The Best New Cars of 2024 Bring Big Changes — and Nostalgia
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Something odd is happening in the car world. Amid the industry’s charge towards electrification and, as such, the future, carmakers are also betting on nostalgia.
During the 2024 model year alone, a handful of brands are re-introducing beloved nameplates and silhouettes like the Integra Type S and the Volkswagen bus (now the ID Buzz). Designers are also drawing inspiration from the old — even if the nameplate is new — with boxy SUVs and long GT sports cars (even though the length is no longer necessary for small engines). It’s not unlike the state of the watch world: As smartwatches grew in popularity, so too did interest in vintage watches and throwback designs.
Of course, there are also new cars (and plenty of new tech) for 2024 that showcase a straight line to the future. Almost all of this forward-looking excitement is electrified, be it the bonkers new Lucid Air Sapphire or the long-awaited ​​Cadillac Celestiq.
Whether you’re into the old, the new, or the marriage of the two, there are lots of new cars to be excited about right now. Below are some of the best new cars of 2024.
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Lucid Air Sapphire
Image Credit: Lucid Motors At the risk of sounding melodramatic, flooring the new Lucid Air Sapphire made us rethink what it means to drive fast. The luxury five seater’s three motors put out a total of 1,234 horsepower, which launches the Sapphire from zero to 60 in a record-breaking 1.89 seconds, and zero to 100 in 3.84. We’ll say that again: 0-60 in 1.89 seconds. It’s an organ-shifting feeling that’s all the more surreal when sitting in massage seats. The Sapphire also gets a significant handling upgrade thanks to bang-on torque vectoring, revised suspension, and sharper steering.
But the Sapphire’s ludicrous performance isn’t its only strong suit. You also get an EPA-estimated range of 427 miles, which is considerably less than the Lucid Air Grand Touring’s industry-leading 516 miles, but considerably more than the competition (the Tesla Model S Plaid gets an EPA-estimated 348 miles, for example).
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Maserati GranTurismo
Image Credit: Maserati The Maserati GranTurismo has returned after a few years’ hiatus — and it’s back in a big way.
Three models are on offer for the 2024 model year, including two gas-powered options (the Modena and the Trofeo) and a fully-electric model, dubbed the Folgore. All three use the same platform and shell, which subtly modernizes the previous GranTurismo for arguably the best-looking new car of 2024. But the design tweaks are functional too. Visibility is excellent, the drag coefficient is down, and a slightly puffed-out roof creates enough room for adults in the car’s back seats.
On Tuscan country roads, the twin-turbo V-6 Trofeo was equal parts boisterous, playful, and comfortable — especially with Maserati’s excellent new Sonus Faber sound system. The electric Folgore was the showstopper though. The coupe rips to 60 in 2.7 seconds, which feels blistering although the number isn’t too shocking in today’s EV landscape. The main event was the handling, which uses a sophisticated torque-vectoring setup (one engine per rear wheel and another for the front two) to help throw the car around corners. This handling, the rocket-like acceleration, and the drop-dead gorgeous looks combine to make the Folgore perhaps the most fun and charismatic EV we’ve driven yet.
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Acura Integra Type S
Image Credit: Chris Tedesco/Acura Acura brought back the Integra nameplate (for most markets) last year, but 2024 brings the trim level we were waiting for: the Type S. And it might be a perfect enthusiast car.
The Type S is essentially a nicer version of much-loved Honda Civic Type R. You get more daily drivability with the same grippy handling, a slightly re-worked two-liter turbo inline-four, and — whether you like it or love it — a six-speed manual is the only transmission option. It’s quick though not insanely fast with a claimed 5.1-second 0-60, but that’s not really the point of the Type S. Pulling out of turns, the engine gurgles and whirls like a video game, the six-speed stick is precise, and you remember the joy of driving. But, unlike most cars that are this much fun, you can daily the Type S just as easily as any other hatchback.
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Lamborghini Revuelto
Image Credit: Lamborghini The Lamborghini Aventador has enjoyed a 12-year run as the brand’s flagship, but now it’s being succeeded by the Revuelto. As expected from Lambo, the wedge-shaped Revuelto’s design language is about as bold as a road-going car can be, complete with cavernous side intakes and a low, squat nose. But the real headline is the powertrain, which mounts two electric motors to a monstrous naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V-12. Together, you get just over 1,000 horsepower, which Lamborghini claims will propel the new bull to 62 mph in 2.5 seconds.
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Ferrari Purosangue
Image Credit: Ferrari Elsewhere in Italy, Ferrari has been busy preparing its first-ever SUV, the Purosangue. The SUV will start at $402,050 and come with a beefy naturally-aspirated 6.5-liter V-12 worth 715 horsepower. That’s all very classic Ferrari; the suicide doors and rear seats are not. Like the front seats, the rear ones are bucket seats that fold down to make room for SUV-type gear. Overall, it’s looking to be a fairly sporty option compared to competitors like the Lamborghini Urus, Bentley Bentayga, and Rolls Royce Cullinan.
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Mercedes-AMG C63 S E
Image Credit: Mercedes-Benz AG Car geeks were skeptical, if not a little heartbroken to hear that the new Mercedes-AMG C63 was ditching its long-standing V-8, but we’ll be OK: The new C63 gets the world’s most powerful turbocharged four-cylinder and two electric motors. This new hybrid powertrain puts a monstrous 671 horsepower under your foot, which — in another first for the C63 — goes to all four wheels.
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Volkswagen ID Buzz Microbus
Image Credit: Volkswagen The Volkswagen bus became a bona fide classic over the last couple decades, with prices for every generation of the camper van skyrocketing on the resale market. Soon, the US market will get Volkswagen’s revival of the iconic bus: The fully-electric ID Buzz. the long-wheelbase US-spec will boast three rows for the whole family and start at around $40,000, which is great for an electric car market still largely dominated by luxury options.
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McLaren Artura
Image Credit: McLaren The McLaren Artura was technically new for the 2023 model year, but we didn’t get our hands on one until the very end of last year. And we were thrilled to do so. The Artura is McLaren’s foray into hybridization, mounting a 94-horsepower electric motor to a 577-horsepower 3.0-litre twin-turbo V-6 for a total of 671 HP. Another big addition is the Artura’s new carbon chassis tub, made in-house by the firm. Largely due to this advanced chassis, the Artura is extremely lightweight — especially for a hybrid — at 3,384 pounds (curb).
Turn on the Artura and you’ll be in fully-electric mode, which you can stay in while, say, pulling in or out of your quiet neighborhood. Once you’re on the open road, flip the car in comfort, sport, or race mode, and the V-6 purs to life. Put your foot down and it roars up to 8,500 rpm, masterfully handled by an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. Like past McLarens, steering is also razor-sharp, rounding out one of the best entry-level sports cars currently on the market.
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BMW 5 Series/i5
Image Credit: BMW BMW’s midsize luxury sedan, the 5 Series, is finally getting an all-electric i5 variant for 2024. The German brand now has an electric vehicle for almost every major category, including the i4, the i5, the iX, and the i7. The new i5 will deliver a substantial 590 horsepower, and it starts at $66,800.
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​​Cadillac Celestiq
Image Credit: Dejan Sokolovski/Cadillac Cadillac is making its EV debut this year with two all-electric models: The Lyriq SUV and the Celestiq luxury sedan. The Celestiq is especially exciting because, with an expected price tag of $345,000, it could mean the return of Cadillac as an uber-desirable brand on par with the likes of Rolls Royce and Bentley. First revealed in 2022, the sedan will have a 300-mile range and 600 horsepower distributed between all four wheels.