Autoblog

Spy Shots: McLaren P11 already caught on the road

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:29:00 EST

Earlier today we told you the latest news on McLaren's upcoming "F1 Jr." P11 project. We even showed you a glimpse of what is believed to be a styling buck for the new F430/Gallardo fighter. Expected to show up in production trim about 18 months from now, the P11 will certainly be a tough secret for McLaren to keep. The P11 is one of the most highly anticipated sequels in automotive history, so it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that spy shots of running prototypes have already surfaced. This time it's Auto Express publishing a few pics of the car in the wild. Heavily camo'd, the car was spotted near the McLaren F1 shop in Woking, Surrey. Even in disguise you can see that the car looks like it will be as trim as we hoped it would be. Expected stats include a 6.2L AMG V8 possibly turbocharged to 500 hp, 1,100-kg curb weight, 0-60 in under four seconds and a top end of 200+ mph. AE also thinks pricing should fall into the £150,000-£200,000 range.

[Source: Auto Express]

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Spy Shots: BMW Z4 caught practically naked

John Neff — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:26:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertibles, BMW

We haven't shown you new spy shots of the upcoming redesigned BMW Z4 for, oh, at least a couple of weeks, but the latest pics reveal the hardtop convertible's final shape with only minimal covering. That psychedelic applique aside, we can easily see now that the new Z4 will be an evolutionary step for the design of this little roadster. What it will do is wipe clean the Bangle-inspired design elements that made the current car such a visual mess from every angle. It will get the clean, sculpted sides of current BMWs like the 3 Series, and an even larger twin-kidney grille. And unlike the current car, the proportions are now much more balanced with a reasonably sized front end flowing into a tidy cockpit and tapered rear. As mentioned, BMW will be ditching the soft top for a retractable hard top, which may take away some of the car's open air flavor but is largely a necessity in this class nowadays.

[Source: Next Autos]

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VIDEO: Nissan 370Z partially revealed in Need for Speed teaser

John Neff — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:58:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Nissan, Toys

Click above to view gallery of 370Z screen caps from NFS: Undercover

Recently published spy shots of the upcoming 370Z have largely revealed the overall shape of Nissan's iconic Z car. But there's certainly more to see, and thanks to an official movie trailer for the upcoming Need for Speed: Undercover driving game, we've got a few glimpses of the final product. The 370Z will apparently be a drivable car in the game, which features a more theatrical story-line than most driving titles. The character you see above is Hector Maio, one of the game's criminals who pals around with his brother Zack. We've got screen captures from the video below, as well as the video itself after the jump. There are only glimpses of the 370Z throughout most of the video, particularly the car's headlights on in the dark, but near the end we see Hector greeting his, ahem, associates around it.

Gallery: Nissan 370Z in Need For Speed Undercover

[Source: Carscoop]

Continue reading VIDEO: Nissan 370Z partially revealed in Need for Speed teaser

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Spy Shots: 2010 Mazda3 interior snapped

Chris Shunk — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:33:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, Hatchbacks, Mazda

Judging from exterior shots of the 2010 Mazda3 that were released last week, Mazda is looking to be more than a bit player in the small car market. The styling of the new Mazda3 looks more expensive than the current model, and is perhaps a better example of the brand's new design language than the also recently redesigned Mazda6. We've been looking forward to seeing pics of the Mazda3 on the inside, and judging from this one spy shot we've seen so far, the Zoom Zoom designers didn't go cheap on the interior.

The first thing that draws attention in the Mazda3 cabin is the Civic-esque two-tier dashboard. We're not huge fans of this style, but Mazda designers did a nice job of integrating the top deck with the lower level and center stack. Judging from the sole pic, some buttons on the center stack look to be a bit small, but main knobs for HVAC and volume are nice and big. The interior in this example is two-toned with what looks to be an aluminum-finished applique above the glove box, and more contrasting colors on the seats and doors. One thing that didn't change from the current generation Mazda3 is the red back-lighting on all the gauges, buttons, and knobs that we've come to expect from Mazda.

Gallery: 2010 Mazda3

[Source: TTAC]

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Spy Shots: Nissan 370Z again, with interior shots

John Neff — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Nissan

Click above for high-res gallery of Nissan 370Z spy shots

Nissan continues to parade around a 370Z prototype near the Nürburgring in Germany, and today our spy photogs have nabbed its interior during a refueling stop. As you can see, the interior is definitely a Nissan, and in facts looks Infiniti-esque thanks to the large nav screen and joystiq-controls dominating the center stack. The spies say the quality of materials appear to be a vast improvement over the current model, and you can see this particular prototype's interior is wearing bright orange suede door panel inserts and orange seats. Certainly livens things up, no? Elsewhere there are three gauges atop the dash that point towards the driver and big paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, which our sources suggest may indicate that Nissan will use a version of the GT-R's six-speed dual-clutch transmission. That may not be the case, however, as the current car's five-speed automatic with paddle shifters, which Infiniti already pairs with the company's 3.7L V6 in its G cars, would look the same from peering in through the car's windows. Check out more interior and exterior pics that we've added to our gallery of 370Z spy shots below.

Gallery: Nissan 370Z - spy shots

[Source: KGP Photography]

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Spy Shots: Ford Super-Duty's new 6.7L Scorpion diesel

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:58:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Trucks/Pickups, I.C.E., Ford

As is well known by now, Ford and Navistar have parted ways and the Blue Oval is developing diesel engines in-house to replace the PowerStroke lumps still being used. Slated to appear in Ford's trucks by 2011, the new oil burner code-named Scorpion is a 6.7-liter V8 with a host of innovations, some of them seemingly borrowed from cross-town rival GM.

But the first thing you'll notice is that mammoth radiator. PickupTrucks.com estimates that the cooler up front is up to 20-percent larger than the one on the 2008 Super Duty, and that one had already been enlarged by 33-percent over its forebear. The extra cooling could be needed for "extreme towing applications", and if there's one truck that's an extreme tower, it's the F-Series Super Duty.

The Scorpion diesel's innards will be enhanced with reversed intake and exhaust flow, something found on GM's Duramax diesel, and lighter aluminum cylinder heads. Nor will the Scorpion sacrifice mpg for its extra oomph: gains of 40 hp and 70 lb-ft will come with three more miles-per-gallon thanks in part to the truck's new 6-speed tranny that's debut as we speak on the new F-150.

[Source: Pickuptrucks.com]

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Spy Shots: Nissan 370Z caught undisguised

John Neff — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:55:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Nissan

Click above for high-res gallery of Nissan 370Z spy shots

Nissan's upcoming redesign of its Z car is almost here, and proof positive is this prototype caught cruising around in the vicinity of Germany's famed Nürburgring. The redesign is on full display here, with the boomerang-style headlights and taillights first seen on the new Maxima clearly visible. The whole front end is new but retains a visual connection with its predecessor, while big fender flares give away that the new car might be rolling on a wider track. There are also a few more kinks and creases on the new car, which are on display in the chunky C-pillar. We think it looks terrific as an attractive evolution of the current 350Z. The new car will change its nomenclature slightly to 370Z when it debuts this auto show season thank to the addition of Nissan's new 3.7L V6 that will be producing well over 300 horsepower in the new Z. Word has it that Nissan has also worked hard to address one of the biggest criticisms against the current car: weight. We'll probably have more spy shots of the 370Z as soon as Nissan begins running it around the 'Ring, and wouldn't be surprised to see the car officially debut at next month's LA Auto Show.

[Source: KGP Photography]

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Spy Shots: Audi TT-RS and RS5 caught testing

John Neff — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:01:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Audi

Click above for high-res gallery of Audi TT-RS spy shots

A pair of Audi RS performance cars have been caught testing and show what the German brand has planned for these ultimate examples of the TT and A5. The TT-RS was snapped in production ready form and shows off some serious design tweaks including two gaping intakes flanking the already gaping corporate Audi grille, chunky fender flares at all four corners and a pair of large oval exhaust tips embedded in the rear bumper. Powering the TT-RS is expected to be a twin-turbo 2.5L five-cylinder engine producing between 350 and 390 horsepower, which will easily make it the fastest production TT ever.

Click above for high-res gallery of Audi RS5 spy shots

The next car is the RS5, and less is known about this model since it was snapped wearing the guise of an S5. Caught on the Nurburgring in Germany, this RS5 mule is wearing an RS-inspired front end, but confuses the camera lens with its lacked of flared fenders and quad exhaust tips where one would expect an RS model's typical dual ovals. Still, there wouldn't be much of a reason for Audi to test the current S5 on the 'Ring, so what we're looking at must be an RS5 mule. What will power the RS5 is still speculation and could be either the 4.2L V8 from the RS4, a twin-turbo V8 or the Gallardo-based V10 from the RS6.

Gallery: Audi TT-RS - spy shots

Gallery: Audi RS5 - spy shots

[Source: KGP Photography]

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Spy Shots: Ford Taurus ST

Chris Shunk — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, Ford

We've been eagerly awaiting the upcoming introduction of the 2010 Ford Taurus since we first laid eyes on the Mondeo-inspired clay mock-up that was leaked across the Internets. Ford already announced that Ecoboost technology would power at least one version of the 2010 model, and with a 350-hp twin-turbo V6 underhood, we're thinking it's finally SHO time again. The scribes over at World Car Fans have supposedly heard otherwise, though, at least when it comes to the name. Word from industry insiders has the nomenclature as Taurus ST.

World Car Fans got more than a scoop on names; they got some pics of the sporty Taurus, as well. It looks like Ford designers opened up the lower air dam to help feed the force-fed powerplant. The next generation of the corporate grille is partly visible, too, and it appears as though the bars got thinner and less cartoonish in execution. Headlights visible through the heavy camo appear to be of the LED kind, and they look far more modern than the current Taurus' 1990's design. Massive, MKS-like 20-inch rims help show this undercover Taurus has sporty pretenses, as does the duel exhaust out back. Also evident from the spy pics is the fact that the bulbous roofline from the current Taurus has been replaced with something far more shapely and contemporary. We're still a few months from seeing the 2010 Taurus in the flesh, but it's good to see that the high-performance version is well on its way.

[Source: World Car Fans]

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2010 Toyota Prius steals font from Michael Knight

John Neff — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:33:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Toyota

Toyota's marketing team has released the first image of the next-gen Prius, and it's not what you think. The shot shows what appears to be the welcome screen that will appear on the car's in-dash screen upon startup, and the font looks curiously like the same one used by the new Knight Rider series on NBC. We doubt this means Prius v3.0 will have Turbo Boost built in, but it will have a larger four-cylinder gas engine and more powerful electric motor. Unfortunately, the new Prius is expected to carry over its nickel-metal hydride batteries rather than going with new lithium-ions, at least for now. The 2010 Toyota Prius will be making its first public appearance at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show in January, and we'll be there to greet the new green king in person. Thanks for the tip, Danny!

[Source: PriusChat.com]

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Spy Shots: Porsche Panamera suddenly not so bad

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:58:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, Sports/GTs, Porsche

Click above for gallery of reader-submitted Panamera spy shots

We know when it happened, we just don't know why it happened. Autoblog reader Joshua Silverman sent in some cellphone pictures of a Panamera he drove by in Denver, Colorado. And all of a sudden -- like the Grinch's heart growing three sizes -- we liked it. Or at least, we got it.

Just to make sure, we had a look at the last set of Panamera spy shots, the ones that this very blogger lambasted as "still ugly," and, well, we kinda liked those, too. We could see possibilities. When the car is given the S and Turbo treatment, we could even imagine, incredibly, beauty. Have a look at the photos below for yourself, and tell us if we should take a bow for discovering the vision, or take a nap. Thanks for the tip, Joshua!

Gallery: Spy Shots: Porsche Panamera

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Spy Shots: Saab 9-4X, almost naked

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Crossovers/CUVs, Saab

The Saab 9-4X has been caught in these new spy shots without the Keith Haring tape job it was wearing the last time we saw it. Features like the converging window lines on the side, the rear lights, and the Saab grille, give away its lineage. From the side, especially from the A-pillar back, you could be forgiven for confusing the Saab with a lot of other CUVs, while lines that are quite distinctive on the smaller 9-3 and 9-5 look to have been stretched into rather bland expanses on the 9-4X. It's still early, so we look forward to seeing the fully Saab-ified retail version. If Saab's managing director is to be believed, what won't be bland is one of the engine choices: a diesel with 250 hp and 406 lb-ft. That's the kind of quirky we can get behind.

[Source: Left Lane News]

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Chinese Buick Regal caught dressed in red

Michael Harley — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:29:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, China, Buick, Misc. Auto Shows

Click above for more images of the 2010 Buick Regal

Two weeks ago we showed you spy shots of a 2010 Buick Regal caught testing in China that appeared to be nothing more than a rebadged Opel Insignia. (As you may recall, we'll be getting the 2010 Buick LaCrosse in the States.) All three of those cars are based on GM's Epsilon II platform, which we will also likely see under future vehicles from Saab, Saturn and Chevrolet. The Buick brand, and the popular Regal, are doing very well in China. As such, it's no surprise to see these latest spy shots of the barely disguised four-door Regal dipped in red, and it looks great despite being a badge job. The production version is expected to debut at the Guangzhou Auto Show in November. Thanks for the tip, Jason!

Gallery: 2010 Buick Regal - Spy Shots in Red

[Source: China Car Times]

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More 2009 Honda Element pics surface

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:58:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Crossovers/CUVs, Honda

Click above for gallery of the restyled 2009 Honda Element

Today we get to see the updates that Honda has made for its next Element more clearly. The most noticeable action is up front as the boxy 'ute gets Honda's new corporate-look grille. Classier head lights flank the five-sided opening and circular fog lamps slot nicely below them. It's a more mature look, which is fitting since the Element has proven popular with an older crowd than Honda had originally intended. Out back some shapely new tail lights appear alongside a subtly revised rear end.

As before, the standard model's clean lines can be enhanced a bit with the SC model, which gets a factory body-kit with pronounced flares and air dams. We don't spot any real changes on the inside, except an available nav system and chill box, though there was nothing wrong with the useful guts of the Element in the first place. We're also not expecting any major powertrain changes, but we'll report back when Honda makes things official.

Gallery: 2009 Honda Element

[Source: Carscoop]

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Spy Shots: 2009 Mercedes E-Class

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:29:00 EST

Filed under: Frankfurt Auto Show, Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz

If you're Mercedes-Benz, then what you have here is a failure to keep your photo shoots under wraps. First Autobild came out with bare naked shots of the 2009 E-Class, and now German magazine Auto Zeitung has more shots of the car getting some fresh air.

With a minimal front end and a profile that rises seemingly without arc to a chunky back end, the car is reminiscent of a stretched Alfa Romeo Milano. We aren't sure how big these wheels are, but the car's increased upright stance makes them look exceptionally small. As usual with the launch of revolutionary E-Class designs, the car could take some time to get used to, but by the time E-Classes are clogging roads worldwide they will look perfectly natural.

There will be some excitement in the engine choices, including a 204 hp turbodiesel Bluetec, a BlueHybrid lump shared with the S400, and a 550 hp V8 in the AMG. The new E will also benefit from closer association with its spin-offs. Now that the CLK is no more, the E sedan will receive more of the spotlight that shines on its coupe and convertible siblings. If Mercedes doesn't get tired of the clandestine attention, we'll see the sedan for the first time at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, with the other variants to follow at Frankfurt that same year.

[Source: Auto Zeitung]

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2009/10 Honda Element revealed in brochure

John Neff — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:29:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Crossovers/CUVs, Honda

Click above to enlarge

Thanks to Autoblog reader Brad, we now have proof Honda's new corporate grille that first debuted on the 2009 Pilot will be making its way to the 2009/10 Element, as well. This brochure scan reveals the Element's new face, which is clearly more mature and grown up than the previous year's model. There are larger, more complex headlamps that flank the new chunky grille, and thick, body colored molding no longer dominates the more aerodynamic front end. We're also told the next Element will offer new options like a cooling fridge, nav system and two new shades of dark and light blue. The vehicle appears to retain the same 2.4L i-VTEC four-cylinder engine and available four-wheel-drive, though Honda might not offer those funky matte black body panels anymore.

[Source: Brad]

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Reader Spy: 2010 Nissan Cube is properly asymmetric!

Alex Nunez — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Spy Photos, Economy, Hatchbacks, Nissan

Click above for more images of the 2010 Nissan Cube

Many thanks to Autoblog reader Aaron, who appears to have been in the presence of printed materials pertaining to the 2010 Nissan Cube, which is set to be unveiled next month at the LA Auto Show. Aaron captured the moment with his camera phone, and thus, we have what may be the first unofficial official look at the U.S.-market Cube's design. Or it could be something else entirely, but it sure doesn't look that way. Up front, the new headlamps and grille form a thin line above the front bumper, giving the boxy little dude a face we expect to see start talking at any given moment. Follow the jump for more analysis, and check out the scans in the gallery below.

Gallery: 2010 Nissan Cube

[Source: Aaron]

Continue reading Reader Spy: 2010 Nissan Cube is properly asymmetric!

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Spy Shots: 2011 CLS

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, Mercedes-Benz

The coming CLS appears to offer more of the same: the current CLS is based on the E-Class platform; the next one is expected to be built atop S-Class underpinnings. Other than bigger body with a wider track, and bolder styling to harmonize with Mercedes' current design language, not much is expected to change.

That is usually the case with iconic cars. Having invented the category of the four-door-car with a more coupe-like silhouette, Mercedes could be waiting to see what its rivals -- from Aston Martin to VW -- will bring to the segment before it makes a revolutionary move.

[Source: Global Motors]

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Forum find: 2010 Audi A8?

Alex Nunez — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 14:07:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, Euro, Audi

Click above for a gallery of possible 2010 Audi A8 images

The Audi A8 is understated and elegant...but its design is a little long in the tooth. It stays as is for model year 2009, but a significant revision is due for 2010, and we should expect to see that car unveiled sometime during the upcoming show season. Thanks the Gulf4Cars forum, we might have our first look at what to expect. Our Arabic's a little rusty, so we don't know where these scans (at least they appear to be scans) came from, but they look fairly solid, so let's comment on what we can see.

Gallery: 2010 Audi A8?

[Source: Gulf4Cars]

Continue reading Forum find: 2010 Audi A8?

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Spied? Renaultsport Megane III

Noah Joseph — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 09:28:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Euro, Hatchbacks, Renault, Rendered Speculation

This image has been circulating the French motoring sites, showing what could be the new Renaultsport version of the automaker's new Megane which is set to debut next week at the Paris Motor Show. Although indications are that this is a Photoshop-manipulated image, it could give a fairly accurate preview of what the new hot hatch could look like.

Renault has gone to great lengths to differentiate the different body-styles in the Megane range, and the RS version would of course be based on the three-door hatch variant. The image shows a single exhaust exiting from the center of the rear diffuser, with jumbo 18-inch anthracite multi-spoke wheels and some extra aerodynamic body elements. We'll all want to know what will reside under the hood, likely to be a derivation of the current model's 2.0-liter four. The most recent evolution of the engine produces some 230 horsepower in the latest Megane R26.R track-hatch, but only time (and assuredly plenty of speculation) will tell how much power the first performance version of the Megane III will be putting down on European roads.

[Source: L'Auto Journal via Le Blog Auto]

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