin-turbo engine and an electrified front axle for a combined output
of around 520kW.
No exact launch date has been mentioned but it should arrive
by 2022.
Alfa Romeo 8C teaser
Formerly called Mission E, the new Taycan to be launched
next year will be Porsche’s first fully electric car. Though silent, the
battery-powered drivetrain will produce the necessary violence with an output
of 440kW to give it the ability to cover 0-100km/h in well under 3.5 seconds.
It is also claimed to have a 500km range on a single charge.
Porsche Taycan
This coupe based on the Giulia sedan will revive the iconic
GTV name. The curvy two-door will have 50/50 weight distribution, all-wheel
drive, and a hybrid powertrain in excess of 450kW that marries a twin-turbo
2.9-litre V6 petrol engine with an electric motor.
It’s expected to hit the streets next year.
Alfa Romeo GTV teaser
Opel is said to be working on a modern rendition of the
iconic two-seater GT from the 1960s and ‘70s, which looked like a mini Chevy
Corvette.The German firm hasn’t confirmed production plans of the
Opel GT concept it unveiled earlier this year but the two-seater,
rear-wheel-drive coupé could reach the market to compete against the Toyota 86
and Mazda MX-5 as an affordable sportscar.
The GT Concept is moved along by the three-cylinder 1-litre
turbo petrol engine found in the Corsa and Adam models, and produces outputs of
107kW and 205Nm for a claimed 0-100km/h sprint in under eight seconds along
with a 215km/h top speed.
Opel GT Concept