Tag Archives: spy shots
3 Things To Know About The 2019 Audi SQ8
The latest Audi Q8 was introduced back in June 2018. It is the company’s latest SUV offering and competes with a market dominated by BMW X6, Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe, and the Porsche Cayenne. Now that the regular Q8 is ready to hit dealerships, Audi is looking at expanding its existing lineup with a performance-oriented SQ8.
Exterior
In terms of design, it would take a truly Audi expert to notice the difference between the Q8 and the SQ8. There isn’t as much chrome as on the regular model while the grille inserts are black. But any difference stops there. The SQ8 has the same wide Singleframe grille with sharp corners, slender headlamps with LED technology, and the same bumper with massive vents on the sides. The engine hood remains the same though the Q8 has a sporty hood that fits the character of the SQ8 quite well.
On the sides, the only differences are the all-black mirror caps, the black roof rails, and twin five-spoke wheels with the beefed-up brake calipers behind it. At the back, the skid plate has been replaced by a diffuser-like element and there were four oval tips instead of the rectangular exhaust outlets.
Interior
The insides of the SQ8 speaks premium material, though it will have the same layout as the regular Q8. A continuous air vent strip will run at the top of the dashboard while the lower section, finished in gloss black, will house the infotainment display. There are two different screens—a 10.1-inch screen in the center stack and the smaller 8.6-inch screen above the center console.
The seats will be wrapped in fine leather with a diamond-quilt pattern, though there might be an option for sportier seats in the SQ8. Technology included are the LTE Advanced data transfer, Wi-Fi hotspot, a navigation system with intelligent suggestions, and Car-to-X services for traffic and hazard information as standard. There will be an optional Audi Connect key that will allow you to lock, unlock, and start the vehicle from an Android smartphone.
Drivetrain
We don’t have the exact details yet about the engines, but we believe that the SQ8 can use the same engine as the SQ7—a turbodiesel V8 engine that produces 435 horsepower and 660 pound-feet of torque. That’s enough to take on the X6 M50d.
Photo Source: Motor Authority
3 Changes We Should Expect From The 2020 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
We’ve got spy shots of the new 2020 Mercedes-Benz S-Class and it looks like there will be a major redesign of its exterior and the interior. The German automaker said that sales of its flagship model, which is a big seller in China, Germany, South Korea and the United States, increased by 27.5 percent to 43,106 units for the first half of this year.
Exterior
The spy shots reveal a flattering temporary grille that’s reworked along with the front camera and Intelligent Drive sensors. There are also new bubble-shaped multibeam LED front headlights that flank the grille bits, as well as a beefier hood above it. The door handles appear longer than this year’s model. It might even follow in the footsteps of the Tesla Model S with the handles flushed inside the door.
At the back, the redesigned LED lights are hidden under the temporary units, though they are sleeker, wider, and wrapped around the upper rear panels.
Interior
Inside, there’s a big panoramic roof that lets the light inside. That dashboard has a long, one-panel flat screen while a second screen appears to be in the vertical orientation in the center console. The spy shots showed everything covered up but judging from the space, there could be enough for a 12-inch screen or something even larger.
Above that second screen is a new venting system with four rectangular vents. This replaced the rounded ones used in the last model.
Powertrain
The spy shots have yet to tell which engine is being used, but we’re sure that the car will come with either an inline-six or twin-turbo V-8 engine with electrification that will boost power and fuel economy. There might be a plug-in in the future and an all-electric range of over 30 miles should be expected as well.
More details about the 2020 Mercedes-Benz S-Class are expected to arrive in the coming weeks.
3 Things We Noticed In The 2019 Kia Proceed GT
The five-door 2019 Kia Proceed GT was just spotted in the open, and we now have a pretty clear idea of how the fastback is going to look like once it’s revealed at the 2018 Paris Motor Show in October.
To be clear, Kia hasn’t exactly confirmed when the release will be, but all signals point to the Paris Auto Show.
Exterior
The spy shots of Motor1 show the upcoming Proceed GT with a covered front section, doors, and rear section. But thanks to a bit of wild imagining, we got a pretty good idea of how the auto is going to look like without all that wrap.
The front grille will be the traditional Kia grille, though with the “GT” badge on it. The headlamps are the same as the regular Ceed, and the side air intakes, huge alloy wheels, and red brake calipers all point to a car with serious sporting credentials.
The Proceed is very much a fastback, thanks to the sweeping roof that extends to the rear section. There are large taillights at the rear, including a pair of exhaust tips on opposite ends of the sedan.
Interior
We didn’t get many snaps of the Proceed’s interior, but let’s just say that it will be similar to the concept, which had a 50s-inspired, retro-style cabin. The concept had Kia changing the color of the instrument cluster depending on the driving mode. It also had a carbon fiber spine that runs up to the front seat. We don’t know if these are exactly what we’d come to expect from Kia, but this or a more traditional cabin will be more than enough for fans.
Powertrain
Kia said that the Proceed GT will get a 1.6-liter four-cylinder turbo engine that can deliver around 200 horsepower.
This figure could change as production day nears, but it’s doubtful that the South Korean automaker would bring more power to the Proceed GT. If it will, the five-door fastback will officially step on the Stinger’s toes. The Stinger has a 2.0-liter engine that produces 255 ponies.
3 Things You Should Know About The 2019 Porsche 911 Speedster
Though it’s about to retire, nothing could stop Porsche from fitting the current-generation 911. Spy photos of an uncovered Porsche 911 Speedster have been revealed by TopSpeed, and let’s just say, the sports car looks absolutely sexy.
Exterior
Save for its soft top, the two-seater 911 Speedster followed the styling cues of the 911 GT3, which is available in coupe only. The bumper is identical to the GT3 with its large vents on the sides and wide intake on the middle.
And just like the GT3, the rear fenders are wider, which is enough to house the middle-mounted exhaust with two pipes. The engine lid has a unique and interesting-looking spoiler, but this could change as the car nears production.
Interior
The interior of the 911 Speedster will be better than the 911 Carrera. That’s about the only info we can get from the rumors. The interior can be a cross between the standard 911 and the GT3, and it could have the standard features available for the Carrera T. These features are the Sport Seats Plus package that carries with it sportier, four-way adjustable seats with integrated headrests and contrast stitching.
When it comes to the technology available, we’re pretty sure that the 911 Speedster will be fitted with the Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system with online navigation and real-time traffic information, the Connect Plus module, and the Track Precision app.
Performance
The new model will most probably carry the same engine as the Carrera GTS, though this will fail to be faster because it lacks the aerodynamics. The 3.0-liter flat-six engine should give 450 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. It will be paired to a seven-speed PDK transmission that will enable the Speedster to reach 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds.
The Speedster will cost more than the 911 GT3 because there will only be 1,948 units produced. The Speedster might cost a whopping $150,000 before options.
The Kia Telluride Spy Shots Look A Lot Like the SUV’s 2016 Concept Model
We first saw the concept for the larger sport utility vehicle Kia Telluride back in 2016. These spy shots prove that the Telluride is on its way to production form, thanks largely to the uncovered front grille and headlights.
The spy shots from Autoblog reveal that the Telluride uses much of the same design shown in the 2016 concept. It has the same square and blocky design that features a tall, sheer, slightly upturned nose. The grille is broader but it curves a bit backward towards the headlights, allowing for a softer facade. The grille also has a slightly upward angle and the headlights have increased in size compared with the concept. And instead of being an inset, the headlights wrap around the fender.
The sides and the rear of the Telluride have more camouflage but that didn’t stop us from having a look at what this new SUV from Kia will offer. The details are taken straight out from the concept and that includes the chrome trim that surrounds the windows. It has a little extension that leads to the B-Pillar.
The rear taillights feature the concept’s inverted L-shaped lights, though the lights on the production model span the full width of the rear hatch.
There is no word yet on the powertrains that will be available for the Telluride. But seeing that this is a mid-sized SUV, we should probably look at the engines available in the Sorrento. Back when it was first introduced as a concept, reports indicated that it would have a 3.5-liter gasoline direct injected V-6 machine that produces 270 horsepower combined with an electric motor that can produce 130 horsepower.
The Telluride should be ready for production in about a year. A report earlier this year said that the announcement will be coming in the near future. The latest spy shots we got here might look exactly like the production version, so we already have a good sense of how the Telluride will look in our garages.
A Look Back at the 2016 Kia Telluride Concept
Let’s revisit the 2016 concept of the Kia Telluride in the video below that comes with a cool remix of Ennio Morricone’s masterpiece:
Coming Soon: The 2019 Audi A6 Allroad
At first, the prototype for the new Audi A6 Allroad looks like an old test mule for the Audi A6 Avant, but the higher stance makes us believe we’re looking at the new A6 Allroad, which is slated to arrive in dealerships early next year.
The prototype is heavily camouflaged, so it’s hard to make out details from that. Though there’s no official word yet from Audi, the A6 Allroad looks to be riding on a higher stance than the standard A6 Avant. Look at the photos more closely, and you’ll notice that the A6 Allroad has more space between the car and the road.
The A6 Allroad shares the same aesthetics as the standard A6 Avant. They have the same headlamps and front grille combo, though the bumper, the fenders, and the side sills are wider and more flared than the Avant.
As far as the interior is concerned, the new A6 Allroad should share similarities with the Avant. The deep panels would showcase itself again on the Allroad, as well as the dashboard and center console configuration. It should also have the new seats with its ventilation and massage functions.
The instrument cluster will feature the new Virtual Cockpit by Audi. It will house a 12.3-inch digital readout that will provide all the important information and details about the car. Drivers would have to get used to the new cockpit, but this has the potential to become one of the most important features in an Audi vehicle.
There’s nothing new on the powertrain front, unless Audi has a surprise for us. The A6 Allroad will likely feature the same engine options as the standard Avant, except for the four-cylinder units. That being said, this means that the base model would come off a 3.0-liter TFSI V-6 engine that can produce 340 horses and 369 pound-feet of torque. Of course, Audi could tune up the output for the engine. The V-6 engine would most likely be paired with a seven-speed S Tronic automatic transmission.
The Audi A6 Allroad should be revealed at the 2018 Paris Motor Show, and would be available in dealerships sometime in 2019.
3 Things To Know About The 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
The 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera will be based on the convertible Volante version, and that is why when it was seen testing at the Nurburgring, we knew exactly what we are looking at. The coupe version looks exactly like the convertible but with the DB11’s hard top and floating roof design.
Aggressive Wheels
Although the DBS Superleggera and the Volante share some design language, there will be stark differences in terms of its overall look. The most obvious difference, based on the spy shots, is the set of wheels. The Volante has simple, thin, split five-spoke wheels while the DBS Superleggera would have a more aggressive and overly-styled set of wheels that still feature the five spokes. There’s a wide opening behind the front wheels and the wide sills extend backward from the opening and merges eventually with the rear fenders.
Upgraded Rear End
There are more differences at the back. There’s a bigger diffuser at the rear bumper and the exhaust tips now share the same size. Remember that in the Volante, there were small outboard units. The taillights are covered up, but we can see from the shots that they appear to be simpler than those found in the convertible.
DB11 Interior
The new Aston looks a lot like the interior of the DB11, and we were expecting that. But since the exterior changes are quite comprehensive and if those are any indication, we can expect a couple of more changes in the interior of the DBS Superleggera.
If you are interested, you won’t have to wait long to see the final production output. Aston Martin said that it would reveal the DBS Superleggera this month. It is set to be the company’s new flagship sports car and it could have as much as 700 horsepower.
3 Things We Know About The 2020 Chevrolet Suburban
We finally caught a glimpse of the first prototype for the redesigned Chevrolet Suburban, which will likely come out as a 2020 model.
The spy shots revealed a few clues about how the new Suburban will look like, especially based on the T1XX body-on-frame platform that Chevrolet used on the recently revealed 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500.
1. New Platform
General Motors is currently in the process of redesigning its full-sized fleet using the T1XX platform that suits both SUVs and pickups. This platform is an evolution coming from the K2XX platform. This new one will use aluminum rather than steel to shed some pounds off the new Suburban. The 2020 SUV will likely be 300-pounds lighter, according to reports.
2. Design Borrowed From Silverado
There’s a lot of camouflage on the prototype, but it looks like the face and the headlight especially will be based on the latest Silverado. Though the engineers tried to hide the vehicle’s rear axle, we can see that there’s an independent rear suspension rather than the solid rear used on the current generation Silverado. The new Ford Expedition is likely the culprit to this change.
3. More Powertrains
There will be a wider range of powertrains for the new Suburban. It is very likely that we will see General Motors’ new 2.7-liter turbocharged inline-4 with cylinder deactivation fitted. This powertrain can produce 310 horsepower and 348 pound-feet of torque. This has been confirmed for the new Silverado.
There’s another powertrain: a 5.3-liter V-8 engine with advanced Dynamic Fuel Management cylinder deactivation technology. The top-of-the-line is a 6.2-liter V-8 machine that churns out a whopping 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. This engine is currently in the Suburban RST trim.
The new Suburban will likely arrive in late 2018 or early next year, and will be followed by a redesigned version of the smaller Tahoe.
New BMW X5 To Feature The Latest iDrive Infotainment System
BMW has confirmed that a new model under its X series will become available by the end of this year. The BMW X5 will also be the best platform for the German brand to feature its latest iDrive infotainment system.
The new fourth-generation BMW X5 will be revealed most likely at the Paris Motor Show in September, and might become available in dealerships around the end of 2018. This information was confirmed by BMW head Harald Kruger during BMW’s 98th annual general meeting. This will be the fourth X model to arrive this year, after the X2, the new X3, and the X4.
This new SUV will be the first vehicle to feature BMW’s latest iDrive infotainment technology, which is called the BMW Operating System 7.0. The same system will also be featured in the upcoming 3 Series saloon and the flagship X7.
The spy shots revealed a lot about the evolutionary design language that BMW has used for the X5. As a rival to the Range Rover Sport and Porsche Cayenne, the photos showed the company’s latest hexagonal lighting signature even when it is completely covered in camouflage.
CLAR Platform
The current X5, which was introduced in 2013, is still using the same platform as the second-generation X5 from 2006. The biggest challenge then is finding a suitable platform for the new X5, and this could be the CLAR platform, which has already transitioned from the saloon to the SUV in the latest X3. On the latter, the platform has already shed off 55kg off the kerbweight. The larger X5 will have more saving in terms of weight and fuel efficiency.
The new X5 will follow the 5 Series’ four- and six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines.
SUV sales for BMW grew rapidly in the past decade as this segment continues to be the main focus of customers. The company hopes to build on that success when the X5 is revealed later this year.
3 Things To Expect From The 2020 Audi SQ3
The Audi SQ3 is the sporty and level-up version of Audi’s second-generation Q3 crossover, which will be unveiled in late July. The SQ3 will come with the trademark aggressive S styling treatment and four exhaust pipes.
This performance version of the Q3 will match the power output of the outgoing RS Q3, which will have a new iteration of Audi’s turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-five that produces at least 400 horsepower later on. The RS Q3 was not released to the American market, making the SQ3 much more in demand and anticipated.
1. Platform
Like the base model Q3, the Audi SQ3 will use the Volkswagen Group’s MQB modular-transverse platform that is being used by a wide range of vehicles—from the small VW Polo to the Atlas SUV. The SQ3 will be similar in size to the current model, but the suspension will be tuned aggressively for minimum roll and sporty handling characteristics.
2. Powertrain
The Audi SQ3 will have the same EA888 turbocharged 2.0-liter four engine that can now be found in the Audi S3 and the Volkswagen Golf R. It can produce around 300 horsepower and can go from complete stop to 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds. It will have a top speed of 155 mph. The engine will come standard with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and Quattro all-wheel drive. We don’t have information on other powertrains available for higher-end versions.
3. Estimated Arrival and Price
The Audi SQ3 is expected to arrive in the United States in 2019 as a 2020 model. There is no information yet about the prices, but it will have a starting price of $45,000. Other variants will go north of that range with the available options offered to the vehicle.
The 2020 Audi SQ3 is competing directly with the BMW X2 and the Mercedes-AMG GLA45.
Spy Shots
Here are some spy shots of the Audi SQ3 from CarAndDriver:
