More Cars We Can Expect In 2020 And At The Motorshow

It is that time
Time of the year again

Where the new cars are showing
At the Motorshow where we are going
And we will give you the lowdown right here!

It is that time
Time of the year again…

Ah yes… Happy new year dear readers. The 2020 motorshow here, and it will be a very busy time for us, as we walk through the halls, decked with this year’s motoring glory!

While the BMW 330i won our prestigious Oneshift Car of the Year 2019 award last year, and there were many models which made the cut to earn their place, winning in their respective categories (here’s why they won); we know too, that this year's offerings will also be nothing short of amazing!

The motorshow marks a start for the many exciting new cars we can expect to see for the rest of the year.

Here are a few cars you can expect to see at the show!

The MINI Clubman makes a return, with a few neat nips and tucks. The MINI with the extra space, is now extra pretty too. The Clubman’s most prominent exterior revisions are its re-worked Union Jack-themed tail lamp assembly, revised headlamp cluster and a snazzy new grille. Practical quirks, like its barndoor-style rear doors, makes the Clubman simply practical and unique.

Like the rest of MINI’s revamped range, the Clubman is now even more connected, thanks to its newly-included MINI Connected services. Their new feature syncs your calendar to the car, and also factors in important details like traffic flow, helping you to ensure that you are never late for another appointment.

Engines available, include a turbocharged 3 cylinder 1.5 litre which drives the entry One (Rated at 102hp and 190Nm), and the higher-spec Cooper model (136hp and 220Nm). The sportier Cooper S model gets a 2.0 turbocharged inline-four, which delivers a healthy 192hp and 280Nm.

We can also expect a high-powered John Cooper Works offering, ideal for the enthusiast, which delivers a mouth watering 306hp and 450Nm, from its 2.0 turbocharged engine, and takes just 4.9 seconds to reach 100km/h.

We took out MINI’s high-powered John Cooper Works version of their Countryman crossover through Thailand about a year ago, and we must say that the car was absolutely mental, and very practical too.

Now MINI is re-introducing the John Cooper Works model with a little more wallop under the hood… making getting there in a practical way a little quicker and a little more fun! Tweaks to their potent 2.0, means that power gets bumped up to 306hp (+75hp), while torque is increased to 450Nm (+100Nm). That bump up in figures also translates to a 5.1 second century sprint time (formally 6.5 seconds).

We can all expect handling to be just as superb as the pre-facelift, thanks to the ALL4 all-wheel drive system.

The mighty 8 Series BMW now gets a fittingly highly-tuned V8 under the bonnet. The 8 Series recently made a return after more than two-decades, with their new luxury coupe featuring xDrive and all-wheel steering.

The M8 Competition’s 4.4 litre V8, which it shares with the 850i, delivers an uprated 625hp. Together with its 8-speed transmission, the M8 Competition Coupe clocks 100km/h in just 3.2 seconds… quicker than you can say ‘BMW M8 Competition Coupe’.

The V8 also sits on stiffer engine mounts, which reduce the shifting of weight from all that torque developed.

Optimised dampers, an increased frontal camber, and an integrated braking system, which features two selectable settings, ‘Sport’ and ‘Comfort’, weaves flexibility into the Coupe’s engaging drive characteristics. In addition, the M xDrive, which gives you the choice of 4WD, 4WD Sport, and for a pure driving experience, RWD; allows drivers to squeeze out the best on the M8 Competition Coupe.

Hot from the launch of the all-new (and related) 1 Series, BMW now has a compact-sized Gran Coupe. The 2 Series Gran Coupe carries over some of the design elements, first seen in the luxuriously appointed 8 Series Gran Coupe.

Sublime coupe styling meets four-doored practicality, and it does have a generous 430-litre boot. Packaging has also improved over the previous platform, with BMW moving over to front-drive architecture, and a transverse engine layout.

But the 2 Series Gran Coupe is not only a looker. The car features struts and braces, to increase stiffness for improved handling. Features like its BMW Performance Control, which applies the brakes in the inner wheels when going around a bend, before reaching its slip threshold, ensures that the 2 Series Gran Coupe delivers neutral driving characteristics.

The car to look out for is the high-performance M235i xDrive, which features AWD, a mechanical Torsen limited-slip differential, M Sport steering and M Sport brakes… and mmm yes… launch control.

As SUV offerings heat up, the Audi e-tron will be their all-electric offering. Boasting a range of up to 436km, and a quick charge which only takes half-an-hour, which brings the battery to 80% capacity.

An on-board charger also means that Audi has done away with the cumbersome box, with the car being able to plug into a household AC current (which at the moment, we are not able to confirm if this convenient feature will be available for the Singapore market).

Drive tech aside, the e-tron boasts a luxurious cabin, and practical cargo space, courtesy of a 600 litre boot, and an additional 60 litre “frunk” where the engine is supposed to be. Its MMI Touch Response, features dual touch screens, like the ones found on the Q8 SUV and A8 luxury Sedan, are familiar to those who own an Audi. An interesting quirk are the available virtual wing mirrors, which rely on screens located on the front doors, providing an additional advantage of allowing drivers to see their blind spots.

Bigger and wider… and all-new from the ground up. The new Q3 SUV offers more passenger room, a copious 675 litre boot (with rear seats adjusted), expandable to a massive 1,525 litres! Speaking about the rear seats, there are up to seven combinations they can be adjusted to.

The new Q3 also features heaps of new tech. Its 10.1” MMI touchscreen, and 10.25” virtual cockpit, allows for more information to be displayed, and with greater flexibility too; while features like its available park assist, steers the Q3 in and out of parking lots automatically, and a very important 360 degree camera, makes the living with this compact SUV an easy one.

Power is from a 1.4 litre turbocharged engine, delivering 150hp and 250Nm, and returns a respectable combined 16.7km/l.

We might also expect a sportier…. Sportback version of the car to show up some time this year!

Audi’s supermini made a splash here late last year. Their snazzy hatchback even pays homage to the iconic Audi Ur-quattro Group B rally car.

Built on the group’s rigid MQB architecture, The Audi A1 has grown significantly in length. With short overhangs, from its wheels being pushed further out, not only presents a taut sporty stance, packaging too has also improved. A generous 335 litre boot, also means that the German supermini is also a very practical car.

Power comes from a 3-cylinder TFSI 1.0 litre engine, mated to its fast-shifting 7-speed Stronic transmission.

You can expect features like the Audi virtual cockpit with an extended range of functions, which comes standard for the Singapore market. The A1’s infotainment system is derived from its full-sized class of cars, also features voice control, and provides mobile connectivity through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Hyundai adds another SUV to its lineup, with the new VENUE. Hyundai promises a host of premium driver safety and convenience technologies, known as SmartSense, in their new sub-compact SUV. Featuring a new cascading grille, which is the brand’s new signature, the VENUE is equipped with composite LED lights and cube shape headlamps. Bold design elements contributes to the small SUVs road presence, even though the Venue is the Korean manufacturer’s smallest SUV offering.

Power will be from a proven 1.6 litre four-cylinder Gamma engine.

Sometimes, less is more! In the case of the IONIQ hybrid, it truly is. Hyundai’s compact fuel-sipper has just gone through a mild facelift. More importantly, thanks to a reduction in power, you can purchase one at a lower price tag, since it now qualifies as Category A COE car.

Power is now 130hp, 10hp less than previously, while torque at 265Nm remains unchanged.

The electric variant of the IONIQ now gets more power, and additional range. All this, thanks to a larger 38.3kWh battery, an improvement of more that 30%. Maximum range is now 311km, an improvement of almost 70km.

In addition, the IONIQ Electric is also equipped with Hyundai SmartSense, which is a suite of active safety systems. Features like blind spot warning, adaptive cruise control which also includes stop & go function, lane keep assist, and rear cross traffic alert, are built in to ensure a safer driving experience.

An electric powertrain first and foremost, and then a petrol engine used solely to charge the battery… A different approach for Nissan’s new people mover.

The Serena is first e-POWER electrified powertrain in Singapore, which hints of what is in-store for Nissan in the near future, as they plan on a fully-electric range by 2022.

Back to their MPV, the Serena is a well-thought through MPV, with nifty features, like a high-ceiling, heaps of storage, foot-operated sliding doors, and a dual-opening tailgate to name a few.

With 320Nm of torque readily available, driven by its electrical motor, the Serena accelerates instantaneously from a standstill, making it quite the ideal people mover for a city like Singapore, where start-stop situations is a common thing.

Subaru jumps onto the hybrid bandwagon… a mild hybrid one that is.

Their Forester e-Boxer features a dual engine mechanism; a lithium ion battery pack that powers the car at lower speeds, helping to conserve fuel, and a conventional horizontally-opposed petrol engine which drives the car at higher speeds.

The Forester e-Boxer boasts an impressive 18.5km/l in combined cycle, all thanks to the petrol-electric drive combination.

Built on the new Subaru Global Platform (SGP), the Forester benefits from added rigidity, compared to the previous car, delivering improved handling, and safety.

Speaking about safety, Subaru’s EyeSight safety system adds an active layer of safety to the Forester e-Boxer, essentially behaving as an additional set of eyes on the road for drivers. The system is designed to apply the brakes if an obstruction is detected, and no corrective action is taken from the driver. Additional features like adaptive cruise control allows the Forester to keep in-pace with the vehicle in-front, and even stops the car if required; ideal for our local road conditions.

Mitsubishi’s popular economy compact sedan, the Attrage gets a makeover. While mechanically the same, the Attrage has been given an extensive front and rear rework, features Mitsubishi’s new Dynamic Shield front end, seen on its current models, like the Eclipse Cross SUV. Re-worked tail lights and revised bumper ties in the Attrage’s styling.

Power by its proven 1.2 litre 3-cylinder engine, mated to its INVECS-III CVT transmission; and together with its light kerb weight, the Attrage boasts fuel consumption of 20.4km/l, making it an incredibly affordable car to run

Just in at the motorshow… Skoda unveils their new Scala compact. Targeted at younger buyers, the Scala combines estate car versatility, featuring the largest boot in its segment; while classy dynamic design elements like its extended rear windscreen conjoins in between both tail lights and bears the ‘SKODA’ wordmark on the glass surface itself (rumor has it, that you can customise this wordmark to your liking… we wonder if this option will reach our shores).

At the heart of Scala’s breakthrough design is the snazzy floating infotainment display, which protrudes from the dash.

Volkswagen ups the game in its SUV offensive, with the introduction of the T-Cross. Their new compact SUV is marketed as an urban crossover, and is the German brand’s entry level model. Constructed on Volkswagen’s proven modular transverse matrix (MQB) architecture, which allows for superior packaging, by allowing front axle to be located very far forward; interior space is good enough for five occupants, even with its compact dimensions.

The T-Cross benefits from between 385 and 455 litres of luggage space, depending on the rear seat configuration, and maximum luggage room is an impressive 1,281 litres, with the rear seats fully folded.

Head on down to this year's motorshow, but before you do that, check out the prices, especially if you are planning to upgrade your ride.

Also have a look at some of the cars we predicted earlier!

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