2011. So what's interesting?

It’s the same thing every year, manufactures release new vehicles, some are great, some are good, some are okay and others are utter rubbish. Here’s the list of cars I can’t wait to meet.

Let’s start off with the small cars, because they seem to be the thing saving car manufactures all over the world at the moment – hence Aston Martin’s even starting to build one.

The Audi A1. It might not be the sportiest thing, but with a punchy 1,4-litre TSI motor and wheels placed far on the corners of the chassis, it promises to be a blast to drive.

The BMW M1 Coupé also makes the list. Even though I can’t really see the reason for one over and above a 135i, it looks like a proper little brute. It’s powered by BMW’s renowned straight-six engine with two turbo chargers, coupled to a six-speed gearbox, pushing out 250 odd kW. What’s not to like?

Mini will be giving us the Mini Coupé this year, which is also a major wow. Very similar to the Mini Cooper in looks, the Coupé features a lower roofline with an extended rear-end, which makes for a good-looking car. Engine lineups will more than likely remain the same with a John Cooper Works being the serious bad-boy of the bunch.

Another small car, again German, and more than likely a bit cheaper than all of the above mentioned that I think will be awesome, is the next generation Polo GTI.

The GTI will boast a 1,4-liter turbo and supercharged motor good for 132 kW, which means it’ll be able to do 0 – 100 in 6.9 seconds.  

The last of the small cars I can’t wait for is the Fiat 500 turbocharged Twin Air. I know 900cc and two cylinders doesn’t sound like much fun, but as a technological innovation I think the 63 kW it produces will be pretty impressive – like a shot of tequila. Not much there, but it still leaves you wondering how it works so well.

Speaking of serious shots, there are rumors floating around that we might get the 500 Abarth here next year, and that’ll be more like taking a fat swig out the bottle! We can only hope…

In the hot hatch segment there are sister ready to do some damage. The Golf and Scirocco R. Both feature an uprated version of VW’s 2-litre TSI engine pumping out an impressive 198 kW and is electronically limited to 250 km/h. Very nice.

The big league list starts off with the upcoming BMW M5. Sadly the V10 has fallen away, but is replaced by a 4,4-litre twin-turbo V8 that has a boiling point of 413 kW. Sadly a Torque figure isn’t yet available, but we recon it’s going to be pretty impressive (some people are even entertaining the idea of as much as 1000 Nm).

Merc unveils their facelifted CL during 2011, and even though that doesn’t seem like such a major wow, what’s hiding under the bonnet of their CL63 AMG’s bonnet should send a shiver down your spine. It will be the first AMG Merc to feature Mercedes’ new 5,5-litre biturbo V8 engine with 400 kW and 800 Nm on tap.

And the last vehicle on the list is also a Mercedes. You know the SLS AMG Gullwing we have all come to love? Well, they’re going to do a Roadster version – sadly it means you lose the doors though, a minor sacrifice.

Gorgeous styling, 420 kW and 650 Nm, no roof, an exhaust note that will leave even Julius Malema speechless, and it will be here just before the end of the year. Dear Father Christmas…