There are plenty of new vehicles coming to South Africa in 2020. What are you options if you have your heart set on a new performance SUV or crossover? Well, here are six new high-powered, high-riding variants destined to arrive on local shores over the course of the year…
1. Aston Martin DBX
Aston Martin’s new DBX – which is both the first SUV and the first full five-seater in the British firm’s 106-year history – is scheduled to hit South Africa in the first quarter of 2020. Thanks to its Mercedes-AMG-sourced twin-turbo 4,0-litre V8, the DBX boasts peak outputs of 405 kW and 700 N.m. Aston Martin claims the all-paw newcomer will hit 100 km/h from standstill in 4,5 seconds, before topping out at 292 km/h. Expect to pay from R3,6-million…
2. Audi RS Q3 and RS Q3 Sportback
The new Audi RS Q3 generates 294 kW and 480 N.m from its turbocharged 2,5-litre five-cylinder petrol engine, driving all four corners via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The result is a sprint from zero to three figures in a claimed 4,5 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (although selecting a certain option will see it raised to 280 km/h). The local arm of the Ingolstadt-based firm plans to launch both the conventional body style and the Sportback variant towards the end of 2020.
3. Audi RS Q8
Tick the right box and your Audi RS Q8 will run all the way to 305 km/h, matching the top speed of the Lamborghini Urus (and a mere unit behind the Bentley Bentayga Speed). Thanks to its twin-turbo 4,0-litre V8 delivering 441 kW and 800 N.m to all four corners, the RS-badged version of the Ingolstadt’s apex SUV will complete the obligatory sprint to 100 km/h in a claimed 3,8 seconds. From what we understand, the new model’s local introduction has been pushed back to the second half of 2020.
4. Audi SQ8
Borrowing its heart from the Bentley Bentayga Diesel, the new Audi SQ8 is pencilled in for a local launch in the first quarter of the year. Its 4,0-litre V8 twin-turbodiesel engine generates 320 kW and a stonking 900 N.m, directed to all four corners via an eight-speed automatic transmission and supplemented by a 48 V mild hybrid system. The result is a sprint from standstill to three figures in a claimed 4,8 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h.
5. BMW X5 M Competition and X6 M Competition
Both the BMW X5 M Competition and the X6 M Competition use the German automaker’s twin-turbo 4,4-litre V8 petrol engine, directing 460 kW and 750 N.m to all four corners. The Munich-based firm claims the X5 M Competition will complete the 0-100 km/h dash in 3,9 seconds, while the X6 M Competition will see off the sprint a tenth of a second sooner. Both variants are electronically limited to 250 km/h, although that figure can be optionally raised to 290 km/h. Expect a local launch in the second quarter of 2020.
6. Maserati Levante Trofeo
The Maserati Levante Trofeo is scheduled to launch in South Africa in the first quarter of 2020, offering 433 kW and 730 N.m from its Ferrari-built twin-turbo 3,8-litre V8. That’s enough, claims the Italian firm, for a blast from standstill to 100 km/h in 3,9 seconds and a top speed of 304 km/h. While Maserati South Africa hasn’t officially revealed pricing, a CARmag.co.za source has confirmed a starting figure of R3,5-million…
