Spy Shots

The Audi A3 was spotted testing on public roads with what appears to be a production-ready exterior. The hatchback is wrapped in camo from front to rear, but the headlamps, the grille, and other details hint at the company’s recent corporate look. The A3 was joined by the higher performance S3 model. While the regular A3 will break cover in 2019 and go on sale for the 2020 model year, the S3 will probably arrive later, most likely for the 2021 model year.

Just when it seemed like Chevrolet’s mid-engine Corvette was enough to make our knees weak in excitement, a report from Sportscar365 reveals that the American automaker is also developing a race car version of the mid-engine powerhouse. The race-dedicated website was able to get its hands on spy photos of a heavily camouflaged car that’s believed to be the mid-engine C8 Corvette race car. The photos were taken at Road America in Atlanta, which suggests that the car was doing some test runs in its natural habitat.

The next-generation Porsche 911 is still a few months away from its global debut, but we can already have a good look at its design thanks to a new batch of photos that show the car with absolutely zero camo!

It’s been four years since the Lexus RC has had any significant changes, but recent spy shots of an RC test mule suggests that updates are on the way for the Japanese automaker’s resident sports coupe. The spy photos don’t reveal much in the way of significant changes, but certain sections of the prototype are wrapped in camouflage, an indication that the expected updates are being concealed for the time being. Still, it looks like the Lexus RC is about to get a much-needed facelift, something that should’ve happened a long time ago.

Having revived the 8 Series after two decades, BMW is also planning to build a Gran Coupe version of the two-door. A concept car was shown at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, where it was confirmed that the 8 Series Gran Coupe "will take over as the new flagship model" for the brand. Come July 2018, and the production model was spotted on the road.

Much like the coupe, the production car will share many features with the concept. However, this test vehicle has a milder appearance, as it appears to be a standard model and not the M version we saw in Geneva. Our paparazzi actually spotted two cars. There’s a regular 8 Series on a trailer and a sportier version with the M Sport package stretching its wheels on the road. The final product could break cover by the end of 2018 and join a niche that already includes the Mercedes-Benz CLS and the Audi A7.

Continue reading to learn more about the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe

Lexus is working on a hotter RC F! It’s a sentence we’ve been dying to hear ever since the RC F was introduced for the 2015 model. Three years later, and it’s finally happening. With the RC coupe set to receive a facelift soon, Lexus is also testing a more hardcore version of the F model. Although it’s not yet confirmed for production, it will probably wear the RC F GT name first showcased on a concept car in 2016.

Aimed at the BMW M4 GTS and other beefed-up compact coupes that may follow soon, the RC F GT borrows heavily from the concept car. It features similar aerodynamics, as well as carbon-fiber body panels that reduce curb weight. An engine upgrade will add the extra oomph the RC F needs to compete with its turbocharged rivals, but the interior should get a few unique features as well. The coupe could debut by the end of 2018, but until that happens, let’s have a closer look at what we already know about it.

Continue reading to learn more about the upcoming Lexus RC F GT.

Lynk & Co may still be a foreign name to some people, but those who have followed the Geely-owned startup can attest that the company has made impressive strides since it launched its maiden model, the 01, back in 2016. Two years later, Lynk & Co have four models in development, including a sedan that goes by the name “03.” The four-door vehicle is still in the development stages, but recent spy shots of the model show a car that carries the same design imprint as the 01 and 02, wrapped up in a body of a sedan.

The new 2019 Porsche Cayman GT4 is on the way, and by all accounts, it’ll once again offer buyers an utterly untainted driving experience and faultless Stuttgart engineering. The up-and-coming performance machine was recently spied testing at the Nürburgring, and our carparazzi was on the scene to capture the coupe in full HD video as it attacked the fearsome race track.

Continue reading for the full story.

After more than two years of constant teasing and two concept cars, Lexus unveiled a new 2+2 coupe at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show. Dubbed LC500, the new coupe is stunning to look at, has a luxurious interior, and comes with a stout, naturally aspirated V-8 powerplant. Come 2018 and the Japanese firm is working on a beefed-up version with an "F" badge.

Despite having two extra seats and missing a V-10 powerplant, the LC500 is already being considered a successor to the mighty LFA. Granted, the two have very little in common as far as underpinnings go, but I can totally understand why Lexus enthusiasts are comparing it to the LFA. The LC500 has a strong presence, a low-slung stance, and it blends luxury and sportiness under the same roof. It’s nowhere near as powerful as the LFA, but what if Lexus is planning to release a more potent version later on? These new spy shots suggest that we may soon be able to buy an LC F model with more power and a more aggressive exterior.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2018 Lexus LC F.

The Ford Mondeo is spending a lot of time in front of the cameras these days. After being spotted frolicking in the snow in Sweden a few months ago, the Mondeo is back doing test runs, this time in the friendlier climate of Southern Europe. It’s also a different body type — it’s a wagon! — than the Mondeo prototype a few months ago, but the location of the camouflage remains the same, so the front and rear sections are still matters of speculation. Still, we get a good look at the Mondeo wagon’s entire body, giving us an indication of what to expect when it comes out.

Lynk & Co started out as a curious novelty, but since launching the intriguing 01 SUV in 2017, the Geely-owned start-up is now turning more than a few curious heads. In a span of a year, Lynk & Co has gone from launching the 01 to doing succeeding unveilings of the 02 and 03. Now, the brand’s fourth model — a hatchback — takes center stage, thanks in large part to a new batch of spy photos showing the car in proper prototype form, complete with thick black wraps and lots of camouflage. The model is tentatively called the "04," and it has the makings of being a serious challenger in a market dominated by heavyweights like the Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf, and Chevrolet Cruze.

Mercedes previewed the CLA-Class with the Concept Style Coupe, then a year later showed up at the Detroit Auto Show with the very first CLA-Class – a new entry-level model and the true baby of the Mercedes lineup. It’s essentially as CLS sized down a bit but features that trending four-door coupe body style that we’ve had to get used to. With that said, the CLA has been around for a while now, and 2020 will be the mark for the second-gen model to hit the market. That means it will debut in 2019, but that doesn’t matter because we’re already getting a good look at it now, and it looks very much like its bigger brother, the CLS. It will ride on the same platform as the new Mercedes A-Class and will even get the same engine lineup – including a pair of over-powered and brawny-for-their-size AMG models.

Update 07/25/2018: The Mercedes CLA has finally dropped some of its camo and was found playing on the Nurburgring. There’s still some time before it makes its debut but check out the spy shots section below to see the latest developments.

The second-generation Audi R8 is about to receive its mid-cycle facelift. We’ve already seen prototypes on public roads, and it seems that the Germans have prepared big changes for the facelift. It also seems that Audi is working on a higher performance version of the R8, possibly a successor to the GT model.

Although it has yet to confirm such a model, a new R8 GT makes sense given the fact that the second-gen supercar has yet to spawn any special editions yet. The original GT was discontinued back in 2013, while the LMX was produced in 2014 only. It’s been four years since Audi offered anything above the R8 Plus, so it’s about time the German brand gave the supercar a performance bump. A beefed-up R8 could arrive in 2019, but until we find out more about that, let’s take a closer look at what upgrades it may get.

Continue reading to learn more about the Audi R8 GT.

The first generation of the Mercedes-Benz B-Class subcompact five-door MPV arrived back in 2006, lasting until 2011. The second generation hit the scene a year later and continues to occupy dealership lots the world over. The current generation received a facelift back in 2014, so it’s about time for an update. As such, Mercedes has a fleet of test mules out on public roads, once again offering entry-level luxury in a small, yet practical package.

With a debut expected for later this year or early in 2019, our carparazzi managed to capture the third-gen as it underwent final testing, including recent summer testing and cold-weather testing late last year. The new B-Class is expected to carry the internal codename W247, as well as evolved styling cues, the latest Mercedes-branded infotainment goods, and a slew of engine options pulled from the Mercedes parts bin. Read on for our full speculative review.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2019 Mercedes-Benz B-Class.

The Hyundai i40 is the latest car to go around the Nurburgring in full camouflage gear. Naturally, it means that it’s also the latest car to be caught out testing ahead of what looks to be a 2019 debut. Hyundai’s mid-sized, Europe-facing sedan is ripe for an update, hence the sight of the swirly wrapped prototype making runs at the ‘Ring earlier this week. There’s not much to look at for now, but the spy photos do give us some ideas on what we can expect when the updated i40 starts losing its camo skin.

The second-generation Audi R8 was launched in 2015 and, despite rumors that it may be discontinued, the supercar will live on for at least a few more years. The facelifted version of the R8 coupe was spotted on public roads back in March, and now the Spyder model surfaced with similar updates.

While notable changes make sense for a mid-cycle refresh, word has it that the Spyder in out latest shots could be more than just a facelift. Audi may be working on a beefed-up version of the supercar that could carry an "RS" or "GT" badge. With the nameplate likely to go into the history books in a few years, the Germans might be looking to give it a proper send-off with a more aerodynamic and powerful version. Unfortunately, Audi is still mum on the details, so we won’t know for sure until the company spills the beans or the camo comes off. Meanwhile, let’s have a closer look at what the updated R8 Spyder might bring to the table.

Continue reading to learn more about the upcoming Audi R8 Spyder.

The updated Lexus RC F was recently caught testing at the Nurburgring with the bottom half of its body wrapped in camouflage. The upper half was displayed for all of us to see, but Lexus still did a pretty good job to mask the changes it made to the performance sedan. We do get a good look at some of the changes, but for the most part, the updated RC F is hiding some of the good stuff away from us. That’s not going to stop us from putting our detective hats on, though, because this is one car that we’ve been waiting a long time to see.

The latest Honda Civic Type R was introduced just a year ago, but the Japanese firm is already working on a facelift. A revised prototype with mild camouflage over its front and rear fascias was spotted testing on public roads, and it seems that Honda is planning to replace the hatchback with an updated version in 2019.

When BMW joined the SUV market with the X5 back in 1999, little did we know that the German manufacturer will become such an important player in this segment. But in a little more than a decade, the Bavarian brand has launched no fewer than four different crossovers. Come 2018 and a flagship X7 is ready to join the lineup.

The Bavarian brand made an announcement about the X7 in 2014, when it revealed that it will be built at the company’s plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, which also produces the X3, X5, X5 M, X6, and X6 M models. There’s no word as to when the X7 will make its public debut, but it should break cover in the second half of 2018, most likely at the Paris or Los Angeles Auto Show. When it arrives in showrooms, it will become BMW’s largest offering yet and will enable the German manufacturer to compete against SUVs such as the Mercedes-Benz GLS, Range Rover, and even the Cadillac Escalade.

Meanwhile, we have the X7 Concept, the brand-new X5, and a few X7 prototypes to give us some info on the upcoming SUV.

Updated 07/16/2018: Our spy photographers caught the upcoming BMW X7 out in the wild again, and this time they were also able to snap some pictures of the interior too.

Continue reading to learn more about the upcoming BMW X7.

The Toyota Supra made its dynamic debut at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed this week, but the fact that the company drove a camouflaged prototype on the Hillclimb course came as a disappointment. However, we at least got confirmation that there will be a six-cylinder engine under the hood. What’s more, we got a glimpse inside the cabin, and despite the camouflage, we did see some of the car’s design and features.