Power
CARS TO WATCH
These are the cars to watch now and in the months ahead, the standout models of 2021. They range from spacious, luxurious and quiet designs in beautiful packaging to a 6.5-liter V12 producing a maximum of 830 hp with a dramatic roar.
These are the cars to look forward to and soon to look at, the eye-catchers of 2021. Ranging from space, luxury and silence wrapped in a beautiful costume to a 6,5-liter V12 that produces a maximum of 830 hp, screaming violently.
Online editor: Natasha Hendriks
Text: Werner Budding
Maserati MC20
There was already a Maserati MC12, the legendary racer for public roads. Equipped with the 6,0-liter V12 from the Enzo Ferrari, Maserati built only fifty examples. Now the glorious Maserati has something new, also special, with wild performance again. A new halo car, in which a fat 3,0-liter V6 bi-turbo, placed amidships, combines a power of no less than 630 hp with a vehicle weight of only 1.500 kilos. At least that makes progress, with a top speed of 325 km/h. Maserati will certainly launch a new model every year for the next five years. For 2021 this is the new GranTurismo, which is completely electric. While an electric variant of the MC20 is also being released, in addition to the version with the double-blown V6. And then there is also a compact SUV ready to conquer the world. Its name: Grecale, which of course refers to a Mediterranean wind, just as so many Maseratis have a name that comes from a terrestrial airflow. The Grecale is said to be the fastest SUV in its class, and is slightly more compact than the Levante. One to look forward to.
Bmw iX
BMW launched a serious electric car on the market in 2013, the i3. Many say it is way ahead of its time. And it shows, because now, seven years later, the same i3 is still very popular and anything but outdated. In the coming years, BMW will add many electric cars to its sales program. Deliveries of the iX3, the electric variant of the X3, will start early next year. The i4 will also go on sale. Indeed, the electric version of the BMW 4 Series. In addition, BMW launches the revolutionary iX. A car ahead of its time, just like the i3. The characteristics of the iX, which we got to know as the BMW iNEXT concept car, are: electric, very safe and very independent. All current BMWs can brake independently if the situation requires it, as well as accelerate and adjust and sometimes even park automatically. The iX sets new standards when it comes to autonomous driving. The so-called level 3 autonomous driving applies to the car that has the size of the BMW X5. This means that as a driver on highways you can completely take your hands off the steering wheel. The iX5/iNEXT has a driving range of 600 kilometers on a full battery and can use a maximum of 200 kW on a fast charger.
Lamborghini Essence SCV12
We are waiting for the promised four-seater Lamborghini. But to make that wait more pleasant, the club from Sant'Agata has come up with something very special: the Lamborghini Essenza SCV12. A raw racing machine, produced by Squadra Corse, the racing branch of Lamborghini. Although Lamborghini's SUV, the Urus, has a V8 with a duo of turbos, the angry bull brand remains faithful to the naturally aspirated engine in the Essenza. And what kind: a V12, with a 6,5-liter capacity that screams violently and squeezes out a maximum of 830 hp. The racing Lambo with Le Mans aspirations has an Xtrac six-speed gearbox, Pirelli slicks on magnesium wheels. And to bring things to a standstill, you can rely on a sturdy set of discs and brake calipers from Brembo. The Lamborghini Essenza SCV12, if you are not afraid.
McLaren High Performance Hybrid
The year of the new Sports Series is 2021 for McLaren. McLaren will keep most information at its home base in Woking for the time being, but it is certain that the 540, 570 and 600 series will have a successor. If you are a big fan of the typical mid-engine design, a relatively short front and a slightly longer rear to accommodate the engine, then McLaren is once again the right choice for you. A new carbon fiber architecture and a brand new drivetrain form the basis of the new Sports Series, in which the engine is once again located behind the front seats. If one brand does not shy away from innovation, it is McLaren. They are very strong in Formula 1 and have been for decades. For the street models, the technology of the Sports Series is in line with that of the F1; the new series will have a hybrid powertrain. In combination with a new, super strong V6, the hybrid sports machine even offers the option of covering short distances completely electrically. If a lot of power is required, the electric unit assists the petrol engine, and if not much power is desired, for example in urban areas, you can drive the new McLaren purely on the electric motor. So emission-free. The hybrid McLaren is a car with two faces, insanely fast or exceptionally efficient.
