Jim Dunne

Jim Dunne was a noted test-track engineer, journalist, editor, author and regular contributor to automotive publications, including ''Popular Science'', ''Road & Track'', ''Automotive News'', ''Autoweek'', ''The Drive'', ''Motor Trend'', ''Ward's Automotive'', and ''Leftlane News''. In addition to serving as Detroit editor of ''Popular Mechanics'' and ''Popular Science'' magazines, Dunne is widely known as one of the industry's preeminent automotive spy photographers.

Using telephoto lenses and carefully selected vantage sites, Dunne would surreptitiously capture photographs of often remote and heavily disguised prototypes, test vehicles and early production cars — successfully photographing the industry's most closely guarded cars, years ahead of introduction, and selling the photographs to enthusiast magazines and online sites. Manufacturers were known to at times plant decoys or set up forthcoming models, to generate media coverage.

As a noted presence in the automotive field and member of the Automotive Press Association, Dunne received Road & Travel Magazine's 2007 ''Lifetime Achievement Award.'' He recounted his career in his 2011 autobiography ''Car Spy.''

Autoweek called Dunne the father of automotive spy photography, a profession he was ultimately credited with creating. Dunne retired, as the profession evaporated, gradually overtaken by the proliferation of smartphone cameras, shifting automotive spy work from professionals to amateur photographers everywhere. Provided by Wikipedia