The spy photographers from Auto Express have managed to take a few photos with the upcoming new generation of the Audi A3. They took pictures with the three-door version of the car, one of the four body styles that the A3 will get. We can easily observe that the car will adopt a more progressive waistline and sharper lines.
The headlight design of the new model will be more dynamic, similar to the style implemented on the brand new Q3 baby SUV. This theme is continued at the back of the car where the design of the taillight steps up towards the waistline and wraps around the A3’s side. As for the front bumper, this one too looks to be more aggressive, but this might be available only with the S line package.
The new generation of the Audi A3 is based on the MQB platform developed by the Volkswagen Group, the one which we’ve talked about yesterday, a platform that we will see in the upcoming Golf 7. The new A3 is going to be lighter than the outgoing model and it also promises to be safer.
As far as the engines are concerned, the new A3 will be offered with a bunch of power units ranging from the 4-cylinder 1.2-liter unit to the powerful 2.0-liter gasoline engine that pumps out 211 hp. Aside from these, there will also be a couple of 1.6- and 2.0-liter diesels. Auto Express believes that the car will also be sold in a more frugal TDIe hybrid variant.
The new Audi A3 is scheduled to make its first public appearance at the Geneva Motor Show which will be organized next month. The price of the new version is estimated to be a little bit higher in comparison to the outgoing model.
Source: Auto Express
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2013 Hyundai ix45(Santa Fe)
The guys from Motor Authority have managed to grab a few spy shots with the upcoming 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe (ix45 for the European market) while undergoing some cold weather testing near the arctic circle. From the looks of these photos, the new generation of the SUV will be a little bit bigger in size, which should make it a more worthy rival for the Jeep Liberty and the Ford Edge.
2013 Hyundai ix45(Santa Fe)
The new styling for the car seems to adopt a more fluid shape, while the bonnet sits much higher in comparison to the previous model and it will be capped with the company’s latest grille design, just like the one we’ve seen on the 2012 Azera and the 2011 Sonata.
2013 Hyundai ix45(Santa Fe)
Under its hood it should borrow the same engines as the ones that power the current model, including here 4-cylinder and V6 units but all of them will be revised with the direct-injection technology for making them not only more fuel efficient but also more powerful. We shouldn’t be surprised if Hyundai will offer its 2.0-liter turbo engine that produces 274 hp. As standard, the engines will be linked to a 6-speed manual gearbox while a 6-speed automatic transmission will be an optional feature.
2013 Hyundai ix45(Santa Fe)
Scheduled to make its official debut in April at the 2012 New York Auto Show, the new 2013 Hyundai ix45/Santa Fe is scheduled to go on sale in the second part of the year.
Source: Motor Authority
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Spy Shots – MG 5
Scheduled to go on sale in mid-2012 in China, the MG 5 has been spied completely undisguised by the people from auto.sohu.com. The car will be launched in Europe sometime in 2013 and as you can see it adopts a styling similar to the Concept 5 hatchback that was on display during the Shanghai Motor Show.
That concept was developed by the company’s design studio in Longbridge and the show car was built in the United Kingdom. The production version of the car is known internally as the AP12 and it rides on a modified version of the 350 platform that the British automaker is sharing with Roewe. According to various sources, the upcoming MG 5 will adopt a torsion beam rear suspension setup.
When it will be launched in Europe, most likely its dynamics and some of the design will be modified in order to make it more suitable for the European customers. At first, the MG 5 is going to be available with current NSE gasoline engines that range from 1.3- to 1.8-liter units. The new model will be slotted beneath the MG 6 which went on sale in the United Kingdom in 2011.
Source: autosohu.com via Autocar.co.uk
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Spy shots – 2013 Nissan Altima
Our colleagues from WCF have managed to grab a few spy photos with the upcoming 2013 Nissan Altima. This is going to be the fifth generation of the model and it is scheduled to be released towards the end of next year as a 2013MY. The shots were taken in United States and as you can see, the car’s wearing a lot of camouflage in order to hide the exterior modifications.
Nissan is planning to bring greater design cohesion to the latest generation models, just like they did with the Sentra, Versa and the Maxima. The new Altima will feature the pinched grille from the new generation of the Versa plus the more pronounced character line we’ve seen on the Maxima model. In addition, from what we can tell, the 5th generation of the car will feature a more pronounced 4-door coupe design in comparison to the current model.
The 2013 Nissan Altima will be powered by the same 4-cylinder and V6 engines but these power units will be tweaked in order to be more powerful and efficient. The major difference is going to be in the hybrid variant because the fuel efficient powertrain is being developed in-house and it is based on the one used for the Infiniti M35h.
We should see a 4-cylinder, twin-screw supercharged 2.5-liter engine, an electric motor, along with the usual lithium-ion battery pack. Nissan says that this hybrid engine will be able to develop as much power as the company’s popular V6 3.5-liter. It will be linked to a CVT gearbox that should improve the car’s fuel efficiency by up to 10%.
Source: WCF
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A new batch of spy shots with the BMW i3 Rex was taken, this time by the guys from AutoBlog who managed to take a few photos with the upcoming entry-level EV model from BMW. The one they photographed was wearing a new bodykit and most likely it had a range-extending engine since the car was wearing a bunch of stickers that were saying “hybrid test vehicle”.
When it was officially revealed earlier this year, the company’s engineers told AutoBlog that BMW plans on installing a two-cylinder, 600cc engine to the Rex model, an engine borrowed from the firm’s motorcycle line. This variant of the i3 is scheduled to make an appearance a little bit later after the launch of the regular i3 which will hit the dealerships in 2013.
This system is quite similar to the one available in the Chevrolet Volt but it doesn’t feed any power directly to the wheels. This variant of the i3 will extend the car’s 100-mile range and will be installed alongside the 125kW electric motor in the rear, the same electric motor featured in the i8 and the Active E models.
Source: Autoblog
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Spy shots – Jaguar XF Sportbrake
The journalists from Auto Express have managed to take the first batch of spy shots with the upcoming estate version of the Jaguar XF which will be called the Sportbrake. These photos were taken near the automaker’s base in Coventry.
Set to rival the BMW 5-Series Touring, Audi A6 Avant and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the new Jaguar XF Sportbrake will be launched towards the end of next year, which means that we should expect to see the first official photos next year in March at the Geneva Motor Show.
As you can see from these spy shots, the rear end of the Sportbrake will be sleek and stylish with a coupe-like C-pillar while the LED units will look similar to the ones of the XF sedan. The rest of the vehicle is just about the same as the regular XF, except for the back where it will probably get the regular estate features like split/fold rear seats and probably a twin-height boot floor.
Don’t expect the car to be a massive estate model like the E-Class Estate is, a car that has 695 liters for cargo with the rear seats up and 1,950 with the seats folded. The Jaguar XF Sportbrake will offer cargo room similar to what the Audi A6 Avant has (565 / 1,680) and the BMW 5-Series Touring (560 / 1,670).
Just as you would expect, the engines will be borrowed from its sedan sibling, including here the 2.2-liter diesel as well as the V6 diesels and the V8 gasoline engines. Even though it isn’t confirmed at the moment, Jaguar will probably launch a hotter R version of the XF Sportbrake.
Source: Auto Express
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Next-gen Audi A3
The next generation of the Audi A3 has been spied by the journalists from Auto Express who captured a few photos of the car while undergoing some tests in Germany. The new model is very important for Audi because it will have to face some serious competition coming from the BMW 1-Series and the Mercedes-Benz A Class.
Next-gen Audi A3
The design of the new model will adopt a larger front grille, LED daytime running lights, chunky C-pillars and short overhangs. Inside the cabin, the new A3 will offer more equipment, including Wi-Fi and Google Maps-enabled satellite navigation system.
Next-gen Audi A3
As far as the engines are concerned, the car will be available with a bunch of gasoline engine that will develop between 105 hp and 210 hp, along with 1.6- and 2.0-liter TDI units. Also in the works is a 100 hp TDIe variant that promises to return more than 80 mpg UK while CO2 emissions will be less than 100 g/km. Due in 2013 are electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants of the new A3.
Next-gen Audi A3
Enhancing the chassis of the new model will be the Audi Drive Select as well as adaptive dampers. Even though the car promises to remain just as fun to drive as the outgoing model, the new generation will offer a more grown-up experience and a more comfortable ride, while increasing the level of refinement.
The 3-door version of the new Audi A3 will come out in the first part of 2012, followed later on by the 4-door sedan. In 2013 we’ll probably see the Cabriolet model and the 5-door Sportback variant.
Source: Auto Express
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These would have to be the very first spy shots with the upcoming Spider version of the beautiful McLaren MP4-12C. The shots were taken by a photographer from Auto Express who spied the car while undergoing some tests in the south of Europe.
As you probably know this by now, McLaren has revealed that they will be releasing a new model every year until 2015 and the next model that will be launched is a rival for the Ferrari 458 Spider. The MP4-12C Spider will probably get a folding metal roof that looks just about the same as it does on the Ferrari model.
Most likely, it will feature a central panel that will flip upwards and back in order to lie flat between the passenger compartment and the car’s engine bay. This new roof mechanism will probably be manufactured from carbon fiber or aluminum so that it will not increase the curb weight of the car significantly.
The car will be motivated by the same twin-turbocharged V8 3.8-liter engine that generates 592 hp which will allow the MP4-12C Spider to hit a top speed of 200 mph. The sports car will probably get its official debut sometime in 2012 and it will hit the dealerships one year later.
Aside from this model, McLaren is also working on a hypercar which will be the successor of the legendary F1 that was introduced in the early 90s.
Source: Auto Express
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The car you see in these spy shots is believed to be the highly anticipated 599 replacement that promises to be the most powerful road car that Ferrari has ever launched. Taking into consideration that the FF model produces 651 hp, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if the new model that will replace the 599 will offer more than 700 ponies. As a reminder, the current 599 GTB offers 612 hp.
The new car will be motivated by a next generation of the 6.3-liter V12 direct-injection engine that powers the FF, which is an engine that is based on the original 599/Enzo unit and capable of unleashing 850 hp in the very rare FXX Evoluzione. The company’s new flagship model will also benefit from breakthrough structural & detailed engineering design in order to make sure that it will be lighter than the model it replaces. This process of going on a diet has begun with the FF as even though it has an AWD configuration, the car has just about the same weight as the 612 Scaglietti.
The implementation of weight saving techniques will be possible through the automaker’s alloy monocoque body, even though car manufacturers like McLaren and Lamborghini have developed carbon fiber monocoque bodies for their recent models. According to the Italian carmaker, carbon fiber is not suitable at the moment for the volume of production necessary for the new model.
According to various rumors, the new car that will replace the 599 will feature a RWD layout as Ferrari believes that the AWD configuration is “best suited to our grand touring cars”, a category in which the 599 is not part of.
Source: Autocar
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Peugeot 308 successor scheduled for a 2013 release
According to the journalists from Autocar, the successor of the Peugeot 308 will be launched sometime in 2013 and the model will get the 301 designation, not the 309 as you would expect. These are the first photos of the car which were taken in the France and Spain border region and as you’ve probably guessed this already, it’s an early chassis mule that is running the body of a current-generation pre-facelift 308 model.
Just like they did with the upcoming 208, Peugeot will make the replacement of the 308 more elegant and it will have more compact proportions. In addition, the weight of the car will be lowered while the interior will get better materials. The 301 will be available with several 3-cylinder engines.
Autocar’s sources have mentioned that the reason why the French automaker will not use the 309 name is because it’s too soon to resurrect it since the last time they’ve used it was in the 90s. As for the 301 name, Peugeot used it the last time in the 30s.
The new model will feature the same platform as the Citroen C4 and DS4, and from these photos we can tell that it will be a little bit wider and shorter than the model it will replace. In addition, the car will probably be lower than the 308.
The bad news in my opinion is that Peugeot doesn’t plan on launching a three-door version of the 301. However, the five-door will benefit from a sportier look in order to compensate the absence of a three-door version. The French car maker will release the SW five-door version of the new model, along with a four-door sedan for selected markets.
There won’t be a CC (coupe cabriolet) model of the Peugeot 301 because the automaker plans on launching a retractable hard-top version of the superb RCZ, a vehicle which is based on the current platform of the 308.
The entry-level engine for the Peugeot 308 will probably be a small 1.0-liter turbo unit that develops 100 hp. The car will also be available with new 3-cylinder engines and a few units that will benefit from the e-HDI diesel micro-hybrid technology which will lower the CO2 emissions to less than 100 g/km for most of the variants.
Source: Autocar
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The new generation of the Range Rover will arrive in 2013 and it is expected to feature a lightweight rivet-bonded aluminum chassis which is based on a modified platform that underpins the XJ model. By implementing this new lightweight material, the car will probably be up to 40% lighter in comparison to the current model so it is expected to be 660-880 pounds lighter.
For certain elements like the rear tailgate and the body panels, the company’s engineers will use advanced composites. As a result, the car will have a curb weight similar to that of a fully-loaded luxury sedan, promising to bring better fuel efficiency and increased performance. Some of the models are expected to deliver 33.3 mpg in the combined cycle.
Land Rover will use the same platform for the Range Rover Sport that will replace the LR4 model in the company’s lineup and it will be available for the first time in its history with a 7-seat configuration.
The photographers from Motor Authority have managed to grab a few spy shots with one of the prototypes while conducting some tests in Germany. Also known as the L405, the new generation of the Range Rover appears to be a little bit longer compared to the model you see on the roads today, while the roofline will be lowered significantly. As a result, the offroader will look smaller and it should have a lower drag.
As for the engines, most likely these will be borrowed from the current generation model, including here the V8 5.0-liter supercharged and naturally aspirated engines, along with a few new turbodiesels that will probably be available only in Europe since the U.S. is not a big fan of diesels. The British automaker will also be working on a hybrid version of the Range Rover that will be able to return somewhere around 33 mpg.
The new generation of the Land Rover Range Rover will probably make its official debut next March at the 2012 edition of the Geneva Motor Show or later on in April at the New York Auto Show.
Source: Motor Authority
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Spy shots – BMW 4-Series
The guys from Auto Express.co.uk have managed to grab a few spy shots with the upcoming BMW 4-Series which is set to go head-to-head with the very popular Audi A5. The two-door coupe is the first of the three standalone models that will be launched by BMW which will feature a bespoke styling and dynamic setup.
The car is scheduled to go on sale in the last part of 2013, followed later on by a cabrio version and a more practical 4-door “GranCoupe”. Even though the car we see in these photos is wearing a lot of camouflage, we are able to notice the lower front end and the wider grille, while at the back it has a more tapered and sleeker appearance that emphasizes on providing a sportier look.
The BMW 4-Series will be powered by most of the engine that are available for the 3-Series, including the one fitted to the 328i model which is a turbocharged 2.0-liter TwinPower gasoline unit that develops 242 hp, along with the more frugal 2.0-liter diesel available for the 320.
All of the models available in the 4-Series lineup will benefit from BMW’s EfficientDynamics technology, including stop/start and the brake recuperation system. The engines will be linked to either a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic transmission.
BMW is also working on the 3-Series GT crossover that is set to go on sale sometime in 2014. The vehicle will be larger, more spacious and comfortable than the regular 3-Series and it should have a longer wheelbase that will free up more room for the passengers sitting in the back. In addition, it will have a taller and bigger trunk compared to the regular model.
Source: Auto Express
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If you haven’t heard of Roding Roadster before, you should know that this is a mid-engined two-seater developed in Germany and it is scheduled to go into production in 2012. The UK-based Autocar photographers have managed to grab a few spy shots of a prototype while undergoing some tests.
The car is powered by a 6-cylinder, turbocharged engine which will develop somewhere around 300 hp while the maximum torque will be of 295 lb.-ft. The sports car will have a curb weight of only 950 kg and its main chassis will be built from carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP), while both subframes are aluminum-CFRP hybrid structures. As for the bodyshell of the Roding Roadster, it will be made from fiberglass sandwich panels.
The vehicle is expected to come with a 6-speed manual gearbox, a fully adjustable independent double wishbone suspension and a limited slip differential.
The Roading Roadster 23 will be a special edition of the model and it should make an appearance in spring 2012.
Source: Autocar
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Back in January 2010 at the Detroit Auto Show, we’ve seen an electric version of the Fiat 500 which was on Chrysler’s stand. In March the same year, Chrysler stated that its plans are to sell an electric 500 in the United States that would be developed by the automaker’s engineers at the Auburn Hills, Michigan headquarters. A prototype of that model has been spied this week while undergoing some test in Michigan, revealing its standard J-1772 charging port inside the open fuel filler cap.
The Fiat 500 EV will probably go into production in the second part of 2012 as a 2013MY and it will probably be called the 500 Elettra (Italian for “electric”). We don’t have many details about the car, except for the fact that it will come with lithium-ion cells provided by A123 Systems.
As for the price tag, Chrysler said that it will be “competitive with similar electric vehicles in the market”. As a reminder, the tiny (and ugly) Mitsubishi i costs from $29,125 while the Nissan Leaf is available from $35,200. Most likely, volumes of the 500 EV will be low only to allow Chrysler to meet the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate in California. The same recipe will probably be used for the upcoming Chevrolet Spark EV and the Toyota RAV4 EV.
Source: Green Car Reports | Photos: WCF
Post tags: Tags: Fiat, fiat 500 elettra, fiat 500 ev, fiat-500, Green, Spy Shots
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The guys from Auto Express have taken this week several spy shots with the Vauxhall Astra VXR while undergoing some tests before its official release which will happen sometime in the beginning of next year. The car will be able to do the 0-62 mph sprint in less than 6 seconds, en route to a maximum speed of more than 150 mph.
The new generation of the Astra VXR will be able to develop 300 hp, which is considerably more in comparison to the 237 hp of the outgoing model. Those ponies will be sent to the front wheels and it is expected to come as standard with a limited-slip differential.
As you probably know this by now, the model is based on the three-door GTC but it will come with bigger alloys, a more muscular bodykit and a rear spoiler. In addition, the Astra VXR will be equipped with cross-drilled Brembo brakes for additional stopping power.
The car is expected to carry a starting price of about 25,000 pounds.
Source: Auto Express
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