Auto Sneak Preview

For automakers, figuring out which automobiles that people will buy in the next 2 years has become a game of roulette—only with spinning gas-pump dials instead of a spinning wheel.

It’s the same story for consumers, analysts say. Just as people began to feel good about buying autos again, the twin punches of soaring gas prices and the earthquake and tsunami in Japan rocked the industry. Shoppers will feel the effects—higher prices and fewer incentives, particularly on popular small cars—throughout the end of this year, says Jesse Toprak, who is vice president of industry trends for TrueCar, which publishes auto-sales data.

A trend to which we alerted you last year—the emphasis on subcompact and compact models—holds true for the 2012 model year, with more to come in 2013: Sales of such vehicles continue to grow because of the run-up in gas prices. And plug-in hybrids and pure electric vehicles (EVs) have arrived too, as evidenced by models from Ford, Hyundai, Nissan and Toyota that will show up in 2012.

For the 2012 model year, you also will find that cutting-edge features that typically have been exclusive to high-end rides are standard equipment in more-affordable cars. That includes technological tweaks, such as Bluetooth-based telematics systems, which connect vehicles to emergency crews and Web-based entertainment and applications, and even full-on mobile hotspots.

Although automakers are bringing more electrified models to showrooms for the 2012 and 2013 model years, the vehicles’ expensive batteries—and for EVs, the limited driving range—might relegate them to niche status for at least a few more years. President Barack Obama says he wants to see 1 million electric cars on U.S. roads by 2015. That goal, analysts tell us, is a long shot. It probably will be at least 2017 before the industry sells its millionth plug-in car.

U.S. buyers aren’t ready to embrace only electric cars. Even with gasoline at $4 per gallon, the automobile industry’s modest sales recovery has included a surprisingly strong comeback for pickups, SUVs and luxury cars. This means that you still will have a choice if you’re ready to splurge on style, performance or space to stretch out. New models from BMW, Ford and Land Rover show that the market never will be one-size-fits-all.

Alfa Romeo 4C GTA
Italy’s Alfa Romeo has hinted several times at a return to U.S. showrooms. But after the shotgun wedding of Chrysler and Alfa’s parent, Fiat, Alfa now appears ready for a U.S. debut with the impossibly sexy 4C GTA as a 2013 model. The two-seat, midengine concept dazzled audiences at the Geneva auto show with its exotic-car curves, inspired by the larger and vastly pricier 8C Competizione. We’re told that the production version will be largely similar to the concept when it arrives, although the automaker is mum about what features might change. The 4C GTA will saddle a 1.7-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine that delivers better than 200 hp—the final horsepower hasn’t been nailed down—and Alfa claims that the 4C GTA will weigh less than 1,900 pounds, which would make it among the slimmest coupes that are on the market. That adds up to making the car seriously quick despite the modest power. Alfa estimates a 0–60-mph rip in less than 5 seconds.
Arrives in showrooms: Late 2012
Cost: $55,000 (estimated)

BMW 3-Series
As rivals such as the Infiniti G37 loom in its mirrors, BMW’s perennial sports-sedan benchmark will try to stay ahead. The 3-Series’ more sculpted new body takes cues from the larger 5-Series, including a sharper body crease that’s along the sides and four LED rings that wrap the headlamps. But the big news is a downsized turbocharged four-cylinder engine that’s 2.0 liters and delivers roughly 245 hp, which steps in for BMW’s venerable six-cylinder base engine. As with BMW’s turbocharged sixes and eights, the four-cylinder engine delivers more power across a broader range of engine speeds and improved mileage. BMW’s efficient turbocharged six-cylinder engine will continue to power pricier 3-Series versions. The sedan will be followed over roughly 18 months by the usual 3-Series offshoots: a coupe, a hardtop convertible, a wagon and a new M3 that will have a downsized turbocharged six-cylinder engine. That engine will generate more than 400 hp—no definitive spec has been released—putting it on par with the current 414-hp V8.
Arrives in showrooms: Late 2012
Cost: $34,000 (estimated)

BMW 6-Series Coupe

On the heels of a new convertible, the 6-Series coupe will seek to reverse a painful sales slide for this decadent luxury machine. The controversial lines of the previous version give way to a more appealing, slimmer-looking model, although the 2012 version is 2.9 inches longer and about an inch wider than its predecessor was. BMW’s 4.4-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 engine produces a robust 400 hp and 450 foot-pounds of torque, which spurs the 650i model from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds. Electric steering will replace the previous hydraulic unit, which is certain to attract scrutiny from handling-obsessed BMW fans because of its potential to dampen steering feel. But computer-assisted handling that was adapted from other BMW models should give this coupe the ability to stay flat and composed through corners.
Arrives in showrooms: September
Cost: $81,000 (estimated)

Buick Verano

The new Verano, which is Buick’s first compact car since the Skylark of the late ’90s, resembles its handsome big brother, the Regal. The Verano’s 2.4-liter, 177-hp four-cylinder engine is good for an expected 31 mpg on the highway. But in early 2012, Type A drivers will see a roughly 240-hp turbocharged four-cylinder version that delivers more-robust acceleration. To persuade buyers to shell out about $4,000 more than for the Chevrolet Cruze, with which the Verano shares its basic chassis, the Verano features more-distinctive styling and a slicker interior, including wood trim and standard niceties that typically are only optional on the Chevy, such as a Bose audio system, a heated steering wheel and a smartphone-connected radio that links to Pandora Internet radio and other Web services.
Arrives in showrooms: November
Cost: $22,000 (estimated)