The auto show season just kicked off last month at Frankfurt, but we're expecting even greater things to come as we get closer to the first of January. 2014 will no doubt be an exciting year for both high-performance and fun-to-drive cars. So we dug through the archives and picked out just a few of what we feel are the most anticipated cars of the New Year. As of now, all of these are scheduled to launch in the very near future, and each one will no doubt have its share of fans.

If the Audi S3 Sportback isn't good enough for you, then the upcoming RS3 will certainly meet your expectations. It'll be powered by a 2.5-liter turbo five-cylinder engine that'll spit out 360 horsepower. Set to go head-to-head with the likes of the Mercedes A45 AMG, the RS3 will be offered in either three- or five-door configurations. And it will no doubt be one of the fastest and most powerful premium hatchbacks on the market.

The third-generation Mini Cooper may at first look the same as its predecessors, but upon closer inspection you'll easily notice several styling changes. The hot Cooper S will come powered by a 2.0-liter turbo four with 189 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque, but what we really want is the new John Cooper Works edition, which will produce well over 200 hp.

It's not every year that an all-new Lamborghini is unveiled, but 2014 looks to be one of those years. The Gallardo's replacement, rumored to be called Cabrera, will be powered by the same, yet heavily updated 5.2-liter V10. Set to produce some 600 horsepower, the Cabrera will be offered exclusively with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox instead of the old e-gear automated manual or a traditional six-speed manual. Expect a debut this March in Geneva.

Perhaps these are two of the most anticipated models of 2014. The all-new BMW M3 and M4 will have their official debuts at Detroit this January. Unlike the outgoing M3 sedan and coupe, these two ditch the V8 engine in favor of a new twin-turbo straight-six that'll produce 430 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. They'll be both more powerful and fuel efficient than their predecessors. Oh yeah, the M3 coupe becomes the M4. Slight detail to remember there.

In 2016 Nissan will launch an all-new GT-R, but before that happens, the current R35 will be given a proper send off. With a little help from the folks over at Nismo, the GT-R Nismo will debut at the Tokyo Motor Show next month. It'll come with Nismo-specific alloy wheels, more lightweight carbon fiber components, and a power boost for the twin-turbo 3.8-liter V6. All told, the Nismo GT-R will have around 570 horsepower and 0-62 mph will happen in about two seconds. It's going to be absolutely nuts.