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From high-performance compact coupes to monstrously-fast SUVs, 2019 promises to a good year for performance cars.
Towards the end of 2018 BMW released the M2 Competition. The smallest 'M' car is powered by a de-tuned version of the M3/M4 which means - 302kW/550Nm and 0-100km/h in 4.2secs.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is the polar opposite of the M2, it's a gargantuan SUV powered by a 6.2-litre V8 producing 523kW and 881Nm.
It's safe to say there is something for everyone in 2019, we take a look at five performance machines we can't wait to get behind the wheel of.
1. Ford Mustang Bullitt - The limited-edition 'Stang celebrates the pony car Steve McQueen drove in the 1968 film 'Bullitt'. This 2019 version gets an upgraded performance-tuned 5.0 litre V8 engine that delivers 357kW/420Nm, pushing it to a top speed of 262km/h.
It is equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission with rev matching, and the gear-shifter features a white cue ball shift knob in a nod to the original.
Ford says the Bullitt will be available in South Africa in 2019, in limited numbers.
2 BMW M2 Competition - The new BMW M2 Competition gets a de-tuned version of the M3/M4 which means: 302kW/550Nm, 0-100km/h in 4.2secs and a top speed of 280km/h (M Driver’s Package).
It uses a 7-speed DCT gearbox and has a new dual exhaust system with two electrically-controlled flaps.
The Competition replaces the M2 Coupe and is priced from R972 030.
3 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport - Porsche recently unveiled its 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, its first ever production race car to feature body parts made of natural-fibre composite material.
Powering the GT4 Clubsport is a 3.8-litre flat-six engine producing 313kW. Power is transferred to the rear wheels via a dual-clutch gearbox with six gears and mechanical rear axle differential lock. The lightweight spring-strut front suspension is taken from its 911 GT3 Cup sibling.
4 BMW M340i xDrive - Sitting just below the high-performance M3, the M340i xDrive is a 275kW sports sedan due in September 2019. And for the first time in South Africa, we'll see a 3 Series on sale with power going to all four wheels.
We drove pre-production version of the M340i in Portugal at the international launch in late 2018 and came away deeply impressed by its strong straight-line speed and dynamic abilities.
5 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk - Who doesn't want close to 530kW under their right foot? Well that's what the most bonkers Jeep to come out this decade will have on paper.
The Trackhawk is a flagship Grand Cherokee designed to take on the world's fastest SUVs. It has 881Nm from a 6.2-litre engine. It's priced at R2.2-million and scampers to 100km/h from standstill in a mind-boggling 3.5 seconds.
