Toyota bZ4X
FEATURE
If we’re being honest, bZ4X is a terrible name for a car. But if you can look past that, it’s a very interesting model as it’s Toyota’s first production electric vehicle. Yes, despite the firm forging ahead with electrification through Prius hybrids, it hasn’t actually sold an EV yet. That’s changing in a big way, though, with 15 arriving over the next three years and seven of them getting bZ badging. The bZ4X is the first of this onslaught and is about the same size as the current Rav4 SUV.
Electric cars are coming in a big way, but there are still some exciting combustion-engined models in the pipeline for 2022, too. Darren Cassey reports.
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t’s been a turbulent time for the new car industry, with first the pandemic closing dealerships and then a semiconductor chip crisis stalling production. However, with the world slowly returning to normality and hopes for an end to the chip crisis this year, car manufacturers have been pressing ahead with new model launches. Here are the most exciting cars we’re expecting to see on sale in 2022.
BMW M2 BMW M cars are some of the most revered performance vehicles on the market, so it’s a highly anticipated moment any time a new one comes along. With the new BMW 2 Series being released in 2021, we’re getting an M2 this year. The standard car’s slightly odd proportions are clearly designed with the wider M car in mind, so expect very aggressive styling. Meanwhile, power will come from a detuned version of the M3’s 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine, likely making around 400bhp. BMW M240i
Range Rover In the luxury car market, the Range Rover has long been top of the class. In 2021, Land Rover revealed a new model, bringing sleek, minimalist styling and bundles of new technology. It has new plug-in hybrid technology as well as a performance V8 engine – and an electric model will be launched in 2024.
Mercedes-Benz EQE The mid-sized executive car market has proved hugely lucrative for Mercedes-Benz and its fellow premium car makers, so seeing it evolve for an EV market is very interesting indeed. The EQE is essentially an electric version of the hugely popular E-Class. Targeted at those who do lots of miles, it’s said to be capable of more than 400 miles between charges. 32 | CarDealerMag.co.uk
