Detroit Show Lexus LF-LC Sports Coupe Photo Scans Leak on the Web

While Lexus was planning a slow strip tease for its 2012 Detroit Motor Show-bound sports coupe concept, the folks over at Autoblog.com discovered a video teaser from the 2012 February issue of Road & Track magazine, giving us our first look at the car, which will carry the LF-LC moniker.

We don’t get any additional information on the rakish concept model, though in one of the photos, it looks like there's a "HYBRID" badge right in front of the rear wheel arch.

Lexus has previously told us that the design of the LF-LC would hint at a new design direction for the brand's future models.

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SPIED: 2013 Volvo V40 Snagged Playing Around in the Snow [with Video]

In what could be our final round of spy photos of the upcoming Volvo V40 (or at least those picturing prototypes with heavy camouflage), our diligent spies snapped the five-door hatchback model as it was completing its winter tests on the snow.

Volvo Cars CEO Stefan Jakoby gave us a sneak peek of the new V40 at an interview with Hakan Matson, chairman of the European Car of the Year Jury, on Friday, where he also revealed that the car will be officially introduced at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show next March.

During the interview, Jakoby said that he is "extremely positive" and "really excited" about the V40, which will be positioned against the five-door variants of the Audi A3 and BMW 1-Series as well as the Lexus CT200 h.

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U SPY in California: Meet the New 2013 Hyundai Elantra Hatchback

We knew Hyundai was preparing a successor to its North American Elantra Touring based on the freshly revealed in Europe i30 series, but we weren't entirely sure if the Korean company would go down the same path offering an estate version or if it would opt for the hatchback model.

To explain, in Europe, the current generation of the Elantra Touring is sold as the i30 CW (or Estate in the UK), which is the station wagon version of the outgoing i30 series.

Our California scoopster, Alfred Hong, caught up with the replacement of the Elantra Touring, and as you can clearly see from these pictures, it is based on the five-door hatchback model and not the future estate.

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SPIED: 2013 BMW 3 or 4 Series Convertible with Retractable Hardtop

Until BMW makes an official statement on what it has decided to name the replacements for today's 3-Series Coupe and Convertible models, we'll have to keep using both the 3- and 4-Series monikers to describe the two-door body styles of the Bavarian maker's most popular model.

Over the past few months and aside from the official presentation of the sedan in October, we have shown you spy shots of the next M3 sedan, the 3-Series Touring, the 3 or 4-Series Coupe, and the 3- or 4-Series Gran Turismo fastback, but this is the first time we're sharing scoops of the Convertible model.

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SPY SHOTS: Six-Cylinder BMW M3 F30 Sedan Spotted on the Road

With the unveiling of the 2012 BMW 3 Series sedan all done and dusted, the Bavarian automaker's engineers have now turned their focus on the other variants of the F30 series including the flagship M3 sedan that was captured by our spies testing on the streets of Germany in a fairly light disguise.

While BMW has done its best to hide the most telling styling features of the M3 such as the shape of the front and rear bumpers, the pictures expose the car's muscular front and rear fenders that house larger alloy wheels and brake sets, as well as the beefier rocker panels.

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Second Video Teaser on BMW's New X6 Powered by M, Likely Sports a Diesel Engine

While BMW officials remain extremely tight lipped on what's hiding under the hood of their brand new X6 Powered by M model, the company has published a second video teaser of the sporty crossover.

This time, along with the new blurred views of the X6 Powered by M, we also get to hear some statements from BMW M's people.

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SPIED: Porsche's New Cajun SUV Plays Hide and Seek Under Audi Q5 Skin

Porsche is continuing the development of its much-anticipated Cajun compact SUV with testing now taking place in the snow-covered areas of northern Sweden.

If you're wondering what's the deal with the modified body of the Audi Q5, being that the two crossover models will share their platform and key hardware including engines, steering, transmission, axles and even Audi's Quattro four-wheel-drive system, Porsche engineers are using these early test mules to evaluate the Cajun's riding gear.

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2013 Mercedes-Benz SL Roadster Brochure Scans Leak onto the Web

It’s no secret that Mercedes-Benz has almost completed work on the next iteration of its SL roadster, as the German company itself recently published several technical details along with official shots of the car, albeit still wrapped up in camouflage.

However, if these leaked scanned images of the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL brochure turn out to be true – and from what we can tell, they seem genuine, you can get your first gander at Stuttgart new roadster model in the gallery after the jump.

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SCOOP: Mercedes-Benz GLK SUV Prepares for its First Facelift

Approximately three years have passed since Mercedes-Benz launched the GLK crossover onto the market (and let's not forget, after making its chic promotional premiere at the "Sex and the City" movie…), so it's time for a customary mid-life facelift, which should arrive in showrooms next year.

Our spies snapped the freshened-up 2013 GLK with minimal camouflage during some cold weather testing in Northern Sweden.

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Scoop: Peugeot Mule-Testing 308's Replacement, which will Likely be Named 301

Peugeot usually designs beautiful cars. The mid-1980's 309 wasn’t one of them, perhaps because it was originally meant to replace the Chrysler/Simca/Talbot Horizon – until Peugeot axed the Talbot brand, and thus the 309 was born.

Almost no one really missed it when it was replaced in 1993 by the much more coherent 306 (though the 309 continued to be built in India until the late 1990s).

And the reason why we're telling you all this is because the 308's replacement, a test mule of which is featured in these scoops, will most likely be named 301, a moniker last used in the 1930s, to avoid any connection with the unloved 309.

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SPY SHOTS: 2013 Audi A3 Heads to Sweden for Winter Tests

Last time we caught up with the next generation of the Audi A3, Ingolstadt's engineers were testing the three-door hatchback in Argentina. Now, we've spied Audi's premium compact model half way across the world while testing in northern Sweden.

The third iteration of the A3 series will mark a switch to the Volkswagen Group’s brand-new flexible MQB architecture that will be shared with a myriad of models including the next generations of the VW Golf and even the Passat.

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Santa's Not So Secret New Ride: The Jaguar XF Sportbrake

We assume that it won't be long before Jaguar pulls the final wraps off its new XF Sportbrake, especially since the British carmaker has just posted on its Twitter page that "all will be revealed in the New Year".

In addition, Jaguar seems to have embraced the…marketing spirit of Christmas releasing one more shot of its executive estate model, this time with Santa Claus filling its boot with gifts.

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Patent Scoop: Is Toyota Readying Sports Version of the iQ?

During the world premiere of the new Toyota 86 sports coupe at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, the firm's global President Akio Toyoda made it crystal clear that his company is committed to produce more 'fun-to-drive' cars in the near future.

But don’t take it from us, read what Toyoda said:

"Today it is said that young people have little interest in cars as there are much more interesting things. As an automobile maker, I find this quite frustrating. It is for this reason that we are committed to making cars that will evoke this feeling of 'fun to drive, again' in as many people as possible. This is Toyota's declaration."

While the 86 is the only real sports car in Toyota's current range, we would like to think that Toyoda wouldn't make such a statement without standing behind it, which is why we found these official patent images of a sported up iQ (sold as a Scion in North America) very interesting.

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SPIED: Mystery Peugeot 5008 Prototype Caught Out on the Snow

Our scoop photographers have snagged a prototype of the Peugeot 5008 minivan while testing on the snow-covered roads of Germany.

The only visible differences between the production version of the 5008 and the test car seen here are the prototype's widened front and rear fenders.

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SPIED: Mercedes-Benz's Three-Row 2013 GL-Class SUV Shows More Skin

Mercedes-Benz seems set to rejuvenate its entire lineup within the next couple of years. Now, one of our wily spies has caught yet another snap of a new Mercedes-Benz model, the second generation of the GL-Class that was snagged testing with reduced camouflage in Europe.

The new Mercedes-Benz ML-Class that forms the base for the longer 2013 GL-Class has already set the tone so don't expect any surprises on the design front.

That said, the three-row crossover model will look a lot like the vehicle it replaces combining a rising beltline and upright profile with the squared nose and other styling details of the newer ML.

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SPY SHOTS: New Mercedes-Benz B25 AMG Caught Sneaking Out in the Open

Here's our first glimpse at Mercedes-Benz's hottest new B-Class model yet, which is being prepared by none other than the German firm's AMG division and is expected to enter production by 2013.

We're still not sure about the name, but it is believed that the most mightiest of all B-Class variants will be dubbed the B25 AMG.

While based on a different platform than the upcoming A25 AMG, spy shots of which we showed you back in August, the two models will share the same powertrain setup that includes a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo engine delivering somewhere around 300 ponies and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

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2012 Audi S6 Avant Scooped Undisguised, gets New V8 Shared with Bentley

Audi’s new A6 model series will soon welcome a new member into the family, the sporty S6 that was snagged by our spy photographers in Avant trim during testing in Germany.
The prototype model was completely undisguised, however, there’s a reason for that. With the exception of some model specific details such as the telling quad tail pipes and unique alloy wheel designs, the S6 will remain unchanged from the A6 with the optional S-Line sport package. The latter adds an aero kit with restyled front and rear bumpers, among other parts.

First Spy Shots of 2013 Lexus GS Sedan

Well now, that didn’t take long, did it? Less than three months after the presentation of the LF-Gh concept car at the 2011 New York International Auto Show and Lexus has already started testing the production model that will spawn a successor to today’s GS sedan at the Nürburgring circuit.
Naturally, the Lexus GS prototype is covered in plenty of camouflage but not to the point that it discloses its styling similarities to the LF-Gh study.

Aside from the body proportions, details like the protruding side sills, the high rising belt line, the “dotted” LEDs and large grille up front, and even the alloy wheel designs, appear remarkably faithful to the concept.

SPIED: 2012 Bentley Continental GTC Speed

The upcoming 2012 Bentley Continental GTC Speed continues its…European tour as the British firm’s engineers have left the Alps and headed down to the Nurburgring racetrack for some high-speed tests.

Spy Shots: New 2013 Porsche 911 Turbo Shows Off its Aero Bits

The next Porsche 911 will make its world premiere in base trim at the forthcoming Frankfurt motor show this September, but this will only be the first chapter of the 991 saga as the Stuttgart-based firm plans to create an entire range of sub models.
The 911’s lineup will eventually grow to include numerous body styles such as coupe, convertible, Targa and speedster models as well as a variety of standard and limited production versions ranging from the entry level Carreras in two- and four-wheel drive layouts to the GT-spec track racers and the almighty Turbo, which our spies caught testing in Germany.