Frankfurt: 10 cars destined for the production line

Rob Hull
  • Sign in required

    Please sign in to your account to add a vehicle to favourite

  • Share this article

Photos / Supplied

This year's Frankfurt Motor Show is awash with hypercars you could never afford, electric vehicles destined for a future when diesel and petrol will be banished, and even a concept car that doubles as an extra room for your house.

But what about the models that you'll actually be able to buy next year? You know, the cars that motor shows should really be about.

We've chosen 10 vehicles that were first seen at Frankfurt that you will be able to poke around in dealerships from 2018.

Official prices haven't been confirmed for any of them just yet, but here's what we know so far...

BMW X7

Watch our Range Rover, BMW is coming for you. And this is the model it hopes will steal sales in the premium 4x4 market.

It appeared at the show in concept form going under the name of the X7 iPerformance featuring a plug-in hybrid powertrain. However, when it does officially arrive on the market next year the X7 will be sold with a variety of diesel and petrol engines - including plug-in variants.

The styling has split many show-goers. It's huge, with an enlarged kidney grille and slab-back rear end, so it toes the line between being elegant and imposing. Which side of the fence are you sitting on?

Suzuki Swift Sport

The Swift Sport has to be one of the most undervalued small hot hatches of the last decade. Historically it's been fast, frantic and supremely reliable.

Step forward the 2018 model, which will go head-to-head with the almost untouchable Ford Fiesta ST. 

Suzuki hasn't fallen into the trap of trying to keep up with rivals by simply making it more powerful - instead, it packs a modest 138bhp from its 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine. But weighing in at less than a ton, it should be one of the most nimble options when you turn onto a demanding road.

Can it match the rev-happy naturally aspirated motor that graced the previous Swift Sport? We'll have to wait and see.

Chery Exeed

No, the Nissan Cherry is not back [sighs of relief all round] but this new brand could be chasing after Nissan's best-seller when it does finally arrive in the UK.

The manufacturer is Chinese firm Chery, and this will be one of the first models it will put on sale in Europe in 'a matter of years', according to the car maker.

The vehicle launched at Frankfurt is a prototype for the forthcoming Exeed - a seven-seat SUV that will look to go head-to-head with the UK's most-bought car in the sector, the Nissan Qashqai. With the number of seats it offers, we would expect it to rival the Skoda Kodiaq when it eventually makes it to British shores. Could it be the cherry of the low-cost SUV sector?

Renault Sport Megane

Hot hatches are not what they used to be. The current range of souped-up family cars have performance figures that would put the willies up most sports cars these days, with the 296bhp Golf R, 355bhp Mercedes-AMG CLA45 and Seat's new 306bhp Cupra R (also launched at Frankfurt) being just a few examples.

So, it's time for one of the old pretenders to throw its hat into the ring. This is the 2018 Renault Sport Megane, a 280bhp track weapon from the French car maker.

Thankfully, unlike the smaller Clio RS, the Megane will be available with a manual gearbox to attract the most eager petrol heads. Hot hatch enthusiasts, start rubbing your hands together.

Volkswagen T-Roc

Okay, the T-Roc might not have officially debuted at Frankfurt - it was actually first shown at a media presentation in Italy last month - but it's one car that could prove immensely popular when buyers get their chance to lay their hands on it.

Look past the terrible name and what you're left with is a compact SUV with handsome looks than its prehistoric moniker doesn't suggest.

The high-riding five-seat hatchback slots into the German car maker’s line-up below the Tiguan, making this the smallest SUV in the VW-badged car range. Diesel and petrol engines will be available, as will a choice of two or four-wheel drive. And you don't even have to wait until 2018 - it will be on sale from December this year.

Seat Arona

'Yeah, you've already told me about the new compact SUV from the VW Group,' I hear you say. But this is a different - less expensive - one. It's called the Arona and it's a jacked-up version of the Seat Ibiza supermini.

The Spanish car brand - part of the VW Group franchise - has already shown that it can excel when it comes to small SUVs with the recently launched Ateca. This new car sits just below that in the model list.

The brand is very much going down the line of customisation with this one, offering 68 colour combinations for the vehicle's lower and upper body. For instance, buyers have the choice of selecting a roof in grey, black, orange or to match the paint on the rest of the car. We'd put a good chunk of money on the orange roof not being the most popular colour specified.

Subaru Impreza

When you hear the words 'Subaru Impreza' you probably think of the local boy racer, who torments the streets with his noisy hyped-up road-going rally car. But the new-for-2018 Impreza is far more civilised, on first impressions.

Subaru has already been selling this car in the US for the best part of the year, and it will look to crack the European market in 2018, though with a fairly limited offering. Just two engines will be available - both petrol - and will be linked to an all-wheel drive system - a rarity in the current C-segment of family hatchbacks. That means it should be ideal for treacherous winters.

Because it shares a platform with the bigger XV SUV, dimensions are bigger than the outgoing Impreza, which Subaru struggled to shift. That means more interior and boot space all round. Is it a viable alternative to a Ford Focus? That's your decision.

Honda CR-V

The Japanese car maker says this is the prototype of what the 2018 CR-V will look like, but, as with previous 'preview' examples, you can bet a hefty sum that the car you'll be able to buy next year will look almost identical to this.

Arguably the most important news about the new CR-V is the engine line-up Honda has committed to. Ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show, which opened on Tuesday, the manufacturer confirmed it would be selling the car without a diesel engine option - almost unlike any other SUV-maker out there (except Lexus).

That means just hybrid and petrol models will be up for grabs in this practical - and family friendly - offroader.

Dacia Duster

If you wanted a cheap and cheerful SUV with enough space for the family, the Dacia Duster had been the way to go. But for 2018 the Romanian car name has added a new dimension to the off-roader.

The looks have moved away from being rugged to being more regal, with new lights, wheels and a thorough styling overhaul. The interior has been upgraded too - though the cabin of the original Duster couldn't be more budget even if Renault, which owns Dacia, tried.

Despite the update, most of it is superficial. Underneath the car is almost exactly the same and features a continuation of the same engines. Let's just hope Dacia keeps one other thing consistent - the price.

Land Rover Discovery SVX 

Moving from a budget SUV that's available to almost anyone to a budget-busting offroader that's capable of going anywhere - this is the new Land Rover Discovery SVX.

It's the hardcore new arrival in the Land Rover range and comes with a price tag that might make you think about jumping off the top of the mountain you've just driven up when you realise you've just forked out $180,000 on a tuned-up Disco.

It's powered by JLR’s 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine that produces 518bhp - that's almost 200bhp more than the most potent standard Discovery on sale today. It will be created by Land Rover's Special Vehicle Operations team and be the ultimate offroad offering in the range from next term.

-Daily Mail

 

Keep up to date with DRIVEN Car Guide

Sign up for the latest news, reviews, our favourite cars and more.

By signing up for this newsletter, you agree to NZME's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.