Future Cars Worth Waiting For: 2026–2030
tags:2028 Alfa Romeo Stelvio
The Alfa Romeo Stelvio is being thoroughly rethought for its second generation, which was supposed to arrive in 2026 but has now been delayed until 2027 at the earliest. While it will still sport Alfa Romeo's typically sensual styling, the SUV will now be sold with a choice of either a hybrid or a fully electric powertrain. The Stelvio will also migrate to the STLA Large platform, which could push the compact SUV closer to mid-size territory. A future performance-oriented Quadrifoglio variant could make use of the Hurricane twin-turbocharged inline-six that is also found in its platform-mate, the Dodge Charger.
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2028 Audi TT EV
Audi is planning a new electric sports car based on the radical Concept C. Positioned somewhere between the now-dead TT and R8 sports cars, the Concept C will usher in a new design language for the brand, with bold lighting, clean surfacing, and an interior centered around high-quality materials. The Audi will share its platform with the upcoming Porsche 718 EVs, and the electric sports car will likely launch with both a rear-wheel-drive single-motor setup and an all-wheel-drive dual-motor powertrain. We're expecting the TT successor to arrive at some point in 2027 with a price approaching $100,000.
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2027 BMW iM3
BMW's venerable 3-series sports sedan is now complemented by an electric variant called the i3, which rides on the same new 800-volt architecture as the iX3 SUV. The i3 will also spawn the first proper electric M car, with the electric M3 expected to pack a potent quad-motor powertrain. The i3 goes on sale in the U.S. at the end of 2026, and we expect the electric M3 to follow in 2027.
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2027 Chevrolet Silverado
Pickup trucks are big business in the United States, and Chevy is overhauling its moneymaker for 2027. The next-generation Silverado goes on sale by the end of 2026 with reworked styling that doesn't stray far from the current generation's assertive look. The big changes are under the skin, where the turbocharged four-cylinder and Duramax diesel are joined by two new small-block V-8s, one measuring 5.7 liters and the other at 6.6 liters. We're still waiting on power figures for the new V-8s, but they are expected to be more efficient than the engines they replace. The cabin also gets far more modern with a new 16.3-inch touchscreen and a 12.2-inch digital gauge cluster that are standard across the lineup.
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2029 Chevrolet Camaro
The Chevy Camaro is set to make a triumphant return for the 2029 model year. The iconic pony car will likely return with two doors, but there's a strong chance that Chevy offers it in a four-door configuration too, since it will share a platform with new sedans from Buick and Cadillac. A turbocharged four-cylinder engine will likely be the base powertrain, while the Camaro is also expected to borrow the new 535-hp 6.7-liter V-8 from the Corvette. A 10-speed automatic will hopefully be joined by a six-speed manual. Production is expected to kick off in late 2028, and the starting price will probably start around $40,000.
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2027 Dodge Charger Hellcat V-8
Just as the Hemi V-8 returned to the Ram 1500 pickup truck, so too will the eight-cylinder squeeze its way back under the hood of the Dodge Charger. The electric Charger Daytona has failed to catch on, and the return of the V-8 should help the muscle car regain the adoration of the Dodge fanbase. The V-8 will likely be reintroduced in 5.7-liter, 6.4-liter, and Hellcat-badged supercharged 6.2-liter form, and power outputs should remain mostly the same, with the Hellcat easily topping 700 ponies. Look for the Hemi V-8 to reappear in the Charger sometime in 2027.
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2029 Dodge Copperhead
Dodge is gearing up to launch a new flagship sports car, but the Copperhead won't be a direct replacement for the beloved Viper. Instead of a slinky V-10-powered coupe, Dodge says the Copperhead will be a "hyper-muscle car." The dramatic styling will be draped over a coupe body that is smaller than the current Charger and covered with aerodynamic doodads. Under the hood, the Copperhead could feature a Hemi V-8, but Dodge has also suggested that global synergies with other brands under the Stellantis umbrella could play a factor, perhaps opening the way for the use of Maserati's Nettuno V-6. Regardless, the Copperhead will likely be loud, powerful, and fast, with prices expected to eclipse $100,000 when it arrives in 2029.
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2027 Ferrari Luce
The Ferrari Luce marks the start of a new era for the famous Italian automaker, which will sell its famed V-12 engines for as long as it can, but has also decided to cater to a different crowd with a high-performance EV. The low-slung four-door features a quad-motor powertrain spitting out a whopping 1035 horsepower, allowing the Luce to zip to 62 mph in a claimed 2.5 seconds. The 122-kWh battery should provide around 280 miles of range and can recharge at up to 350 kilowatts. The styling, penned in part by former Apple designer Jony Ive, has been divisive for its smooth shape and tall stance. Inside, the Luce mixes modern screens with traditional dials and buttons. The Luce will start at well over $600,000, and U.S. deliveries are expected to start in Q2 2027.
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2026 Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC
The Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC arrives as a successor to the Shelby GT500, sitting between the standard 500-hp Dark Horse and the track-focused GTD. This high-powered bruiser packs a supercharged 5.2-liter V-8, the same engine as the GTD. Ford has yet to reveal power figures, but we expect to have close to 800 hp. Ford also honed the suspension for track use and upgraded the aerodynamics for more downforce. Deliveries of the Dark Horse SC kick off this summer.
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2028 Ford Ranchero
Despite discontinuing the F-150 Lightning EV, Ford isn't giving up on electric trucks. The Blue Oval is developing the new "Universal Electric Vehicle" platform, which will spawn a variety of vehicles, starting with a new compact electric truck that may end up reviving the Ranchero name. Roughly the size of the Maverick, the Ranchero EV will have much more interior space thanks to its electric powertrain and will be simpler to build, with 20 percent fewer parts. Ford will use lithium-iron-phosphate batteries to keep costs down while still delivering around 300 miles of range, and Ford also says the truck will match a four-cylinder Mustang to 60 mph. The target base price is around $30,000, with production expected in late 2027 for the 2028 model year.
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2027 Genesis GV90
Sure, Genesis already has a flagship sedan, but no self-respecting luxury brand can do without a top-dog crossover these days. Enter the upcoming GV90, which will be a large three-row electric SUV with all the presence and size you expect from a range-topping model. We're not sure about specs yet, but expect it to have standard all-wheel drive, a range of around 250 miles, and a similarly posh interior as the G90 sedan when it arrives with a six-figure price sometime next year. The 2024 Neolun concept hinted at the upcoming SUV's opulent design.
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2027 Genesis GV60 Magma
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is one of the most exhilarating EVs on sale, and Hyundai's luxury brand, Genesis, is launching its own version of the high-performance electric SUV in the form of the GV60 Magma. The aggressive-looking crossover is the first model under the new Magma subbrand, and the GV60 Magma mirrors the Ioniq 5 N with 601 horsepower and a boost function that ups output to 641 ponies. The Genesis, however, produces more torque when the boost mode is activated at 583 pound-feet, and takes the Ioniq 5 N's simulated gearshifts to the extreme by adjusting motor output depending on the gear. The fake exhaust noises are also present, and the 4938-pound GV60 Magma also receives a retuned suspension and better brakes. Sales start in the U.S. in 2026.
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2028 Genesis Magma GT
Genesis wants to prove it can do performance as well as luxury, and the electric GV60 Magma will be followed up by the Magma GT. Instead of electric motors, however, the slinky coupe will pack a mid-mounted twin-turbocharged V-8 engine that should produce well over 600 hp. The V-8 could also be joined by a V-6 hybrid powertrain, and the Magma GT will spawn a convertible model as well as a hardcore track-focused trim. Genesis plans to take the Magma GT racing, and production should start by late 2027.
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2027 GR GT
Originally expected to wear a Lexus badge, the Toyota-developed supercar will actually arrive as the first standalone model under the GR performance brand. Called the GR GT, the aggressive bodywork is wrapped around a new aluminum structure. The engine bay packs a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8, hooked up to a mechanical limited-slip differential and an eight-speed transaxle, the latter of which also houses an electric motor. All told, the hybrid powertrain churns out 641 hp and 627 pound-feet of torque, providing a claimed top speed of 199 mph. Toyota says the curb weight is 3858 pounds. Prices are expected to start at around $300,000, and sales should start in late 2027.
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2028 Infiniti Q50
Infiniti is going back to its roots with a new Q50 sports sedan for 2028. Playing off the popularity among enthusiasts of the G35 coupe of the early 2000s, the revived Q50 sedan will pack a twin-turbocharged V-6 engine borrowed from the Nissan Z and producing at least 400 horsepower. Better yet, Infiniti is strongly considering a manual transmission to make the Q50 even more engaging. The Q50 should return in 2027, and pricing should start at around $60,000.
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2027 Jaguar Type 01
Jaguar has thrown out the playbook and will start afresh in late 2026 when production of the Type 01 gets underway. The large, four-door grand tourer will be the first model in a line of new EVs as Jaguar attempts to move upmarket to compete with the likes of Bentley. The Type 01 will be boldly styled, taking its blocky front end and dramatic proportions from the Type 00 concept. Jaguar is also targeting a 430-mile range for its new EV, which will produce over 986 horsepower from a tri-motor powertrain. We expect pricing to start at around $130,000 as Jaguar aims to capture a wealthier, younger audience.
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2028 Jeep Wrangler Scrambler
The iconic Wrangler will gain a new halo model with the Scrambler, a two-door pickup truck with a removable roof panel and retro styling. The new front-end design borrows from the Wrangler Avil 715 concept, inspired by Kaiser Jeeps of the 1960s, and under the hood, the Scrambler will pack the 392 Hemi 6.4-liter V-8, producing at least 470 hp and 470 pound-feet of torque. The Scrambler will also break from Wrangler tradition with an independent front suspension, and it might even go independent at the rear, too. Prices will likely start over $90,000, and we expect the Wrangler Scrambler to arrive in 2028.
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2029 Lexus LFA
Lexus signaled its interest in a high-performance EV with the Electrified Sport concept in 2021 and doubled down with the LFA concept in 2025. The concept utilizes the same aluminum platform as the hybrid GR GT, but with an unspecified electric powertrain. Lexus had said the Electrified Sport would be capable of a 60 mph sprint in the low 2.0-second range and a range of over 430 miles thanks to solid-state batteries, but those figures could change by the time the new LFA launches in a few years. Lexus has also hinted at a simulated manual transmission in the past, which could help differentiate the LFA EV.
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2027 Mazda CX-5 Hybrid
The Mazda CX-5 is the brand's bestselling model and will get a boost with the addition of a hybrid powertrain in 2027. Mazda already revealed the design of the new generation for the nonhybrid model, and it shares a similarly slick look to the outgoing CX-5. The standard 187-hp four-cylinder engine will be joined by a Mazda-developed hybrid powertrain for the 2027 model year, which is expected to make use of Mazda's 2.5-liter inline-four engine and should push the EPA-rated fuel economy over the 30-mpg mark.
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2030 Mitsubishi Montero
Mitsubishi will re-enter the off-road SUV ring with a new Montero. While Mitsubishi is launching a new Pajero (historically rebadged as Montero for the U.S.) for other markets based on its own Triton pickup, the U.S. market may end up getting an SUV based on a body-on-frame platform borrowed from Nissan. Sitting atop Mitsubishi's U.S. lineup, the Montero is expected to employ a twin-turbocharged V-6, but may also offer a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Prices should start in the low-$60,000 range, and the Montero may not go on sale till 2030.
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Despite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Hearst Autos team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.
Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.