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Like every big reveal of the past few years, Bentley has decided to dish out a series of teasers before unveiling its new model to the world. Thankfully, we're only a few weeks away from the Grand Bentley's debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, and before the main event takes place, we've got a few spy shots of the flying-B's large-and-in-charge luxo-barge.
Although the Grand Bentley is coated in copious amounts of camo, when we look back at the two teasers Bentley released of the hood and rear-quarter, it doesn't take much imagination to piece things together. There's a few shades of the Mulsanne and Brooklands to the profile, primarily accentuated by the ultra-thick C-pillar, and while the body cladding lends an air of Phantom to the fascia, it's decidedly more sculpted and smooth, and should be a fitting place to stack the duo of round headlamps we've seen in previous spy shots. All will be revealed next month.
We've already seen the 2010 Jaguar XJ in the sheet metal – once during its online premier and a brief jaunt around London. Now, the intrepid shooters from KGP have caught both a prototype and a near production version weathering the summer sun in Death Valley, and we're still evenly split on its styling.
Shown here for the first time in Frost Blue Metallic, the front end remains the most attractive iteration of Jaguar's new design direction, but the back – particularly the chrome accent the bisects the darkened C-pillar – is going to take some getting used to, particularly in such a light hue. Check out the gallery below for more real-world shots of the XJ rolling through California, and if you're in the area, keep your eyes peeled for Jag's newest cat.
The 2010 BMW 5 Series is due to hit the market early next year and these latest spy shots are a clear, if predictable, indication of what styling changes are on their way.
The front fascia adopts the upright nose, elongated twin-kidney grille and contoured headlamps (Dame Edna be gone!) originally shown on the 2009 7 Series, while the rear takes on a set of similarly styled tail lamps and looses the Bangled rump we've come to know and loathe.
The overall effect should tie in well with the recently revealed BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, and expect similar powertrain options to be available, including the 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8, 3.0-liter inline-six and a host of diesel options offered abroad. Transmission choices will likely include a six-speed manual and an all-new eight-speed gearbox supplied by ZF. And then there's the 2011 M5 to look forward to.
Expect the next M-fettled 5er to pack the X6 M/X5 M's tweaked twin-turbo'd eight nestled within a revised chassis sure to use considerable amounts of aluminum and carbon fiber. It's obvious that development of the next 5 is well underway, and we wouldn't be surprised to see it unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September, with the M5 appearing later in 2010.
Ferrari normally tests its future supercars wearing body panels from the prior version, and so earlier spy shots of the upcoming F450 have all been of mules wearing F430 body panels. Today that ends, as our snoops have caught an honest-to-goodness F450 prototype in its own skin. While still covered in camo that obscures the details, it's evident that the body is taking shape and close to finalization.
While we've reported that the F450 may feature a turbocharged, direct-inject V8 engine and possibly a mild hybrid system based on patents filed by Ferrari, Autocar is reporting that the Prancing Horse intends to launch the F430 successor without those advanced technologies. While Ferrari may unveil a hybrid F450 concept at the LA Auto Show later this year in order to be the first to establish a road-going version of the KERS system used in Formula One, the thought is that customers might not be ready for such a green version of the exotic automaker's best-selling model and that new European emissions standards can initially be met by substantially cutting weight and further developing direct injection for its current crop of engines. Stay tuned as we inch closer to the F450's unveiling later this year.
Like every big reveal of the past few years, Bentley has decided to dish out a series of teasers before unveiling its new model to the world. Thankfully, we're only a few weeks away from the Grand Bentley's debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, and before the main event takes place, we've got a few spy shots of the flying-B's large-and-in-charge luxo-barge.
Although the Grand Bentley is coated in copious amounts of camo, when we look back at the two teasers Bentley released of the hood and rear-quarter, it doesn't take much imagination to piece things together. There's a few shades of the Mulsanne and Brooklands to the profile, primarily accentuated by the ultra-thick C-pillar, and while the body cladding lends an air of Phantom to the fascia, it's decidedly more sculpted and smooth, and should be a fitting place to stack the duo of round headlamps we've seen in previous spy shots. All will be revealed next month.
