Next-Gen Audi R8 Spied Again on the 'Ring

It must be a rather mind-numbing job working at Audi's design division in recent years, especially if your assignment orbits around replacing or updating existing models and not conceptual or completely new projects.

Of course, some will like Audi's way of implementing incremental styling changes (think TT Mk3), others will be indifferent and some will reject this process and look elsewhere for their automotive needs.

Fact is, the second-generation R8 supercar will maintain the look, feel and shape of the current car, modernizing some details and making others look more menacing, like the slimmer headlamp and grille assembly.

One area where the R8 might tear up the manual is the interior, where Audi's designers seem to have more freedom for creativity. Our spies have yet to snatch a stationary R8 prototype, but when they do, we expect to find a large display in the driver's instrument cluster, much like the new TT, which should bring a more futuristic air to the car.

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Next Chevrolet Cruze Flaunts its Production Ready Lights

With GM's global team of engineers having one more additional year in their disposal for the development of the next-gen Chevrolet Cruze after the automaker reportedly pushed back its launch to late 2015 instead of this fall, prototypes of the car continue to be covered.

However, whereas previous testers were wearing aftermarket lights and unfinished bumpers on both ends, this latest camouflaged Cruze that crossed paths with our spy photographers has replaced those parts with actual production units.

From these shots, it looks like GM wants to give the second generation Cruze a less dull and more youthful / sleeker appearance on the outside and a more premium feel inside, where as previously noticed, there are stitched leather surfaces on the fascia and lower parts of the dashboard, which could be standard on certain trim grades.

The new Cruze will be, if not the first, one of the first GM compact models to ride on the group's newly developed D2xx/ux flexible global platform, which will also underpin a range of other vehicles, including the next Chevrolet Volt and Opel Astra.

Besides the Chevrolet bow-tie badge, the next Cruze will also wear the Holden moniker for Australia and New Zealand.

Credits: CarPix and CarScoopS

PHOTO GALLERY

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Is This a Facelift Porsche 911, the GTS, Both or Something Different?

We don't need to explain to you why the Porsche 911 series is one of the most difficult cars to decipher when it comes to prototype models, covered or not. Even our experienced spies cannot always put their finger on what Porsche is preparing for the 911, each generation of which has more editions and versions than a Barbie doll.

This here 911 is one such example, with the tester featuring the wider rear body of the Carrera 4 along with a revised front bumper sporting new air intakes, covered LED daytime running lights (DRL), a different rear bumper with corner vents and masked tail lights that may or may not be bigger in size than on the regular 991.

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Audi S1 nearly ready to rocket euros out of your pocket

 

Audi was out testing its upcoming S1 on the streets of Germany when our trusty spy photographers snapped the new, all-wheel-drive hot hatch that's set to succeed the limited-edition A1 Quattro.

Unlike the A1 Quattro, the S1 should sport a much less aggressive look overall. As shown in the spy shots, its wheel wells lack the meaty flairs of its predecessor while its rear wing is much more subdued. The wheels are more in line with what we expect from Audi's S models and its higher ride height is more conducive to common things like steep driveways and speed bumps that the 333-unit A1 Quattro might not encounter.

According to our spies, the S1 should hit the European market with anywhere from 220 to 250 horsepower, making it considerably more potent than competitors like the Ford Fiesta ST or Polo GTI from its parent company, Volkswagen (although it'll likely arrive at a considerably higher price than either of those pocket rockets). On the high end, that's roughly equal to the 252 ponies generated by the 2.0-liter, turbocharged four in the A1 Quattro

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