Aston Martin V8 News

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced its latest round of national safety recalls, with models from Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot, Citroen, Ram and Aston Martin affected.

N stands for Nurburgring heritage at Aston Martin, which has over the years released several special editions celebrating the brand's success racing at the famed German circuit.We've seen the V8 Vantage N400 in 2007 and the N420 in 2010, and at Geneva motor show on March 4 we'll get to see the wraps come off the latest in the N line -- the V8 Vantage N430.Named for the 4.7-litre V8 engine's peak 430 horsepower (320kW in our metrics) delivered at 7300rpm, the N430 offers the choice of a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automated manual with race-style paddle-shifters. Aston Martin is claiming a 0-100km/h time of 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 305km/h.Like its forbears, it adapts track experience and technology -- largely from the Vantage GT4 race car and the GTE endurance racer -- with tweaked suspension and steering, plus some aerodynamic fiddling on the lighter body, which has trimmed about 20kg from the standard V8 Vantage.It also gets a slew of extra features, including machined carbon-fibre doorsill plates and gearshift bezel, black magnesium paddle-shifters, a Bang & Olufsen BeoSound audio system -- and an unmistakeable green and yellow livery that salutes  the icon DBR1 race car.The N430 will be rolled out in both coupe and droptop form, and go on sale in overseas markets in the final quarter of 2014, but there's no confirmation yet that Australia will get a quota.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincottWatch the Aston Martin V8 Vantage N430 video on our desktop site. 

The British-based prestige sports car maker is recalling about 75 per cent of its cars built since late in 2007, after discovering a Chinese supplier was using counterfeit plastic in the accelerator pedals.The recall covers all left-hand drive cars that rolled off the production line since November 2007 and all right-hand drive ones since May 2012, in which there is a risk the pedals may break. The DB9, V8 Vantage, DBS,  Rapide, Rapide S, V12 Vantage, V8 Vantage S and Virage are included in the recall, but the latest Vanquish is not.The recall means thousands of wealthy and celebrity owners around the world will have to return their cars -- including the DBS driven by Daniel Craig in the James Bond movie Quantum Of Solace and a V12 Vantage Roadster he was loaned for his 45th birthday last year.Documents filed with the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration state that a company called Synthetic Plastic Raw Material Co. Ltd. of Dongguan supplied the counterfeit plastic to Shenzhen Kexiang Mold Tool Co. Ltd -- the firm that makes the pedals for Aston Martin.The recall affects 156 cars in Australia, the owners of which are being contacted. "Aston Martin is writing to owners and working through the process of replacing those as quickly as practical," an Aston Martin spokesman said. "However there have been no accidents or instances of the pedal failing here." Aston Martin has announced it will move production of the part to the UK. 

Aston Martin, celebrating its centenary this year, has confirmed it has signed a Letter of Intent to form a wide-ranging technical partnership with Mercedes-Benz tuner AMG. A formal alliance deal is yet to be made though both parties are confident a definitive agreement can be reached before the end of the year.The proposed deal will provide Aston Martin with access to AMG’s vast array of performance technology, namely its bespoke engines, but also to certain electrical systems. The firms confirm that their respective engineering teams will also work together to optimize the implementation of this technical partnership.For the privilege, AMG’s parent company Daimler will receive a stake of up to five percent non-voting shares in Aston Martin, joining existing shareholders in the British sports car manufacturer such as Investment DAR, Adeem Investment and Investindustrial.Rumors of such an alliance date back several years but heightened recently when it became known that Italian firm Investindustrial, which has ties with AMG from a marketing deal with its former subsidiary Ducati, was investing in Aston Martin.Interestingly, the two firms have only mentioned V8 powertrains, even though AMG also manufactures some of the best V12s on the planet and already supplies them to rival firms, one of which is Pagani. It may mean that Aston Martin’s V12 engines could continue to be sourced from Ford.In a statement, Aston Martin production development boss Ian Minards said, “Aston Martin sources cutting-edge technology from key suppliers around the globe and the opportunity to include content from AMG in our next-generation sports cars is, clearly, good news.”Those next-generation sports cars Minards is referring to will be a new range of Aston Martins, whose styling has already been previewed by the CC100 Speedster concept unveiled earlier in the year. The first of the new models is expected to be a replacement for the V8 Vantage.AMG CEO Ola Källenius said of the alliance, “This is proof of AMG’s technological and performance expertise and a real win-win situation for both sides.” Further details will be announced in the near future.www.motorauthority.com 

Followers of luxury-branded soft-road wagons will have to live without an Aston Martin in the garage.The famed British brand, which has just moved out of the Ford portfolio back into private ownership, has no plans to join everyone from Porsche and BMW to Audi and Mercedes in the four-wheel-drive world.It says it's happy to stay as a solid, profitable maker of exotic sports cars."In the immediate future of 10 years I can rule it out," Aston Martin managing director Ulrich Bez says."At this moment, I do not believe a crossover wagon could help Aston Martin to add value to its brand."Speaking at the world media preview of the V8 Vantage Roadster, Bez admits he has a product plan that includes a secret teaser -- codenamed DB-X -- but will not go into details."DB-X stands for something that, in theory, adds value. I'm not going to say anything about DB-X."The company will put its four-door Rapide flagship, displayed as a concept car at the Detroit Motor Show last year, into production, but Bez says he is not keen to take the company much beyond 9000 cars a year from this year's projected production total of about 7000."A premium brand does not need volume. We will be small. We will be beautiful . . . and profitable."Bez thanks Ford for its ownership and investment and also rules out any involvement in Formula One, despite the F1 plans of Aston's new executive chairman and long-time Aston fan, David Richards."When Ford bought Aston Martin there was no strategic plan. Ford allowed us to survive and prosper. Now we can grow no further . . ," Bez says. "We don't go in Formula One."Bez's position on four-wheel drives, which have been a hit for several luxury brands and even brought Porsche back from near-bankruptcy to the cash-rich company that controls Volkswagen, is emphasised by Aston's head of product communications, Dave King."It's not in the five-year plan. It's not in the 10-year plans," King says.But other stuff is in the product plan at Aston Martin, led by the four-door Rapide. King has early details of the newest stretch of the company's modular VH alloy chassis pack."Rapide will be based on the same platform. It's been pretty much on the backburner. We've done some feasibility work," he says."Ford wasn't in a position to make an investment in that car. The new owners, as one of their first actions, have committed to making that car happen."We've kicked off full steam. We're saying nothing specific on timing except to say it will be this decade."We've been vague because it is early days. I'd anticipate that, in true AM style, it will stay close to the concept car. The production is likely to be 1000 to 2000 cars."King, like Bez, is evasive about DB-X, but rules out anything smaller than the current Vantage models."That was nothing more than a teaser. We are saying there will be more cars in the future," he says."I don't think it will be anything below V8 Vantage. There are great opportunities in there, but not for Aston Martin. Perhaps that's where Jaguar should have gone."

Nine stars of the Melbourne International Motor Show took a quick spin from City Hall to Federation Square to rev the city up for tomorrow evening's big opening at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.Led by a beefy Chrysler 300C police car, about $2 million worth of auto exotica cruised down Swanston St.Lord Mayor John So rode James Bond-style in a $360,000 Aston Martin DB9 Volante convertible.Immediately behind him was a Bentley Continental GTC convertible worth $400,000, but even that was trumped moments later by a Ferrari 599 GTB, costing $600,000.Others in the column included a Maserati Quattroporte, the new convertibles from Volkswagen and Volvo, and a top-of-the-range Lexus LS460.Most unusual was the Bonning B3 three-wheeler, the personal project of designer and artist Brad Bonning.But there would be plenty more to see at the show itself, said the extravaganza's director, Russ Tyrie."That's just to give people a taste of what they will see on Friday," Mr Tyrie said."The parade is a great way to bring the show to Melbourne and to give people an idea of what an exciting and dynamic thing the car industry is."The covers will come off quite a few new cars at the show."With some of them it's going to be as much a surprise to us as it will to everyone else."

Members of the P1 performance club get the pick of some of the world's hottest and most expensive supercars, including brands such as Ferrari, Aston Martin and Lamborghini. P1 Australia director Peter Dempsey says the club has 12 cars and plans to add one new car for every extra five members."With our collection they can take any car out that suits them," he says. The cars are divided into five categories, the top one featuring the most expensive cars, such as a Ferrari F430 Spider and soon a Scaglietti, an Aston Martin DB9 Volante and Vanquish and a Lamborghini Murcielago.Other cars in the mix include a Bentley Continental GT, a Ferrari F430, Aston Martin V8 Vantage and various Porsches. The lower categories might not be quite as impressive, but they'll still turn heads. A BMW M5 and Z4 M Coupe, a Range Rover Sport and a Lotus Exige S2, add to the list.Dempsey says a Hummer H2 will be next to arrive, dressed with a leather package. He is also expecting the arrival of the Audi R8. But getting to drive your dream cars doesn't come cheap."There's a joining fee of $5000 and then there are three different levels of membership, $27,000, $32,000 or $36,500," Dempsey says.Top-end members have a possible 70 driving days a year, with the cheaper membership offering 50 days a year.The company originated in England six years ago, and was co-founded by former Formula One world champion Damon Hill.After two months of operation, the Sydney branch has 50 members. "In Sydney, we cap it at 150 members," Dempsey says. "That's a reflection of the sizeof commercial property that is available to store the cars."The founding British club has 74 cars, including a Ford GT and an Aerial Atom. But Dempsey says they haven't been able to bring these models, as the Atom isn't road legal in Australia and customs won't allow the GT in as it is a left-hand drive. "(But) we're the only ones doing it with the supercars, brand new cars," he says.And it seems that it's not just the usual suspects, the wealthy bankers, lawyers and financiers, who are getting on board.Dempsey says members come from all walks of life and include a greengrocer and a professional golfer. Doctors, dentists, solicitors and barristers are also taking up the chance to get behind the wheel of some amazing cars.The youngest member is a 22-year-old refrigeration engineer from western Sydney.The club takes care of all insurance, maintenance and storage fees and Dempsey says one of the main benefits is that members don't have to worry about huge depreciation on the vehicles."With high taxation, people understand that they're better off putting half a million dollars in an investment and getting to play the field (with) the cars," he says.And while the majority of those taking up the membership are male, Dempsey says women are also driving them as a memberships include two names as drivers."Often guys show the interest and then bring their wives on board as the second name driver," he says.The cars can be taken out for as little as a day, or it can run into months -- depending on members' wants and needs.Dempsey says the weather often forecasts what vehicles will be popular, with the convertibles a hit on the sunny weekends.A second British branch of the club opened in 2004 in Manchester.The Australian section will expand in March, when a Melbourne club is opened, with Formula One driver Mark Weber in attendance again. And Dempsey says that P1 International is also looking towards expanding into Dubai and Hong Kong.

Aston Martin will launch the Vantage V8 Roadster at this week's Los Angeles Motor Show, but the chance of becoming an Aston owner has now peaked, according to the brand's sales manager for Melbourne and Sydney, Rod Cullen.Cullen says dealers were told at a worldwide conference that peak production of 7000 Aston Martin cars would be reached this year, and there were no plans to increase annual production beyond that.The Roadster is mechanically identical to the Coupe, with a 4.3-litre V8 producing 283kW and 410Nm. Its roof is canvas ratherthan folding steel and retracts in 18 seconds.Pricing has not been announced but should be about $260,000, a 10 per cent premium on the Coupe.Cullen says the cap on Aston Martin production should not affect Melbourne. The new showroom due to open next month at Eureka Tower at Southbank will be allocated 35-40 cars from Britain to cover the change in dealer.Though the vehicle will debut at the Melbourne Motor Show, Victoria's first Vantage Roadsters won't go on sale until July."Each year we're given a production schedule and that's finite. You can't order another if you want it. And our order bank is regularly out six to 12 months," Cullen says."The only variance from a Melbourne perspective is that we are being allocated sufficient stock next year to justify our investment in the new showroom. We'll be happy if five to 10 of those cars are Roadsters."The Vantage Coupe and Roadster will be available with a six-speed semi-automatic manual with an automated clutch, virtually identical to the Lamborghini Gallardo's E-Gear, from next year.

Making a Porsche 911 disappear is a trick worthy of the very best magicians: David Copperfield, Andrew Johns or even Q of James Bond fame, perhaps. But I've recently seen it done by an Aston Martin V8 Vantage.Park this beast next to a 911, or just about anything else — the QEII, Posh Spice, a defrosted John Wayne — and people's eyes will still be wrenched towards the hulking, potent shape of the James Bond-endorsed marque.Of course, making a 911 vanish out on the road would prove a much bigger ask for this Aston, but more of that later.Frankly, how the Vantage drives tumbles down the list of importance, next to the way it occupies space and time.This is the sort of car that not only stops traffic, it makes it behave very strangely. Dozens of guys surged their way through the car-raff to get a better look at the Aston.Of course, the most wondrous point of view to take in the car is from the driver's seat.The sky above is silken suede grey, double-stitched and divine, the doors are lined with contrasting and cultured leather, the knobs and bezels are all steel and billet beauty and even the pedals are a work of art.The accelerator seems a tiny thing to deal with such a big job, but it turns out to be perfectly designed for heel-and-toeing — something you'd be wanting to do to hear the sweet, sweet sound of the Vantage's 4.3-litre V8.Occasionally, we make rash judgments, and recently I said Maserati made the world's most wondrous-sounding V8 and that its note was so beautiful it brought tears to your eyes.But the Aston Martin makes you weep openly. I had to pull over several times to take on tissues, which was a shame as it took me away from my goal of hitting the 4000rpm mark as often as possible, at which point a butterfly valve in the exhaust opens and a noise not heard since the Big Bang erupts. Brimstone, hellfire and V8 Supercars all come to mind.This rev point may seem slightly arbitrary but it's chosen partly as a challenge: you have to ballistic surge to 60km/h in second gear, 80 in third, 110 in fourth or go to jail in any other gear to hear it — and partly to prevent hearing damage.Frighteningly, it sounds even better at 5000, 6000 or 7000rpm.If you reach those kind of revs, however, in any gear, your senses will be too overloaded by G-forces and shaky scenery to worry about sound.The Aston's 283kW makes it seriously quick, with a zero to 100km/h time of 5.0 seconds. But even that time says nothing of its mid-range torque, all 410Nm of it, which is so omnipotent that overtaking is done with an unavoidable air of disdain.You need to get a long way out of town to see what the Vantage is capable of and it quickly becomes clear that it's an absolute scream on fast sweepers.At any speed, the Aston Martin has a feeling of slab-like solidity, as if you're driving some exec's massive granite desk.Its rigidity becomes really impressive in fast corners, made all the more joyful when the body simply refuses to roll.A fantastically flat cornering attitude only encourages faster apexes, and more engine noise, particularly if you insist on driving a gear lower than you should, just to make it louder.No wonder we averaged 17.5 litres per 100km during our all-too-brief test.The Vantage is quite happy to take 35km/h-posted corners in third, but the temptation is to choose second. This means being careful with the throttle because getting all that power down can cause the tail to get happy.And it is in these tight situations that the Aston falls down, ever so slightly. Throw in some mid-corner bumps and you could even call the Brit flustered.While the way it stops and goes are awe-inspiring — the brakes are wondrous — that team is slightly let down by the steering, which clearly lacks the feel of a Porsche or even a BMW M3.Over a stretch like the Bells Line of Road, the Vantage wouldn't stay in front of a determined 911 driver for long and, at the end of the day, the Porsche owner would feel more satisfied in a tactile way.At the end of my day in the Aston, my right knee was sore, indicating some heaviness to the controls. The biggest failing is the gearbox, which is lumpen and heavy when cold — almost Commodore clunky — and not that fantastic when warm.Yet, to its credit, Aston Martin believes enthusiasts want to change their own gears and so doesn't offer a flappy-paddle semi-auto box on the Vantage.What you don't get for $242,850 — a goodly amount more than a 911 Carrera — is quite surprising: no auto wipers, auto headlights, separate climate control for passenger and driver or stereo controls on the steering wheel.But then Aston would argue that what you do get is impossible to put a price on. When you fire up the V8 Vantage a few words light up on the dash that truly sum it up: "Power, Beauty, Soul".