We publish a lot of spy photos of automakers’ prototypes here at C/D, many of which are shot at the Nürburgring track in Germany. Many of these photos are pretty dry—oh, look! A covered-up test mule in motion—but these shots of several large German cars cresting a hill at the ‘Ring with only wind beneath their tires are different. In fact, many of the photos appear downright wrong, but that perhaps is what makes them so darn awesome.
- Instrumented Test: 2013 Porsche Panamera GTS
- First Drive: 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL550
- Instrumented Test: 2012 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Wagon
The backstory is as follows: The Nürburgring is a challenging circuit that offers plenty of opportunities for hooligan behavior, even for development cars. Take, for example, the so-called Flugplatz (“air place,” in English); just as the name implies, this is where cars can catch some sweet air as they crest a small rise. Our spy photographers have compiled a small collection of photos of a few prototypes launching over Flugplatz, and they’re pretty impressive. Cars like the Porsche Panamera and the BMW M3 appear almost natural in their bird-like state, while less-sporty examples—like the 2014 BMW X5 and what appears to be a Rolls-Royce Ghost Coupe—do not.
Check out the various flight patters of some hefty German cars in the photo gallery below:
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