Thursday, April 16, 2009

AutoSpies.com Newsletter: Latest Spy News 04/16/2009

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2009 New York Auto Show Photo Gallery
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Lexus may be the leading luxury car brand in the US for good reason. Excellent quality at an attractive price rings a chord with buyers on these shores. But once you become number one it seems that everybody is aiming for you. So did it come as any surprise that lightweight Audi decided to pick on Lexus by criticizing their undisputed success? Well with what seems to be 2 or 3 Lexus RX SUVs on every street in the US. Audi may have turned that to its advantage by deeming the RX ownership as a loss of personal identity. Did Audi find an Achilles heel in the fact that if you own a RX there are several more exactly like down the street?

Now of course with all of that recent success you have had playing the stock market, you may have decided to reward yourself. But what if you are worried that a new LS460 in the driveway might be a bit too ostentatious? That could be a problem in the current economic climate, but you aren’t they only one in that boat. According to the folks over at Hyundai they might have a solution for you with their Genesis sedan. At the New York Auto Show Hyundai let it slip that a large amount of the Genesis sales are coming from luxury car defectors looking to fly a bit under the radar during these tough times. Considering that was exactly the same formula that spurned Lexus sales in the 90’s we might be experiencing a case of Déjà vu this time with Hyundai in the driver’s seat.

If you are a GT-R fan this week then you had your fair share of ups and downs. Early in the week Nissan officially killed a 4 door variant of the GT-R citing the current market conditions can’t justify production. So if you were looking to whip a Porsche Panamera you may be out of luck for now. However if your forte was setting a new track record at the Nurburgring track in Germany then you had reason to rejoice. Nissan decided to test the latest ECU software release to see how well they had done and immediately shattered their own personal record by 2 seconds. Amazing what limiting a traction control nanny can do for a lap time. BTW this update if free to all GT-R owners, so be assured that no one will be left out.

Ok I will be the first to say the German auto makers may be a bit full of themselves from time to time. Some call it arrogance, and others may call it foolish. But when Audi put up a tongue and cheek Audi freeway billboard across from a California BMW dealership it may have been considered funny. Unless you were the BMW dealership that is, where you just had to answer back with your own billboard striking back at Audi. It will be interesting to see just who has the last laugh in this skirmish.




Spy Shots
Yet Again!!!! GM has another Recall. This time 1.5 Million Cars
Submitted: 4/13/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 8:11:13 PM
( 12 ) Votes   ( 35 ) Comments

Mercedes Benz 2010 S63 AMG Slips Out On Factory Site
Submitted: 4/13/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 3:40:50 PM
( 18 ) Votes   ( 24 ) Comments

Tough GM critics do an about face!
Submitted: 4/12/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 10:51:50 AM
( 11 ) Votes   ( 15 ) Comments

GM Q1 Sales in China Hit New High
Submitted: 4/9/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 11:33:12 AM
( 3 ) Votes   ( 3 ) Comments

Spy News
AutoSpies.com Wins BEST Automotive Social Network Site!
Submitted: 4/16/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 1:03:14 PM
( 12 ) Votes   ( 11 ) Comments

Spy Video: 2010 Audi RS5 Hits the Nurburgring
Submitted: 4/16/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 7:13:57 AM
( 6 ) Votes   ( 4 ) Comments

Track Tested: 2009 BMW 750Li vs. 2009 Mercedes-Benz S550
Submitted: 4/15/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 10:40:31 PM
( 23 ) Votes   ( 31 ) Comments

BMW 6 Series GT is becoming a reality
Submitted: 4/14/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 11:09:36 AM
( 9 ) Votes   ( 10 ) Comments

New Cars
Mercedes-Benz SLR by FAB Design or how ugly can you make a SLR?
Submitted: 4/16/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 11:58:34 AM
( 11 ) Votes   ( 10 ) Comments

RDSport RS35 Biturbo takes the Bmw 335i to the M3 level
Submitted: 4/16/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 8:51:32 AM
( 7 ) Votes   ( 6 ) Comments

Rockstar AEM Scion tC drift car
Submitted: 4/15/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 11:07:02 AM
( 7 ) Votes   ( 10 ) Comments

Tom's IS45 based on the Lexus IS350
Submitted: 4/15/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 11:11:53 AM
( 13 ) Votes   ( 15 ) Comments

Test driving Nissan's electric-powered Cube prototype
Submitted: 4/15/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 3:59:18 PM
( 8 ) Votes   ( 8 ) Comments

Mercedes Unveils The 2009 S-Class And C-Class AMG Models
Submitted: 4/15/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 1:41:36 PM
( 18 ) Votes   ( 17 ) Comments

Opel Insignia OPC with 325 HP Twin-Turbo V6 AWD: First Photos
Submitted: 4/15/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 3:05:13 AM
( 20 ) Votes   ( 21 ) Comments

Official: 2009 Audi Q7 Facelift
Submitted: 4/14/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 7:42:51 PM
( 16 ) Votes   ( 17 ) Comments

Video: 2010 Hyundai Equus Korean commercial spots
Submitted: 4/14/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 9:14:03 AM
( 12 ) Votes   ( 17 ) Comments

Pontiac Trans Am Firebird may return
Submitted: 4/14/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 9:13:08 AM
( 20 ) Votes   ( 29 ) Comments

First Porsche Panamera with Ruf wheel treatment
Submitted: 4/13/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 10:57:05 PM
( 20 ) Votes   ( 22 ) Comments

Jaguar XJ: A electric-version due out in 2011
Submitted: 4/13/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 9:51:06 AM
( 9 ) Votes   ( 7 ) Comments

2011 Audi A3 lineup to have a sedan variant
Submitted: 4/13/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 8:38:11 AM
( 6 ) Votes   ( 4 ) Comments

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8: first sketch and info revealed
Submitted: 4/13/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 6:19:48 AM
( 14 ) Votes   ( 17 ) Comments

Upcoming Audi RS5 to receive the same engine found on the R8
Submitted: 4/12/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 2:04:34 PM
( 21 ) Votes   ( 29 ) Comments

Audi R8 by MTM
Submitted: 4/11/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 12:31:35 PM
( 6 ) Votes   ( 3 ) Comments

First details of the upcoming Bentley flagship sedan
Submitted: 4/11/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 12:30:00 PM
( 7 ) Votes   ( 10 ) Comments

Volt Becoming The New Edsel?
Submitted: 4/10/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 10:23:01 AM
( 12 ) Votes   ( 16 ) Comments

Bentley Continental Supersports priced at $267,000
Submitted: 4/10/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 9:17:16 AM
( 2 ) Votes   ( 1 ) Comments

2009 Audi Q7 TDI Priced At $50,900
Submitted: 4/9/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 5:43:17 PM
( 14 ) Votes   ( 15 ) Comments

Mazda Unleashes the 263HP 2010 MazdaSpeed3
Submitted: 4/9/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 11:41:41 AM
( 15 ) Votes   ( 19 ) Comments

2011 Opel Zafira sketch revealed
Submitted: 4/9/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 7:20:09 AM
( 7 ) Votes   ( 6 ) Comments

Misc News
GM to close down 1,700 dealerships by June 1st
Submitted: 4/16/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 7:06:28 AM
( 7 ) Votes   ( 5 ) Comments

Investor Group Interested In Acquiring Saturn
Submitted: 4/15/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 3:34:08 PM
( 9 ) Votes   ( 8 ) Comments

Is Hyundai Replacing Lexus As The Understated Luxury Brand?
Submitted: 4/15/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 2:15:02 PM
( 48 ) Votes   ( 67 ) Comments

Lamborghini's Profits Skyrocket 27.4% For 2008
Submitted: 4/15/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 1:54:36 PM
( 9 ) Votes   ( 9 ) Comments

General Motors Contemplates Axing Pontiac And GMC Brands
Submitted: 4/16/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 10:34:33 AM
( 20 ) Votes   ( 21 ) Comments

Toyota A-BAT not coming! Did someone actually expect it?
Submitted: 4/14/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 8:24:03 AM
( 9 ) Votes   ( 8 ) Comments

2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class receives 50,000 pre-orders
Submitted: 4/14/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 8:21:51 AM
( 20 ) Votes   ( 28 ) Comments

2010 Nissan GT-R sets a new record at Nurburgring
Submitted: 4/16/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 6:44:17 AM
( 35 ) Votes   ( 65 ) Comments

Swede Works On Perfecting Driver's SEX Seat. Police NOT Happy
Submitted: 4/13/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 8:17:19 PM
( 22 ) Votes   ( 30 ) Comments

Billboards War: BMW vs. Audi
Submitted: 4/13/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 5:46:26 PM
( 40 ) Votes   ( 43 ) Comments

Breaking News: Bmw will sell racing components
Submitted: 4/13/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 3:14:11 PM
( 13 ) Votes   ( 20 ) Comments

Treasury Department Instructs GM To Prepare For Bankruptcy
Submitted: 4/13/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 10:35:33 AM
( 16 ) Votes   ( 22 ) Comments

Samurai Speed GT-R is back
Submitted: 4/12/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 2:05:08 PM
( 17 ) Votes   ( 14 ) Comments

Rumor: Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Coupe not coming
Submitted: 4/11/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 12:38:39 PM
( 20 ) Votes   ( 24 ) Comments

A Chrysler Failure, May Send $1 Billion Claim To Daimler
Submitted: 4/10/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 12:54:14 PM
( 2 ) Votes   ( 1 ) Comments

Obama: Government to buy 17,600 US cars by June 1
Submitted: 4/10/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 12:09:54 PM
( 17 ) Votes   ( 20 ) Comments

Fed Up? 76% Of Americans Say GM And Chrysler Need To Die
Submitted: 4/10/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 11:27:00 AM
( 19 ) Votes   ( 25 ) Comments

Photo Galleries
Report Cards
Rumors
Kia Considers Renaming All Models
Submitted: 4/14/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 6:52:09 PM
( 8 ) Votes   ( 9 ) Comments

Auto Sales
Chinese Auto Sales Top US Market For 3rd Month In A Row
Submitted: 4/9/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 12:07:23 PM
( 16 ) Votes   ( 38 ) Comments




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