The most anticipated luxury car launches in 2023

The reign of EVs and luxury four-by-fours continues in the upcoming year.

Audi Q8 e-tron
Photo: Audi
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Welcome to 2023 and resolutions are in order. We’re not just talking about reevaluating our career aspirations or committing to (yet another) gym membership: it’s about time to rethink how we drive.

After all, the automotive industry has undergone massive changes in recent years. Case in point – the widespread introduction of chi-chi four-by-fours hefting champagne fridges and umbrellas instead of gear, as well as the profound push away from traditional internal combustion engine in lieu of all-electric drivetrains, all silent, thrust-y power.

We expect these trends to continue in 2023 – read on for our list of luxury electric vehicles, SUVs, hypercars and everything in between for the year ahead.

Related: This luxury Italian EV is world’s fastest-accelerating road-legal car

Lotus Eletre

Lotus
1/5

The first contender in our list heralds British carmaker Lotus’ entry into both the lifestyle EV and SUV segment with panache. Arriving in summer 2023 across China and Europe, the so-called “hyper-SUV” promises more than 600 horsepower in the base version, yielding an impressive century sprint of 4.5 seconds (or 2.95 seconds in the souped-up R model). Even more impressive is the electric car’s range: a purported 600km when its 112kWh battery is fully charged. Here’s hoping this beast will be available in Singapore.

BMW XM

BMW
2/5

After being teased as a concept in 2021, BMW’s high-performance M division has confirmed that they will be bringing their most powerful car yet into series production: the BMW XM plug-in hybrid, packing a hefty turbo 4.4-litre V8 engine and electric drivetrain delivering an impressive 650 horsepower. It comes with three modes, the most monstrous of which allows the angular M car to dash to 100kmh in just 4.3 seconds.

The vehicle will be made available in the first half of 2023, though enthusiasts might prefer to bide their time and wait for its even more ferocious brother – the 738 horsepower Label Red edition, slated for launch in fall next year.

Audi Q8 e-tron

Audi
3/5

Fellow German automaker Audi is bringing 2018’s e-tron SUV back with an updated moniker (signifying its position as the electric version of the standard Q8). It comes with three configurations, the fanciest of which claims an impressive 600km range on a fully charged 114kWH battery, similar to the Eletre.

The base version Q8 50 e-tron’s 491km range sounds less impressive on paper, but combined with its top-end speed of 200kmh, these numbers are certainly good enough for both commutes and longer road trips. The SUV will be available in the second half of 2023.

Maserati MC20 Cielo

Maserati
4/5

Maserati’s smart-roofed convertible – capable of switching from opaque to transparent at the flick of a switch – is expected to go on sale in Europe and the United States in the first half of 2023. Gimmick aside, the convertible performs just as ferociously as you’d expect from a vehicle of this calibre, with a V6 Maserati-developed engine pumping out 730nm under the bonnet, resulting in a sprint to 100kmh in around three seconds and a top-end 320kmh at full tilt, despite being slightly heavier than the coupe version.

Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato

Lamborghini
5/5

An all-wheel-drive two-door Italian stallion equipped for both asphalt and dirt roads, with off-road mutations mixed into its super-sports car DNA a la skid plates, roof rails and a raised suspension. While still equipped with an iconic V10 under the hood, you can naturally expect this rugged racer’s century sprint (3.4 seconds) and top speed (259kmh) to suffer slightly compared to, say, the standard Huracan Evo. 1499 units of the vehicle will be sold worldwide, with construction starting from February next year.

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