A of new cars
From the new Aston Martin DB9 to Audi A3 Sportback - here's the rundown of the best cars beginning with A
Abarth Fuori Serie On sale: NowPrice: From £40,000 (est.)
This is the model designed to introduce Abarth’s new personalisation programme. Options include upgraded cabin materials, larger Brembo brake discs and unique 17-inch alloy wheels. Classic liveries, such as this Olio Fiat one from seventies race cars, are also available.
Aston Martin DB9 On sale: NowPrice: £131,995
Hot on the heels of the Vanquish, and replacing the Virage in the line-up, the new DB9 Coupe and Convertible get carbon fibre bodykits, plush interior trim and a 510bhp version of Aston’s 6.0-litre V12. Its latest adaptive dampers are also fitted as standard.
Aston Martin Vanquish On sale: January 2013Price: £189,995
We've driven the latest ultimate Aston Martin Vanquish, and it’s faster, more advanced and better looking than the DBS it replaces. The Vanquish blends design cues from the One-77 and classic DB9 with a 565bhp version of the famous 6.0-litre V12. It has a stiffer chassis, with greater use of carbon, while there are now Normal, Sport and Track settings for the adaptive damping. But the biggest leap forward is inside. Touchpad buttons, which vibrate when pushed, replace the old joystick on the dash, while the infotainment system is easier to use. So this is very much the Aston for the 21st century.
Driven it: Jack Rix“Forget the fact that the Vanquish uses a similar recipe to the DBS – the essential Aston DNA is present and correct, with a thunderous V12 and a sumptuous cabin.”
Aston Martin V12 Roadster On sale: NowPrice: £150,000
Ever since Aston Martin squeezed a 6.0-litre V12 into its smallest car, the Vantage, in 2009, a V12 roadster was inevitable. But there’s more to this car than just a 510bhp engine. Carbon fibre vents are slashed into the bonnet, while there’s a more pronounced rear spoiler, too. And despite weighing 80kg more than the coupe, at 1,760kg, it covers 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds and will hit 190mph flat-out. That’s not as fast as a Porsche 911 Turbo, but what the Aston lacks in straight-line pace it makes up for with desirability – plus that raucous V12 soundtrack from its exhausts.
Driven it: Jethro Bovingdon“There are faster, better-to-drive cars for the money. But when the sun is shining, the roof is down and your ears are exposed to the V12 sound, few cars feel as special as this Aston.”
Audi A3 Sportback On sale: Early 2013Price: From £19,825
Fancy a new A3 with two more doors? Audi has not only added five-door accessibility to the A3’s tasteful interior, the Sportback is also 35mm longer than the current three-door. This means the boot is 30 litres bigger, at 380 litres. You only pay an extra £620 over the three-door for the Sportback’s added practicality, too.
Audi Crosslane Coupe On sale: 2014Price: From £40,000 (est.)
This Q2 concept – unveiled as the Crosslane Coupe at the 2012 Paris Motor Show – is Audi’s answer to the hot-selling Range Rover Evoque. The three-door coupe is slightly smaller than the Q3 – hence the Q2 nickname – and features exposed chassis parts, as well as a removable roof panel. The cabin is typical Audi quality, but its minimalism also hints at the interior styling direction of future SUVs from the company. Carbon fibre and aluminium are used extensively in the chassis to keep weight down and increase stiffness. Power, meanwhile, comes from a combination of a 130bhp 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine and 116bhp electric motor, technology that we’ve already seen in the A1 e-tron.
Audi S3 On sale: Early 2013Price: From £30,000 (est.)
Audi's wolf in sheep’s clothing returns lighter and faster than ever before. The S3 barely looks any different to the standard A3, aside from larger alloys, quad exhausts and trademark silver wing mirror caps. However, power comes from a new 2.0-litre turbo engine which sends 296bhp to all four wheels – and takes the car from 0-62mph in just 5.1 seconds. Go for the six-speed manual rather than the DSG auto, and that increases to 5.4 seconds. Audi’s Drive Select system and adaptive dampers are also fitted as standard. Inside, drivers are treated to an additional boost pressure dial in the instrument binnacle, a flat-bottomed steering wheel and new sports seats finished in a choice of materials, from part-leather and cloth to Alcantara and Nappa leather.
Audi R8 V10 plus On sale: NovemberPrice: From £124,675
Audi has updated its R8 supercar, redesigning the bumpers and fitting new LED headlights, plus replacing the clunky old R tronic gearbox with a slicker twin-clutch S tronic. There’s also a new range-topping model, called the V10 Plus, which squeezes 542bhp from the 5.2-litre V10 and gets uprated suspension and lighter wheels.
Audi RS5 Cabriolet On sale: Summer 2013Price: From £70,000 (est.)
The RS5 Cabriolet is powered by the same 444bhp 4.2-litre V8 as the RS5 coupe, and covers 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds. An optional upgrade removes the 155mph speed limiter, allowing this storming Audi to hit 174mph. The Cabriolet also features a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and quattro all-wheel drive as standard.
Audi SQ5 Exclusive On sale: Early 2013Price: £74,000
Audi has turned to its quattro division to create a plush Exclusive makeover for its 309bhp SUV. And while the SQ5 Exclusive won’t come here, its diesel engine is the same as in the £44k standard SQ5 – due later in 2012 – so save yourself £30,000 and buy the regular car instead.
