Tag: spy

Spy Shots: Lamborghini Cabrera spotted, ready to fill Gallardo shoes

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Lamborghini, Luxury

Lamborghini Cabrera

Facebook user Marchettino (already a minor YouTube celebrity for his supercars channel) spotted the successor to the Lamborghini Gallardo throne out and about on public streets and was kind enough to snap a few photos of the machine. Word has it that a concept car precursor to the newest supercar will bow at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show this September under the Cabrera name. As you’ve likely already heard, the model is said to ride on the second-generation Audi R8 platform, complete with a composite aluminum and carbon fiber construction to reduce weight as much as possible. How light will will the Cabrera be? Lamborghini is reportedly shooting for a curb weight of around 3,300 pounds.

Power will likely come from a massaged version of the 5.2-liter V10 in the current Gallardo. Expect around 600 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque.

The vehicle in these photos looks to have abandoned some of the Gallardo’s angles in favor or more organic lines, though it’s possible body cladding is hiding the car’s true design. Murcielago SV-style sills and side air intakes serve up quite a bit of aggression and the quad exhaust looks properly menacing as well. We can’t wait to see the finished product.

Lamborghini Cabrera spotted, ready to fill Gallardo shoes originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Next Nissan Rogue flaunts its new look

Filed under: Spy Photos, Crossover, Nissan

2014 Nissan Rogue spy shots

Remember last April, when Nissan told us it would be launching five new models over the course of 15 months? Well, we’ve seen the Altima, Pathfinder, Sentra and Versa Note, so that magical fifth model has to be the new Rogue, which our spy photographers recently caught testing. Despite looking like a hodge-podge of black duct tape and garbage bags, we can clearly see that the new Rogue takes a lot of its styling cues from the Hi-Cross concept that Nissan showed at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. And that’s fine – we found that CUV concept to be a decidedly handsome thing, and certainly more attractive than the weird little Rogue that currently roams the streets.

Details surrounding the next Rogue are still very unclear, though our spies suggest that it could be powered by a new 1.2-liter supercharged four-cylinder engine, good for something like 113 horsepower and 140 pound-feet of torque. We’ll see about that, since those numbers represent a drastic drop in power versus the current Rogue – to the tune of 57 hp and 35 lb-ft. A diesel engine for other markets is expected to be on offer, and a plug-in hybrid version is also rumored to be in the works, though that won’t show up at the vehicle’s initial launch.

If Nissan sticks to its plan of showing these five new models in the course of 15 months, that means we should see the Rogue in July. Of course, since things don’t always go as planned, it could be many more months before all that camouflage is taken away.

Next Nissan Rogue flaunts its new look originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Nissan Americas’ Tavares becomes Renault COO on heels of spy scandal

Filed under: Europe, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Nissan, Renault

Carlos TavarasRenault has a new chief operating officer. Carlos Tavares, formerly the Chief Executive Officer for Nissan Americas, will now fill the void left by former Renault COO Patrick Pelata. Pelata left the French automaker amid a botched spy scandal investigation that saw a rash of Renault executives lose their positions. Taveres has a long history with Renault, having served with the company for 24 years before being assigned to the U.S. with Nissan Americas in 2003. His move back to Renault has been rumored for some time and the company hopes that its new executive can help point sales in a better direction.

Meanwhile, back in the U.S., Tavares’ old role will be handled by many hands. Colin Dodge will serve as chairman of the Americas in addition to retaining his title as Executive Vice President, Chief Performance Officer and Chairman of Nissan operations in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and India. Dodge will be joined by Bill Krueger, who will now take up the mantle of Vice Chairman.

Krueger previously served as the Head of Manufacturing, Purchasing and Supply Chain Management for Nissan. TheDetroitBureau.com reports that Krueger will move farther up the chain should he be able to prove himself in his new role. Click past the break for a look at the full press release.

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Nissan Americas’ Tavares becomes Renault COO on heels of spy scandal originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Ford Mustang dragster mule caught brandishing gargantuan hood scoop

Filed under: Motorsports, Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Ford, Racing

spy shots ford mustang drag racer

Spy Shots: Ford Mustang Drag Racer – Click above for high-res image gallery

Our spy photographers have trained their expensive camera lenses on something very interesting. Caught running around one of Ford’s private test tracks, this Mustang is clearly set to live life a quarter mile at a time. Out back sits a pair of massive Hoosier slicks, while up front, a set of skinny Hoosiers are tucked under the fenders. Oh right, we’re not sure if you noticed, but there’s a massive hood scoop planted on the front of this pony car.

What’s going on under the hood? We don’t know. The front-end (minus the scoop) is from a GT500, while the rear end is standard Mustang GT attire. That scoop, however, looks like it was pulled off a Donzi 22 Shelby GT speedboat. Actually, scratch that… it looks even bigger. Check out this possible next-generation Mustang Cobra Jet by clicking through the gallery below.

Ford Mustang dragster mule caught brandishing gargantuan hood scoop originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 May 2011 15:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Subaru’s RWD sports car caught wearing same outfit as Toyota sibling

Filed under: Spy Photos, Scion, Subaru, Toyota

spy shots subaru coupe

Spy Shots: Subaru Coupe – Click above for high-res image gallery

Judging by the recent influx of spy shots, Toyota is working hard, fine-tuning its upcoming Scion FR-S sports car. Now, we’re finally getting a look at the Subaru version. Spy photogs snapped the two-door Subie undergoing some road testing. The style is similar to the Scion we’ve been seeing, but the Subaru appears to get a different front-end treatment.

Though most of the important bits and pieces are well-covered by all the swirly graphics, the spy photographers did manage to grab a shot of the interior of the coupe. A paddle shifter is clearly visible, and we hope to eventually spy a version with a manual transmission as well. Check out all of the spy shots of the Subaru coupe by clicking through the gallery below.

Subaru’s RWD sports car caught wearing same outfit as Toyota sibling originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 May 2011 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Aston Martin Rapide S undergoing testing on the ‘Ring

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Performance, Aston Martin, UK, Luxury

Aston Martin Rapide S spy shots

Aston Martin Rapide S spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery

Word on the street is that Aston Martin is developing a faster, more powerful version of its Rapide four-door, a rumor fueled by new spy shots snapped on Germany’s infamous Nürburgring. The camouflaged prototype pictured above appears to pack a revised front end and tail, with larger intakes up front and a lip spoiler and reshaped bumper around back.

Underneath the revised fascias, sources expect to find the 510-horsepower V12 from the DBS to upgrade from the DB9-spec 470-hp mill already in place in the “standard” Rapide. Couple this with carbon-ceramic brakes and revised suspension, and the Rapide S is starting to shape up as a real barnstormer.

In short, if the existing Rapide is a four-door DB9, expect the Rapide S to come in as a four-door DBS – suitable for carrying 007 and not just one, but three Bond girls to their next mission or exotic locale.

Aston Martin Rapide S undergoing testing on the ‘Ring originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 May 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: 2012 BMW M5 inches closer to production in a stunning shade of brown

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Spy Photos, Sedan, Performance, BMW

2012 BMW M5 spy shots

2012 BMW M5 spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery

The BMW M5 that debuted at this year’s Shanghai Motor Show may have technically been a concept car, but it comes as no surprise to see that the near-production models the German automaker is testing look exactly like the car we saw on stage. For what it’s worth, we certainly hope the dark brown paint seen on this prototype will be offered when the M5 hits dealerships. Those blacked-out wheels can stay, too.

As you’ve no doubt read countless times before, the M5 will be offered with BMW’s twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8, packing somewhere north of 480 horsepower. In the United States, both a manual and dual-clutch transmission will be available, and all-wheel drive may be in the cards, as well.

We’ll have the full details later this year. The Frankfurt Motor Show can’t come soon enough.

2012 BMW M5 inches closer to production in a stunning shade of brown originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 May 2011 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Toyobaru spotted on the 405?

Filed under: Concept Cars, Spy Photos, Coupe, Budget, Performance, Scion, Subaru, Toyota

Toyobaru

2013 Toyobaru – Click above for high-res image gallery

These shots appear to be of the Subaru version of the planned, talked-about, redesigned, and talked-about-some-more 2013 Scion FR-S/Toyota FT-86/Toyobaru. According to our reader spy, this version was wearing Subaru distributor plates, pretty much giving away its true identity.

While the heavy camo does a great job obscuring the a good look at the car, and the shots are taken from a distance, it looks like the Subaru coupe will sport slightly more understated lines than its stablemate at Scion.

Toyobaru spotted on the 405? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 21 May 2011 18:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Is this 2012 Honda CR-V test mule packing a third row of seats?

Filed under: Spy Photos, Crossover, Honda

2012 Honda CR-V spy shot

2012 Honda CR-V spy shot – Click above for high-res image

While Honda may have to delay rolling out the successor to the current CR-V crossover, a shortage of parts resulting from the crisis in Japan doesn’t mean it isn’t still working on the project. And while we hadn’t seen any prototypes running before, we’ve now received our first glimpse.

The test mule in this solitary spy shot is wearing a bra over the front end and some taping around the hind quarters, but is otherwise fairly naked for all to see. So what are we looking at? Heavily revised styling for a start, with tail-lights that extend up the D-pillar like the current model but with a rather Volvo-like shape to them. Our intrepid auto spies also suggest the extended rear end could be making room for a third row of seats (wonder what that D-pillar tape job is hiding?), but from where we sit, it looks mighty cramped.

Beyond the design, we can expect a slightly more powerful and more efficient version of the current model’s 2.4-liter VTEC four. Expect production to begin in Ohio and Ontario before winter rolls back around.

Is this 2012 Honda CR-V test mule packing a third row of seats? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 May 2011 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Audi S1 caught testing, likes wearing A1 clothing

Filed under: Spy Photos, Hatchback, Audi

spy photo audi s1

Spy Shots: Audi S1 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Spy photographers have been training their lenses on upcoming Audi models as of late. Earlier, we got a look at the R8 GT Spyder, and now those cameras have captured the S1 hot hatch. Though it may look like a standard Audi A1, this mule is covering up S1 guts. What’s the give-away? A set of large exhaust pipes planted in the rear end.

Rumor has it that the mill powering this sporty hatchback will pump out 270 horsepower. That energy will be sent out to all four corners courtesy of the Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Expect to see more aggressive bits of body work on the real S1 when it finally shows its face.

Audi S1 caught testing, likes wearing A1 clothing originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 May 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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