Future cars worth waiting for

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We've worked the phones, lit up our e-mail accounts, and tapped our sources to deliver intelligence on the hottest vehicles in the pipeline. They're all here, including Chevy's secretive C7 Corvette, the next BMW M3, the ninth-generation Honda Accord, and many, many more. Read on to get the inside scoop on the 10 future cars most worth waiting for.

2014 Chevrolet Corvette C7

ILLUSTRATION BY RADOVAN VARICAK

As the launch of the new Corvette draws near—expect it to arrive in fall 2013—we are getting closer to defini­tive information on Chevy’s star-spangled sports car. Here’s the latest:

As we’ve said before, nothing so drastic as a switch to a mid-engine layout is planned for the C7. The base Vette will remain a front-engine, rear-transaxle coupe with a glass hatch (that is, until the C8 arrives, anyway). Something similar to the current car’s suspension, transverse leaf springs and all, will appear on this 2014 model. We also don’t expect any drastic dimensional changes; while mules we spotted in September appeared to have a narrower track, their bodies were donated by C6 Grand Sports, which have wider fenders and tracks than do base Corvettes. The C7 is likely to shed some mass, which would yield a better power-to-weight ratio.

In terms of its design, we’re going to go out on a limb and call it Vette-like. New headlight elements are more complex and narrower. The double-bubble roof returns, although the space between the bumps is wider, and the panel appears to be slightly flatter. Some sort of ventilation—either louvers or something like the scoop that adorns the nose of the current Z06, Grand Sport, and ZR1—will perforate the hood. Oh, and the side mirrors are less rounded than before and are a bit larger.

Among the critical design details shrouded in mystery is the final shape of the rear end, although we’re fairly confident that there will be more surface detailing on the back of the C7 than there was on the smooth, upswept tails of the C5 and C6. The quad exhaust tips, which appeared as slightly separated pairs on the C6, are now bundled together in a central row.

Expect more-significant changes under the hood. GM is investing more than $1 billion in the American plants that produce its small-block V-8, and the fifth generation of the iconic engine family will appear in the C7. Downsizing is a given for efficiency reasons, so expect a naturally aspirated 5.5-liter (possibly 6.0-liter) mill in place of the current 6.2 in the base model. (The oft-rumored twin-turbo V-6? We’re thinking C8.) The smaller engine will continue to use aluminum construction with pushrods and should make roughly the same 430 horsepower as the current 6.2; it will do so thanks in part to a higher compression ratio and direct fuel injection. The V-8 also is expected to feature cylinder deactivation, variable valve timing, and perhaps even stop-start functionality—the latter not exactly ideal for stoplight tête-à-têtes. And the Z06 and ZR1 models—with their respective larger and supercharged eights—should return.

Lastly, pricing shouldn’t change much from current levels. Expect the base coupe to start in the neighborhood of $50,000.

2014 BMW M3

ILLUSTRATION BY RADOVAN VARICAK

What It Is: The latest in a long line of M3s to provide sports-car performance in a cop-duping wrapper. This will be BMW’s most powerful M3 yet.

Why It Matters: It's the bestselling M-badged car and crucial to the health and future of the M division.

Platform: The next M3 is based on the new F30 platform, a rear- and all-wheel-drive design that is slightly larger than the E90 platform it replaces. Compared with the standard 3 Series, the M3 will have wider front and rear tracks and a heavily modified chassis. We expect a four-door sedan, a two-door coupe, and a retractable-hardtop convertible.

Powertrain: The high-revving V-8 of the current M3 will be replaced with an inline-six boosted with two turbos and (possibly) one electrically driven supercharger. Expect about 450 horsepower. BMW will offer a six-speed manual and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic; the M3 will remain rear-wheel drive.

Competition: Audi RS4, Cadillac ATS-V, Lexus IS F, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG.

What Might Go Wrong: Old-school M fans will lament the absence of a high-revving naturally aspirated engine. Then, when this car is eventually replaced, people will lament the possible loss of the innovative three-blower engine.

Estimated Arrival and Price: Late 2013, priced at about $60,000.

2014 Cadillac ATS-V

ILLUSTRATION BY RADOVAN VARICAK

What It Is: Cadillac has aimed the ATS directly at the BMW 3 Series; the high-powered V-series version is intended to go after the BMW M3.

Why It Matters: Poseurs get laughed out of the octagon when they try to battle cars like the M3. The ATS-V is Cadillac’s shot to prove that the CTS-V wasn’t a fluke.

Platform: Cadillac’s new rear-drive Alpha platform will underpin the ATS-V. We expect a curb weight in the neighborhood of 3600 pounds, which means the ATS-V will weigh about as much as an M3.

Powertrain: Power will come from a twin-turbo V-6 making between 380 and 420 horses. We reckon the ATS-V should have no problem accelerating to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds.

Competition: BMW M3, Lexus IS F, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG.

What Might Go Wrong: The ATS-V won’t bring It.

Estimated Arrival and Price: We expect to see the V-series version of the ATS in late 2013. The price should start at about $55,000 to keep the ATS-V comfortably away from the CTS-V’s $65,000 base price.

2014 Infiniti Compact Hatchback

What It Is: A toe into waters beneath the G sedan, with a new front-drive compact based on another luxury brand’s platform. Details about the styling are still murky—a few indicators foretell a hatchback but with a plunging roofline and a greater emphasis on style than utility.

Why It Matters: This brand has lacked a small car since the demise of the G20 in 2002; as most other luxury makers are expanding their portfolios downward into the compact segment, Infiniti doesn’t want to be left out. The compact will raise the brand’s average fuel economy and bring new customers into showrooms.

Platform: Perhaps the most significant part of the compact’s story is that the car will be built on the same platform as the Mercedes-Benz B-class unveiled at the Frankfurt show last fall. Infiniti is hoping that the Mercedes chassis will bring a level of premium credibility to its car.

Powertrain: Specific details are hazy, but four-cylinder power is expected, as are a hybrid and a fully electric version.

Competition: Audi A3, BMW 1-series, Lexus CT200h, Mercedes-Benz B-class spinoffs.

Estimated Arrival and Price: Some time in 2013, at a price that will start below $30,000.

2014 Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra

What It Is: GM’s strong-selling full-size pickups are due for a redesign. In the pursuit of fuel economy, the Silverado and Sierra are on a serious diet and may drop as much as 500 pounds from their curb weights. Styling is said to be more angry and chrome-laden than the current trucks’.

Why It Matters: GM, Ford, and Ram sell a lot of pickups at high margins. Any misstep in the segment could subtract millions from the bottom line.

Platform: These trucks will continue to be body-on-frame; truck buyers wouldn’t have it any other way. But extensive use of plastics and aluminum are said to cut unnecessary fat without diminishing durability or performance.

Powertrain: GM is investing heavily in the small-block V-8 (see Corvette). The Silverado and Sierra are expected to get revised versions with direct fuel injection, increased power, and improved fuel economy without changes in displacement. Six-speed transmissions will be standard.

Competition: Ford F-150, Nissan Titan, Ram 1500, Toyota Tundra.