February turned out to be an interesting month for spotting the cars doing a test round in their pre-production guise. The vehicles which will make their debut in the following months get an ideal Lapland winter to undergo a rigorous cold weather testing. For that reason, most of the vehicles in the list are surrounded by the snow blankets. We bring to you an assortment of spy shots every month, but the one listed here are all international vehicle. We have a separate list of the India-bound vehicles which you can check out here.
The new-gen QX50 crossover will take its cues from the Infiniti QX50 Concept showcased at the Detroit Motor show earlier this year. America’s most successful crossover SUV will get a sleeker, modern design and could get the brand’s new 268bhp 2.0-litre VC-Turbo motor. The ProPilot semi-autonomous technology is expected to make debut as well.
Citroen’s DS brand’s new flagship SUV will be called the DS7 Crossback. Based on the EMP2 platform, the SUV will showcase the French automaker’s new design language for the brand. It will be manufactured in France and is looking to make an American debut after going on sale in Europe.
After a surprise appearance at the 2016 Paris Motor show, the X-Class pick-up is taking rounds at the Arctic Circle already. The X-Class will carry the overall design similar to other Mercedes SUVs and will be sold alongside the Mercedes-Benz light commercial vehicle range.
The convertible Aston Martins are called the Volante and the new flagship grand tourer, the DB11, is currently undergoing the Volante treatment. Expected in 2018, the DB11 Volante will continue with the 600bhp V12 and weigh slightly more than the DB11 coupe. It would be interesting to see how the characteristic floating roof will make way for the soft drop-top.
The Mk3 Focus has been around for some time now and we showed you the first ever spy shots of the new-gen Focus. The new Focus will grow in size and will adopt new headlamp design along with scowling grille from other Fords and wrap-around tail lamps as well. The first appearance of the new Focus is expected late this year
The Kia K9 is the flagship sedan from the Korean manufacturer. After a few yearly updates, Kia has decided to work with the new generation of its flagship. It will continue to use the BH-L (VI) platform but could introduce a rear wheel drive option. The two engine options will be retained and the car could get LED treatments as well.
BMW introduced the M2 just last year, and the spy shots suggest the M2 facelift is under works. But it is speculated that BMW is developing a special M2 CS variant, which will use a detuned M4 engine. The CS will bring in bigger brakes, body kit and new alloys apart from weight saving measures, which is all apparent in these spy shots.
Toyota is working on an entirely new Tundra, it’s one of the most popular pick-up truck. But before that, the brand will roll out a revised version of the current vehicle which is expected later this year. The revision will bring new grille, hood, headlights and revised trim to keep the Tundra fresh for another couple of years.
This is the first spy shots of the 2019 Ford Ranger spotted undergoing tests. Ford is testing the US-bound Ranger ahead of its reintroduction in 2018 which is expected to come with Ecoboost four/six cylinder engines and perhaps a diesel. Ford may use the direct injected twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 as the premium choice.
After a minor refreshment in 2012, Citroen is out testing their second generation C3 Picasso mini-MPV. Based on the PSA PF1 platform, it’ll be bigger and funkier than its predecessor and will be offered with a range of petrol and diesel motors. The French manufacturer will debut the all-new generation C3 Picasso in early 2018.
