Balls to the soccer World Cup; 2010 is also going to harbour some seriously hot cars. The Wheel Deal brings you eight stunning examples

LEXUS LFA

It might sound like some forgotten US airport but the Lexus LFA is the firm’s attempt at breaking into the ranks of the supercar elite. After spending years in the skunk works, this banzai piece of dream machinery was finally unveiled at the recent Tokyo Motor Show and production of 500 examples is expected to start later this year. Set to be something of a motoring rarity, the Lexus LFA promises to deliver neck-snapping performance thanks to its race-tuned 4.8-litre V10 motor. Developed in conjunction with engine gods Yamaha, this multi-cylinder screamer will launch the LFA to 100km/h in a mere 3.7 seconds and enable it to top out at a lofty 323km/h. Constructed from an exotic cocktail of carbon fibre composites, this lightweight Lexus should sell for about R4-million.

BMW 5 SERIES

The darlings of Munich can’t stop churning out new models and this new 5 Series is the latest to roll off their production lines. Toning down on the controversial “flame-surfaced” looks that caused such a stir of debate in the Chris Bangle-era of design, BMW’s new mid-sized executive sedan is one of the prettiest machines to wear the blue propeller in recent history. Sleek and fuss-free from nose to tail, the new 5 Series also shares most of its mechanical underpinnings with the recently released 5 GT and the excellent 7 Series limo; great news for those who are looking for something that drives as well as it looks. Bolted beneath the bonnet you can expect to find five engine derivatives upon its launch in South Africa, with the range-topping 300kW twin-turbocharged V8 promising to deliver some serious performance fireworks. Expect the mighty M5 incarnation in 2011.

PORSCHE BOXSTER SPYDER

The legendary Spyder moniker returns and this time it’s been tacked on a rather special version of Porsche’s brilliant Boxster. Made with the motoring purist in mind, this newfangled roadster is – like the 911 GT3 – essentially a stripped-down road-rocket that achieves its superior slip on gravity thanks to an uncompromising bout of weight reduction. That automatic folding roof, for instance, has been scrapped in favour of a stingy flap of cloth that requires manual manipulation; the seats are constructed from feather-light carbon fibre and even the interior door handles have been substituted for antiquated fabric loops. This all adds up to a remarkable 80kg saving that, when paired with an upgraded 3.4-litre six-pot boxer engine, allows this drop top to hit 100km/h in a wig-busting 4.8 seconds. Easily distinguishable with its humped rear bodywork and high-level brake light so reminiscent of the Carrera GT, the Boxster Spyder will cost slightly less than an entry-level 911. Get one and you’re sure to make those TT drivers feel ordinary.

VOLVO S60

If you think Volvo saloons are nothing but dull alternatives to the Mercedes E-Class or BMW 5 Series, well, think again. Though previous cars made by this Swedish firm all looked like they were penned using nothing more than a ruler, the architecture of this new S60 is shaped with all sorts of organic swoops and swishes. Fabulously curvaceous when viewed from almost any angle, this bold approach to automotive design has certainly turned the tables with those aforementioned German rivals now looking decidedly pedestrian. All set to make its big debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, this Gothenburg trendster also plays host to an incredible array of cutting-edge safety systems; the most significant feature being something called Pedestrian Detection. Wired up to a forward-facing camera, it detects the presence of any wayward striders in the road ahead and automatically stops the car if it thinks a messy collision is imminent.

RENAULT MÉGANE RS

We’ve got a big thing for RenaultSport products at The Times and I can’t wait to get my hands on the new Mégane RS when it finally screams its way into South Africa later this year. For starters it looks good enough to eat; that sleek coupe bodywork benefiting from the sort of manly styling tweaks that will surely give pedestrians permanent whip-lash. From those massive black and silver ninja star wheels to that controversial gloss black air diffuser nestling below the headlamps, this Renault is the steely personification of speed. But like every fast car from this French manufacturer, that aggressive visual swagger promises to be backed up by astounding performance; equipped with a highly tuned 2-litre turbocharged engine, the Mégane RS will swoosh its way up to 100km/h in 6.1 seconds and onward to a licence-revoking top speed of 241km/h. Handling should be top notch, too, because a specially fettled chassis, sports suspension system and an understeer quelling limited slip differential all come standard. Has the Volkswagen Golf VI GTI finally met its match?

FERRARI 458 ITALIA

Ferrari’s answer to the everyday supercar ease offered by Audi’s R8 V10, the new 458 Italia is being touted as one of the most usable machines to wear the prancing horse emblem. Penned by Pininfarina, this svelte study in aerospace-grade aluminium is set to take the Maranello-based firm into an exciting new future, a product era that will fuse timeless Ferrari soul with the latest in new world technology. Built out of their rich Formula1 experience and refined using the God-like talents of Michael Schumacher, the 458 Italia features an all-new direct-injection 4499cc V8 engine that will shoot its advanced space frame chassis to 100km/h in less than 3.4 seconds. And on the right road, with your foot flat, this latest Fezza will reach a maximum speed of 325km/h. On the racetrack it’s equally impressive, with the 458 matching the times set by both the Enzo and Scuderia around Ferrari’s Fiorano test circuit. Capable of such jaw-dropping velocities, this gorgeous hypercar develops a considerable amount of downforce to help it stay adhered to terra firma and produces 140kg’s worth of the stuff at 200km/h. See it in local showrooms in about September.

KIA KOUP

It’s impossible to bag yourself a stylish coupe for under R220k, right? Wrong, because the genii at Kia have come up with the sexy new Koup; a striking three-door stunner that looks like the product of a one-night stand between an Alfa GT and Honda’s Accord. Based on the firm’s surprising new Cerato sedan, the Koup wears a miserly price-tag of R210000, yet comes loaded with a myriad of standard equipment – six airbags, leather, iPod connectivity, park assist – and a body that will blow all your Korean prejudices out the water. Great to run your eyes across, this sporty new Kia should also offer brisk straight-line performance from the 114kW 2-litre CVVT motor ensconced beneath its bonnet.

MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG

A modern throwback to the once mighty 300SL Gullwing that dominated races such as Mexico’s Carrera Panamericana and France’s celebrated Le Mans 24-Hour in the early 1950s, the new SLS AMG is taking over from the SLR McLaren as Merc’s range-topping sports car. Built upon a hi-tech aluminium space frame chassis – a first for the Stuttgart-based firm – this menacing looking machine has been designed purely to take on the muscle of Porsche’s 911 Turbo, Nissan’s infallible GT-R and, like the Ferrari 458 we mentioned before, Audi’s faultless R8. This might seem like a tall order but the SLS already sports an enviable set of credentials to help it steal this trio’s thunder. For starters, a lot of its initial development was seen to by multiple DTM championship-winner, Bernd Schneider. This means that when the road gets twisty, it’ll romp through corners like a randy greyhound. What’s more, beneath its lightweight yet rigid skin lies an incredibly potent 6.2-litre V8 engine tinkered to develop 420kW and 650Nm of twist. Will it give the evergreen 911 sleepless nights? We’ll have to wait until it arrives mid-year.