Aston Martin News

British businessman and car fan, David Brown, is apparently dissatisfied with what's on offer in the sports car segment. So he's decided to produce his own, launching a new brand with a production model to be unveiled in April showing what he says is a new approach to the classic British sports car.“I wanted all the impact and style of a classic sports car, but with modern capabilities and conveniences," Brown said in a statement. "This is what I want in a car, but it’s not something anyone really offers. So, I’ve created it myself.” He will put the car into production under the brand name David Brown Automotive -- albeit in limited numbers. “I thought that if I’m looking for this, others might be too,” he said.There may be some confusion over the name David Brown, which will already be familiar to car fans -- and almost hallowed in British car history. However that is as the late head of Aston Martin, who bought both it and Lagonda in the 1940s and whose initials have designated some of the brand's most desirable cars, but who died more than 20 years ago. But there's no doubt the new venture could benefit from any confusion between the two.More details on the car, codenamed 'Project Judi' for now, will be released closer to launch, but Brown said it  will "combine a classically-inspired exterior design, with the latest in performance, dynamics, technology, comfort and refinement".To help him, Brown has secured Land Rover's former chief designer -- who served there for 19 years until 2005 -- from whom he's commissioned a completely original design, sourcing bespoke Brit suppliers for interior trim and materials, and wedding "the latest manufacturing techniques with traditional craftsmanship".This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

There are exciting new releases planned across the board; from budget hatches to practical SUVs, to exotic supercars. We’ve broken them down into segments and likely price categories to help you. We've based our price estimations on the current market, but some estimations could change in the future, and some model ranges span across price categories, so be sure to check our other stories...New cars for 2014 | less than $20,000New cars for 2014 | $20,000-$40,000New cars for 2014 | $40,000-$59,000New cars for 2014 | $59,000-$100,000LUXURY CARSAudi A8: Audi will refresh its A8 flagship sedan lineup by mid-2014, with subtle styling tweaks and interior details, along with shuffled drivetrain options. (Approximately $188,000-$249,000)Audi RS7 Sportback: Essentially a five-door hatch version of the existing RS6 Avant, the RS7 will arrive in February with sleeker Sportback styling than the wagon, and the same 412kW/700Nm 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. 0-100km/h is the same 3.9 seconds too. (Approximately $240,000)Bentley Continental GT S: While Bentley prepares its first SUV model, there’s not much else in store for 2014 from the legendary Brit aside from powered-up new S models added to the V8 Continental GT lineup. (Approximately $380,000)Jaguar XJR: Jaguar will add the new XJR to its XJ big sedan lineup in the first quarter, with the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 performance flagship to sit above the existing Supersport range-topper. (Approximately $350,000)Lexus RC: Lexus’ new RC coupe should arrive before the end of 2014 to take on the BMW 4 Series and Audi A5, with a choice of petrol V6 and hybrid drivetrains likely to expand to include a high-performance 5.0-litre V8 RC-F soon after. (Approximately $70,000-$130,000)Maserati Quattroporte and Ghibli: 2014 is set to be a big year for Maserati, with the new Quattroporte (Approximately from $250,000) arriving in V6 form in January, and V8 form in February, with the return of the smaller Ghibli sedan ( Approximately from $150,000) in March.Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Mercedes will cap its local S-Class sedan lineup in January, with the arrival of the $385,000 S63 AMG high performance model. The 430kW/900Nm twin-turbo V8 S63 will sit above the existing S350 and S500 models, and be joined by the diesel-electric S350 BlueTec hybrid and twin-turbo V6 S400 variants by June. (Approximately $250,000-$385,000)Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe: Mercedes’ upcoming S-Class Coupe is expected down under before the year’s end, with the yet to be officially revealed new model replacing the existing CL coupe models. A drop-top version is also planned, and a V8 and V12 petrol-only lineup is expected with an entry price north of $300,000 likely.Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid: The plug-in Panamera E-Hybrid is also due early in the year, with a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 and 70kW electric motor to enable 3.1L/100km fuel use with 0-100km/h acceleration in 5.5 seconds. (Approximately $296,900)SUV/4WDLand Rover Range Rover: Before mid-year, Land Rover will add a range-topping lineup (Approximately $250,000) with new hybrid versions of it and the Sport expected before the end of the year. (Approximately $102,000-$182,000)Porsche Macan: Porsche will add the new sub-Cayenne Macan SUV to its Australian lineup from June, with the cheapest diesel model forming a new entry point to Porsche ownership at $84,900. Twin-turbo 3.0 and 3.6-litre V6s will sit further up the price scale, with the 294kW top-spec capable of 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds. (Approximately $84,900-$122,900)SPORTS/PERFORMANCEAston Martin V12 Vantage S: Aston will add its fastest model this side of the ultra-exclusive One-77 in the first quarter of this year, in the form of the track-ready V12 Vantage S coupe. (Approximately $450,000)BMW M3 and M4: BMW’s new M3 and M4 mid-size performance heroes are set to arrive after mid-year, with the move to twin-turbo six power resulting in the fastest M3 to date, and matched by the renamed M4 coupe. (Approximately $124,000-$180,000)BMW i8: The i8 plug-in hybrid sports car is expected to arrive before the year’s end, blending grand tourer luxury with 4.4 second 0-100km/h acceleration and 2.5L/100km fuel economy. (Approximately $200,000)Ferrari 458 Speciale: The first of 60 Australian examples of Ferrari’s hardcore 458 Speciale are set to arrive before mid-year, with the lighter, more powerful track-focused special able to lap Fiorano 1.5 seconds faster than the old Enzo flagship. (Approximately $550,000)Jaguar F-Type Coupe: Jaguar will add the recently unveiled Coupe version of its stunning F-Type in the third quarter, with the 20kg lighter V6, V6 S and V8 S variants also expected to slightly undercut their soft-top counterparts on price. The Coupe-only F-Type R will sit at the top of the hardtop range, with the 404kW/680Nm spec V8 promising 0-100km/h acceleration in the order of 4.2 seconds. (Approximately $125,000-$200,000)Lamborghini Huracan: With the Gallardo now officially out of production, Lamborghini is keen to follow with its Huracan replacement to sit beneath the V12 Aventador models before June. The V10 Huracan is set to challenge Ferrari’s 458 with an uprated version of the Gallardo’s 5.2-litre V10 and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. From $428,000Nissan GT-R: Nissan will bring its latest incarnation of the GT-R performance coupe down under from March, with cosmetic upgrades the key changes for 2014. New LED headlights and taillights are changed for the first time since 2007, and mesh wheels keep Nissan’s giant-killer a fresh opponent for Porsche’s new 911 Turbo models. (Approximately from $170,000)Porsche 911 Turbo and GT3: Porsche will launch several key hi-po versions of the 991 911 to its Australian lineup in the first half of 2014, with the $359,800 Turbo and $441,300 Turbo S arriving first in coupe and convertible ($29,000 premium) guises, with the $294,000 track-oriented and now PDK-only GT3 soon after.Porsche 911 Targa: The new semi-convertible unveiled in Detroit will touch down in Australia before mis-year, with a new folding roof mechanism and all-wheel drive 4 and 4S versions. Both manual and PDK auto will be available, and prices will sit $2,300-$3,300 over existing Cabriolet models. (Approximately $247,900-$291,050)CONVERTIBLESAston Martin Vanquish Volante: For those who prefer their V12 Astons roofless and with a back seat, Aston will bring the Vanquish Volante to Australia in the first quarter of 2014. (Approximately $510,000)Bentley Continental GTC S: Like the hardtop GT, the soft top Continental GTC is set to score a powered up S model in 2014. (Approximately $420,000)BMW 4 Series convertible: The folding hardtop version of BMW’s 4-Series coupe is expected by March, and echo its hardtop sibling with 420d, 428i, and 435i drivetrains. (Approximately $85,000-$120,000)   

There's rich, and then there's completely over-indulged. Undergraduate students at a university in Dubai stuff the carpark with a fleet of supercars that are their daily drivers. The American University of Dubai students turn up for classes in a range of exotic and expensive metal that looks like a convoy from a Top Gear episode.  Ferraris, Rolls-Royces, Aston Martins, Bentleys, Porsches and Maseratis have all been photographed in the carpark by one of the students, Meeka Nasser, who has posted them on Reddit.Nasser has told media he was astounded by the high-end level of vehicles in the carpark. "Because $200,000 Cayennes and Range Rovers are a dime a dozen here, I only included a few of them in the album. Keep in mind, almost all of the students are between 18 and 24 years old, as the graduate programe is pretty tiny here. The students that drive the insanely expensive cars (Rolls Royces and Bentleys etc.) are usually local (Emirati) for those wonderin," he wrote.The American University in Dubai is a private university that has been operating in the United Arab Emirates capital for nearly 20 years, and aims to offer an American-style education to both Emirates residents and expatriates. Tuition starts at a base level of around $12,000 per semester.

Aston Martin is reportedly looking at building an even hotter version of its current-fastest V12 Vantage S, with much of the performance boost coming through weight reduction.Speaking with Autocar, Aston Martin engineering boss Ian Minards suggests that significant weight loss is possible from the existing 1665kg V12 Vantage S. "It would be relatively easy to lose 100kg from the current car," he says. “That much could be saved by removing the air conditioning, simplifying the interior and fitting lightweight seats."Following a similar approach to Porsche with its 911 GT3, such a car would build on Aston’s significant experience with racing the Vantage in production-based categories. Beyond weight loss, Aston CEO Ulrich Bez suggests there’s more to be squeezed out of the 6.0-litre V12 than the current 421kW/620Nm outputs. "We could get more power than we have now even if we made the engine smaller to help with economy and emissions."Such an improvement to the V12 Vantage S’ power/weight ratio could exceed the current 911 GT3 and approach that of the Ferrari 458, and could see the Vantage S’ 0-100km/h figure of 3.9 seconds drop significantly.The project is still yet to be given the go-ahead from Aston however, which would make any production debut before 2015 unlikely.This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn 

You can't see around corners, but you could be able to see through the traffic in front of you in the future. We've all experienced being stuck behind a truck on the highway, not able to see around them to check if it's safe to overtake -- wishing vehicles could be made as invisible as James Bond's Aston Martin Vanquish in Die Another Day.Researchers at a Portuguese university have the answer -- a system that projects an image of the road ahead of that truck onto your own windscreen. Called the STS (for See-Through System), it uses a set of cameras and vehicle-to-vehicle communication to display the image as a 'virtual windscreen'.The team from the University of Porto says STS uses low-latency video streaming and dedicated short-range communication to transmit the imagery swiftly, allowing the driver to see 'through' the vehicle blocking their line of vision.It depends on the vehicle in front of you having the system's cameras installed, which then wirelessly sends the footage in near real-time to a transparent monitor fitted on your own windscreen.However, an increasing push is being made into vehicle-to-vehicle communication and the extra safety it offers -- with carmakers testing systems that warn following traffic of accidents and other problems. So invisible cars may not remain the stuff of 007 daydreams.Watch the See-Through System video here.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

Christmas is just a couple of pages away on the shopping calendar. And for those of you already struggling with the task of finding that special gift -- and likewise struggling with the weight of your wallet -- the Neiman Marcus fantasy gift list is here to help. The Dallas department store's annual catalogue always kicks off its fantasy selection with a car, and this year it's one fit for a future king: a special edition Neiman Marcus 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante convertible. A descendant of the car that Prince William and Kate drove off in from their wedding (a vintage 1969 Aston Martin owned by Prince Charles), only 10 will be built, which of course makes it a collectible steal for US$344,500 ($364,360) -- although you'd likely be stung for at least another $100,000 to bring it here. Perhaps a smaller vehicle would fit better under the tree, and if you're happy with just two wheels there's Indian Larry's Wild Child chopper. For US$750,000 you can easy rider away on the Harley-Davidson based bike that the renowned fabricator handbuilt in New York to win the 2003 Discovery Channel "Biker Build-Off" series. That might seem a lot for a set of secondhand wheels, so perhaps you could go for the single brand-new one of the US$11,000 of the Ciclotte exercise bicycle. Looking more like an abstract sculpture than a piece of gym equipment, the Ciclotte promises its "dynamic design is rivaled only by its effortless performance". And if it can truly make getting fit effortless, the asking price will seem a bargain compared to pre-dawn boot camp torture. But there are also a few non-wheeled gifts, of which the most extravagant is an outdoor entertainment centre with a giant 201-inch screen that rises from an underground storage bunker, yours for US$1.5-$2.6 million (depending on where you want to install it). Perhaps something tiny as a stocking stuffer? How about a 25-carat diamond, which will set you back US$1.85m but at about the size of a large sugar cube will save you some money on wrapping paper. And the price includes a trip to the London HQ of the De Beers diamond house to oversee the cutting and polishing of the stone, plus a side-trip to the African country of Namibia where it was mined. And for true silliness, there's a US$150,000 falconry set ... with everything but the falcons. You get a set of matching luggage to carry your birds and personal knick-knacks, folding furniture, a 20-karat gold-plated perch, leather hoods and other falcon wardrobe items, plus all the bits and bobs needed for a spot of backgammon, whisky-imbibing and cigar-puffing while your pets are off hunting small animals. This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott Watch the Neiman Marcus Christmas catalogue video here

Innovation, many hybrids and all-electrics, some high-powered models and a couple of striking retro-inspired coupes are the highlights of this year's Frankfurt motor show. Throw in some staged antics and the world's biggest car show becomes even better.Volvo set the pace with an unveiling of its Concept Coupe, a technologically advanced number of exceptional grace reminiscent of its iconic P1800 of the 1960s. It embodies what Volvo calls its 'human centric experience' and apart from a host of safety electronics, has the new 2.0-litre four-cylinder motor that will soon replace the brand's five and six-cylinder engines.The engine has turbo and supercharging plus a plug-in electric motor, resulting in V8-like performance, but with minicar fuel consumption. However, the classy coupe is not scheduled for production in the near future. Instead, it marks the capability of Volvo's new architecture and elements of its design will feature on all future models, starting with the new XC90 in about a year.Frankfurt was also used to display a growing trend towards compact premium SUVs. Mercedes-Benz showed its cute new GLA-class SUV with new generation 4matic all-wheel drive, and Infiniti unveiled its Q30 concept, which it said was in a unique class, being a blend of coupe, hatch and crossover. A surprise was the appearance of F1 racing camp Sebastien Vettel, who said he helped sort the Q30's handling.Minutes later, Lexus trumped that by having a couple of giant animated creatures, seemingly from outer space, whip the covers of its new LF-NX, another smallish Crossover concept. It, too, had a hybrid powertrain and despite an enthusiastic description of how it's brushed metal finish made it look as if carved from a single billet of solid metal, it was just plain ugly.Then there were the glam cars: Ferrari, Maserati, Jaguar, BMW, Aston-Martin and lots of specially-bodied creations from Brabus and similar outfits, scores of Fiats and Smarts, Hyundais and Kias and about 50 more brands. Spread through about a dozen vast halls, they added up to sore feet and bewildered looks as people did their best to absorb the techno and visual overdose of tomorrow's dream machines. 

We’ve seen some clever 3D printed things, but so far they’ve all been small items – and some of them smaller than small, such as the microscopic 3D printed race car. But a New Zealand 3D fan is thinking big. Car-sized big, and a 1961 Series II Aston Martin DB4 to boot. Auckland-based computer programmer Ivan Sentch is spinning up a replica DB4 piece-by-piece on a 3D printer that costs around $500. His blog, Replica DB4 Project chronicles the process – and the problems and pitfalls he’s faced – since starting the build late in 2012. Sentch says he’s completed about 72 per cent of the body printing, which will then be used to create a fibreglass mold, and build the final body onto a custom-built spaceframe with power coming from Nissan Skyline GTS innards currently being used in his Ferrari 250 GTO replica. The Ferrari, by the way, will get a BMW V12 engine as consolation. Sentch says his decision to do the Aston Martin was prompted by family needs. “It was partly because I need four seats, and the 250 GTO kit car I've got hardly gets used as it's only a two-seater and I can't take the kids in it,” he says. “But also because an old Aston Martin is very very cool and a DB4 over a DB5 or a DB4 Zagato because I just like the look of the DB4 more -- I'm going for the no bumper GT lightweight look, though. He says the wheel track of the Skyline made it the ideal donor car for the Aston Martin DB4 project. “It had the right wheel track to fit in the body -- wheelbase doesn't matter as you can get a custom propeller shaft -- it's a six-cylinder like the DB4, and the Skylines are very cheap. The printing has so far gone smoothly for him, but the project hasn’t been without hurdles – the biggest being the glass. “Sourcing the glass has been difficult,” he says. “There's plenty of ways to make the body, and making a spaceframe chassis doesn't represent too much of a challenge, but it falls over if you can't get the glass. “I finally found a place online that can supply it relatively cheaply and I've yet to contact Pilkingtons classic car division in the UK who have the moulds for the DB4, and who probably supply the other places selling the glass.” Sentch says the Aston Martin won’t be his only project. “I have many I want to do… if I do another one of these (from scratch) type builds I would think about a 300SLR, Ferrari 250 GTO SWB or one of the DB4 Zagato Sanction 3 recreations. The Sanction 1 and 2 Zagatos were what Aston Martin re-made a few years ago with some spare DB4 chassis they had lying around, then someone made a Sanction 3. It’s not officially an Aston Martin but it looks really good.” Are we seeing the start of being able to DIY our own cars at home? An Aston Martin DB4 is an ambitious project, but Sentch is showing it’s achievable. Which leaves Carsguide.com.au wondering how hard it would be to do a 1955 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing. Somebody call the stationery suppliers: we urgently need to upgrade the office printer...  

Aston Martin’s CC100 Speedster is a concept built to celebrate the British automaker’s centenary this year and whose design draws inspiration from past greats like the DBR1 race car of the 1950s but also points the way towards the future by previewing the styling of Aston’s next generation of cars.It was widely expected that Aston Martin would build two examples of the concept, one to keep in its collection and the other to be sold to one very loyal customer.According to Autocar, two CC100 Speedsters have been built, though both have been sold, at a price of roughly 500,000 British pounds (approximately $830,000) each.The first version to be sold is said to have been the original concept that took part in several of Aston Martin’s centenary celebrations, the most recent of which took place last weekend in London. The second is said to have been commissioned by another customer, who will be receiving it later in the year.  Interestingly, the owner of the original concept is said to be keeping his or her car in a collection while the owner of the second car plans to get regulatory approval so it can be driven on public roads. Sadly, Aston Martin does not plan to build any more examples so that the car’s exclusivity is preserved. The CC100 was designed and constructed in fewer than six months at Aston Martin’s global headquarters in Gaydon, England. It is based around the chassis of a V12 Vantage but comes with a unique carbon fibre body and sequential manual transmission with paddle shifters. According to Aston Martin, the setup is good for 0-100 km/h acceleration in just over 4.0 seconds and a governed top speed of 290 km/h.The real significance of the car is that its styling previews that of next generation of Aston cars. 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.www.motorauthority.com 

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