Incoming: New cars to look forward to soon

August - September

Aston Martin Vantage and DB11 Volante; Audi A7 Sportback; BMW i8 facelift and i8 Roadster; Chevrolet Camaro; Hyundai Tucson facelift; Land Rover Range Rover P400e plug-in hybrid; Mazda CX-3; Mercedes-Benz A-Class; Renault Megane RS280; Subaru Forester; Toyota Corolla; Volkswagen Mk6 Polo Beats and GTI, and Tiguan Allspace.

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October - November

Alpine A110 coupe; Audi RS5 Sportback; Bentley Continental GT coupe; Ford Focus, Mustang Bullitt and Ranger Raptor; Genesis G70 and G80 sedans; Holden Acadia; Hyundai Ioniq hybrid, plug-in hybrid and EV; Jaguar I-Pace; Mazda MX-5 update and CX-9 facelift.

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Suzuki Jimny - Due December

If the cushy new Mercedes G-Class is too soft for you, then Suzuki has a hardcore alternative. The first new Jimny in 20 years channels a glorious slice of back-to-the-future engineering. An all-new ladder-frame chassis, coil-sprung three-link live axles at both ends (with a new steering damper to minimise “road shock”) and a dedicated high/low-range gearbox mean the Jimny will remain an off-roading legend when it lands here at Christmas. Flat windows, a side-hinged tailgate and round headlights retain the iconic look, while touchscreen multimedia, AEB, and speed-sign recognition keep Jimny fresh. A new 1.5-litre atmo four (weighing 15 percent less than the old 1.3) will be the sole engine at launch, tied to either a five-speed manual or four-speed auto.

Ford Focus - Due November

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Underpinned by a new-generation C2 platform (with either torsion-beam or multi-link rear suspension set-ups), Ford’s fourth-gen Focus will debut here with a broad range of models late in the year. Hailing from its German factory (not Thailand), the Focus’s headline engine will be a new 1.5-litre turbo-petrol three-pot shared with the new-gen Fiesta ST (due 2019), tied to eight-speed automatic or a six-speed manual ’boxes. Likely to be offered in hatch, sedan and wagon bodystyles, as well as a sporting ST-Line variant, Aussie cars will get standard AEB and lane-keep assist.

Hyundai Veloster - Due December

Following an unexpectedly successful debut run, Hyundai’s follow-up Veloster should be here by December, mirroring the i30 and Elantra’s powertrain line-up. That means an entry-level 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four with manual or automatic ’boxes, and an up-spec Veloster Turbo with a 150kW 1.6-litre direct-injection turbo, six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch options, and multi-link independent rear suspension. Nothing concrete on the hot-shot Veloster N though. It’s currently only built in left-hand drive.

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