Regular readers of CarWale would be familiar with the earnest and timely spy shots of upcoming cars which we bring for our readers every month. Most of them are about heavily camouflaged India-bound vehicles or at times about cars which may not make its way to India, but are known the world over. You can read about all the India-bound vehicles spotted in the month of March over here.
Meanwhile, in northern Europe, The the Lapland winter is almost coming to an end. And manufacturers are working rigorously to get the best of the winter weather to carry out the cold temperature tests on their upcoming vehicles before the snow begins to melt. Here is an assortment of all the spy shots taken in the month of March.
Honda is readying a more potent version of the tenth generation Civic sedan with a ‘Si’ moniker based on the concept showcased at the LA Auto Show. Reports state that the upcoming Si could be fitted with a powertrain of at least 200bhp to take on the likes of Ford Focus ST and the Volkswagen GTI in the European market.
Audi’s upcoming S8 test mule was spotted at the Nurburgring, and this time around, the S8 prototype shows off its quad-exhaust setup. The sporty derivative of the next flagship A8 could use Porsche’s new 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 that currently powers the latest Panamera Turbo with a slight bump in power figures.
Hyundai is prepping a third body style for its versatile i30 line-up. The i30 Fastback will be positionedbetween the hatchback and estate in the i30 family in terms of both pricing and interior space. The Fastback will be bigger than the hatchback, with a better boot space, but it will have a restricted headroom because of the raked roofline.
The second-generation Leaf was spotted in Europe for the first time. The all-new Leaf is expected to ditch its EV avatar for a more conventional appearance cued from the gorgeous new Micra. The updated Leaf will get a bigger battery pack, tweaked architecture and improved driving range.
We found a louder, more potent version of the current-gen 911 GT3 RS at its home ground, the Nurburgring. With a massive rear wing and rear diffuser from the 911R, the 4.2-litre motor is putting down 500bhp on the road. The facelift wears a unique exhaust, additional air intakes and so much more downforce than ever before.
Hyundai and Kia are co-developing a compact crossover. Based on the Kia Provo Concept from 2013, the Stonic’s first sighting gave us a glimpse of Korean manufacturers’ new global product. The B-Segment crossover will be revealed this year and enter the fray with Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3, Chevrolet Trax, and the yet-to-be-named car by Hyundai.
Fiat 500L isgoing to receive an update after three years; the last one was in 2014. The update hopes to make the car less of an eye sore. However, the car retains its quirky and odd silhouette. Expect some tweaks all around and on the inside, to make the car look fresh and premium over the standard 500.
The all-new i3 will be powered by an entirely reworked powertrain. Expected to make around 200bhp, the puny EV will do a 0-100kmph time in 7.3second with a higher top speed. However, the driving range is expected to be increased by up to 50 per cent.
The JDM hero will rise from the dead in a grand comeback pretty soon. Jointly-developed alongside BMW Z5, the Supra is one of the most anticipated car these days. The all-new Supra is expected to adopt hybrid powertrain, with an anti-ageing design and cutting-edge technology.
One of the most unconventional spotting this month was the latest limo for the Russian president. Cueing the Rolls Royce, this vehicle has been dubbed the Kortezhand (Cortez) and will be limited to 5000 units, the first lot of which will go to Vladimir Putin. Our sources suggest that Porsche is involved in the engine and the drivetrain development. So expect this official chariot to be opulent, fast and smooth on the roads.
