The Escape
From the world premieres of an all-electric SUV, an Italian sportscar and two next-gen luxury sedans to the launch of a new compact SUV, September promises to be an action-packed month.
The COVID-19 pandemic may have forced the automotive industry to come to a brief halt, but carmakers are now aiming to rebuild momentum with a slew of new offerings. In this piece, we’ll tell you about all the new cars and SUVs that are set to debut in September 2020, along with some launches that will take place in India as we enter the festive season.
Pininfarina Battista
As a design studio, Pininfarina is a name associated with some of the most beautiful cars of the last 80 years. Now launched as a manufacturer in its own right - Automobili Pininfarina - its first ever car is a 1900hp all-electric hypercar which will officially become the most powerful Italian road car ever made. The Battista will achieve a 0-62mph time of under 2 seconds, hit 0-186mph in less than 12sec and achieve a top speed of 217mph. Launching at the same time as two other electric hypercars with similarly eye-watering price tags (£2m if you need to ask), the Battista promises to marry its extreme performance with the feel and finish of a luxury grand tourer. The plan is to follow this statement launch with a series of luxury SUVs over the next five years.
Rolls-Royce Ghost
This all-new version of the so-called 'baby roller' was unveiled this September with a more minimalist design and almost nothing carried over from its predecessor. It makes it the most technically ambitious car in the Roller family, with a 'Planar' suspension system that promises to help achieve an even more serene driving - or should that be sitting - experience. Open the now electrically-operated doors and the interior is hell-bent on setting another new benchmark for detail and refinement. Much work has been done on improving acoustics in the cabin and reducing cabin noise, while the dashboard alone apparently took 10,000 hours to develop. Which is approximately how much you'll need to invoice for to afford one.
2021 Mercedes Benz S-Class
No pandemic was ever going to stop Mercedes- Benz from unveiling its flagship luxury car Wednesday, along with a state-of-the-art factory to build it. The S-Class dominates the high end of the luxury car market and is Mercedes’ most profitable vehicle. The latest version, the first complete redesign in seven years, is crucial for the company as it recovers from a sharp drop in sales that pushed the company into the red during the first six months of 2020.
Lotus Evija
Another comeback is in the offing at Lotus thanks to recent backing from Chinese car giant Geely, and the brand is taking the first steps in an ambitious roll out of new models with the first-ever British electric hypercar, the Evija, a £2m marvel with astonishing performance and looks to match. Well, you may as well start with a bang. Production begins this year – Norfolk won’t know what’s hit it.
Lexus LC Convertible
Lexus’s best-looking car, the silky LC500 coupé, belatedly gets the convertible treatment, and it looks the absolute business. In fact it could be a rare case of a drop-top version pipping an already good-looking coupé on style. The four-layer soft hood - available in black or beige - comes down in a tidy 15 seconds. And up again in 16 seconds when the rainclouds are hovering. Much engineering work has been done to convert the coupé into heavier convertible form and maintain both its looks and its feel on the road. Initially only available as a 5-litre V8, there will be much worse places to be than an aimless cruise behind this particular steering wheel.
Ferrari Roma
It looks set to be another busy year at Maranello and the Roma could be its stand-out attraction. It's a front-engined V8 coupe built on the same platform as the Portofino, with a slightly powered-up version of the same 3.9 litre twin turbo engine producing 611bhp. The simple, curvy design gives it a classic appeal, accentuated by the long bonnet. Details are fairly thin on the ground so far but it’s going to be fast – a top of speed of 199mph and a 0-62mph time of 3.4 seconds. The silver colour on this release image is even making us rethink our favourite Ferrari paint job.
From the September 2020 issue of FHM India.
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