Each year sees automakers launch a variety of new models, and 2023 won’t be any different. The year will see a slew of fresh metal hit dealer lots, and there’s a lot to be excited about, with cars like the new Civic Type R, Corvette Z06, and Ferrari Purosangue all launching.
The Motor1.com editorial staff has looked at the new cars coming and picked 11 vehicles we’re most looking forward to in 2023. Check out the list below.
2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale
It might be a little difficult to accept it, but the Tonale is exactly what the Italian automaker needs today. A product that is a true Alfa Romeo in terms of design and performance, but one that can accumulate enough sales and generate a strong cashflow to keep the brand’s head above water. More importantly, if the market responds positively to the crossover – and there are already signs that this could happen – Alfa could be in the position to have enough money to build a new sports car. Until and if it gets the green light, the Tonale remains the newest, most advanced, and (probably) most practical Alfa product money can buy.
2023 BMW M2
With performance cars bitten by the downsizing bug, it’s refreshing to know the new M2 will keep its inline-six engine. Bavaria’s sports coupe will also continue to offer a manual gearbox sending power to the wheels, so even diehard AMG and Audi Sport fans will respect the M’s decision to stay true to its roots.
BMW has already said the upcoming M2 would get the twin-turbo 3.0-liter engine, brakes, wheels, and other important hardware from the M4. These are all ingredients for a great package considering the engineer will install all these goodies in a lighter car. A slightly shorter wheelbase should also make it more agile than the M4. Of course, it should also undercut its bigger cousin, so what’s not to like about the M2? Well, perhaps the styling won’t be to everyone’s tastes.
2023 BMW M4 CSL
Few letters are more powerful in BMW’s history than “CSL.” The Competition Sport Lightweight is back for a third iteration after the original E9 and the more recent E46. While the oversized front grille is still a love/hate affair, the M4 CSL is offered in black to make the kidneys less striking. With more power and less weight than the Competition model, it’s a seriously fast performance vehicle without having to spend supercar money
Indeed, the M4 CSL is BMW’s fastest production car ever around the Nürburgring. A manual transmission would’ve been the icing on the cake, but for utmost performance, an automatic will always change gears quicker. The rear seat delete shouldn’t be much of a problem for the targeted audience as enthusiasts will happily forgo some of the practicality to shave off weight. The CSL goes to show BMW still knows how to make a genuine sports car in the age of the SUV.
2023 BMW X1
There is something to cheer for about the new X1 regardless of whether you live in North America or Europe. In the US, the freshly redesigned crossover comes with a standard all-wheel-drive system working in tandem with a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine and an eight-speed automatic gearbox. On the Old continent, there’s also a fully electric model, also featuring an AWD capability. Both variants come with a re-engineered suspension, more spacious cabin, and new tech, highlighted by BMW’s latest iDrive 8 infotainment system. Combustion or electric, the new X1 is shaping up as a very strong all-rounder.
2023 BMW XM
We know, we know, this is not a very attractive car. Who knows what’s going on at BMW’s design department nowadays. At the same time, though, we’re cautiously optimistic about how the XM will perform. The combo of an electric motor and a battery pack with a new version of BMW’s popular twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 yields fantastic performance that is still economical, too, while the steering and suspension tuning are a call back to previous M models.
This is not some brutal, hardcore thing. It’s compliant and easy to drive, while things like four-wheel steering and active anti-roll bars give it impressive agility. The steering is a masterpiece, too, recapturing what lead to the lionization of BMW steering in the past. And despite how the outside looks, the cabin is fantastic, with rich leather and a supremely comfortable back seat. It might not look especially good from the outside, but the XM is hugely promising from behind the wheel.
2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
The 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is the best Corvette we’ve ever driven. But more than that, it delivers on the promise of a mid-engine platform in a way that goes far, far, far beyond the C8 Stingray. That’s down to the full-throated commitment of the engineering team – rather than off-the-shelf parts, it tweaked and modified everything imaginable.
The engine is a new, race-derived 5.5-liter V8 with a flat-plane crank (and the “race-derived part is no exaggeration; Corvette Racing has been campaigning this basic engine for three seasons in IMSA). It revs ferociously and sings an exotic song, all while packing 670 horsepower and scooting the Z06 to 60 in just 2.6 seconds. The updated eight-speed automatic works even better, too, while the optional Z07 elevates the performance to a degree no Corvette has ever reached before. It’s a triumph, and one we can’t wait to see more of in 2023.
2023 Chrysler 300C
The Chrysler 300 is old. The 2023 model isn’t that far removed from the version that debuted in 2005, and it’s been left to wither on the vine much like Chrysler as a brand. And yet, the 300 still has a devoted following that loves the high-boy look, and the feel of a beefy V8 sedan turning the rear wheels.
With the 300 and the Hemi engine riding into the sunset, Chrysler could have easily slapped a final edition badge on a 300S with the modest 5.7-liter V8 and sent both out to pasture. Instead, the company built one last badass model with the 6.4-liter Hemi packing 485 hp, ensuring it goes out with a roar. We have massive respect for that, and enthusiasts responded by reserving all 2,200 examples in just 12 hours.
Dodge Hornet
Right now, Dodge fans aren’t happy. Dodge Brand CEO Tim Kuniskis acknowledged it following the Hornet’s debut in August, saying fans were “pissed off” about a four-cylinder Dodge compact SUV daring to enter the world of Hellcat V8s. But the Hornet has legit potential to be a fun, affordable vehicle in a very popular segment. Its turbocharged 2.0-liter engine can zip the Hornet GT to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds for under $30,000. The Hornet R/T plug-in hybrid goes even quicker, hitting the mark in 6.1 seconds while also offering 30 miles of electric range. Yes, it’s an Alfa Romeo Tonale underneath the skin. But it can offer an exciting bang-for-buck experience while being frugal. And like it or not, that is the future.
2023 Ferrari Purosangue
Ferrari says the Purosangue isn’t an SUV. It’s not the first time we’ve heard an automaker attempt to set itself apart from the genre, and usually it’s just marketing speak. However, with dedicated seating for just four people, a small cargo area in the back, a screaming 715-hp 6.5-liter V12 at the front, and a rear-biased weight distribution, the Purosangue truly is in a category all its own. Yes, it has four doors and drives all four wheels. Ferrari even includes a hill descent feature among the Purosangue’s features. But there’s far more sport than utility in this surprising package.
2023 Honda Civic Type R
By all accounts, this generation will be the end of the Honda Civic Type R using a combustion engine without any hybrid assistance. That makes this model the end of an era. Beyond just possibly being historically important for the brand, the new hot hatch seems really cool, too. The horsepower and torque figures are slightly higher than the previous version. While we haven’t driven the production version yet, the CTR (and Honda in general) has a reputation for having one of the best shifting manual gearboxes on the market. Taken as a whole, this is a recipe for a vehicle that we’re looking forward to.
2023 Toyota GR Corolla
Once upon a time, Toyota was awash with performance vehicles in numerous segments. It all went away in the 2000s, and though the 86 and Supra revived some of the spirit, a strong argument can be made for those vehicles not being proper Toyotas.
The GR Corolla is Toyota to the core, and its overachieving turbocharged three-cylinder engine with 300 horsepower driving all four wheels evokes the Celica GT-Four Group A rally car that won WRC championships in the early 1990s. Only this time around, you can buy the 300-hp version for the street, manual transmission and all. If the Supra is too BMW and the 86 too Subaru, the GR Corolla is just right.
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