Top Five cars to watch out for in 2012

Last year (yes that’s right it’s now 2012, for those of you who have been passed out for the past few days) was a good year for new cars and 2012 looks set to be even better. Here are the Top Five cars to watch out for in 2012.

Toyota/Subaru FT-86 Sports Car

The Toyota/Subaru FT-86 Sports Car (pictured above) will definitely become a talking point in 2012. The two Japanese manufacturers are teaming up to create what is basically the newest purpose built drift car, made for going sideways. Obviously, that’s not what the FT-86 is penned as, but that’s what they’re going for.

Although it’s one car, the two companies are thought to be building their own models so we might be getting two new cars – although it’s actually just one.

BMW i Series

We’ve already seen some movement from BMW’s i Series this year, but we should definitely keep an eye out to see what the German manufacturer has in store in terms of electricity.

We should see some mass production in 2013, so that means the finished products – the BMW i3 and i8 – should be revealed in full next year. Will electricity finally make a dent in the consumer market? Or will it be fobbed off as just another gimmick? 2012 might be the year we find out.

Volkswagen up!

Now, you might be fooled into thinking VW are teaming up with Pixar to make the sequel to the hit movie Up!, but they’re not. The up! range is VW’s new collection of New Small Family cars (NSF).

The basic idea behind the up! range is that they will be low emission urban cars designed for practicality over, well, anything. The small engine cars (1 L) will be fairly easy to run given the tough times we’re in, so the up! range for 2012 may come as a delight to many motorists. Pity the name ‘up!’ is so woeful.

Ford Focus

The Ford Focus has become a familiar sight on Irish roads, and globally, since 1998, mainly as 9.2 million of them have been sold worldwide. So that’s why we’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for the 2012 model.

So far the 2012 Focus looks set to be one of the most technologically advanced cars to enter the market since the Batmobile. The car has also had somewhat of a facelift so we can expect new edgy lines and a sleek finish.

Hyundai Veloster

It’s been a while since Hyundai have made us stop and go ‘Oooooh’. The 2012 Hyundai Veloster however, did just that. It could well be a good competitor of the Focus or even Golf yet it’s going to be some bit cheaper.

In fairness, it looks fantastic. It’s like the Ford Fiesta went to the gym and found out what steroids are. Its low arching back is sure to be a hit with the younger generation for sure but you could imagine your granny in it too. The Veloster is sure to be one to watch.