Spy Shots

The Volkswagen Passat isn’t as dead as the media would lead you to believe, and the Aero B – a Passat-sized EV – isn’t going to replace it right away. In fact, the ICE-powered Passat will see one more generational shift that should keep it on the market, at least in some places, until the end of the decade. At that point, it will probably be replaced by the second-generation Aero B, but that’s still 8 years from now and we’re getting ahead of ourselves, so let’s take a look at these new spy shots of the Volkswagen Aero B.

Audi is not backing down from electrification. Just recently we learned that the RS6 Avant E-Tron should launch in 2023 and not even a week after that, the company launched the China-only Q5 E-Tron, basically a rebadged Volkswagen ID.6X. And, while all these new models are cool, we can’t forget about existing models, like the original E-Tron – Audi’s largest electric SUV to date. That’s why the company is hard at work to refresh it for 2022 – a move that will keep it fresh until its successor arrives. That successor, we just learned will be coming in 2026.

The Safari name has a rich legacy in Porsche’s history. As any die-hard aficionado of the German marque will tell you that it is a name that is of significant importance, given the pedigree it earned during its stint in rallying.

The current generation X1 was launched back in 2015 and there’s no secret that it was never a very successful car. No wonder that BMW is preparing big updates for the next model set to arrive in 2022. In a recent press release, the company confirmed that the next X1 will be offered with "both a combustion engine and a fully-electric drivetrain."

The model will also receive the same treatment as the recently launched 1-Series and 2-Series: An X1 M35i version that will pretty much replace the usual M version you get with cars like the X3 and the X4.

We’ve finally caught Mercedes-Maybach GLS facelift that’s due in 2023, however, don’t get too excited because there’s not a lot happening yet. For the most part, this is a current model, with only portions of the rear covered. This means that, for now, all Mercedes is working on updating is the rear taillights, which will likely receive little more than a new matrix design.

As for the front end, you can expect some mild changes there as well, however, much like the rear, the changes will be quite minimal. You can expect the changes to mimic – to some extent – what we’ve seen on the new Mercedes GLE. As for the inside, sources from within Mercedes have said that the facelifted Maybach GLS will be the recipient of the steering wheel from the new Mercedes S-Class, while the graphics on both the instrument cluster and the infotainment system will also be refreshed. With that said, it’s still really early, and Mercedes could come up with a new surprise between now and 2023, so until then, enjoy the gallery I’ve posted below.

In recent years, Fiat started resurrecting model names from the past. They started with the Fiat 124 Spider, which shares the underpinnings of the Mazda MX-5. More recently, the company brought back the Tipo name, as a more affordable alternative to the likes of Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Golf that comes in three body types – hatchback, sedan, and station wagon. For 2023, the Italian model is station wagon is getting a more rugged, high-riding version called the Tipo Cross Station Wagon.

Back in July this year, Lamborghini debuted the LP780 Ultimae. Well, the name gives it away, doesn’t it? The Lamborghini Ultimae is apparently the ultimate expression of the Aventador line and blends elements from the Aventador S as well as the Aventador SVJ.

It is the last Lamborghini to feature a naturally aspirated V-12 engine. However, while that car marks the end of the line for the glorious V-12, sort of, the folks at Santa Agata Bolognese say that the V-12 is destined to live on for some more time.

Here are some exclusive spy shots of the prototypes of the next-generation BMW 5 Series which is currently at an early stage of development. Although the vehicle seen here is tightly camouflaged, lacking normal headlights and taillights, the form factor does reveal the sedan’s new shape.

If you follow everything revolving around BMW’s cars, you know that every time the Bavarian carmaker brings out a new model, it’s only a matter of time before Alpina makes its own version of it. The Bavarian-based tuning company is operating independently, since 1983 and now, it’s cooking up its own version of BMW’s 4-Series Gran Coupe in the form of the Alpina B4 Gran Coupe, which was recently spied testing.

Porsche is about ready to reveal the new Cayman GT4 RS, and rumor has it that it’s going to happen on November 17 or 18. The date actually makes a lot of sense, considering those are the media days for the 2020 Los Angeles Auto Show. We’ve already seen some official photos released by Porsche when the GT4 RS was doing some testing on the Nürburgring, so these spy shots might not seem that interesting, but there’s actually more here than what meets the eye.

Back in August 2021 we learned that Aston Martin was planning a whole bunch of different DBX models, and I even went so far to suggest that a DBX coupe is inevitable. These new spy shots aren’t of that crazy model, but this is the DBX S – the high-performance DBX that you probably didn’t know you’d want. Our photographers caught it blazing around the Nürburgring in all its glory.

The Audi Q6 E-Tron will probably be revealed in 2022, so when these spy shots landed in my inbox this morning, I thought for sure that’s what I was looking at. However, sources are new telling us that this is a Chinese-market special, and it should even be a seven-seater.