Thursday, May 21, 2009

AutoSpies.com Newsletter: Latest Spy News 05/21/2009

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With both Chrysler and GM both giving a large number of dealerships the boot last week, we were all a bit stunned. But after the initial shock of the scale of the numbers we all began to wonder about the future for both of these companies. Especially after the Obama administration took the reigns and mercilessly raised gas mileage requirements and lowered emissions leading up to 2016. These costly blows to the already weak U.S. automakers could potentially break the back of both of these giants, and force them out of business for good. One has to wonder why we try to save something so big, only to potentially regulate it out of existence just a few days later. I would almost wager that there is at least one Board of Directors out there in Japan smiling about now.

The votes are in, and the European WHAT CAR magazine survey results are in. The Mercedes E-Class has been named the best looking car in the world! When we broke that story this week a large number of you said WHAT? Opinions on beauty may differ over here, so Agent001 took it to the masses and asked you what really was the best looking car in the world? Maybe to no one’s surprise our tastes differ quite a bit from the Europeans but I think we at least made our opinion count.

I always grew up knowing if you screwed up there was a price to pay. Somewhere down the line though, big business decided to play those rules just a bit differently. A case in point could be the total surprise that GM CEO Rick Wagoner would be held accountable for GM’s massive losses and fired. So were you surprised when Toyota actually did the right thing and held senior management accountable for the massive losses in North America? As sad as it may be, if you make a several billion dollar blunder you might just need to look for another job.

We teased you last week a bit with the all new Lexus IS250C. This sexy little convertible sure looks nice, but at what price you asked ? If you are used to the German marketing of such cabriolets you might have braced yourself for a $50,000 price tag. But Lexus on the other hand always plays to beat of a different drummer, and this time they chose to undercut the competition substantially by pricing the convertible under $40,000. That $10,000 you saved can buy you a lot of gas and other niceties the German may have forgotten about. Has Lexus changed the game yet again?

Spy Shots
First Official BMW 5 Series GT Photos Leak Out On the Web
Submitted: 5/21/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 11:31:38 AM
( 21 ) Votes   ( 19 ) Comments

New X3 Coming This Fall
Submitted: 5/20/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 5:55:07 PM
( 17 ) Votes   ( 14 ) Comments

Cadillac, Lexus score high in satisfaction survey
Submitted: 5/20/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 5:57:59 AM
( 6 ) Votes   ( 2 ) Comments

Tesla Motors Daimler AG next victim
Submitted: 5/19/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 1:02:17 PM
( 6 ) Votes   ( 5 ) Comments

BMW E92 M3 "Darth Maul" Project by MWDesigns
Submitted: 5/18/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 1:47:00 PM
( 7 ) Votes   ( 5 ) Comments

Refreshed S-Class Caught Testing In Bay Area
Submitted: 5/18/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 1:23:44 PM
( 11 ) Votes   ( 13 ) Comments

Could The Popularity of Chevy's Camaro Cause A Problem For GM?
Submitted: 5/17/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 2:06:16 PM
( 10 ) Votes   ( 12 ) Comments

2010 RR Ghost: Production Model Spied On The Road
Submitted: 5/17/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 1:59:24 PM
( 11 ) Votes   ( 10 ) Comments

Spy News
SuperCar Mashup: Should BMW Build A Concept Like This?
Submitted: 5/20/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 2:31:02 PM
( 25 ) Votes   ( 24 ) Comments

New Cars
First hybrid Subaru coming in the U.S. by 2012
Submitted: 5/21/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 10:50:28 AM
( 3 ) Votes   ( 1 ) Comments

Satellite navigation could start to fail next year
Submitted: 5/21/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 10:33:35 AM
( 9 ) Votes   ( 8 ) Comments

2009 Lexus Lf-A Nurburging 24-Hour Race Version Unveiled
Submitted: 5/21/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 5:06:29 AM
( 12 ) Votes   ( 12 ) Comments

Chevy To Launch Popular Limited Edition BumbleBee Camaro
Submitted: 5/21/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 4:57:02 AM
( 12 ) Votes   ( 13 ) Comments

ABT AS5 Cabrio Based Audi A5
Submitted: 5/20/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 5:19:09 PM
( 4 ) Votes   ( 3 ) Comments

Rumor: BMW 5 Series GT to cost 55,200 Euro in Germany
Submitted: 5/20/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 4:11:37 PM
( 16 ) Votes   ( 15 ) Comments

Lexus will launch a next-generation GX SUV this fall
Submitted: 5/20/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 3:29:40 PM
( 15 ) Votes   ( 14 ) Comments

Official: Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer revealed
Submitted: 5/20/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 3:28:11 PM
( 6 ) Votes   ( 5 ) Comments

Hartge offers new exhaust options for BMW X6 xDrive50i
Submitted: 5/20/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 3:13:40 PM
( 3 ) Votes   ( 2 ) Comments

Study says Lexus LS buyers are the happiest owners of new cars
Submitted: 5/20/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 2:03:27 PM
( 26 ) Votes   ( 27 ) Comments

Vw Scirocco R breaks cover
Submitted: 5/20/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 12:06:31 PM
( 10 ) Votes   ( 10 ) Comments

Audi targets 55% sales growth in India this year
Submitted: 5/20/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 2:43:29 AM
( 4 ) Votes   ( 3 ) Comments

BMW Sport Car Concept Study By Iranian Designer Emil Baddal
Submitted: 5/19/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 9:51:57 PM
( 6 ) Votes   ( 4 ) Comments

Eco Tuning: 2010 Toyota Prius receives Modellista aero kits
Submitted: 5/19/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 3:17:29 PM
( 9 ) Votes   ( 8 ) Comments

Hyundai preparing competitor for Tata's Nano
Submitted: 5/19/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 1:29:09 PM
( 5 ) Votes   ( 5 ) Comments

Audi Q5 Custom Concept breaks cover
Submitted: 5/19/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 9:11:14 AM
( 7 ) Votes   ( 6 ) Comments

VW will unveil new electric-concept at 2009 Frankfurt
Submitted: 5/19/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 7:55:42 AM
( 4 ) Votes   ( 3 ) Comments

2010 Mustang coupe gets 5-star safety rating
Submitted: 5/19/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 7:54:37 AM
( 8 ) Votes   ( 7 ) Comments

Ford to replace Boss V8 with Coyote V8 making 420-hp
Submitted: 5/18/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 3:12:01 PM
( 7 ) Votes   ( 9 ) Comments

Shazam! AutoCar Puts 2009 Ford Focus Against Nissan's GT-R
Submitted: 5/18/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 2:52:23 PM
( 9 ) Votes   ( 8 ) Comments

Ferrari F430 Calavera by Unique Sportscars and Novitec Rosso
Submitted: 5/18/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 10:36:52 AM
( 8 ) Votes   ( 7 ) Comments

Porsche developing a street version of the RS Spyder
Submitted: 5/18/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 9:25:12 AM
( 3 ) Votes   ( 3 ) Comments

Misc News
Cadillac Chief Throws In The Towel After Only 13 Months
Submitted: 5/21/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 1:35:25 PM
( 4 ) Votes   ( 2 ) Comments

GM On Track For June 1st Bankruptcy Declaration
Submitted: 5/21/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 12:31:31 PM
( 1 ) Votes   ( 0 ) Comments

Saab officially confirms three bidders
Submitted: 5/20/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 1:20:18 PM
( 1 ) Votes   ( 0 ) Comments

Fiat planning to shelve Lancia if it acquires Opel
Submitted: 5/20/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 12:56:44 PM
( 3 ) Votes   ( 2 ) Comments

I Guess It Is Only Money: Feds Toss $7.5 Billion More At GMAC
Submitted: 5/20/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 10:24:19 AM
( 5 ) Votes   ( 2 ) Comments

Celebrities and what they drive
Submitted: 5/20/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 9:14:52 AM
( 6 ) Votes   ( 6 ) Comments

GM's Bankruptcy Plan Includes Forgiveness Of Federal Loans
Submitted: 5/20/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 8:46:54 AM
( 4 ) Votes   ( 3 ) Comments

Financial crisis kills the Volkswagen BlueSport Roadster
Submitted: 5/19/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 3:52:13 PM
( 9 ) Votes   ( 8 ) Comments

Consumer Advocate Ralph Nader Comes Down In Defense Of GM
Submitted: 5/19/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 2:46:37 PM
( 6 ) Votes   ( 3 ) Comments

GM registers brankruptcy domains
Submitted: 5/19/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 10:44:52 AM
( 9 ) Votes   ( 7 ) Comments

Checks Written By Chrysler Start To Bounce At The Bank
Submitted: 5/18/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 4:22:30 PM
( 9 ) Votes   ( 9 ) Comments

Ford kills off the Mercury Sable
Submitted: 5/18/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 1:01:55 PM
( 8 ) Votes   ( 8 ) Comments

UAW And GM At Odds Over Plant Closures And Import Increases
Submitted: 5/18/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 11:20:48 AM
( 7 ) Votes   ( 6 ) Comments

Putting Toyota's Recent Big Loss In Perspective
Submitted: 5/18/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 10:23:43 AM
( 11 ) Votes   ( 16 ) Comments

Porsche Shares Fall As Volkswagen Halts Merger Talks
Submitted: 5/18/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 9:26:51 AM
( 10 ) Votes   ( 9 ) Comments

Ventross R35 GTR - the Batmobile returns
Submitted: 5/17/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 9:23:48 PM
( 9 ) Votes   ( 8 ) Comments

Most expensive Ferrari ever goes for ?9 million
Submitted: 5/17/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 8:53:48 PM
( 7 ) Votes   ( 6 ) Comments

Photo Galleries
Report Cards
So What IS The Best Looking Car In The World?
Submitted: 5/17/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 12:21:04 AM
( 54 ) Votes   ( 85 ) Comments

Reviews
REVIEW: Lexus' IS C Drops The Top And Heats Things Up
Submitted: 5/20/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 2:54:17 PM
( 15 ) Votes   ( 14 ) Comments

Videos
VIDEO: BMW X6 Gone Wild! Bling-O-Matic!
Submitted: 5/20/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 8:38:10 PM
( 10 ) Votes   ( 8 ) Comments

BMW X5 Adventure Trip Namibia - Driving in the mountains
Submitted: 5/19/2009 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 2:53:14 PM
( 8 ) Votes   ( 6 ) Comments




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