The Audi A6 affirms style

     Fully autonomous driving tech is edging nearer to reality, and in a demonstration of how ‘trickle-down’ technology works with car makers, the next A6 executive saloon will showcase a suite of electronic driving aids that are shared with the recently launched A8 limo.

     Our exclusive image reflects the view that the A6 will also share its looks with the A8. As before, Avant estate and high-riding Allroad models will feature in the range, and we can expect a new RS6 Avant super-estate to top the line-up, albeit with a downsized twin-turbo V6 engine.

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Audi SQ2 appeared in 2018

      One thing missing from Audi’s Q2 crossover line-up is a hot model, but this will be rectified when the wraps come off the new SQ2, which our spies have spotted on test.

      It will feature 2.0 TFSI turbo petrol power, and is likely to match the S3 hot hatch with 306bhp. As with other S-badged Audis, quattro four-wheel drive will be standard and six-speed manual or seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch gearboxes will be offered. The SQ2 will get the usual raft of subtle styling updates as well, with silver trim and larger wheels hinting at the car’s potential.

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Citroen C5 Aircross Winter 2018

      If you value comfort above all else then the new Citroen C5 Aircross should be your kind of SUV. It will be one of the first cars to use the brand’s ‘Progressive Hydraulic Cushion’ suspension system, which features small secondary dampers filled with hydraulic fluid in place of traditional bump stops to help improve ride comfort. Plus, double-glazed front windows will feature to reduce wind and road noise.

      The C5 Aircross uses the same EMP2 platform as the Peugeot 3008 and Vauxhall Grandland X. The engine line-up is yet to be confirmed, but is likely to mirror the 3008’s, which means 1.6 and 2.0-litre diesels and petrol units with displacements of 1.2 and 1.6 litres.

      Citroen is also building a plug-in hybrid C5 Aircross with four-wheel drive and a pure-electric range of more than 30 miles, although this won’t be available until some time during 2019. Despite being the largest SUV Citroen makes, it will be a five-seater only.

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BMW X2 2018

       If you like the idea of a compact BMW SUV but want a sportier design than that currently offered by the X1 then fear not: the new X2 is on the way.

       Sharing the same platform as the MINI Countryman and the X1, the production X2 will closely resemble the concept displayed at the 2016 Paris Motor Show.

       You can expect a sloping roofline and narrow side windows to give it a more coupé-like appearance than BMW’s more mainstream SUVs. Spy shots have given a glimpse of the interior, which looks like it’ll borrow heavily from the X1, with a dash-mounted infotainment screen operated via BMW’s iDrive rotary controller.

       The drivetrains will also be familiar to X1 owners. There will be the option of front-wheel drive or xDrive four-wheel drive, and a choice of six-speed manual and eight-speed automatic gearboxes to go with the four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. A high-performance X2 is also believed to be in the pipeline.

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BMW 8 Series 2018

      BMW is bringing back the 8 Series after a break of almost 20 years, as it prepares to take on the Mercedes S-Class Coupe. A gorgeous design study of the new 2+2 was previewed at this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Italy, holding its own even among some of the world’s most stunning cars.

      The concept is thought to be close to production form and is likely to use the same platform as the latest 7 Series luxury saloon. Its interior will boast much of the same tech, too, including gesture control for the iDrive-based infotainment system. Expect a range of petrol and diesel engines from launch that will include six-cylinders and V8s.

      In time it’s possible that 6.6-litre V12 and plug-in hybrid ‘e’ versions will be launched. Following the Coupe will be larger Gran Coupe and Convertible.

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BMW 3 Series 2018

      A mild facelift helped the BMW 3 Series stay near the front of the compact executive saloon pack when it arrived in 2015, but an all-new model is due in showrooms next year. Our exclusive image shows that the car will share styling cues with models such as the recently launched 5 Series saloon and forthcoming Z4 roadster, while the technology on board is expected to filter down from the flagship 7 Series.

      Expect weight-saving features and a variety of efficient-yet-powerful three and four-cylinder petrols and diesels, while the latest autonomous tech will feature as well.

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Bentley Flying Spur 2018

      With the new Bentley Continental GT due very soon, it’s only a matter of time before the rest of the range is updated. The four-door Flying Spur, which shares its underpinnings with the luxury coupe, has already been spotted on test ahead of its arrival in 2018.

      As with the GT, the Flying Spur is likely to launch with Bentley’s all-new W12 engine. It will pack 626bhp and 900Nm of torque, linked to an auto box and four-wheel drive. We can expect a V8 and hybrid tech, but all cars will have plenty of performance in a typically bespoke Bentley package.

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Bentley Continental GT

      The new Continental GT is a stunning statement of intent from Bentley. It borrows cues from the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept and stands out on the road, but that’s only half the story because the British brand is also engineering it to be as much of a sports car as it is a grand tourer.

      The new Conti uses the same MSB platform as the latest Porsche Panamera and borrows 48V electrics from Bentley’s Bentayga SUV to power active anti-roll bars and ensure it remains completely flat when cornering.

      At launch the car will feature Bentley’s flagship twin-turbo W12 petrol engine with a huge 626bhp and 900Nm of torque, taking it from 0-62mph in 3.6 seconds and on to a 207mph top speed. This will be followed by a cheaper V8 version, and a plug-in hybrid V6 at a later date.

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Audi Q8 hot 2018

       Audi’s new flagship Q8 SUV will showcase plenty of cutting-edge tech within its coupé-style body. Its shape was previewed by the Q8 Sport Concept at the start of 2017, but while it has a more rakish look than the Q7, it’ll be more practical than coupé-SUVs such as the BMW X6 and Mercedes GLE.

       High-level autonomy and plug-in hybrid drive are both going to feature, and a super-high-performance RS Q8 is in the pipeline, too.

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Audi Q3 hot model

       With the launch of its all-new Q3, Audi will replace the oldest model in its current line-up. The second generation of its compact SUV will use a version of the Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform, which should make it lighter and more economical than the outgoing car, despite also being longer and wider.

      As previewed in our exclusive image, the exterior styling will be a subtle evolution of the current car’s with a larger grille similar to that seen on the new A8. But it’s inside the Q3 where there are more significant changes, with more passenger space and a larger boot, plus a dashboard design packed with Audi’s latest tech such as the Virtual Cockpit TFT digital instruments.

      From launch, the Q3 will use Audi’s four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, to be joined later by a plug-in hybrid that combines a 1.4-litre petrol engine with an electric motor. This will give a pure electric range of about 30 miles and CO2 emissions of less than 40g/km.

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Audi RS Q5 2018

      Not content with the sporty SQ5, Audi will turn up the wick on its mid-range SUV with a belting RS model.

     This should challenge the Porsche Macan – a car loosely based on the Q5 – for driving thrills, while our exclusive image suggests that the standard RS upgrades will give the RS Q5 an aggressive look.

     Power is likely to come from the 444bhp twin-turbo V6 seen in the RS4 Avant, which has an eight-speed auto box and quattro all-wheel drive as standard.

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Audi e-tron Quattro vip 2018

      Audi says it has held back on launching a fully electric vehicle until the battery technology became available to facilitate a range of more than 300 miles from a single charge. That time has apparently now arrived as shown by the company preparing its e-tron SUV to go on sale next summer with a range of up to 310 miles.

        While we won’t see the car in production form until early next year, it’s likely the design will bear some resemblance to the e-tron Quattro Concept first seen at 2015’s Frankfurt Motor Show. Prototypes spotted on test appear to share the concept’s profile, which is lower and sleeker than other Audi SUVs’. But the show car’s oversized grille will be slimmed down for production.

         No matter what the e-tron looks like, Audi’s decision to make its first electric car an SUV rather than a saloon pitches it into competition with the Tesla Model X and forthcoming Jaguar I-Pace. And this is set to be the first of three battery-powered Audis due to hit the road by 2020.

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Audi A1 new style

       The all-new second-generation A1 will be based on the same MQB platform as the latest Seat Ibiza and Volkswagen Polo. Compared with the current car, that means it’ll grow in length by about 90mm, as well as sitting on a longer wheelbase to free up more interior space for passengers and luggage.

      Our exclusive image shows that the styling of the new supermini will evolve from the current car, with sharper LED headlamps and wider rear lights. Inside, the A1 will be offered with Audi’s Virtual Cockpit digital dials and an updated MMI infotainment system.

      Power will come from the VW Group’s latest engines, including both 1.0 and 1.5-litre TFSI turbocharged petrol units with power outputs ranging from about 90bhp to 150bhp. It’s likely the firm will also offer a replacement to the scintillating S1 hot hatch with quattro four-wheel drive, and it could even launch a plug-in hybrid A1 to take on the BMW i3.

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Alpine A110 is due for release in 2018

       Legendary French sports car marque Alpine is back, and while its new A110 sports coupé has been doing the motor show circuit for some time now, the production car won’t hit dealers until 2018. The lines are inspired by the classic A110 of the seventies, but under the skin it uses Renault’s latest 1.8-litre turbocharged engine.

       This is the same unit found in the new Megane RS, albeit with less power. The 249bhp unit should offer plenty of poke, however, as the lightweight Alpine is geared towards nimble handling rather than outright performance.

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