Exciting Cars of 2020 Part Two

The DBX marks a new era for Aston Martin as it is the company’s first SUV. It is powered by a new version of the characterful  (AMG-sourced) 4,0-litre V8 engine found in the DB11 and Vantage. In the DBX the twin-turbocharged motor has been tuned to deliver 404 kW and 700 N.m of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission. There is also a torque-vectoring rear differential. The DBX accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4,5 seconds with a quoted top speed of 291 km/h. The handcrafted interior of DBX has been designed to provide equal space and comfort whether sitting in the front or rear of the cabin. The DBX will be built at a new manufacturing plant in St Athan, Wales. Estimated starting price in SA is R3,5 million.

The Jaguar F-Type Coupe has been a firm favourite of ours since we experienced the model at its world launch a few years ago. As a spiritual successor to the iconic E-Type, the F-Type filled its role perfectly. It was beautiful, fast and made all the right noises. Now Jaguar gives its sportscar a much-needed refresh. Its appearance has been revised extensively, to the point of it looking like an all-new model. As usual, the F-Type will be available with a range of four- and eight-cylinder engines. For the most part, the engines remain unchanged. A newly developed supercharged 5,0-litre V8 develops 331 kW with 580 N.m of torque. The engine is mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The model is available in rear- or all-wheel drive flavours. An apex model, called F-Type R has a supercharged V8 that has been ramped up to 423 kW with 700 N.m of torque.

The Audi e-Tron is the company’s very first all-electric series production model. It is the first of twelve production e-automobiles Audi plans to launch by 2025. The electric SUV will be going up against the likes of the Jaguar i-Pace and the Tesla Model X, should it ever make it to SA. It has a range of 328 km. The E-Tron’s cabin adopts the glass-cockpit look.  Like most EVs, the E-Tron offers excellent noise, vibration, and harshness control, owing to the silent propulsion system. Learn more about the Audi e-Tron in our earlier post. 

SA buyers are Golf fans, if the sales charts are anything to go by. Late in 2020, VW SA will be introducing the Golf 8 into the local market. Interestingly, the local subsidiary has opted to launch the latest generation locally with GTI derivative first. The Golf is one of the most recognisable cars the world over, and the new version arrives with a sleeker exterior design that is evolutionary, rather than revolutionary as a Golf. The staid exterior is offset by a totally new cabin, which includes a host of new tech and connectivity. VW SA has also confirmed that it will introduce the e-Golf to the SA market.