2021

The Ford Bronco is the next hot thing in the world of SUVs. Relying on the cache built up by the original Bronco that was discontinued in 1996, the new model is tipped to sell in big numbers if Ford gets the recipe right and revives an off-roader revered for its no-nonsense attitude. We’re now hearing that the name ’Scout,’ along with the ’Bronco Scout’ moniker are in the process of being trademarked by Ford through the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The ’Scout’ name can either refer to the upcoming ’Baby Bronco’ or just a trim level of the Bronco itself.

Information has been thin regarding the 2021 Ford Bronco, which is set to go into production this year. We’ve heard a lot of rumors, but few can be checked and considered as facts. For instance, we’ve heard that the Bronco will come with either two or four doors and a removable soft top option will be available as Ford plans to take on the Jeep Wrangler - a rumor backed by these patent fillings. We also reported that the 2019 Ford Ranger and the 2021 Ford Bronco will sport the same underpinnings and that the Bronco might be fitted with a seven-speed manual after all. Let’s let the rumor mill spin a bit more and talk about the Scout.

Automotive electrification may mean that we’re moving toward a future where the internal combustion engine lives only in the history books, but all of this fancy electric technology actually comes with a silver lining. There will come a day when all you can by is an all-electric vehicle, but this very technology is also extending the life of the internal combustion engine. And, that’s a good thing. Take Mercedes-AMG, for example. The brand will one day deliver only electric sports cars, but that’s not coming as quickly as we originally thought. In a recent interview with Road & Track, Mercedes-AMG Boss, Tobias Moers, said that starting in 2021 all AMG branded models will feature some kind of hybrid drivetrain and that the company is “heading fast in that direction.” And, while this means that AMG-branded cars won’t lose that feeling of soul that you get from a rumbly, precision-turned engine, it also means that AMG cars will get more powerful, faster, and better. And, it all comes down to some tech that we’ve already seen – the 805-horsepower hybrid drivetrain from the 2017 Mercedes-AMG GT Concept!

Mazda doesn’t do hot versions of any of its cars anymore, even though the likes of the Mazda3 and Mazda6 MPS (or MazdaSpeed in some markets) were exceptional cars in their respective categories before they were phased out. But now, with the new Mazda3 hatch making its debut and being received quite well, it seems the Japanese automaker is again considering making a hot hatch version, and it on that could arrive before the year 2021.

Arguably, the most crucial launch event at the 2019 New York Auto Show was that of the third-generation Mercedes-Benz GLS. The flagship luxury SUV from Mercedes will take on the BMW X7 soon, but Mercedes could actually be cooking up a version that would aim straight at the Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Insane? Not for those who saw the Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury Concept up close and personal.

After three years since the GLS name was introduced as part of Mercedes’ refreshment of its model nameplates, a new generation was introduced. Given the American consumer’s propensity for buying oversized SUVs, the 2020 GLS was introduced at the New York Auto Show, and the first news that came from the unveiling got us thinking. For starters, there won’t be any electric version due to the limited demand for an SUV of this size featuring an electric drivetrain and, on the other hand, for those craving for power, there will be an AMG version or maybe a few.

But, maybe the most significant thing we heard, via Dr. Andreas Zygan, Mercedes’ Head of SUV Development, was that the S Class of SUVs might get the Maybach treatment just like the S Class of the sedans did. This sort of comes as a confirmation for the rumors we’ve seen lingering in the air for a few years. We went as far as writing a speculative review for it but only now can we say we’re getting closer and closer to a Maybach SUV actually happening. Mercedes previewed this possibility with the latest of the Maybach Vision concept that was presented in 2018.

Honda is testing an all-new Jazz subcompact hatchback, also known as the Fit in some markets. It’s the fourth generation for the nameplate and it looks like it will retain the wedge-nosed one-box design of its predecessors, albeit with a slightly sportier design twist.

The camouflaged prototype spotted by our spies reveals quite a lot about the car, which is slated for a reveal no earlier than 2020, since the refreshed version of the current model only came out last year. Aside from the completely new and slightly more rakish-looking body, changes will be made to its powerplant lineup and interior. The hybrid version may share its powertrain with the new Insight.

Update 04/4/2019: The 2021 Honda Jazz was caught out in the wild again and, while it hasn’t dropped a lot of camo, we can make out a few subtle differences. Check out what we know in the Spy Shots section below!

BMW is set to launch an all-new 4-Series two-door sometime in 2019 or 2020, and while the G23 coupe version will not feature any dramatic changes over the current model, the G22 droptop will. Spy shots indicate that for the first time in two generations (E93 and F33), BMW is giving up on the folding hardtop design in favor of the more traditional soft top option which it last used on the E46 model discontinued in 2006.

Heavy camouflage covers the prototype spotted, but this important change is quite evident as the canvas top is left completely bare (quite obviously on purpose). It might be an illusion caused by the camo, but it also appears this new 4-Series has a longer hood and rear decklid compared to its predecessor.

Update 03/29/2019: How spy photographers managed to catch the 2020 BMW 4 Series Convertible on video as it performed some cold weather testing. Check it out for yourself in our "Spy Shots" section below!

BMW is reportedly readying an even hotter version of its M2 to sit above the M2 Competition - they are the M2 CS and M2 CSL, and our spies believe that’s what they captured in these photos. Some older reports from before the Competition model was launched, called it the M2 GTS. The white prototype features several changes over the M2 Competition and, as a Whole, it looks like a more aggressive, track-focused machine.

It has been suggested that the M2 CS would be a North America-only limited model available from 2020 and that the CSL would be even more extreme and sold on other markets from 2021, but right now it’s too early to make these predictions. Both will clearly be lighter, more powerful and better around a track than the Competition which in turn is one step up from the base M2.

Update 03/13/2019: Our spy photographers have managed to get some close-up shots of the 2021 BMW M2 CS. Check them out in our spy shots section below!

Wait, what? It’s barely been a year since the fourth-generation Ranger, that marks the nameplate’s return to the North American market, was shown at the Detroit Auto Show and now we get to see the next one? Apparently, this is actually true, and you are looking at a car that you shouldn’t have seen for at least two more years, the fifth-generation Ranger that will share its platform with the upcoming Amarok, both models destined for the European and African markets.

When manufacturers are preparing to launch a new vehicle, they go about their business in a tried and tested way. They either try to take the test mules out on the road either in more secluded areas where there’s less of a likelihood that someone with a camera, hiding in a bush, might be tracking down their movements or, when city testing or highway testing are on order, they wrap the vehicle in question in as odd a camouflage pattern as possible. The point of the camo is to deter those that try to pick out the new model’s key aesthetic features that differentiate it from the older one or, in case of brand-new standalone models, to make it hard for folks to figure out whether or not that model is bringing with it a new design language or not. Basically, most often, it’s a game of hiding your hand in plain sight.

This time, though, it seems like an Australian automotive outlet got its hands on some leaked images. We know that the T6 generation of the Ranger built for international markets (although it did debut in the U.S. as well in 2018) was conceived by Ford Australia and, most probably, the engineers Down Under are now working on the upcoming international model because the T6 has been around since 2011 although it received a facelift in 2015. Obviously, with the T6 Ranger arriving in the U.S. last year and selling well, don’t expect what you see in these pictures to spot rolling down American roads pretty soon.

The Porsche Macan, the same model that is currently offered with four- and six-cylinder engines, will officially be offered as an electric model when the new-generation makes its debut in 2021. You read that right, the Porsche Taycan isn’t even technically on the market yet, and Porsche is already committed to turning one of its most popular models into EV territory. And, that’s not a rumor- the cam directly from Porsche itself. The most logical reason behind this is because BMW is set to unleash the BMW iX3 soon and, since the Macan battles it out with the X3, it only makes sense. As of now, there are no plans to offer any type of fuel-powered drivetrain, so the Macan will become Porsche’s third EV next to the 2020 Taycan and the 2021 Taycan Sport Turismo wagon.

Volkswagen has always offered a GTI version of its Golf hatchback, but in recent years their hot hatch offering has started to look a bit safe and tame compared to some of the newer, bonkers rivals it has competed against over the years - especially in terms of power. The current GTI can be had with up to 286 horsepower if you opt for the limited series TCR model, but apparently, the next-gen 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI may have just as much power in standard form.

Skoda has shown it is willing and able to make hot RS-badged versions of its high-riding models, so after the Kodiaq RS, a report now suggests the Czech automaker is also considering applying a similar treatment to the smaller Karoq crossover. It is also believed that it will not be motivated by a diesel engine, like the larger Kodiaq RS, running a 2.0-liter turbo found in other high-performance VW group products.

It took all of two days before the first supercar news of 2019 arrived. BMW, it seems, is cooking up an indirect replacement for the i8 hybrid sports coupe, only this time, the model in question is pegged as a new flagship M Performance model that could produce a combined 700 horsepower. Very rarely do you see a BMW with the kind of power and performance that can rival the likes of Ferrari and McLaren. If this rumor has legs to it, we could be seeing that very car: a proper BMW supercar that can compete with the best the segment has to offer.