Autoblog

Move along, hardly anything to see here. Still, it's always interesting to chart the changes. KGP photographers demonstrated the importance of keeping the glovebox stocked with trailmix, which allows these sharp shooters to outlast their quarry driving around in preproduction mules of upcoming models. Mazda's new 6 has already had its exterior snapped (see gallery below), but the interior has also received some attention. A new steering wheel is the most noticeable change compared to the already-revealed European model, though the instruments are also tweaked and the start button has been relocated closer to the shifter. Hopefully we'll meet the new 2009 Mazda6 in person in just a couple weeks at the 2008 New York Auto Show, because if not, we'll have to wait until at least the end of year at the next LA Auto Show.


[Source: Inside Line]

click above for more high-res pics of the BMW 135i

If you're still frothing at the mouth for anything having to do with the new BMW 1-Series coupe, some new photos have found their way onto the internet. It's still a 3-series that was left in the dryer too long, but the new shots show the car off in its best possible light. There's been a lot of talk about the 135 being a return to the roots of what propelled BMW to such greatness, with alphanumerics like E30 M3 and 2002tii flying about. The 135i certainly holds its own stylistically, even if it is not possessed of the same delicacy of line as its forebears. The 135i appears hefty, like a block of dense marble carved by a skilled artisan, and when you get right down to it, that's what it is. We've babbled enough, check out the gallery. Thanks for the tip, Horatiu!

[Source: edbmw]

Volvo is working hard to finish development on the production version of its XC60 CUV before it goes on sale later in 2008. We'll see the official unveiling in Geneva most likley, and the concept has certainly whetted our appetite. Aimed at the smaller end of the premium CUV market, the XC60 will take on comers like the BMW X3 and the upcoming Mercedes Freeside, as well as the Land Rover LR2, with which the XC60 shares pieces and corporate parents.

AutoExpress has posted spy shots of an XC60 dressed for modesty cavorting in the snow. Comparing the mule to shots of the concept shows that the major points of the design are headed for the showroom after some tweaking. The changes are pretty minor, the door handles change, the roofline appears to be a little higher, though still with the same profile, so you might actually be able to load things in the production car. It does look like the curvaceous taillights are headed for reality, only slightly changed, too. The pictures don't offer any insight as to whether the trick two-piece hatch from the concept will make it to the public, and we're going to bet that the all-white interior will be ditched for something less cleaning-intensive, too. For the most part, what we saw in the concept is what we'll be able to buy in early 2009.

[Source: Auto Express]

Hours upon hours of lying prone on the frozen tundra of the Arctic Circle have paid off for KGP's hardcore spy shooters. An upright test mule has been spotted running around at BMW's facility in the frozen hinterlands. There have been rumors of a smaller Roller swirling about, and these shots seem to support the conjecture. BMW's 7-series will reportedly serve as the basis for the new luxury whip, and the car in the photos appears identical to the surrounding 7's from the A-pillar back. The stiff upper lip has likely been grafted on to facilitate cooling and airflow for the engine room. Plus, you could do worse than an E65 with a better schnoz and an old-world interior. Check out all five spy shots in the gallery below.

Before its highly-anticipated unveiling at the Geneva show in March, Alfa Romeo has been leaking mere glimpses at its upcoming entry-level hatchback. Tentatively known as the "Junior" after Alfa scrapped its own online naming contest, the hatchback is based on sister company Fiat's Grande Punto platform, but with even more sumptuous Italian styling and a range of engines.

These latest images appear to have been prepared for its brochure, but have somehow found their way out of the factory and into cyber-space. None of the images, which can be seen after the jump, reveal anything more than some close-up details, but the when Alfa takes the wraps off its latest, it should give the Mini a run for its money.

[Source: Progretti955 via Carscoop]

We've already seen some undisguised pictures of Kia's handsome new midsize SUV, but the vehicle just launched officially in Korea as the Mohave. Official launch means official pictures, and that's what we have here, a ton of really beautiful images of what we'll soon know as the Borrego. Not that Borrego, this one sports a full frame, seating places for seven, and the choice of Kia's strong-like-bull V6 or their first V8. The wisdom of introducing a new body-on-frame SUV at this point, especially in light of the coming new CAFE rules, might be questionable, but the vehicle itself is handsome and it's hard to deny the inherent value that Kia bakes into its cars. We'll check the Borrego out in person when it makes it's US debut at the Detroit Auto Show. In the meantime, Carscoop unearthed a lot of great pictures to tide us over.

[Source: Kia via Carscoop]

It was only natural. A bunch of autopundits picks up on reports of a camouflaged vehicle with supercar intent ripping around the English countryside, and we automatically think "Lotus." Wrong. The story isn't so black and white. The car itself is a Spectre, and it was spotted with Lotus paperwork in it at one point, adding to the speculation that it could be "Project Eagle," the recently announced Lotus 2+2. What's more likely is that C2P Automotive, Spectre's sister company, was hiring some help in from Lotus Engineering. The 7-liter engine is also reportedly not a GM unit, but rather a new bespoke powerplant. So, we're no closer to seeing any new blossoms at Lotus, but at least there's something cool to look at in the meantime.

[Source: LLN]

After giving the world the Black Series CLK at the New York Auto show as a fortieth birthday present, the gang at AMG are at it again. A very special Mercedes-Benz SL has been spotted being prepared at AMG's Nürburgring shop. Like the CLK, the SL gets modified bodywork to cover the steamroller tires and will undoubtedly get an extra helping of power. So far there's no word on when we'll see it officially or how much power it will have, but the smart money is on something involving a "63" badge on the boot.

[Source: Winding Road]

You might not have known from looking at it, but even after the second-generation new MINI came out, the convertible version carried on from the previous incarnation. But the BMW subsidiary has been hard at work on its replacement, set to join the standard hatchback and the upcoming Clubman wagon in the lineup ahead of the crossover version.

Opting for a soft top instead of a folding metal roof, the new MINI cabrio's is fully automatic and features an intriguing half-fold mechanism that allows the driver to open just the top instead of the entire roof to expose just the front two seats to the open air, targa-style. Reports also suggest that the fixed chrome roll-over hoops behind the rear seat headrests on the outgoing model will be ditched in favor of deployable emergency units.

The rear-angle spy shot, meanwhile, shows that with the roof up or halfway open, rearward visibility will be severely compromised, with enormous C-pillars creating large blind spots. Guess that means drivers will just have to keep the top down altogether. Oh well.

[Source: Auto Express]

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]