Alfa's 156 captured the imagination of UK car buyers but it's replacement, the 159, didn't. In the end it was withdrawn from the market and Alfa hasn't had a family-sized saloon in its lineup for over five years. The Guila seeks to change that - a sporty, lightweight, high-tech, rear-wheel drive saloon with the now-familiar family grill, expected in showrooms at the end of the year.

Alfa Romeo launch site

The first of a whole family of new cars from Aston Martin, the DB9 replacement is all new and is expected to be renamed the DB11 to emphasise that when it comes out in early 2016. The rebirth reflects the change of ownership at Aston Martin who will hopefully enjoy the same level of success that new owners brought to Jaguar Land Rover.

Test car on AutoExpress site

Yes, a Bentley SUV (American term) although it's probably more accurate to call the Bentayga a competitor to the Porsche Cayenne than the Range Rover. The Cayenne caused palpitations among purists when it first came out but sells more than any of company's sports cars, which is why Bentley and so many other brands want in on the action.

Videos on Bentley's site

Just when you thought this was all going to be about cars we're unlikely to be able to afford, here's the new Ka. It's significantly different because it will be a pure Ford product rather than a re-bodied Fiat 500, which is what the last one was. The current Ka never caught the public's imagination in the way that the first one did so expect this one to be a bit more distinctive. Arriving "some time in 2016".

Test pics on Autocar website

It might not exactly be a new car, but the latest version of this iconic vehicle will be, for the first time, available in the UK in right-hand drive form. The 'retro' look started by the Beetle and Mini took off in the USA as well and the Mustang, along with the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger, harks back to the look of the late Sixties and early Seventies American 'muscle-cars'. But don't feel the right-hand drive version is a favour for us - it's more about selling hundreds of thousands in China, and that's likely to be the main reason behind the twelve-month waiting list reported six weeks ago.

Ford's UK Mustang site

Just like Bentley above, Jaguar feels a need to get into the SUV sector and the F-Pace will target Porsche's Macan, Audi's Q5 and BMW's X4. By the time you're reading this the vehicle will have been launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Jaguar have been keen to let people know the F-Pace is coming, even using it as a Tour de France support vehicle for Team Sky. It's an important car for Jaguar, as the company reinvents itself as a global player with a full range of models - overseas factories are being built as well.

Jaguar's F-Pace website

Possibly the most surprising car on this list, it's the first time as far as we know that a convertible version of a family-sized 4x4 has been produced, at least officially. Quirky? Possibly - but the Evoque's dramatic looks have led to it being a best-seller in the UK for Land Rover and the rest of the range has been equipped with a similar look and feel. Will a convertible, due early in 2016, be just as successful?

Evoque convertible website

Yes, the rump of the British car industry sort of survives and is desperate to get into the Qasqai/Evoque market too. Already launched in China it remains to be seen whether the GS will sell better than the MG6 or MG3, neither of which are common sights on our roads.

GS on MG's UK site

This is a bit of a cheat as it's unlikely that the Moke will reach the UK. The company would have to go through a testing regime too rigorous and expensive for a small manufacturer to bear, although they say they are looking into it. But it's a such a great idea to bring back this memorably cheeky British icon with new mechanicals, that we couldn't resist featuring it here. It's available in Australia on a restricted 'specials' import license and in countries where it's likely to be used on beaches - the Caribbean, Seychelles, Mauritius and Thailand - and where safety compliance is presumably less onerous.

MOKE International website

Another company that's decided that the mid-sized SUV segment is too big to ignore is Tesla – the all-electric manufacturer. But the car, with gull-wing rear doors, looks more like a hatchback and although orders are currently being taken in the UK, you'll need a £ 4,000 deposit and the car's unlikely to be delivered until the end of 2016. Still – it probably represents the long-term future of cars.

Tesla Model X website