Audi to Mini: PART 1 of our preview for brand new fashions arriving in 2024

With a brand new 12 months comes a contemporary batch of vehicles hitting showrooms for the primary time.

2024 will likely be no completely different, with manufacturers hoping to tempt clients onto their web sites and into dealerships with a number of contemporary, flashy fashions.

Already, we learn about fairly a few of the completely different motors set to debut on Britain’s roads within the subsequent 12 months. So, we have chosen our 24 favourites that we expect will likely be of huge curiosity to British drivers, focusing totally on mainstream vehicles motorists are most certainly to buy.

Part one among our two-part preview appears to be like at new automobiles from Audi to Mini.

Check again tomorrow once we will cowl the remaining new 2024 fashions from Peugeot to Volvo.

Audi Q6 e-tron 

Yes, there’s yet one more Audi e-tron SUV within the midst, this time the all-new Q6. And the German firm says will probably be greater than as much as the problem of taking over its nearest rivals.

Fitted with an enormous 100kW battery, it ought to have a variety in extra of 600km, which interprets to in extra of 375 miles. That will make it a match for the doubtless pricier BMW iX and Mercedes EQS SUV.

It can even come outfitted with a world-first characteristic – ‘second-generation digital OLED tail lamps’ – which have a variety of features than can take ‘highway security to a brand new degree’. Audi is progressively creating the know-how into clever shows that may talk with different highway customers by displaying info.

BMW X2/iX2 

A shock debut on the 2023 Tokyo Motor Show was the second-generation BMW X2 – and it is the primary time the raking coupe-like SUV will likely be supplied with electrical energy.

The iX2 EV makes use of a twin electric-motor drivetrain with a most energy output of 209bhp that is equipped by a 64.8kWh battery. It ought to, in response to official measurements, return 266 miles of vary. It will begin from £57,500.

Though in case you’re not fairly able to ditch combustion energy, you is perhaps within the £49,340 X2 M35i. This makes 296bhp and – because of the dearth of heavy batteries – will out-drag the iX2 to 62mph by 0.2 seconds.

Citroen e-C3 

French automobile agency Citroen is launching a brand new ‘extremely inexpensive’ electrical automobile to be a European various to the wave of finances Chinese EVs arriving within the UK market.

The chunky and boxy new e-C3 unveiled in Paris in October is predicted to be priced from beneath £23,000 from launch, making it one of many least costly EVs on sale – however a fair cheaper model may observe.

The extra inexpensive variant promised for 2025 would doubtless have a variety of simply 125 miles (200km), which Citroen bosses say will likely be priced from beneath €19,990 – or simply over £17,000. However, it’s topic to affirmation for the UK market.

> Read our full report concerning the new Citroen e-C3

Dacia Duster 

The new and improved third era Dacia Duster finances SUV was unveiled in the direction of the top of 2023 – and it’ll nonetheless price a relative snip to retain its title because the nation’s most inexpensive household motor. Prices are anticipated to start out from round £17,000 for this new good-looking model.

The Romanian model – now owned by France’s Renault – has additionally addressed the one large concern that is confronted the Duster up to now… its security report. 

An addition of latest enhanced options needs to be sufficient to spice up its score within the EuroNCAP crash checks, which was the foremost gripe for automobile consumers when contemplating the previous-generation mannequin.

> Want to know extra concerning the new Dacia Duster? Here’s our full preliminary report 

Dacia Spring 

One of the most important obstacles stopping motorists from transitioning to EVs is their premium price ticket in comparison with an equal petrol or diesel mannequin. In truth, there are solely a handful of electrical vehicles in Britain’s showrooms right now for lower than £30,000.

But that can change in 2024 when budget-friendly model Dacia brings ‘probably the most inexpensive electrical automobile offered in Europe’ to UK dealerships.

The Spring – a compact supermini with SUV appears to be like and a variety of 143 miles – is ready to ruffle EV feathers when it arrives in 2024 with an entry value round simply £18,000, considerably undercutting the competitors. However, as with the Duster there’s a large fly within the ointment: its security score…

> Read extra concerning the Dacia Spring’s security score concern in our full report 

Fiat 600e 

Fiat is trying to capitalise on the recognition of small SUV fashions with the 600e – a jacked-up hatchback geared toward ‘each metropolis lovers and outside lovers’.

Underneath, it makes use of the identical platform utilised by different manufacturers sitting beneath the Stellantis automotive banner. This consists of the DS3 E-Tense, Peugeot e-2008, Jeep Avenger and Vauxhall Mokka Electric.

Sitting above the five hundred within the vary, the 600e is alleged to take a seat 5 individuals in consolation and has an inner-city vary of greater than 372 miles – although simply 249 miles when pushed on a mix of roads. It is powered by lithium-ion batteries with a capability of 54kWh linked to an 115kW electrical motor driving the entrance wheels solely. A less expensive petrol model is ready to observe.

> Read our first impressions report on the brand new Fiat 600e

Fiat Topolino 

Fiat’s urban-friendly electrical quadricycle will little question declare the title of cutest new automobile to hit the highway in 2024. Called Topolino, the dinky EV will likely be offered in two completely different variants within the UK subsequent 12 months – a regular Topolino and an ‘open’ Topolino Dolce Vita with a sunroof… and no doorways.

The lovely little machine – which is the sister mannequin to the Citroen Ami – options retro appears to be like together with oval headlamps, dish-style wheel trims and even a suitcase rack on the rear, reminiscent of the long-lasting Cinquecento traditional that was first launched in 1957. And for these of us trying to rinse off after a tough day, it even has its personal transportable bathe attachment!

Prices are but to be confirmed however ought to begin at a little bit over £8,500. But do not count on to journey far – or quick – within the delightfully-petite electrical Fiat as it is going to have a variety of simply 47 miles and prime velocity of 28mph.

> Get the complete particulars on Fiat’s Topolino quadricycle 

Ford Explorer 

Ford’s new electrical Explorer makes use of the identical platform as Volkswagen’s ID.4 and ID.5 SUVs as a part of the US model’s cost-saving cope with the German automobile big. 

The Explorer is predicted to be accessible with two powertrains – a single motor rear-wheel drive ‘prolonged vary’ 80kWh model providing as much as 355 miles of vary between prices, and all-wheel drive (55kWh) with a motor on every axle with a variety of round 218 miles. Acceleration from relaxation to 62mph is predicted within the vary of seven to 10 seconds with prime velocity doubtless restricted to 99mph.

Order books are but to open and costs nonetheless have not been finalised, nevertheless it ought to ring in at slightly below £40,000.

> Our first take a look at Ford’s Explorer SUV as the corporate relaunches the long-lasting title 

Lotus Emeya

The Emeya will likely be Lotus’ third battery-powered mannequin when it goes into manufacturing in 2024. The four-door ‘hyper GT’ with virtually 900bhp is ready to go head-to-head with Tesla’s Model S Plaid and the Porsche Taycan Turbo S.

The sporty coupe-like four-door grand tourer will doubtless use the identical 102kWh battery and twin motor setup from the Eletre SUV. It is claimed to provide as much as 893bhp and 985Nm of torque. The vary needs to be across the similar because the Eletre too, which is a claimed 373 miles.

With F1-style launch management and clever torque management, Emeya is alleged to have the ability to dash from 0 to 62mph in a mere 2.78 seconds. The prime velocity is electronically restricted to 155mph.

> Here’s what we all know concerning the Lotus Emeya to date

MG Cyberster

The iconic MGB roadster has been reborn for the twenty first century within the form of the brand new MG Cyberster – a two-seat electrical soft-top that will likely be offered in Britain in summer season 2024.

Unveiled on the Shanghai Motor Show in April, MG Motor – the relaunched model now beneath Chinese possession – has taken the covers off its beautiful sports activities vehicles, which options battery energy, a power-folding cloth roof and scissor doorways. It is predicted to be offered with the selection of a single and twin-electric motor setup utilizing one compact battery pack with probably the most potent of the 2 choices in a position to hit 62mph from a standstill in lower than three seconds and supply a variety within the area of 300 miles.

It ought to price from between £50,000 and £60,000 – that is much more than the legendary authentic, which price simply £950 new within the early sixties.

> Our response to the MG Cyberster unveiled in Shanghai in April 2023 

Mini Cooper Electric 

A brand new EV Mini Cooper with a variety of as much as 250 miles is coming in 2024 – the fourth-generation mannequin to be constructed beneath the stewardship of German automobile big BMW. It ought to price round £30,000 when it will definitely arrives early within the new 12 months.

An entry model will likely be powered by a 40.7kWh battery and 184 horsepower electrical motor that permits it to speed up from 0-to 62mph in 7.3 seconds as much as a prime velocity of 99mph and with a variety of 190 miles. A extra highly effective 218hp Electric SE mannequin with a 52.2kWh battery cuts the 62mph dash time to simply 5.7 seconds and ups the highest velocity to 106mph.

But, sadly, this Mini will not be constructed within the UK. It will likely be produced beneath a three way partnership with Chinese car-maker Great Wall in a manufacturing facility in Zhangjigang. 

> Read extra concerning the new Mini Cooper Electric 

Mini Countryman

The third era Mini Countryman SUV is for the primary time offered as an electrical mannequin in addition to a petroleum model – with a claimed EV vary of as much as 287 miles.

While the battery-powered model will price in extra of £42,000, the most cost effective petrol variant rings in at slightly below £30,000. It will go head-to-head with the Audi Q3.

Like the Cooper Electric, it additionally is not being made in Britain. Instead, Countryman would be the first Mini mannequin to be made in Germany – regardless of the very fact it has been owned by BMW since 1996. It is being manufactured in Leipzig.