Alpine coupe

The Renault Alpine is another resurrection for Renault: the first Alpine was a rear-engined sports car with rallying heritage, while the Alpine GTA of the eighties was one of the most distinctive cars of its era, and a genuine rival to Porsches of the time. With the new Alpine, Renault is seeking to re-establish its sports-car credentials by building a mid-engined model, while the Alpine is likely to be one of the lightest cars in its class, too. This focus on weight-saving should mean the Alpine will have a relatively small engine, yet still be capable of 0-62mph in around 4.5 seconds.

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New Alfa Romeo Stelvio

Another Italian SUV, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio is a hotly anticipated car and a key model in Alfa’s recent resurgence. It’s based on the excellent Alfa Romeo Giulia so should be pin-sharp to drive, while a 503bhp, 177mph Quadrifoglio model will keep performance fans happy. Most buyers are likely to choose Alfa’s 2.2-litre diesel engine, though, and this is likely to to be offered in a variety of power outputs, while a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol may also feature. The Stelvio will start at around £35,000, with first customer deliveries expected in the latter part of 2017. 

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The New Abarth 500X

An increasing number of carmakers are spicing the suv formula up with performance models, and the Abarth 500X is one such car. It’s based on the Fiat 500X mini SUV, but the performance specialists at Abarth have fitted it with bigger brakes, sportier alloy wheels and an assertive bodykit. There’s no official word on figures yet, but we expect the Abarth 500X to use a version of Fiat’s 1.4-litre petrol engine, tuned to produce as much as 200bhp. It’s likely to cost around £25,000 when it goes on sale in mid-2017.

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Mercedes-Maybach S550 / S600 Price: $192,225

This sumptuous limo is not just a stretched S-class with a Maybach badge—it’s far more lavish than that. The S550's 449-hp 4.7-liter twin-turbo V-8 and the S600's 523-hp, 6.0-liter twin-turbo V-12 provide effortless motivation while passengers enjoy hot-stone-style massaging leather recliners. With a tranquil cabin and a Burmester audio system, it’s a rolling concert hall, too. And forget that new-car smell: the air-filtration system infuses the cabin with the Maybach’s own signature fragrance.

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Scion tC

Along with the rest of the Scion brand, the Scion tC model was discontinued in 2016. Under the hood, you’ll find a 179-hp 2.5-liter four; it powers the front wheels through a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic. Handling is confident and body motions are well controlled, but its rivals easily outperform it. However, the tC offers a roomy cabin, top-notch build quality, and a good reliability record.

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