33 Cars Worth Getting Excited About In 2012

Even though the recent recession fatally wounded parts of the industry and fossil fuels running dry will threaten its future, the world of cars is still very much alive and kicking. There is such a variety of new products coming out this year ranging from affordable city cars you'll actually want to own, to ridiculously expensive supercars you'll lust after, old school coupes to revolutionary family cars, petrol engines to plug-in electric motors. The list is almost endless. So to help fellow car lovers and "new kids on the block" out, here's a round-up of 33 cars we can't wait to see in 2012 in order of release date.

January 2012

Kia Optima

It's been available around the world for a while but the Kia Optima finally hits UK soil this month. Our man James has already reviewed the Stateside 2.0 Turbo petrol and he was very impressed. The old Magentis was pound-shop cheap but the Optima has got the executive car looks with a touch of Korean flair and at around £18,000 it's great value.

Mercedes SLK 55 AMG

Just like the last SLK, the new R172 pretty much steals the look of the German firm's flagship supercar and shrinks them. This month will see the AMG version which has a 5.5L V8 containing 416 horses that will take it from 0-60mph in 4.6 seconds. It's less powerful than the SLS roadster but the SLK AMG comes with a better folding metal roof and a slightly more frugal unit for around £58,000. That's over £100,000 cheaper than its bigger brother.

Suzuki Swift Sport

The new Swift Sport comes with a naturally aspirated 1.6 petrol with more power, more MPG thanks to a 6th gear and less CO2. The Swift is one of the finest handling superminis out there, almost as good as the original Mini as some have reported. The Sport version is predicted to be £14,000 which makes it a great value hot hatch. Car Throttle front man will get his hands on one in April to deliver his verdict.

February 2012

Audi A1 Sportback

The 3-door A1 is a great looking premium hatchback but practicality is flawed. The Sportback, though, comes with 2 extra doors and 3 rear seats for an extra £560 over the 3 door, making it more comfy for your mates. It's also available in Samoa Orange which is an exclusive paint job to the Sportback and it will get the same engines as the standard car.

BMW 3 Series Saloon

There's not much change on the outside of the F30 3 Series (the only big difference being the more poised kidneys) but inside it's a complete revolution. The dashboard wraps around the driver like in the older 3-s and looks more lively than the last car. You can even have red trim pieces and stitching on the leather and fabric seats of the Sport models. Most magazines and websites have driven the new 3 already and the overall verdict is that it's the best 3 Series yet.

Hyundai Veloster

The last coupe we saw from Hyundai in the UK was called the Genesis Coupé and, to me, it looked like a smaller and cheaper Jaguar XK. It was one of the best looking cheap coupés of its time. This one though is taking on the likes of the Scirocco and Megane Coupe, though the Hyundai's looks won't appeal to everyone. It does have a unique trick up its sleeve which is the odd door layout (one door on the driver's side and two on the pavement side) and means your friends won't have to clamber over the front seats to get into the back. It comes with a 1.6 138bhp which is reported to be a tad slow but a 201bhp Turbo version of the Veloster will make it here in August. Pricing is competitive, starting at £18,000 for the standard car and £23,000 for the Turbo.

March 2012

Chevrolet Camaro SS

Finally, after a wait of what feels like decades, the Camaro has had its suspension tweaked for Europe and this means we'll see both the Camaro Coupe and Convertible on British roads this March. Both Camaros come with a 6.2 V8 that produces 426bhp meaning a 0-60mph time of 4.7 seconds. The coupe could be yours for just £35,000 and the convertible for £40,000 the convertible, what a steal! The convertible is rumored to be left-hand drive only, however.

Citroen DS5

This has to be the coolest family car ever made. The reason: it's just so different. Inside and out is as luxurious as the big executive saloons but the DS5 is a sort of estate/hatchback crossover with a raised ride height. The interior is inspired by cockpits of airliners and it shows. The big Citroen is also available with Peugeot's HYbrid4 system, combining a diesel engine and an electric engine which will mean hardly any CO2 and massive mpg. Prices are predicted to be around £28,000. We'll also see an Ultra Prestige version of the ever so popular DS3 from Citroen in March which has things like charcoal grey alloys, luxury leather seats and a white leather dash, ooh la-la!

Volkswagen Up!

The Up! is the first of a trio of city cars from the Volkswagen group to hit our roads. Even though it's city car cheap (£8,000) it doesn't feel it. It looks like a premium product and has an interior to match. It will certainly be a hit for new drivers especially since it comes with a cheap to run 1.0 3 cylinder engine. The 3-door will be available in March with a 5-door version arriving in July. The Seat Mii will arrive in May and the Skoda equivalent CitiGo will be on the road in June.

April 2012

Ferrari "F620"

The successor to the 599 is apparently going to be called the "F620" but the car itself will be revealed at this year's Geneva motor show in March along with the confirmed name. It takes an updated version of the 700bhp 6.3 V12 from the FF and promises a 0-60mph time of around three seconds, maybe less, thanks to a very light aluminium chassis.

Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

In a way, the Grand Cherokee SRT8 is like the Chevrolet Camaro Coupe. It's predicted to be £60,000 making it a value for money performance SUV which is way cheaper than rivals from Porsche, Mercedes, Audi & BMW. It comes with a 6.4 V8 that produces 470bhp.

Lotus Evora GTE

The lighter Evora GTE gets a tuned up version of the 3.5 supercharged V6 which aims to produce 438bhp. The plus is the fact that the GTE comes with carbon fibre panels that take 105kg off the original weight meaning that this Evora is going to be one heck of a bonkers Lotus. Prices are expected to be around £100,000.

May 2012

Audi S1

Yes, it's another small Audi, but this is the spicy S1 with a 220bhp 1.6L petrol engine. It's not totally immature, though, as it comes with four wheel drive and a wider track to provide secure handling. The S1 is also lower and stiffer than the everyday A1. A predicted price of £23,000 may put you off, especially since that's low spec Scirocco money.

Fisker Karma

It's the only plug-in hybrid you would probably lust for more than some supercars. It comes with a 2.0 four-cylinder petrol and two 199bhp electric motors which produce more torque than a Bugatti Veyron meaning a 0-60mph time of 5.8 seconds and a top speed of 125mph. Set the car into "Stealth" mode and it should return up to 100mpg. "Stealth" mode sounds a lot more hairy chested than wimpy "Eco" mode doesn't it? The Surf shooting brake will follow suit in July.

MINI Roadster

The most controversial part of the MINI Coupe was that big backwards baseball cap of a roof, which I personally hate. Thankfully, MINI have addressed this issue and made a roadster version to take on the likes of the Mazda MX-5. It looks better than the bigger MINI convertible as well thanks to the fabric roof properly folding away into the boot instead of lying on the rear deck like a tired walrus.

June 2012

Audi S8

If Jason Statham was still transporting goods with no questions asked, the new S8 would be his vehicle of choice. The 4.0 513bhp twin-turbo V8 goes from 0-60mph in 4.2 seconds and has a limited top speed of 155mph. The S8 has an invincible feeling cabin with features such as double glazed privacy windows and a noise cancelling system. I would want to hear the V8 though.

BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe

The biggest gripe that everyone has with the 6 Series Coupe is the fact that the "practical gran tourer" struggles to fit two human beings in the back. This 6 Series though is stretched and has two extra doors so that two friends can sit comfortably in the rear seats. This means that four people can enjoy the beautifully designed interior and the excellent engines from the 6 Series coupe. Prices start from £61,380 which is more than the Mercedes CLS and Audi A7 it is up against.

Peugeot 208

The newest Peugeot supermini fixes the big lumpy looks of the old 207 to offer a fitter and sharper looking package. Even though it's smaller than the previous car, the 208 promises more space for people in the back and more things in the boot. Every version besides the standard car gets a very nice touch screen multimedia system which controls most of the car's functions. Nearly all of the engines promise under 100g/km of CO2 and prices start at £10,500 for this attractive small car.

July 2012

Ford Focus ST

The last ST was famously nicknamed the "ASBO" by an old geezer named Jeremy Clarkson. With this in mind, the new ST will probably get handed a community service sentence with a 0-60mph time of 6 seconds and a predicted top speed of 155mph thanks to a 2.0 Turbocharged four-cylinder petrol with 247bhp. The new ST will be easier on your wallet with better economy than the previous 2.5 5-cylinder car and it's more practical too with a choice between a 5-door hatch and estate. What would complete the range is a sporty 3-door coupe-esque version of the Focus, in my opinion.

Subaru BRZ & Toyota GT-86

Ladies and Gents, the old school, rear wheel drive, purists' coupe is back and it comes with a choice of two badges and bumper styles; Subaru and Toyota. Both versions get a 2.0 flat-4 boxer engine that produces 197bhp and goes from 0-60mph in 7 seconds. The GT-86 and BRZ can fit four people in comfort (if the people in the back seats are under 5ft 5" that is) and prices for both cars are predicted to start at around £25,000. They're the cars that everyone is waiting for this year and we're dying to try both of them out.

August 2012

Audi S6

Imagine putting the 513bhp 4.0 twin turbo V8 from the new Bentley Continental and S8 in the lightest executive car out there. No need to imagine after August as Audi will fit the new engine in both the new A6 Saloon and Avant. If this is just the S6, I wonder how insane the next RS6 will be.

Porsche Boxster

The next version of the class leading, mid-engined roadster looks a bit like a baby Carrera GT but shares all the tech with the new 911. The standard car will have an all new flat four unit producing 270bhp and the Boxster S will use the same 3.4 flat six as the 911 Carrera.

Vauxhall Astra VXR

The most powerful hot hatch of the 2012 bunch is the new Astra VXR. It promises up to 280bhp which means a 0-60 time of less than 6 seconds thanks to a 2.0 direct injection petrol. It also comes with more aggressive looking trinkets than the standard Astra GTC and it's much more pleasing to the eye compared to the predecessor. All yours for £25,000.

September 2012

Ferrari F70

Introducing the next Ferrari flagship to take over the Enzo, the F70. No official performance figures have been released yet but it's rumored to have over 700bhp thanks to an all new twin-turbo V8. Mix this with a very light carbon fibre chassis and it sounds like it will be the next ultimate road car. It's also very expensive with an estimated price of £750,000.

Mercedes SL

The Mercedes SL has been one of the best sports cars ever since the 1950s and this latest one aims to be much better to drive thanks to better suspension. It's also the lightest and has a more luxurious interior inspired by the SLS supercar. It's the first SL to get 'Magic Sky Control' which lets you alter how much light gets into the car when the roof is up, much like the sunroof on a Maybach. Fancy schmancy.

Renault Clio Williams

To celebrate the end of the current Renault Clio, the company have teamed up with F1 Team Williams to create the last hurrah, just like they did in 1993. It's pretty much a RenaultSport Clio 200 but with a unique paint job, a better engine and a very special interior.

November 2012

Aston Martin V12 Zagato

There's only going to be 150 of these so if you like the sound of the new Zagato then you better have the cheque book out. It's based on the V12 Vantage but contains the design house's luxurious cabin and has a carbon fibre body. Write £400,000 on that cheque before they're auctioned for more.

Ford Fiesta ST

Available as a 3 door here in the UK and a 5 door in the US, the other ST from Ford has a 178bhp 1.6 Turbo petrol taking it to 60mph from standstill in under 7 seconds with a top speed of 140mph. Just because it's a powerful supermini don't go thinking it will guzzle petrol as it promises up to 40mpg. It should be a fantastic hot hatch especially since the current Fiesta is one of the best to drive. Prices will start at around £17,500.

Maserati Quattroporte

The new Maserati takes some of the looks of the odd looking Kubang and puts them in a much more gorgeous package. The new saloon is set to be even more desirable than the previous Quattroporte with an updated V8 and prices will start at £85,000.

December 2012

Alfa Romeo 4C

There's a couple of great coupes joining the BRZ & GT-86 this December. The first is the 4C which has a beautiful Italian body and a carbon fibre chassis courtesy of KTM underneath. Power comes from a new 1.8 Turbo petrol producing nearly 300bhp meaning a 0-60mph time of 5 seconds. The car's target market is America which means it will come with Alfa's twin-clutch automatic but an option of a manual would make it even better. Prices are expected to start from £40,000.

Jaguar C-X16

The second of the coupes is the C-X16 which is nicknamed "the new E-Type" all because it's pretty much a new version of the old girl. Unlike the E-type, there's a 375bhp 3.0 V6 mated to a 97bhp electric motor underneath which should keep the bank manager and your environmentally conscious friends happy but it's not clear if the production version will get the electric motor.  0-60mph is around 4 seconds and the top speed is limited to 186mph with prices predicted to start at £50,000.

Volkswagen Beetle R

The Beetle returns at the beginning of the year and it's aimed to appeal to us men. To make it appeal to men even more is this R version coming in December which has the same 2.0 TSI as the Golf GTI as well as more aggressive looks and bucket seats. Prices are expected to be around the same as the GTI which means it's a good alternative if you find the Golf's looks a bit boring.

So there you have it, 33 of quite a damn few new cars coming in 2012. We hope to test drive most of them plus more for you and with a growing team and site you'll want to stay online with us.

Which car are you most excited about seeing this year? Let us know in the comments.