http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/jalopnik.com.png http://jalopnik.com/tag/spy http://jalopnik.com/tag/spy

Fifty years ago, the United States Air Force discovered its top-secret Lockheed U-2 spy plane was nightmarishly tricky to fly. To keep aircraft from crashing, they began using high-speed chase/guide cars during take-offs and landings. Government-issue Camaro Z/28, anyone? More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5537629&view=rss&microfeed=true

Fifty years ago this month, Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the USSR in his Lockheed U-2. The legendary spy plane outlived its successor and is still flying today. To paraphrase Iceman, "We like you because you're dangerous." Amen. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5535323&view=rss&microfeed=true

The Saab forums are alight with chatter about recently filed GM patents showing off images of a Saabified Subaru Tribeca which resembles a four door version of a design mock up unofficially photographed way back in 2005. The interesting part is the supposed Saab 9-6X swipes much of its architecture and styling from the Subaru Tribeca, even though GM split with the Japanese automaker shortly after the original spy photos. These filings are dated as of November 4, 2008, so it's not like they've been floating around in the ether for 3 years. It's also possible the web is in the process of getting snookered by some photoshopper who thinks he's a funny guy. If real it would be a replacement for the 9-7X which is about to be killed off with a plant closure. Of course, in our opinion Saab needs a replacement SUV like a Prius needs drag slicks. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5091967&view=rss&microfeed=true

The newest spy shots of the 2010 Porsche Panamera show an interior that just taunts you to do your best Maverick impersonation, surrounding the driver with an F-14 Tomcat-like bevy of switches, toggles and knobs. The radio and navigation controls appear to be operated by the console's touch screen while the leather-wrapped three-spoke wheel is actually devoid of any buttons besides the Porsche-DSG thumb pads. All in all, it's familiar yet upscale — we'll just have to wait to see how well-integrated the technology is. [Teamspeed] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5071369&view=rss&microfeed=true

Unless you're the type to get all hot and bothered at the sight of camouflage on essentially superfluous rear windows and chrome bits, what we see here is the 2009 Mini Cooper S Convertible. The new Mini 'vert gets a mild refresh for the next model year with a tweaked nose, tweaked trim pieces and pop-up rollover protection replacing the bulky (and silly) static roll bars in place now. Expect the Mini Cooper S Convertible to make its official debut at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show in January. [Global Motors] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5066372&view=rss&microfeed=true

The guys at Pickuptrucks.com have snagged some shots of a 2010 GMC Sierra HD pickup in dually chassis-cab configuration. The most obvious change is in the grille area, where a honeycomb three-bar motif dominates, but overall the refresh is pretty minor. Rumors of a more-powerful Duramax available under the hood, possibly with urea injection for NOx emissions reduction, continue, helping Sierras so-equipped to meet the tough Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions regulations. No word on how long a tank of pee will last, though. We're not looking forward to finding jugs of that on the wall at the discount parts store. [Pickuptrucks.com] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5062653&view=rss&microfeed=true

Even though the Nissan 370Z hasn't been officially revealed yet, it hasn't stopped it from showing up in a trailer for the upcoming video game Need For Speed: Undercover. The game is due out next month, right about when the car is expected to be unveiled at the LA Auto Show. From all the other photos we've seen, this car definitely looks like the 370Z, though we're not sure just how accurate the in-game car will be, or just how much Nissan has been cooperating with the guys at Need For Speed. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5062567&view=rss&microfeed=true

Those KGP spies stationed over in Germany on the edge of the Nurburgring have spotted the Nissan 370Z testing near the famed Nurburgring (is there anywhere else to test in Germany?), obviously getting in a few last laps before next month's unveil at the LA Auto Show. These images clearly show the new Nissan will be following the lead of the Maxima with those wacky "boomerang" headlights which are also mirrored in the tail lights. We also see hints of a more aggressive front-end treatment and radically revised side glass, most evident in the new quarter windows which act as a throwback to the original Datsun 240Z. Heck, we can even sense a bit of family resemblance to the Nissan GT-R in the roof line. Full spy report after the jump. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5060570&view=rss&microfeed=true

The Opel Meriva has been spotted undergoing development in the run up to its expected debut in about a year. The Meriva, if you recall, is a compact MPV sporting "flexdoors," which, in the parlance of our times are really suicide doors — apparently including the word "suicide" in the name of any feature of a new car is a marketing faux pas. Who knew? The car seems to maintain most of the styling present in the concept we first saw at the Geneva Auto Show, though the accompanying booth professional is tragically nowhere to be seen in the spy photos.
[WCF] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5059932&view=rss&microfeed=true

The artist previously known as the 2010 BMW V5 has been spotted during hot-weather testing and continues to confound everyone of its raison d'etre. Since it's no longer called the V5 apparently, we're just going to refer to it as the Mutt, since it's a mix of pretty much everything. The BMW Mutt appears to be about the size of a 5-series, but sporting a fifth-door hatch and no rear decklid. Completing the Mutt's look is a wide, BMW 7-series-style grille and enough cladding to make a styling guess nearly impossible. Seems to us BMW couldn't be happy with just the niche-UV BMW X6, so they're branching out to blur other segments. Full dazed-and-confused spy report below. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5043198&view=rss&microfeed=true

The fate of the Chevy Beat is still in limbo for US markets, but as we see here, that isn't stopping the ongoing development of the latest GM minicar. The Beat gets a buddy for some hot weather testing and we get a look at the interior for the first time. For a subcompact, it's hard to be surprised by the spartan accommodations and the long-handled shifter, but we do like the floating gauge pod mounted directly to what appears to be a tilting steering column. Coupled with a high seating arrangement and supposedly true-to-concept styling, the Beat is shaping up to be more than your average econo-beater. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5039470&view=rss&microfeed=true

We have it on good authority that these renderings accurately show the 2010 Porsche Cayman S and 2010 Porsche Boxster S. In addition to the face-lifted looks, powertrain changes should make both cars faster and more fun to drive, with the Cayman S being boosted to 320 HP and 273 lb-ft of torque while returning better fuel economy. Make the jump for more details and analysis. Update: It looks like LSD will be optional on both models, although it's still not clear if it'll be mechanical or torque biasing.
More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=398562&view=rss&microfeed=true

According to The Times, Bernie Ecclestone warned Max Mosley, "that people had been hired to discredit him and that they had been given an unlimited budget to do so." The paper's information comes from a corporate spy who now feels remorse for trying to help the former Fascist Party member avoid the plot against him. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=397292&view=rss&microfeed=true

More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=396669&view=rss&microfeed=true

We've seen snaps of the interior on the 2010 Chevy Camaro before, but none as automatic transmission equipped as these. Camaro5 has got a series of some real nice up-close and personal images of the Camaro to be and things are looking pretty decent. We're still not real sure on the Playstation inspired controls under the head unit, but if GM is happy licensing designs from Sony we've got no problem with it. We guess we'll find out all the details for sure later this summer at the Woodward Dream Cruise if the rumors we've heard lately and the winks and nods we're hearing from GM PR are true. [via Camaro5] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=390941&view=rss&microfeed=true

Speculation is something that's never in short supply in the automotive business, an observation that seems doubly true in the case of the next gen Toyota Supra. First, the Toyota FT-HS was totally going to be it. Then someone tried to convince everyone the FT-HS was the next generation Toyota Celica or AE86. Most recently, a Toyota exec hinted that the FT-HS could be a vision for the "Toyota Supra of the future." Yeah, sure. Now everyone's favorite scanned Japanese automag, BestCar, has some renderings of a very FT-HS looking Supra. Grains of salt all around. One more scan below the jump. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=367403&view=rss&microfeed=true

The final (and to many, the most desirable) variant of the latest-generation Porsche 911 (997), the everything bagel of the Porsche universe, the Swiss Army Knife sports car, the Porsche Turbo cabrio, is likely at least a fiscal quarter away from official viewing. While we're expecting Porsche's whole droptop fleet to appear at the Detroit auto show early next year, MPH has some shots of the new, AWD Turbo cab in its element right now. No waiting. Shoo. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=132132&view=rss&microfeed=true

The most nattily dressed of Lotus fans (or those who sweat their pinstriped gabardine) will bust a seam over this one-off Exige coupe, created with a Savile Row tailor, Gieves and Hawkes. Built as a promotional vehicle for Harrods' "Truly British" show, the Lotus Exige Espionage features a navy-blue exterior and an interior fitted with pinstripe wool cloth — seat upholstery, door inserts and dashboard — silk for the backs of the seats and tailor-made leather floormats that mimic James Bond's shoes. Alas, poison darts and slinky ingenue have been left off the options list. The car will be available for sale after the show for $70,000. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=128682&view=rss&microfeed=true

Mitsubishi is developing a new, more refined generation of its turnip-headed Outlander, according to a new spy shot in The Car Connection that was taken in the southwestern US. The company's redesigned midsize SUV is a major player in its three-year comeback plan, which involves the current Eclipse model and a Dodge Dakota-based Raider pickup coming for 2006. This particular test mule is right-drive, indicating it's the Japanese version, which will beat the US version — expected to get a 3.0-liter V6 with six-speed automatic — to market by at least one season of "According to Jim." More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=122146&view=rss&microfeed=true