Spy Shot: Merccedes-Benz R-Class Facelift Spotted

Mercedes-Benz hasn’t exactly racked up design accolades for its minivanesque R-Class crossover (much more on that in our spy shooter’s hilarious comments below), despite its being rather competent to drive. Bearing that in mind, the German automaker has set about doing a redesign of the R, seen for the first time in this set of spy shots.

From the placement of the camouflage on this test car it seems apparent that M-B is primarily working to update the front end of the R-Class, hopefully devising a face that is more in-line with the rest of the attractive Mercedes lineup. Have a closer look at the mule in our gallery above.

Mercedes are giving their R-Class a major make over, but will that help to make the ugly duckling to a beautiful swan? 

The R-Class was never a bad car; it was just too expensive, too big and hmm…too ugly. And the market didn’t want a car that was more of an ugly four-wheel drive, S-Class van, at least not that many customers. So the first step was to offer the R-Class in a two-wheel drive version as well to make it cheaper, didn’t help. Second step, make the AMG exterior package standard to make it look better, didn’t help either.

So that leaves us to this step, try to make it less ugly with more radical methods. The rear was never the problem, but the front…. the current R-Class has a face only a mother could love.  Hidden under this camouflage is now the new and face lifted version testing, a version that hopefully will give the R-Class the face it deserves. With a little luck it gets a face similar to the new E-Class. The rear will only get smaller changes, like a newly shaped bumper with new exhaust pipes and rear lights with a new graphic. 

Engines will also be updated to the new standards and we will see the face lifted R-Class at the Frankfurt Car Show in September as a 2010 model.

Spy Shot: Mercedes-Benz S-Class Mule Spotted!

Our spy shooters have just reported in with a few images depicting the newly updated Mercedes-Benz S-Class, showing the lightly disguised car in trims ranging from the storming AMG-tuned sedan to the all-new S400 Hybrid. The facelifted cars feature new headlight treatments with LED daytime running lights, revised front and rear bumpers, and a gently updated look for the car’s grille.

Have a closer look at the upcoming range-topping Mercedes in our gallery above, or read on below for the spy shooter’s own words.

Here are some fresh photos of the Mercedes S-Class facelift, while the drivers took some lunch. Optical changes are rather small, with a new graphic on the front lights and integrated LED-daydriving lights. Rear lights will also get LEDs.

Bumpers in both front and rear will get a new shape, with new foglights in the front bumper as well. We also notice a new grille.  Interior will also be slightly different, because these prototypes where covered inside.

Engines will be more fuel efficient, and there also will be a S400 Blue hybrid in the program.

As you can see, the AMG version also gets a facelift.

Mercedes-Benz Gullwing Mule Caught In The Cold Spy Shots

It looks like the Mercedes-Benz engineers are still moving forward with the SLC Gullwing project, as our spy shooters recently caught the car testing in some bone-chilling weather. (-15 degrees Fahrenheit! Brr!)

According to the folks at CarPix, we can expect a twin-turbocharged V-8 under the hood producing roughly 600 horsepower. This engine will be mated to a seven-speed transmission and the car's body will be made of carbon fiber and aluminum to reduce overall weight. Look for a more production-ready version of this car to hit around 2010.

Scroll through the gallery of images above, or click through the post to read our spy shooter's own thoughts about the SLC Gullwing.

There is something about winter testing, it’s almost always dark, snowing or foggy. In this case dark and foggy, but we still want to show you these new photos of the Mercedes Gullwing while driving in the snow, at -26 degrees Celsius.
It’s not clear yet if it will wear the Mercedes symbol, the AMG badge or both but we can agree that it will have a tuff market when it’s time for presentation. Hopefully the financial crisis has calmed down until 2010 when the Gullwing will be official.
Expect a twin-turbo V8 with roughly 600 horsepower to find its place in the aluminum spaceframe, connected to a 7-speed gearbox. Body will be made of carbon fiber and aluminium to keep weight down.

Spy shots: 2010 Saab 9-3X crossover

Due for its debut early next year, the Saab 9-3X was recently caught while out on a photo shoot without any hint of camouflage material. The new model will likely be revealed for the first time at January’s Detroit Auto Show but we can gather most of the visual details from these latest spy shots.

As expected, the vehicle is essentially a current-generation 9-3 SportCombi sitting on raised suspension, and featuring protective body cladding and roof rails. Under the skin should be the latest version of the Haldex-sourced XWD four-wheel traction system.

Power will likely be offered in a variety of petrol and diesel engines, though exactly which of General Motors' wide array of supplies will be found when it goes on sale next year is yet unknown. Expect to see most of the engines from the 9-3 family, except for the 2.8L V6 turbocharged engine from the Turbo X.

Otherwise the car is very similar to its 9-3 stablemates. Its likely target market will be the same buyers that are looking at Audi's Allroad and Volvo's XC70. The brand's somewhat up-market outfitting puts it above most of Subaru's offerings in terms of luxury, though the higher-end portion of the Outback range will also likely be on the list of those interested in this type of car.