Aston Martin News

And they're stunning. Rather like the progeny of Brad and Angelina, you couldn't expect offspring from Zagato and Aston to be anything less. For the famed Italian design house Zagato, intimately linked with Aston Martin for over half a century, it’s only natural to mark the centenary this year of the historic British automaker, and what better way than to roll out a new Aston Martin Zagato creation.We can confirm that Zagato will build two examples of a new Aston Martin centenary special, one based on the 2013 DB9 Volante convertible and destined for a customer in the U.S. and the other on a 2013 DBS coupe.The DB9 Spyder Zagato Centennial was conceived for American car collector Peter Read, a longtime enthusiast and collector of Aston Martins. The DBS Coupe Zagato Centennial, meanwhile, was developed for a young entrepreneur based in Japan.Their designs draw inspiration from 2002’s DB7 Zagato, which proved so popular that all 99 examples allotted for sale were snapped up before the car had even made its debut at the Paris Auto Show of that same year. The same team responsible for the DB7 Zagato, led by Andrea and Marella Zagato together with Read, also worked on the latest centenary special.Looking at the renderings, it’s hard to recognise the modern Astons underpinning the cars but there’s no missing the signature of elements of both Zagato and Aston Martin. The double-bubble roof, clean surfaces and squared-off tail all scream Zagato while the grille, fender vents and fastback body tell you you’re looking at an Aston Martin well before the winged badge comes into view.You’ll also notice that there are clear influences from the V8 Zagato of the 1980s, particularly at the front of the cars. The design team’s vision is best expressed by Read, who said, “the DB9 Spyder Zagato Centennial perfectly merges Aston Martin and Zagato’s DNA by combining the elegance of design, typical of Zagato, with the soul, power and prestige of Aston Martin, all developed over the last 100 years."No changes were made to the mechanical package of either car, so they both come with Aston Martin’s venerable 6.0 litre V12, good for 380kW. Zagato has been called upon by Aston Martin to develop special bodies for its cars for more than half a century, with the partnership starting with the legendary DB4GT Zagato first shown in 1960. The cars, though expensive, have always been stunning and as history has shown they’ve all become highly sought-after collectibles.www.motorauthority.com 

Aston Martin has a rich and prestigious heritage and that the company is now 100 years old is one of the more remarkable feats of automotive longevity. Despite near death financial experiences on numerous occasions and more owners and investors than you and I have had hot dinners, Aston Martin is still there. Other UK marques, such as Austin, Morris, Riley, Hillman, Singer, Humber, Sunbeam, Alvis, Jensen, Armstrong Siddley, Standard and Triumph have all disappeared, but Aston Martin lives on. Founded in 1913 by Robert Bamford and Lionel Martin as ‘Bamford & Martin Ltd’, the company has developed into a global brand synonymous with speed, luxury and elegance. The name ‘Aston Martin’ came about when Lionel Martin successfully raced at the Aston Hill Climb in Buckinghamshire, England. Financial problems plagued the company over the next decade (nothing new there) with the business forced to close in 1925. It was rescued by a group of investors in 1926. The business was soon producing a range of sports cars and had an increasing reputation for engineering and design. Now remember, we are talking about a small niche player here, not some huge manufacturing conglomerate. A mere 140 cars were sold in 1937, the highest in the pre World War 2 era. In 1947 a new owner took over, Sir David Brown, and it was during his watch that the most iconic Aston of all time was produced. I speak, of course, of the car frequently acclaimed as the most beautiful car in the world, the Aston Martin DB5-the one James Bond drove in Goldfinger. Released in 1963, which means it's celebrating its 50 anniversary, the DB5 has come to personify everything that Aston Martin is today. Mind you, I think the most striking Aston Martin of all is the 1976 four door Lagonda. Designed by William Towns, it is an aggressively styled automobile. Long of hood and short of tail, with a cutting edge computerized digital instrument panel, the Lagonda created a huge wave of publicity for the company. Nothing worked properly, of course. All those complex electronics just refused to operate as intended. Some folk unkindly suggested that an essential part of the car's tool kit was a multi-meter, O scope and jumper leads. With an initial production rate of just one a week only 645 cars were built before the end of production in 1989. There are one or two still roaming this sunburnt country and about 80 in the UK. David Burrell is the editor of Retroautos.com.au  

The Aston Martin Vanquish Volante has just been revealed, but so far we’ve only seen it in the one shade, a delicious electric blue. Now the Vanquish Volante has been given its very own configurator on Aston Martin’s website, which not only lets you play around with the exterior colour but the colour of the interior, brake calipers and many of the exterior details, too.Click here to visit the online configurator.The new Vanquish Volante is the convertible version of the equally stunning Vanquish coupe and comes on the market early next year as the replacement for the DBS Volante. At a US starting price of $297,995, it is now the most expensive model in the Aston Martin lineup, but given its looks, performance and rarity the price is not unreasonable.The Vanquish Volante gets a full carbon fibre body and a powerful 6.0 liter V12 engine spinning its rear wheels. Peak outputs are 422kW and 620Nm, enough for 0-100km/h jaunts in around 4.1 seconds and a top speed of about 290km/h.Unique to the Vanquish Volante is its roof structure, naturally. It consists of a triple-skin lightweight fabric top that can be operated at speeds of up to 50km/h and takes just 14 seconds to fold.Announcing the arrival of the car earlier this month, Aston Martin CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez said: "This car is what luxury super GT driving is all about--great performance, fantastic style and exhilarating Volante motoring in one superb package.”www.motorauthority.com 

Meet the world’s sexiest convertible; the all-new 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante. Yes, Aston Martin has finally taken the covers off the convertible version of last year’s Vanquish coupe, and we must say the car’s seductive lines look even better with the roof removed.Beautiful surfacing and incredible attention to detail really set the Vanquish Volante apart from the competition, and that’s before taking a look at the car’s technology.Thanks to the latest generation of Aston Martin’s bonded aluminum VH platform (generation four for those counting), the Vanquish Volante is expected to retain its coupe sibling's full breadth of dynamic character and sporting capability. The car also benefits from a full carbon fibre body, which helps to keep weight down while increasing rigidity. Torsional stiffness is up 13 per cent on the DBS Volante, which the new model replaces.Power comes from the automaker’s latest 6.0 liter V12, which rates at 422kW/620Nm of torque and has a beautiful exhaust note as evidenced in the video above. It promises 0-100km/h acceleration in 4.1 seconds and a top speed of about 290 km/h.Drives goes to the rear wheels only, via Aston Martin’s a Touchtronic 2 six-speed automatic gearbox. The dynamics have been tuned precisely, with new springs and damper settings calibrated to deliver the same crisp handling yet compliant ride as the coupe.Also unique to the Vanquish Volante is its roof structure, naturally. The car's triple-skin lightweight fabric roof can be operated at speeds of up to 50km/h and takes just 14 seconds to fold. The windscreen, meanwhile, is now full height--a first for Aston Martin--which means that the glass runs up to meet the fabric roof, thereby reducing visual 'clutter'.Aston Martin is once again offering the choice of 2 or 2+2 seating, though we should warn, if you opt for the latter you’ll find it near impossible squeezing anyone older than 12 in the back.The rest of the cabin gets full grain Luxmil leather with optional quilting, Alcantara and satin accents, and a modern centre stack inspired by the version in the One-77 supercar. The facia trim now stretches down the whole centre stack and is manufactured from a single piece of material giving a uniform finish.Other tech features the Vanquish Volante benefits from include an adaptive suspension damping system with three different settings (Normal, Sport and Track), speed-sensitive power steering, and carbon ceramic brakes from Brembo.Sadly, the first Aston Martin Vanquish Volantes won’t be delivered until early next year, priced from US$297,995. Australian availability is yet to be confirmed.Announcing the arrival of the Vanquish Volante, Aston Martin CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez said: "This car is what luxury super GT driving is all about--great performance, fantastic style and exhilarating Volante motoring in one superb package.”www.motorauthority.com

...At the Nurburging before it follows the coupe onto the world's roads.It's mechanically identical apart from Aston's usual folding canvas top, and is expected to go public at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Late last week, news broke that the assets of niche sports car manufacturer TVR, which hasn’t built a car since 2006, had just been sold. At the time, it wasn’t clear who the new owner was or what they planned to do with the assets, but we can now confirm that TVR will remain a sports car manufacturer for the time being.TVR’s previous owner, Russian businessman Nikolai Smolenski, had announced plans to use the company’s production facilities to start churning out wind turbines instead of sports cars. Thankfully, he ended up selling the business before the switch could happen.He sold the business to a British firm registered as TVR Automotive, whose director, Les Edgar, was interviewed recently by Top Gear. Edgar, whose background is in video games, though he also has links with Aston Martin, revealed that TVR’s new owner was keen to stay true to the brand’s roots (i.e. building raw sports cars with insane levels of performance).He also said TVR Automotive had the resources and acumen to succeed where Smolenski failed and that a lot of research was involved before the deal to purchase TVR’s assets was made.Unfortunately, the British exec couldn’t reveal any more details due to a non-disclosure agreement. Let’s hope we won’t have to wait too long until the next titbit of information surrounding TVR’s revival is revealed.www.motorauthority.com 

The next James Bond car is ready for action, thanks to a renewed performance push from Aston Martin. The British brand has just fired up the Vantage V12 S, a supercar with 423 kilowatts of power and a top speed of 330 km/h - with a pricetag likely to sit some way beyond $400,000.The extreme machine comes as Aston racks up racing successes around the globe but struggles to build sales and break away from the perception that it builds too many cars with similar looks and similar appeal.It has also failed in its efforts to find a ‘big brother’ for future development work, despite attempting to forge a link to AMG Mercedes-Benz.The performance of the new Vantage flagship is only topped by Aston's super-costly and super-rare One-77, a carbon fibre speed machine with a pricetag beyond $1.5 million. Only a single One-77 made it to Australia.The V12 S is already confirmed for local owners in 2014, replacing the existing V12 Vantage, although there are few other details.“Yes, it's coming. It will be early next year and in limited numbers,” the newly-appointed head of Aston Martin in Australia, Kevin Wall, tells Carsguide. He says it's too early to talk dollars but is clear on the car's appeal.“The price will be decided closer to the release. It will be primarily for existing Aston clients, although it will appeal to those looking for the kind of car that James Bond would drive.”Aston Martin says the V12 S picks up technology from its racing program, including a tweaked 6-litre V12 engine that even comes with a shorter, lighter and louder exhaust similar to the One-77. It has better low-down response with 510 Newton-metres from just 1000 revs.The car's robotised manual transaxle is lighter and makes sharper shifts, there are three-stage adaptive dampers in the suspension, quicker power steering is fitted and is drive adjustable for feel, there are new 10-spoke alloys and even a black-painted roof that extends down into the bootlid.“It is extreme in its nature. Learning from our successes on the track feeds the development of this type of car and I'm proud to launch such an exciting sports car in this, our centenary year,” says the chief executive of Aston Martin, Ulrich Bez.“It is our most powerful engine in a beautifully tailored suit. It is elegant, yet brutal.” Visually, the car gets aluminium vanes in its new-look grille but there are few other changes beyond the seats - including a carbon fibre sports choice - and an optional carbon fibre dress-up pack for the cabin.But the good news on the Vantage S is offset in Australia by a safety recall of around 90 Aston Martins sold between May 2012 and April this year.They need to be checked for a potentially faulty accelerator pedal, which could fracture and leave the driver with an engine at idle. There have been six reported failures overseas. The models involved are the V8 and V12 Vantage, DB9, Virage and Rapide S.This reporter is on Twitter @paulwardgover 

Teasers are usually a thing we tolerate more than we enjoy--they do give us hints of what's to come, but they also ruin the surprise. In this case, however, we've been intrigued by the possibility and, now, enticed by the reality: the Aston Martin V12 Vantage S.SpeedA new AM28 6.0-litre V-12 engine powers the 421 kilowatt V12 Vantage S, enabling a top speed of 330km/h. 0-100km/h times haven't been released yet, but something below four seconds is likely a safe estimate. Torque is up from the standard V12 Vantage's 569 Newton metres as well, to 619 Newton metres of torque in the S. Perhaps more importantly, measured torque at 1,000 rpm is up from 439 Newton metres to 509 Newton metres.Some of the updates that improve the AM28's performance include hollow cam shafts and CNC machined combustion chambers.All V12 Vantage S models get the Sportshift III automated manual transaxle (AMT). Updated from the version in the V8 Vantage S, the V12 Vantage S's gearbox provides quick, affirmative paddle shifts while saving 25kg over the six-speed manual gearbox.Completely new to the Vantage range is the three-stage adaptive damping system. With "Normal," "Sport," and "Track" modes, the system can range from relatively plush to firm and agile at the press of a button. Throttle response, gearshift speed and timing, and exhaust note are also controlled by these modes.The exhaust system itself is derived from that of the One-77 hypercar, saving weight and space compared to the previous V12 Vantage exhaust.Electronically-controlled hydraulic power steering (via a ZF-sourced Servotronic system) also joins the party, with a 15:1 steering ratio. The electronically-controlled steering is also tuned to match each of the three adaptive damping settings.StyleThe exterior of the V12 Vantage S is mostly familiar, and that's mostly fantastic, as the standard V12 Vantage, and the Vantage family, for that matter, are quite comely. Sharpening the look for the V12 Vantage S is accomplished with black carbon fibre or titanium silver mesh accents, a new grille insert inspired by the gorgeous CC100 Speedster Concept, alloy ten-spoke wheels, and a subtle graphics package including a black painted roof and partially painted trunk panel.Inside, the new V12 Vantage S gets revised Sport seats, with a choice of Luxmill or semi-aniline leathers, optional Alcantara upholstery, and an optional Carbon Fibre Interior Pack. The carbon pack adds carbon fibre trim elements to the door pulls, dash, and black pedals.As Dr Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin put it, "The new V12 Vantage S is our most extreme Vantage to date--engineered to bring race car performance and technology to the open road... It is our most powerful engine in a beautifully tailored suit. It is elegant, yet brutal, and it is at the same time easy to control. It has everything that sums up Aston Martin: power, beauty and soul!"www.motorauthority.com 

The details follow the striking concept’s debut at the Nürburgring 24 Hours -- due to finish 10pm tonight AEST -- in which Aston Martin competed on the weekend, fielding the Rapide S Hydrogen Hybrid. The concept was created in celebration of Aston Martin’s centenary this year and features a design inspired by the lines of the DBR1 race car of the 1950s. A 1959 DBR1 was famously driven to victory in a 1,000-kilometer race at the Nürburgring by Sir Stirling Moss, and both the original race car and the new CC100 made a lap of the legendary German circuit this morning. But it’s not just about reflecting on the past, as the CC100 also looks towards the future, giving us a glimpse of Aston Martin’s future design direction. Key among the concept’s design features is a new take on the Aston grille and fender vent, and a completely new design theme for the rear. The CC100 was designed and constructed in fewer than six months at Aston Martin’s global headquarters in Gaydon, England. Measuring almost 4.6m nose to tail, and almost 2m across, the CC100 is proof of the flexible nature of Aston Martin’s trademark Vertical Horizontal (VH) platform design. Being based on the V12 Vantage, the CC100 packs a front-mounted V-12 engine displacing 6.0 litres and outputting in excess of 375kW. The engine sits in a rigid aluminum chassis and spins the rear wheels via an automated sequential manual gearbox with paddle shifters. According to Aston Martin, the setup is enough to accelerate the concept to 100km/h in just over 4.0 seconds and on to a governed top speed of 288km/h. The body is all new and is made completely of carbon fibre, tooled and provided by low volume specialists Multimatic. It was designed by Aston design chief Marek Reichman together with the automaker’s exterior designer, Miles Nurnberger.        At its debut in Germany, the CC100 was driven by Aston Martin CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez. He explained that the concept represents the automaker’s sporting heritage as well as its design capability, and it also represents the next generation of Aston Martin sports cars. “The future of Aston Martin is, very clearly, more exciting now than perhaps at any time in its history and I’m looking forward to seeing the excitement and anticipation that CC100 creates among Aston Martin owners and enthusiasts worldwide,” Bez said. www.motorauthority.com