Erin Baker: My bets for 2018's best cars

There are many, many tasty cars on the horizon, showing that, while we wait for electric vehicles and autonomous cars to hit us in the face, petrol is still powering some of the most exciting cars around. 

My personal vanguard of hope in 2018 consists of the following, all of which will be housed in my equally fanciful oak-beamed garages, with dehumidifiers and temperature control, situated at the end of a long gravel drive… or, it might be the case that I’ve still just got one resident’s parking permit for the crowded London street I live on, and will continue to spend next year shuffling test cars from manufacturers around and trying not to incur £60 PCNs, curbed alloys or keyed paintwork. Rightyho.

Aston Martin Vantage

I’ll be driving this pin-point V8 sportscar, with a sublime design job by Marek Reichman, featuring no fancy slats, grille, vents, mesh or extraneous others, in March. Flights are booked, people.

Aston Martin DB11 Volante

But before then, we’ll be testing the new DB11 Volante. Try as I might to get excited by circuit driving these days, as middle age approaches I find myself drawn more to the boulevards of southern France and balmy open-top cruising.

Rolls-Royce Cullinan

We’ve speculated, we’ve gossiped and we’ve guessed. We’ve even seen the SUV driving around under camouflage, and it’s just down the lane from Goodwood Road and Racing’s ivory tower. Come on, come on. 

Lamborghini Urus

Finally unveiled, but not yet driven. From what we’ve seen so far, I am willing to stick my neck above the parapet and say I love everything about it. It’s bold, outrageous, loud, and comes from a brand with tractor form and an SUV concept years old, so not the elephant in the room one might expect, but precisely everything you might wish for from Lambo.

Land Rover Range Rover

How the mouth waters. Every iteration gets more luxurious, and you have only to look at the interior of a Velar to see what lovely things Land Rover is currently doing with materials and surfaces.

Volvo XC40

Yes, I know it’s been launched, but I haven’t driven it yet – will do on January 30^th. I love everything about Volvo these days – their cars look great inside and out and remain a welcome change from all the Teutonic alternatives.

Bentley Continental GT

A few journalists drove a pre-production car but no one gets to drive the real thing until spring. The new styling is a big improvement, with sharper lines and creases, especially at the rear. We sense big things from a GT that’s come a long way since its footballer days.

Audi Q8

I love a flagship luxury SUV, and Audi and BMW (X7) both bring their new models to the table next year. Cutting-edge tech inside the car is guaranteed; seven seats less so, given that sloping roofline.

BMW 8-Series

Yes please, me, please. BMW showed off their pride and joy in the stable yard at this summer’s Festival of Speed and it’s a magnificent successor to the gorgeous 8-Series of nearly 20 years ago, full of aggression and, paradoxically, grace. Give us a convertible this time round, please…

Ferrari Portofino

Ciao baby. Bye-bye horrible California, I was never a fan of your looks or performance. Hello front-mid V8 engine, rear wheel drive and folding hardtop but, oh, much better looks and 40 more brake horses. What a way to start the year.