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Filed under: Motorsports , Coupes , Sports/GTs , Aston Martin Click above for high-res gallery of the Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT4 At the Dubai Autodrome this week, Aston Martin revealed the car that will replace the Vantage N24, which has raced successfully in the FIA GT4 class and endurance events like the 24 Hours of Nürburgring for the past two years. Named the Vantage GT4, the new racer will employ a racing version of the production car's 4.7L V8 in place of the N24's slightly smaller 4.3L V8. Other race-bred modifications include a free-flow exhaust system, dry sump lubrication and new engine management software calibrated for racing. The new GT4 is hand-built by Aston Martin and can be ordered by race teams from the factory with a six-speed manual transmission or Sportshift tranny with paddle shifters. The production car's interior gets gutted and replaced with a molding of the dash that's covered in Alcantara suede (which also covers the steering wheel),...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Sports/GTs , Supercars , Aston Martin Click above for a high-res gallery of Project Kahn's interior for the Aston Martin Vanquish S If you haven't been living in a cave, shut off from the fantastic world of European supercars for the past decade, then you'll likely know that Aston Martin has been hard at work on a succession of new flagships since the vaunted Vanquish. But Aston Martin is an automaker deeply rooted in its heritage, so even after discontinuing the Vanquish, it came back to give it some upgrades . Now, noted British tuning house Project Kahn has followed suite by revisiting the Vanquish S with a new interior package. Kahn's vision for the Vanquish's interior includes a custom dashboard, center console, seats, door panels, steering wheel and roof lining decked out in the customer's choice of contrasting Nappa and Alcantara leather trim, deliciously perforated and top-stitched. Piano lacquer trim panels and smoked privacy glass...
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Filed under: Sports/GTs , Supercars , Aston Martin , Celebrities As if being chosen to play the consummate British secret agent wasn't enough for Daniel Craig to brag about, the current 007 has been extended a free pass to drive Aston Martin's best cars any time he pleases. And he isn't limited to driving on the street. Aston has made its test track available to the faux agent. Craig must be quite the Ambassador to the brand to be granted such special privileges. Unfortunately, Mr. Bond seems to have no intentions of actually going out and purchasing one for himself, saying, "I could drive it faster and more furiously [on the track] than anywhere on the road. I live in London [and] it doesn't make any sense to drive an Aston Martin there. I've nowhere to park it." Yeah, we know how you feel, Daniel. That's the reason all of on the Autoblog staff don't own Astons too... nowhere to park. [Source: Contact Music ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Coupes , Sports/GTs , Supercars , Aston Martin Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Such is the logic of luxury economics: charge tens of thousands of dollars more for the same product, sell fewer of them and boost the balance sheet and your brand's long-term viability. That is what Aston Martin's considering for the next phase of its business plan, which runs from roughly 2011 to 2019 and will see the launch of DB9 and Vantage successors, the Rapide, and the renewed Lagonda brand. The Vantage and DB9 are big sellers for Aston, but the company might be unsure of how to sustain the momentum. One option is to move the price of the $113,000 Vantage closer to the $171,000 DB9, and move that latter car closer to the $265,000 DBS, sell fewer of them but make more money. The DB9 does strike us as a (relative) bargain - it's cheaper than a Bentley GT -- but pricing the Vantage closer to the DB9 would seem to wreck its business case as a 911...
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Filed under: Coupes , Sports/GTs , Supercars , Aston Martin Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Such is the logic of luxury economics: charge tens of thousands of dollars more for the same product, sell fewer of them and boost the balance sheet and your brand's long-term viability. That is what Aston Martin's considering for the next phase of its business plan, which runs from roughly 2011 to 2019 and will see the launch of DB9 and Vantage successors, the Rapide, and the renewed Lagonda brand. The Vantage and DB9 are big sellers for Aston, but the company might be unsure of how to sustain the momentum. One option is to move the price of the $113,000 Vantage closer to the $171,000 DB9, and move that latter car closer to the $265,000 DBS, sell fewer of them but make more money. The DB9 does strike us as a (relative) bargain - it's cheaper than a Bentley GT -- but pricing the Vantage closer to the DB9 would seem to wreck its business case as a 911...
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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Sports/GTs , Geneva Motor Show , Aston Martin Aston Martin has stepped in to clarify recent rumors of its Lagonda revival. We know that a Lagonda concept is due to be shown at next year's Geneva Motor Show, and of late it was speculated to be something SUV-ish . An Aston spokesperson has laid out the plan, and this time neglected to mention the acronym "SUV" at all. Two upcoming Lagondas will probably be sedans and use Aston's VH platform, tending to the luxury side of sporting while Aston solidifies its grip on the sporting side of luxury. An upscale and up-priced version of the Rapide will come in 2011, followed by a $100,000-or-so S-Class challenger in 2012. Now that we've got the SUV thing out of the way, let's hope Aston stays on the right course and creates cars that don't look anything like more DB9 clones. [Source: Automotive News , sub req'd] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Coupes , Sports/GTs , Supercars , Aston Martin , Rendered Speculation The Paris Motor Show has given up its secrets, but that doesn't mean the teasing is over. Top Gear magazine has the story on the Aston Martin One-77, joined by what will probably be more tease-tastic renders. One thing that can be gleaned from the rendering on the TG microsite is the headlight layout, with an inner row of LEDs leading back to an array that includes at least one additional cluster of LEDs. The front end still looks a tad overwrought to us - and a little reminiscent of the GTbyCitroen - but we suppose we'll just have to get a copy of Top Gear before we vote with our thumbs. [Source: Top Gear via Motor Gears ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Sports/GTs , SUVs , Wagons/Estates , Geneva Motor Show , Aston Martin , Rendered Speculation When we recently posted on Aston Martin dragging Lagonda out of its crypt, one of the assertions was that "they've reportedly ruled out the possibility of a sport-ute." That might have been nothing more than a semantic turn, as Car & Driver is reporting that the first Lagonda will be "something SUV-ish." Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez said the new car will have historical influences at the same time as it is "future-orientated," but the giveaway for C&D seems to be in his line that it will be "truly versatile" and "suitable for both existing and emerging markets." We can't tell if anyone actually came out and told the mag that the car would be an SUV, but an Aston source is quoted as saying it "wouldn't be an SUV in the same way as BMW X5." So back to the semantics of no "sport-ute"...
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Filed under: Motorsports , Sports/GTs , Aston Martin , Chevrolet GT1-class racing is one of the most hotly contested in Europe, with cars like the Aston Martin DBR9 and Maserati MC12 competing among others for top honors in the Le Mans Series and FIA GT Championship. Here in the American Le Mans Series, however, officials are considering the possibility that they'll have to shut down the class altogether. This season, the Corvettes have had the category all to themselves, which has made the class uninteresting, with predictable outcomes. Bell Motorsports announced their intention to run Aston Martins to compete with the Corvettes for GT1 victory , but that may be another case of too little too late. Itching for a good fight, GM is reportedly dropping down to the paradoxically more competitive GT2 series. Not anxious to run another season of an empty GT1 roster, ALMS could very well cut the class out altogether. [Source: AutoWeek ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Coupes , Sports/GTs , Etc. , Supercars , Aston Martin , Lifestyle The era of the luxury exotic with a so-so sound system is nearly over. Bang & Olufsen worked with product developers at Aston Martin to create the BeoSound DBS audio system that is specifically tuned to 007's cabin. Thirteen speakers -- five tweeters, five midrange, and three woofers -- are located in ten places around the cabin. Of course a sound system for the DBS is not just about sound -- it is just as much about looks. Two of the tweeters are mounted on the dash and ascend when the car is started. Loudspeaker grilles are finished in contoured aluminum. And all that hardware is controlled by B&O's Digital Signal Processing system that is matched the DBS interior and adjusts to changing acoustic conditions. All of this means you'll be able to hear the next Bond theme song, "Another Way to Die," like never before... [Source: Aston Martin ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Spy Photos , Sedans/Saloons , Sports/GTs , Geneva Motor Show , Aston Martin , Porsche To the 'Ring we go, and our companions today are -- in the apt words of World Car Fans -- "beauty and the beast." That would be the Aston Martin Rapide and the Porsche Panamera. We'll let you decide which one deserves which title. Follow the link and you'll find a large gallery of both cars in basic black, un-camo'ed and racing each other around the 'Ring to help cast your vote. In practical considerations, the Panamera looks to have the Rapide beat in all kinds of ways. For instance, it should get better gas mileage if you get the V6 or V8, and it has more trunk space with 450 liters. Aston's cars have little trunk syndrome, and the Rapide probably won't really change that. But hey, who would buy a Panamera or Rapide for practical reasons? Either way, we won't really know the state of things until the 2009 Geneva Motor Show next March when they are...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Tuners , Coupes , Sports/GTs , Aston Martin Click above for a high-res gallery of the Premier4509's V8 Vantage. Veilside's luxury and exotics arm has already released body kits for the Lamborghini Murcielago and Bentley Continental GT , and now Premier4509 has turned its attention to the Aston Martin V8 Vantage. Any attempt to improve upon the stunning sheet metal of the Vantage is a risky affair, but Premier4509 seems to have balanced a bit of bling with some measure of restraint. The kit includes a new front bumper, side skirts, rear bumper and spoiler that ties in nicely with the shapely lines of the coupe, and the forged, three-piece wheels compliment the aggressive body kit, but will surely compromise the Vantage's already stiff ride. All the pieces are made up of fiber reinforced plastic and optional carbon fiber accessories will be made available, along with new exhaust tips. Sale will begin in the first quarter of next year and will be limited...
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Filed under: Spy Photos , Coupes , Sports/GTs , Aston Martin The noise of other sports car makers getting their lunches eaten sounds just like the twelve cylinder engine in the Aston Martin V12 Vantage RS . A single RS sheep was caught in Italy's Stelvio Pass, being shepherded by a DBS . This Vantage RS gets some shinier wheels and a coat of delicious black paint, but otherwise, it looks like it's ready for the showroom floor. If anything could be cooler than a 600 hp Vantage packing twelve hi-rev punches, it's the DBS... but frankly, the jury's still out until we drive both of them (hint, Aston Martin...). Follow the link to check out the spy shots, and check out the gallery of hi-res pics below. Thanks for the tip, Des! Gallery: Aston Martin V12 Vantage RS Concept [Source: GT Spirit ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Coupes , Hybrids/Alternative , Sports/GTs , Etc. , Green , Aston Martin , UK , Celebrities Prince Charles is not new to the environmental debate. His blue, 38-year-old Aston Martin, however, has had nothing to do with being environmentally friendly. Until now. The car, a gift from the Queen on Charles' 21st birthday, has joined the growing fleet of cars that run on bioethanol, having been converted to run on surplus British wine. The wine comes from an English vineyard in Wiltshire, and the EU limits how much wine a vineyard can produce, so the vineyard sells the overage to Green Fuels, which turns it into biofuels and supplies it to the Palace. The Aston can go ten miles on a gallon of gas, which would equate to 45 bottles of wine to go the same distance. The wine, though, puts out 85-percent less CO2 and costs £1.10 per liter, which is slightly less than the cost of gas. However, Charles only goes 300 miles in the car every year, and it's not like he's worried...
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Filed under: Coupes , Sports/GTs , Etc. , Marketing/Advertising , Supercars , Aston Martin , Lifestyle , Celebrities We have to admit, when we heard the next Bond film was going to be called "Quantum of Solace," we kind of scrunched our faces a little bit. Still, Casino Royale was so good that we figured we'd give it the old innocent-until-proven-guilty treatment. Well, now we've seen the trailer, and it looks so bloody good we're all verklempt . We clapped at the end. And then we watched it again. There's so much action in the trailer that we don't know how there's going to be room for story unless it's as long as Ben Hur , but right now we don't much care. There's only a brief glimpse of the DBS in the trailer at the very end, but whatever it's doing it looks suitably Bond-ish. We'll even admit that the 2-minute clip is good enough to forgive wrecking this Aston DBS , this Alfa , and another Aston DBS during filming. Now you'll...
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