2016 is set to be a very exciting year for fans of fast cars as all sorts of exciting new performance cars are set to arrive over the course of the year. Some of the world’s biggest manufacturers are set to either introduce all-new names into the performance car scene or they are reviving some real classics.
Here’s our guide to five of the most exciting fast cars launching in 2016.
BMW M2
The M2 will be the smallest and freshest M-badged car to join the BMW range when it launches in Britain during April 2016. Pricing starts at just over £44,000.
With this car, BMW takes its sleek 2 Series coupe and it gives it the full M badge treatment, including a 3.0-litre turbo petrol engine with a tasty 365bhp to wield.
Customers can choose whether the engine is hooked up to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic instead, with the latter costing £2,000 more. The zero to 62mph sprint time of the M2 is just 4.5 seconds in manual form, or 4.3 with the dual-clutch ‘box.
As well as being really powerful, the compact M2 also features BMW’s Active M differential, which can loosen up the car’s rear at the touch of a button for “controlled drifting”. There’s even a ‘Smokey Burnout’ mode drivers can activate to make this BMW more tail happy and willing to spin its rear wheels.
Ford Focus RS
The Focus RS hot hatch will make its comeback in the UK market during 2016, more than five years after it was last on sale. Starting at just under £30k, the Focus RS has already attracted many suitors, with over 1,500 UK orders placed already.
Why has it garnered so much attention? Well for one thing, it will not only be one of the most sporty-looking hot hatches on the market, it also has big performance figures to go with it.
Sitting comfortably above the Focus ST, the RS swaps the Focus’s standard front-wheel drive set-up for a four-wheel drive powertrain instead, supported by a 345bhp 2.3-litre EcoBoost petrol engine. This same engine is available for the latest Ford Mustang, but in the Focus RS it produces 35bhp more.
The zero to 62mph sprint time of the Focus RS is just 4.7 seconds. The Focus also has a stiffened chassis to cope with the extra power on offer and even a ‘Drift Mode’ switch. The Ford is shaping up to seriously rival the likes of the Volkswagen Golf R and Honda Civic Type R as the hot hatch that can please purists the most.
Honda NSX
The original Honda NSX is still one of the most famous and respected sports cars in history. Famous for being fine-tuned by the late Formula 1 world champion Ayrton Senna, the NSX was renowned for its superb chassis and sharp handling.
The concept for the second-generation NSX was first unveiled all the way back in 2012, so it has been a long wait for fans to see Honda’s new take on the sports car finally arrive. But 2016 will be the year it finally launches and there’s plenty to be excited about.
It has a twin-turbo hybrid, four-wheel drive powertrain mixing together a petrol V6 and three electric motors. Total power output is 550bhp and the zero to 62mph sprint is reportedly just under three seconds. The new NSX also boasts an all-new, nine-speed dual-clutch gearbox and the interior, which can be covered in bright red leather, really stands out.
Fiat 124 Spider
While it’s nowhere near as powerful as the other entries in this guide, it’d be unfair to consider the Fiat 124 Spider a slouch. It can cover the 0-62mph sprint in just over seven seconds – not bad at all for a car which will produce just 138bhp in the UK.
The Fiat 124 Spider is intriguing for several reasons. Not only will stand out amongst Fiat’s current line-up of small city travellers and larger family motors, the 124 Spider is essentially a reskinned version of the latest Mazda MX-5.
This Fiat shares the same wheelbase as the MX-5 and the interior trim is very similar too. The 124 Spider is longer, however, and has its own distinct exterior design. Like the MX-5, the Fiat 124 Spider will be much more accessible than most other sports cars, with a starting price just below £20k.
Ford GT
Along with the Focus RS, Ford is revising another of its most popular car names in 2016 with the GT supercar.
The new Ford GT will be a very exclusive model – only 200 units will reportedly be built with half of those being sold exclusively in America.
For those fortunate enough to get their hands on one of the new GTs, the experience is bound to be special. The carbon-fibre body of the new GT is incredibly strong and lightweight, and the car’s onboard computers are so sophisticated they can process 10 million lines of code.
The engine meanwhile is a V6 petrol unit, not that dissimilar in size compared to a lot of other techy supercars on the current market. The Ford will produce over 600bhp will reportedly cover the 0-62mph sprint in just three seconds.
Exciting performance, a rich history and the best of Ford’s performance technology – what’s not to like about the new GT?