Land Rover prepping new Range Rover Sport originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Reader Spy: Is that you, Toyobaru? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

BMW M1 in camouflage - Click above to watch the video

Continue reading VIDEO: BMW M1 in mule-style camo?

VIDEO: BMW M1 in mule-style camo? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Spy Shots: Mazda CX-7 nip/tuck spotted originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Spy Shots: Cayman with bigger wheel arches, a mule for the S Sport? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Sep 2008 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Volvo XC60 Concept

Spy Shots: Volvo XC60 out playin' in the snow originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Jan 2008 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Rolls Royce RR4 - spy shots

Spy Shots: Baby Rolls nabbed originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Jan 2008 17:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With its Le Mans racing program soon to be bolstered by GT2 and LMP1 entries, and with sales of its ever-so-desirable GTs ever increasing, Aston Martin is preparing to add the four-door Rapide to its production line-up. And if this spy shot is any indication, things seem to be moving along nicely.

Aston was anticipated to decide by year's end where the Rapide would be built. Although the company just moved to a new facility in Gaydon, the automaker was reportedly in discussions with a number of smaller contractors - including Pininfarina, Karmann, Magna-Steyr and Valmet - over potentially outsourcing the Rapide's manufacturing. As we already know, these private coachbuilders are all in dire need of the contract.

Confirmation that Aston would build the Rapide was one of the first things its new owners did after acquiring the company from Ford, and we're looking forward to seeing the production version in the flesh after seeing this spy shot.

[Source: The Hollywood Extra]

Spy Shot: Aston Martin Rapide originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Jan 2008 09:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With the Clio and Laguna having recently undergone complete replacement, Renault is now turning its attention to its middle range, and the automotive paparazzi have caught camouflaged mules undergoing testing on the open road.

Scheduled to bow at next September's Paris show, the third-generation Megane is expected to do away with the current model's sharp creases in favor of a smoother silhouette. The spy shots show that the current Megane's distinctive upright curved rear glass will give way to a more streamlined greenhouse, drawing on the lines of the new Laguna sedan. The range is anticipated to include three-door and five-door hatches, an estate wagon, a two-door coupe and a hardtop convertible. The new Megane's normally-aspirated 1.4-liter base engine is expected to be replaced by the Clio's 1.2-liter turbo, but otherwise the engines should carry over from the current model's, ranging all the way to the 225-horsepower turbo Renaultsport version.

[Source: Auto Express]

Spy Shots: streamlined new Renault Megane originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Jan 2008 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It is a Lotus, it isn't a Lotus. It is a Lotus, it isn't a Lotus. Today we think it could be, despite earlier reports to the contrary. But whether that mysetrious test mule spotted with Lotus paperwork was actually a Lotus or not, the famed British sportscar company in fact does have a supercar planned for the near future. This right from the lion's mouth, the lion in this case being Lotus' American chief Mike Kimberly.

Not much is known about what form the car will take or what we'll find under the hood, but given Lotus' focus on handling as well as its current and past models, a mid-engine/rear-drive layout would be a safe bet. The supercar would cap a rapidly expanding range of sportscars for Lotus, and not just variants of the Elise like we have now. A new Esprit is on the way, despite powertrain-related set-backs, and the 2+2 known as "Project Eagle" is slated for debut at the British auto show before hitting the market in 2009.

The three new models are part of the company's plan to dramatically increase production from last year's 2,875 to 8,000 over the next several years.

[Source: Motor Authority]

Hah! So Lotus is working on a new supercar! originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Oct 2007 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Camaro Mule Caught Testing in the US

Spy Shots: Chevy Camaro mule caught Stateside originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Sep 2007 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Hello, what's this? Lambo SUV or Porsche GT Coupe? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Aug 2007 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Manufacturers testing development mules for upcoming models go to great lengths to camouflage their prototypes in order to hide from the public what they're working on. That never stops the motoring press, in print and in cyberspace, from speculating on what that the camouflage is disguising, usually with considerable accuracy. A certain set of spy shots, however, have been enigmatic, resulting in a number of different theories.

The spy shots in question show a two-door sports car being developed by Ferrari. We've speculated that the shots in question show an "entry level" Ferrari model, possibly to be labeled as a new Dino, despite Maranello's repeated denials with which, by now, we're all familiar. Our friends over at Motor Authority say it's a new model from sister-company Maserati, to be positioned below the new GranTurismo. The folks at Carscoop, meanwhile, insist that the prototype is more simply a convertible version of the aforementioned GT.

Continue reading Speculazione: Is this a new Maserati or the Ferrari Dino?

Speculazione: Is this a new Maserati or the Ferrari Dino? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Jul 2007 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The pre-production version of the car, previewed by the C-XF concept car at the Detroit show, is anticipated for unveiling in Frankfurt in September, in advance of expected delivery to begin next Spring.

If the concept car wasn't enough of an indication, the camouflaged test mule hints at what should be one sexy luxo-feline indeed. Click on to Jalopnik to see the full gallery of spy shots.

[Source: Jalopnik]

Spy Shots: Jaguar XF test mule in Frisco originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Jul 2007 15:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Abarth is returning to the scene with force. The historic Italian tuning house, long a part of the Fiat group, has been hard at work turning Fiat's models into hot hatches worthy of the scorpion badge's revival. At Geneva we saw the production preview of the Grande Punto Abarth, and the Abarth version of the newly-launched 500 retromobile is expected at Tokyo. With their work cut out for them, the Fiat Abarth team is pounding the test track developing the dynamic duo.

Both cars are anticipated to benefit from tightened-up suspensions, beefed-up brakes, revised bodywork, trim and badging, and two high-performance four-cylinder engines: one producing 150 horsepower, and an even more powerful version with output in the neighborhood of 180-200hp. With these kinds of hot hatches looming on the horizon, and a Bravo Abarth expected to follow shortly thereafter, the future is looking good.

[Source: World Car Fans]

Spy Shots: Fiat Abarth duo originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Jul 2007 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We know, we know... you've already seen spy shots of the upcoming Ferrari F430 Challenge Stradale. But we can't help but get excited for what promises to be one of the most tantalizing applications of the more-power-less-weight battle cry. We've seen what an improvement the formula made to the F430's predecessor, the 360 Modena, so stripping weight off the already faster-than-spit F430, tightening it up and squeezing a few extra prancing horses out of its screaming powerplant should make for an even hotter ride.

To recap, the 430 CS is anticipated to strip an additional 100 kg or so off the curb weight of its "ordinary" sister by stripping out non-essentials and replacing some of the sheet-metal with carbon-fiber body panels, all while boosting output by an extra 20 horsepower or so thanks primarily to a freer-flowing exhaust system with tips placed higher in the rear panel, like on the previous 360 CS.

These latest shots of the 430 CS test mule, which you can see in all their glory by following the link, were snapped at the Nurburgring and show a revised front end with what look like flared nostrils and a track that has apparently been even further widened over the already broad-shouldered F430. Slight changes, to be sure, but the fine-tuning of perfection has us eagerly counting down to its anticipated debut at the Frankfurt show in September.

[Source: Autowereld via Motor Authority]

Back in Black: Ferrari 430CS caught testing...again originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Jul 2007 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Autoblog Podcast #67 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Spy Video: Acura NSX mule originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 26 May 2007 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Spy Shots: 2009 Ford F-150 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 May 2007 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Our mates across the pond at PistonHeads say they've got it on good authority that Lamborghini is indeed producing a Superleggera version of the too-hot-to-handle Murcielago.

Eyebrows were raised when spy photogs snapped a Murcielago test mule running test laps around the Nurburgring's venerable Nordschleiff in Germany, sporting a big ol' wing on the back and what looks like carbon fiber body panels. If the reports are correct - and we hope they are - the Murcielago Superleggera will get the same treatment as its little brother, the Gallardo Superleggera, which was unveiled at the Geneva show. That means carbon fiber and composite components will help bring the weight down, while some tweaks to the engine will bring power up, resulting in a delicious increase to the supercar's power-to-weight ratio. It's too early to tell how much extra juice the stripped-down Lambo will get, but it should be a daunting task considering that the engine's output was already augmented for the LP640. Could we be seeing a 700 horsepower figure?

The report suggests an official unveiling of the Murcielago Superleggera in March 2008, but with Lamborghini's pledge to have a new attraction at every major auto show, we wouldn't be surprised - delighted, mind you, but not surprised - to see it take its first bow earlier than that.

[Source: PistonHeads]

REPORT: Murcielago Superleggera confirmed originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 May 2007 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.