The cars Petrolblog would like to buy in 2026 (but probably won’t)

Every January I open the classifieds, type something irresponsible into the search bar and announce that this will be the year I buy a grown-up car and retire the fleet of terribleness. By February the moment passes, by June the bookmarks have multiplied, and by December the Toyota Camry starts first time and restores order to the universe.

So this is not a shopping list; it’s a confession. Ten cars I’d love to experience in 2026, tempered by the knowledge that money, space and common sense will probably intervene – as they usually do.

Behind the ratings

Want level: How much I covet the car, not an objective road test.
Brave pills: How frightening the ownership folklore is, from “no problem” to “sucker for punishment.”
Odds: Likelihood this fantasy survives contact with the bank balance and inside-the-barn Tetris.
Budget: Affordability in Pb money, balancing tempting purchase prices against scary upkeep.

1. Range Rover (L322)

A car fit for The Queen and Jeremy Clarkson is, by definition, a confusing object. The L322 still looks magnificent: upright, confident and faintly ceremonial. And that dashboard is up there with the all-time best: proper dials, legible layout, zero touchscreen nonsense. I adore the backstory even more: BMW discovering that the P38A was beyond saving, even when new, effectively fast-tracking the replacement into development before the paint had dried on its predecessor.

• Want level: ★★★★☆
• Brave pills: 4/5
• Odds: 50%
• Budget: 3/5 (because purchase price OK, upkeep scary)

2. Lancia 2000 Berlina/Sedan

Boxy, curtained and upholstered like a provincial Italian hotel lobby, the 2000 Berlina is, for many people, the last proper Lancia. My dad’s was brown with beige velour, and I’m desperate to experience it from the front seat rather than the rose-tinted rear of childhood memory. I spend too long gazing at the photos whenever one pops up on Car & Classic, so it'd be nicer to stare at one in the barn, even if it's not working.

• Want level: ★★★★★
• Brave pills: 3/5
• Odds: 40%
• Budget: 4/5 (relatively affordable for an Italian exotic)

3. Renault 5 E-Tech

Whenever something on the fleet misbehaves – which is often – I threaten to ditch them all and lease a new Renault 5 E-Tech. It’s one of only a handful of new cars I’d actually want to own, largely because it looks cheerful rather than intimidating. It'd have to be Pop Yellow or Pop Green, because it looks strangely dull in blue or black.

• Want level: ★★☆☆☆
• Brave pills: 1/5
• Odds: 30%
• Budget: 5/5 (cheap to buy, even cheaper to run)

4. Dacia Sandero Access

Earliest model available, please. Unpainted bumpers, black steelies and absolutely no interest in impressing anyone. I’d add a Tesco Value livery for laughs and park it outside Waitrose just to watch the confusion. Prices had dropped below £1,500 the last time I looked, which was about five minutes ago. I spend too long daydreaming about owning a Dacia with all the ambience of a Soviet bus shelter.

• Want level: ★★★☆☆
• Brave pills: 1/5
• Odds: 20%
• Budget: 5/5 (I mean, it's a poverty spec Sandero)

5. Porsche 911 (996)

Queue for any Brittany Ferries, er, ferry, and there will be several 911s waiting in line, no doubt off to experience Alpine passes and Europe's best corners. I keep promising myself that this year is the year I do the 911 thing, and the 996 is peak 911 for me: classic shape, proper dashboard and dials, affordable and not especially showy.

• Want level: ★★★★☆
• Brave pills: 4/5
• Odds: 30%
• Budget: 3/5 (affordable in 911 terms, but the running costs won't be)

6. Bentley Continental GT

I’ve never really wanted a Bentley – it’s far too high-brow for Pb – but everything changed when Beth Dutton bought a Continental GT in Yellowstone. Suddenly the big coupé made sense, especially with a cloud of dust following in its wake. I’d have to scour the classifieds for a bargain, which would be a terrible idea and an excellent article. I'd also have to buy a ranch in Montana, pretend I know how to lasso a bull, and channel a little of Beth's attitude.

• Want level: ★★☆☆☆
• Brave pills: 5/5
• Odds: 5%
• Budget: 1/5 (they're temptingly affordable, but the running costs are scary)

7. Saab 90

I miss owning a Saab in a way that feels slightly embarrassing. The 90 is arguably the most Petrolbloggy Saab you can buy: odd, compromised, deeply lovable. Give me heated seats and headlight wipers and I’ll forgive almost anything.

• Want level: ★★★☆☆
• Brave pills: 2/5
• Odds: 40%
• Budget: 5/5 (prices remain surprisingly Petrolbloggy)

8. Toyota Century (G50)

If, heaven forbid, the Camry expires, I’d need another Toyota – and the Century G50 feels like the only honest escalation. It was Japan’s first V12 car, with a spec list including wool seats and lace net curtains, which is basically all you need to know about my taste. I suppose I could add net curtains to the Camry to create a sort of Diet Coke take on the full-fat Century.

• Want level: ★★☆☆☆
• Brave pills: 5/5
• Odds: 10%
• Budget: 1/5 (rare Japanese luxobarge with a V12)

9. Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

The Century might be the sensible Toyota upgrade; the Giulia QV is the opposite. The Fiat Coupé 16v has stirred something inside me: a yearning to own another Italian car that feels alive rather than merely competent. Ferrari-derived engine mythology completes the fantasy. Prices start from around £30,000, in case you were wondering.

• Want level: ★★★★☆
• Brave pills: 4/5
• Odds: 40%
• Budget: 3/5 (affordable, but probably high maintenance)

10. Alpine A110 Pure

There’s little chance of this happening unless my Premium Bonds come up and I lose my mind. I spent 30 minutes behind the wheel of an A110 and loved everything about it: lightness, delicacy, back-road joy. I’d add a French tat sticker and make it the only Alpine in Britain with an EMWalhalla travel pass.

• Want level: ★★★★★
• Brave pills: 2/5
• Odds: 5%
• Budget: 1/5 (out of my price range, sadly)

Closing thoughts

The truth is, Petrolblog doesn’t really need another car in 2026. What it needs is fewer bookmarks, more baguettes and the reassurance that the Camry will continue to pass MOTs first time with no advisories.

Still, wanting is half the fun – and much cheaper than buying.

All images courtesy of the manufacturers. Brave pills available on request.