Upcoming Cars: Fiat Grand Punto Abarth

The chops itself is pretty bad, but I like the design - with the Panda 100 HP, Fiat looks to be really on a roll!

[source: CarSpyShots.net]

Upcoming Cars: BMW X6 chop from Huckfeldt

Not a big fan, looks too much like the regular X5.

[source: Auto Bild]

Upcoming Cars: US Honda Accord

They must really want to make the Accord more distinctive, because to put this front on one of US's bestselling car is very risque. Hope it pays off for them - I am far from amused

[source: thehollywoodextra.com]

Upcoming Cars: more Lotus Esprit spypics

Looks better, at least from the back - I like that the rear overhang is longer than the usual F430/Gallardo standard.

Upcoming Cars: Mercedes GLK junior offroader

These prototypes, though fully disguised, make for interesting viewing - they show off the new GLK's shape, which is significantly different to that of the ML and looks more like the two classes larger GL in its boxiness. The C-class Estate-based quasi-offroader is set to battle it out with the BMW X3, Audi's upcoming Q5 and Volvo's smaller SUV, the XC60.

Now that I think about it, the GLK reminds me a lot of the 1999 Jeep Commander concept; I wander if some intra-company design shuffle has taken place?


[source: CAR]

Upcoming Cars: BMW M3 4-door

Courtesy of Lehmann design, we have a very nice chop of the upcoming M3 4-door. I actually like the shape much more than that of the 2-door, which suffers a curious too-long rear/too-short front overhang imbalance. I still think an RS4 looks more muscular and menacing, but this is very nice indeed.

[source: WorldCarFans.com]

Upcoming Cars: Skoda Superb

Though these are not official, they are pictures of the finished product. And the end result is, well... really nice but not quite great.

I really like the front lights and grille assembly, as well as the interior - the latter looks like a major step for Skoda, design and quality-wise. Having said that, there is something not quite right about the rest of the car's exterior. Don't really know what platform this car rides on, but it seems its track is too narrow and wheels too small for such a big body, while the rear with the hatch just plain reminds me of the Octavia.

Like I said: nice, but could have been better (mainly if they had done away with the hatch)

[source: CarSpyShots.net]

Upcoming Cars: Renault Laguna III

They seemed to have borrowed the structure until the rear pillars from the US-only Nissan Altima (which is no bad thing in of itself), and then replaced the trunk lid with a hatch opening. The rear somehow looks too tall and ungainly now. Much more prefer the Altima's shapely rump.

[source: CarSpyShots.net]

Upcoming Cars: Peugeot 308

These chops are rather old, but they are by far the best I have yet to see for the 308, as well as some of Auto Express' finest. Like how these chops make the Peugeot look elegantly long compared to today's tall and ungainly model.

[source: Auto Express]

Upcoming Cars: Ford Fiesta

These are the first really nice chops of the upcoming Fiesta, prototypes of which have just started testing. It will share its chassis with the Mazda 2, but also confusingly with the next Ford Ka and, as a result, Fiat 500 and Panda according to some rumours. Mazda 2 developed on Panda's platform? Unlikely, so probably the Ka and Fiesta will get different platforms.

Either way, the chops look very promising, with a much more dynamic stance and evocative detailing than the current staid model. If it drives as well as Fiesta's always have, the new model will go straight to the top of its class.

[source: Auto Express]

Upcoming Cars: Jaguar XF

Until the production car debuts in Geneva this is the closest we'll get to the real thing... which is pretty darn close! And it looks great, even if I am still unconvinced by the front lights.

[source: Schulte-Design]

Upcoming Cars: New Twingo

These are chops of the new Twingo based on the concept from a couple of months back. Looks really nice and contemporary, if a bit bland. But most surprising is how similar this car is starting to look to the upcoming FIAT 500 - they're like the contemporary & retro interpretations of the same shape and theme!

[source: CarSpyShots.net]

Upcoming Cars: BMW M3

I know the real car is just around the corner, but to whet your appetites a bit I decided to post these almost-final chops. Still don't like the proportions, but you have to love the detailing!

[source: Lehmann]

Upcoming Cars: Opel Agila

If this is indeed a chop, it's the best chop I have seen in a long time! Well, chop or not, I really like what I see - this looks like one peppy small car, with swoopy lines, non-trivial detailing and a really nice and dynamic face. Of course, the profile owes more than a bit to the Renault Modus, but when it looks this good, who cares?

[source: CarSpyShots.net]

Upcoming Cars: Opel Vectra

In a move which mimicks Audi's teaser shots of the TT Opel released teaser shots of the upcoming Vectra. The concept is supposed to debut in Geneva in a couple of weeks' time.

The teaser shot itself is not very revealing, but does show off the nicely flared arches and interesting glow-stripes in the headlamps, though that may be only in the concept.

Upcoming Cars: BMW V3

It's been a while since we heard anything about BMW's V3 & V5 concepts, but here's a new chop to fill the void for those of you waiting for the first real shots of the car. I must say that after my appetite has been whetted over the past two years I am really curious to see how they manage to pull of the proportions in an MPV, and whether the new cars will be MPVs inside any more than the cramped 1-series is a compact car.

Upcoming Cars: Toyota Supra?

Straight out of a Japanese magazine we have a chop of the upcoming Supra. Even though I like this handsome if rather conservative design I doubt it is at all close to what the final product for two reasons: (a) Japanese car magazines are usually wide of the mark with their predictions (b) Toyota recently showed the FT-HS, a considerably more futuristic-looking sports car concept that is widely thought to preview the next Supra.

[source: CarSpyShots.net]

Upcoming Cars: Lexus LS CC

Got to be honest - the IS-F has pretty much ruined this model for me. And by the looks of it, the ungainly Cabrio-Coupe will do little to help the situation. And to think I once thought this was the best looking car in its class...

[source: CarSpyShots.net]

Upcoming Cars: Audi A7

This is another in a series of chops of the upcoming Audi A7, which is supposed to be either a CLS competitor or a sporty semi-crossover coupe, depending on who you listen to. For comparison proposes I include the other chops below:




[source: various]

Upcoming Cars: F430 Stradale

Seems they are going to redirect the exhausts to the center of the car for a more purposeful look. Not much else to be seen here, but it should provide a formidable competitor to the Porsche GT3 and the upcoming RWD Lambo Gallardo SV.

[source: CarSpyShots.net]