With the recently announced 2013 DBS Ultimate Edition, Aston Martin is now hard at work preparing its next generation flagship model. Most recently, out shooters have captured these spy photos of the 2014 Aston Martin DBS running hot laps on the Nurburgring.
Providing the best look yet at the baby CLS, our photographers have snapped these spy photos of the upcoming Mercedes CLA.
The last couple days have been a storm of spy photos with the latest to come our way picturing the 2013 Volkswagen Golf GTI.
We received spy photos of the next generation Audi R8 earlier today, but this newest batch of pictures is what we really wanted to see; the new R8 in the flesh, free of design-hiding camouflage.
It’s hard to believe that the R8 has already been in production since 2006 and so the Audi flagship sports car is long overdue for a makeover.
Our photographers caught pictures of the 2013 Porsche 911 GT3 today, and in the spy photos you can see an unmasked version of the front spoiler.
Acura‘s all-new MDX crossover was caught on camera by our spy photographer, giving us a preview of the iconic car-based utility vehicle, albeit in a heavy layer of clothing.
Wearing what would barely pass as anti-photo camouflage, our auto paparazzi snapped spy photos of the upcoming 2013 Land Rover Range Rover on the road.
Caught testing several months back in the European arctic, our latest spy photos show the new Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet out for some top down fun.
Porsche released official photos of the 918 Spyder prototype testing, but we now have spy photos to show you, with a few more angles of the hybrid supercar.
Forgoing its sometimes confusing naming structure, BMW decided to move its coupes away from the 3 Series badge, referring to future versions as a 4 Series instead.
What is it about European wagons that gets us glowing? Even if you’re not normally a fan, you have to stop and stare at what Mercedes-Benz is flaunting with its CLS Shooting Brake that our spy photographer captured.
The MINI Paceman concept was revealed to us at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, and will hit dealer showrooms in early 2013 badged as the Countryman Coupe.
The newly redesigned Audi A3 debuted at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, and now we have spy photos of the S3 performance version out testing on the Nurburgring.
Everything that Audi is putting into the e-tron R8 seems to be taking time, not that it’s a bad thing, but time is precious and the world is an impatient place.
Originally debuting in 2009 at the Frankfurt Auto Show, the automaker’s electrified halo car keeps slipping just out of grasp. in September, 2011 we reported that the car would launch in 2012, but news beyond that has been slow to surface.
Ever see the cars in our spy photos page and wonder why they look like that? New paint job trends emerge all the time, like gloss-less matte paint finishes, which are becoming more and more popular in recent years. Some companies like to dial it up to 11 with chrome finishes on their entire cars. But there is one look that is always intriguing: car camouflage. No, not the desert or arctic warfare kind, we’re talking about camera-camo.
If you’ve spent even a smidgen of time on our Auto News page then you’ve probably seen one of our spy photo stories. A recurring trend in these stories is the bizarre magic-eye look on the prototype vehicles that our spies track down.
The truth is that car companies deliberately make their cars look that way so that when and if these prototype cars get snapped by a photographer, certain incriminating details are not visible.
Also, it’s worth noting that the look isn’t even a paintjob at all, but a vinyl application. The pattern on the application is perfect at tricking even the most advanced auto focus system on a camera. That’s because a camera’s auto focus system uses a subject’s colors to figure out its focus.
Dan Suszko from Graphik Concepts sells these vinyl wraps and confirms that it really works wonders to hide body work in photographs. “Car companies want to put an end to one person exposing their product to the world” Suszko said. “It really hides the way things look in low-res images,” he added.
Looking like a botched body-kit, our photographers have snapped several spy photos of the next-generation Lexus IS.
A test mule for the next-generation 3 Series fighter, there’s not a lot than can be seen from this new model, sporting a hacked-up version of the current car’s bodywork.
What we do know is that when the new IS arrives, likely some time in 2013 as 2014 model year car, it will get a look more in keeping with the rest of the Lexus lineup, using the spindle grille first shown on the new GS.
As for engine choices, there will likely also be a choice of either a 3.5-liter V6 or 2.5-liter 4-clylinder. In addition, you can bet on an IS300h. In Europe Lexus is committed to a hybrid-only lineup and so if the Toyota luxury division intends to sell the IS there, which is most certainly does, a hybrid version is necessary. That powertrain is expected to be similar to that in the new ES300h, making 200 hp and delivering around 40 mpg average.
Rumors that the next-gen IS will ride on a stretched version of the Scion FR-S platform are unconfirmed, but based on our review of the FR-S, that would make for an excellent handling sports sedan.
Ever vigilant, our sleuthing photographers caught spy photos of the new BMW 4 Series convertible tucking its top away.
Thanks to the latest pictures, we know that the German automaker will be sticking with it’s convertible hard top instead of cloth. The new 4 Series is expected to source engines from the proven 328i and 335i which use a 240-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four cylinder and turbo 302-hp 3.0-liter inline six cylinder respectively.
A model without the camo is expected to surface sometime toward the end of this year, meaning we should see some official pictures soon. If nothing else, we’ve got the car’s scheduled debut at September’s Paris Auto Show to stick with.
For now have a look through our gallery below showing the full conversion sequence.
The newest generation MINI Cooper is getting a boost with the addition of the John Cooper Works GP edition. Our photographers grabbed some spy photo‘s of the almost completely uncamouflaged car, giving a great look at how the production JCW MINI will look.
The previous generation MINI JCW GP was limited to just 2000 units (and only 415 for America), and ever since there has been building anticipation around when the next tuned up MINI would be upon us. The new JCW GP is expected to get a power boost from the previous 215 hp to an expected 220 hp and will also be shedding some pounds to accentuate the newly added muscle.
Only certain parts of the car are clad in camo in our photos, these parts being the new stuff that MINI wants to keep under wraps. The body will receive a new front bumper, a large spoiler on the back, a new rear diffuser, lowered suspension and 18-inch wheels.
Spring is in the air, and with the change of the seasons comes the jump from cold winter climate testing, to fun in the sun on the world famous Nürburgring in Germany. Our photographers grabbed some spy photos of the upcoming 2013 Maserati Quattroporte running laps on the ring, testing in preparation for the cars official launch at the 2012 Paris Auto Show.
The new Quattroporte is going to be getting a little bigger overall to make room for a new small car, likely called the Levante. Despite the size growth, the Quattroporte should manage to shed some pounds thanks to new lightweight materials.
The engine is expected to be a 4.7L V8, complete with tuning enhancements which will peg the horsepower rating at around 475. The engine will be paired with an eight-speed transmission from ZF.
Look for a full reveal this Fall at the Paris Motor Show.
If the SLS AMG wasn’t quite enough for you, Mercedes-Benz won’t disappoint with the new SLS AMG Black Series. The Black Series is rumored to hit showrooms sometime next year, and our photographers were lucky enough to snap some spy photos of Mercedes-Benz’s newest flagship.
The Black Series is going to be an amazingly powerful car, putting out over 600 hp and making roughly 500 ft. lb. of torque. The car will likely make use of a re-tooled version of the 6.2-liter V8 sporting new cams and higher compression pistons to squeeze more juice of the regular SLS motor. In addition the Black Series will lose 110lbs. and receive some aerodynamic tweaks to enhance the cars performance. All of these improvements should take the 0-60 time down to around 3.5 seconds.
The Black Series we see in these photos receives larger wheels, huge front fenders and a serious snarl in the styling on the front end of the car. Larger air intakes are visible as well to feed the beast with a high air flow.
Expect the SLS AMG Black Series to come out next year, and to cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $405,000.
The Audi Q5 and Q7 are similar vehicles, and thanks to customer demand in both the U.S. and China, Audi is working on a Q6, which will slot in between the two luxury SUVs, offering sportier styling to Audi customer wanting something different from the company’s SUV lineup.
The new Q6 will take on BMW’s X6, so we can expect some type of sleek style and coupe-like appearance when we finally see the finished product.
The vehicle in our spy photos is based on an Audi Q5 body, but is a little longer and wider than the production model. This is intended to give the Q6 more presence than the Q5, though Audi should be careful to not take anything away from the Q7′s large stance. This Q6 mule appears to sit a little lower than the Q5 as well, hinting at the sporty identity the Q6 will take to compete with the BMW X6. The new Q6 is also a likely candidate for RS treatment and may make use of Audi’s 4.0-liter turbocharged V8.
This vehicle is probably still a few years away, with some sources speculating a 2014 release and others 2016.
The Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake will be a turbo charged station wagon with CLS style and AMG performance.
Our spy photos show the AMG variant of the previously seen CLS shooting brake, and it looks a little meaner than its more conventional cousin. The AMG will likely be modeled closely to the CLS63 AMG and run with a twin turbo 5.5L V8, making 518 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. Also look for an AMG performance package that will up the thrust to around 550 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque.
The AMG version receives quad exhaust tips, bigger brakes, sportier wheels and aggressive front fascia to set it apart.
The original Mercedes-Benz Shooting Brake Concept debuted at the 2010 Bejing Auto Show, and the model we see in our photos keeps many of the same lines as the concept.
Just in are the latest spy photos of the upcoming second-generation Maserati Quattroporte. Spotted testing at a test facility in northern Sweden, the photos leave much to the imagination with plenty of camouflage used to hide the car’s new lines.
With plans for a new baby Quattroporte, named the Levante, to compete against cars like the 5 Series and E-Class, the next-gen Quattroporte is expected to grow somewhat in size. Under the hood, expect updates to the 4.7-liter V8 engine with power rated at around 475 hp. The QP is also set to receive a new 8-speed automatic gearbox with rumors of a possible all-wheel drive model.
A debut is expected for the 2013 Quattroporte at the Paris Motor Show this Fall.
