I’m an Aston Martin fan (dreaming to own one some day) and any news about a new Aston coming out is exciting news indeed.

Aston’s previously revealed that the next few years will be filled with new Astons including the beast that’s the One-77 and replacements for the members of their current line up so this release of a special edition hardcore V8 Vantage is a most welcome surprise.

Dubbed the N420, the car is a follow up to the N400 special edition tribute to Aston’s Nurburgring participation. It’s powered by the same 4.7 V8 from the Vantage dishing out 420 bhp.

The car’s put on a diet though, shedding 27kg lighter and features a snazzy aero kit including a carbon-fiber splitter, diffuser and side strakes. The suspension and exhaust systems have also been tweaked.

Ulrich Bez is out to conquer the world through Aston Martin. Hands down, Aston makes cars that everyone wants to have. That’s partially thanks to the DBS being James Bonds’ car and the DB9 being the first car to have its own fridge on the Top Gear cool wall.

They made quite a buzz with the launch of the Rapide but Aston has a lot more to offer by launching six new cars in the next six years. They’re making sure we get a yearly Aston fill until 2016.

This year, Aston will be launching the super-exclusive One-77 super car. The car’s basically designed to be one of the most exquisite cars ever built. If ever the beauty and the beast had a child, this’d be it. Aside from the halo car, Aston’s setting up the launch of the Toyota iQ-based Cygnet minicar by 2011.

By 2013, a successor to the DB9 is planned. Internally codenamed Project VH500, the car is set to pack a massive V12. A new DBS successor is also in the field by 2015. Other cars in the Aston fleet will also get successors. The Vantage will be replaced by 2014 and a new Rapide is set for 2016.

Aston will also be reviving the Lagonda marquee by 2014 with an SUV.

Source: Autocar

Watch out, the redcoats are coming yet again. The Aston Martin V12 Vantage is soon coming to the US with a USD price tag of $179,995.

Got that much money? Well here’s what it can buy you. A car powered by a 6.0L V12 that dishes out 510 hp and a max torque of 420 lb-ft. The power allows the car to zip from 0 to 62 in just 4.2 seconds and all the way up to 190 mph.

Check out Aston’s video on the V12 Vantage:

Who has at least £200,000 for a Toyota iQ? ‘Cause that’s what you need to drive one of the new Aston Martin Cygnet city cars. That is, you don’t currently own an Aston yet.

Aston CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez is confident that the Cygnet will help boost Aston sales compared to last year. Aston had a pretty bad year thanks to the global recession. Bez wants Aston to sell at least 6,000 units this year.

Bez thinks that many Aston owners need a city car and the Cygnet just addresses that demand. While the slow recovery won’t prompt current Aston owners to spring for a new DBS or the Rapide, they would at least have the Cygnet as an option.

Never mind the £32,000 price tag and that you need to own another Aston to buy one.

Aston has also started selling the new speedy four-door Rapide this year. The Cygnet and the Rapide as expected to diversify Aston’s line up and help push sales.

Now here’s a car for a midget James Bond. Or perhaps something that writers/directors would have him drive in a car chase across the streets of Italy in an effort to rip off The Italian Job.

Meet the Aston Martin Cygnet – Aston’s new small car that they’d be offering as an alternative city transport for rich people. Quite honestly, it’s just the marketing twist for a car that’s aimed to lower Aston’s fleetwide emissions and fuel consumption averages.

The Cygnet is based on the Toyota iQ. It’s powered by a 97 hp 1.3L engine that allows the car to hit 105 mph. Not too shabby for a small car.

The most important thing about the Cygnet is the badge. It might have Toyota underpinnings but the Aston badge boosts the car’s profile a thousand-fold. And don’t expect that this will be an Aston on the cheap that you can own. The car will only be available to existing Aston owners.

The car’s currently showcased at the ongoing Geneva motor show.

If you don’t drive an Aston Martin that starts with a D or a V, you won’t be able to buy the Aston Martin Cygnet. I’m sure that a number of people are hoping that the Cygnet will be offered to the mass market. Such a pity Aston announced that

Who wouldn’t want to drive an Aston and since these babies will sell for only about $35,000? That’s a real bargain for something with an Aston badge. Never mind if its just basically Toyota iQ.

The car will be powered by a 1.3L Toyota engine dishing out a decent 97-hp. Top speed is 105 mph. More than enough for city driving which is basically the purpose of the Cygnet – a fuel-efficient alternative for Aston owners. Who wouldn’t want to drive their proper Astons on open country roads?

Perhaps another reason for building it is to improve Aston’s average fleet fuel economy especially with legislation mandating automakers to hit targets in the next few years.

Looks like the Aston Martin One-77 is poised to set a record for the British marquee. Initial speed tests of the One-77 showed that the beast of the car can easily break supercar the 200 mph nirvana.

The One-77 is a limited edition car (only 77 of it will be ever built). It packs a massive 7.3L V12 under the hood that supposedly dishes out over 700 bhp. And that’s from a naturally-aspirated engine at that.

The speed test had the car do a top speed of 220 mph on a dry but windy day. Given better conditions, the car just might do even better.

First deliveries of the One-77 are expected to start by middle of 2010.

Aston Martin has been gracious enough to showcase their own version of the Toyota iQ – the Cygnet. And who wouldn’t want a small car with an Aston Martin logo on it?

As far as styling goes, Aston has made sure that the car doesn’t look like a tame Japanese pup. The car gets an Aston grille, hood louvers, and DBS-inspired taillights.

As for the drivetrain, the iQ lineup will most likely remain.

While the car is still a concept, there is a high chance that the company will put it into production, especially with future legislation requiring automakers to . And that doesn’t really bode well to automakers dedicated to sports cars.

Toyota just released teaser images of t. Will Aston Martin also secure rights to rebadge that as the Cygnet EV? Hmm…

Now this is a debut that’s long overdue. Aston Martin has been hyping on their own version of a hyper four-door saloon for almost a year now so it must be as satisfying as a poop after a bout of constipation for these guys.

Not much surprise with the car’s debuted version versus the images Aston has previously released. Minor differences include the loss of the small side air intakes on the front bumper and slightly modified side contour. The car still looks as an Aston should though and that’s a good thing.

Powering the car is a 6.0L V2 revised from the old DB9 that now dishes out 470 bhp which is mated to a six-speed ZF automatic transmission. Good thing Aston finally fixed their flappy paddles since those come with the Rapide. It’s a bit slower than the fleet-topping DBS but a four-door that can go 0-62 in 5.3 seconds and top 188 mph is still something.

Aston will be positioning this to compete with other performance four-doors like the Maserati Quattroporte and the Lamborghini Estoque. With the announcement of the impending doom for the Porsche Panamera, that’s more opportunity for the Aston. Quite honestly, why even bother with the butt-ugly Panamera if you can go for the Rapide.

Aston Martin wanted to revive its old luxury Lagonda line by creating as an SUV, the concept of which they showcased in the last Geneva Motor Show earlier in the year. However, Lagonda chairman David Richards among some other Aston people were not pleased with how the concept looked as reports claimed.

Usually, this just means that it’s back to the drawing board for Aston’s design and engineering teams, however, it seems that the car will need a lot more work. Aston chief Dr. Ulrich Bez announced that the project is indefinitely put on hold for now.

Bez claims that it’s due to the economic crisis, and that reveals how much work the Lagonda still requires. “We have several sources ready to invest upward of a quarter-billion pounds but the timing right now is simply wrong. We have some work to do yet, and it takes a lot of investment,” said Bez.

Richards, however, is said to be intent in creating a new and better concept to showcase in a motor show later in the year.

Source: Inside Line

Dr. Ulrich Bez has really turned Aston Martin around pushing forward projects and initiatives that made Astons of recent years cars to be desired. Taking over as the Bond car definitely helped propel Aston Martin back to the top of the luxury motoring.

AutoCar interviews Bez on Aston’s latest majestic machine – the Aston Martin One-77. The One-77 is a limited run supercar that is not only beautifully styled but packs a whopping 750 horses. Bez describes it as the “ultimate car we can see today.” Oh and yes, the video records the sound from the engine. Hear it growl.

Aston Martin unveiled the Aston Martin One-77 concept car at the Concorso d’Eleganza held in Lake Como, Italy. The company revealed that the concept was finished just a couple of days before the event.

This One-77 differs from the company’s Geneva and Paris show concepts because it is a complete car already. The car sports a running powertrain bannered by a 6.0-liter V12 engine, with targets of at least 700 horsepower. A large grille with classic Aston Martin grille design stands out at the front of the exterior, along with a new set of air intakes riding up at the sides of the grille and a big racing diffuser at the rear.

The One-77 at Concorso also featured a fully-furnished dual-tone interior. Features include electric-white race seats, leather trim for the central console, and the inner sides of the doors that use carbon fiber and leather materials.

The Aston Martin One-77 will have a limited production run of only 77 units, taking from the car’s name. It’s no surprise, though, that all of those have already been pre-sold. Production starts this year and isn’t expected to go beyond 2010.

Source: Autocar

Here comes a four-door car that can probably put Ferraris and Lambos to shame for its practicality and power. Much buzz and many tidbits of details later, we finally get some official details from Aston Martin along with a side-view pic.

Powering the Rapide is a hand-built 6.0L V12 engine that dishes out 470-hp (less than the 500+ horses many speculated) and churns out 443 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to Aston Martin’s Touchtronic gearbox. As a sign of some racing pedigree, the power is channeled to the Rapide’s rear wheels. No 0-60 times or top speed figure yet but it’s bound to be quick a quick car.

Aston CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez has this to say about the Rapide: “[It] will exceed expectations to deliver elegance and practicality in a form that will allow driving enjoyment and comfort beyond anything that exists today. The Rapide will exist in a class all of its own, a true Aston Martin with the high performance and dynamic excellence that defines the brand, and a luxurious sporting grand tourer without equal.”

The car is set to debut late this year, and deliveries are expected to start by 2010. Production will be done in Aston’s new production facility in Graz, Austria and will be managed by Magna Steyr in coordination with Aston’s British team.

AutoTelegraaf reported that Aston Martin still has yet to make a decision on what cars they would be using to revive the esteemed Lagonda brand.

While they’re sure that the Lagonda line will be their luxury brand, many hoped that Aston Martin scraps their plan to use hulking vehicles for the revival. Quite a lot of folks weren’t too hot about the crossover Lagonda concept they displayed in the last Geneva Motor Show.

European operations manager Marcel Beci says that the new Lagonda lineup will not have an SUV. With that news, I’m sure that Aston Martin fans would be quite glad. Aston apparently took the potential customers’ reactions to the concept and decided not to pursue an SUV.

The Lagonda will surely be poised to take on other luxury names and would allow them to further penetrate

Source: Autotelegraaf

The Aston Martin LMP1 Le Mans car was the first through the finish line in dramatic fashion at the opening round of the Le Mans Series at Barcelona.

The LMP1 was at second place, but after the safety car appeared with 40 minutes left in the race, the car was able to pull closer to the leading Pescarolo Judd. The LMP1 was eventually able to pass the race leader and make it to the finish line 14 seconds ahead.

The Lola-Aston Martin LMP1 is powered by an Aston Martin V12 based on the DB9’s power plant. Power is at over 650 bhp, which gives the LMP1 an impressive 720bhp/ton power-to-weight ratio. Additionally, it has a full carbon-fiber body with steel spaceframe engine and gearbox support. The team is composed of Stefan Mucke, Tomas Enge and Jan Charouz.

A win is a win, but everyone can only wonder how the race would have turned out if the LMP1’s main competitors were racing. The Audi R15 and the Peugeot 908 didn’t compete at Barcelona.

Source: Autocar

Aston Martin has revived the Lagonda brand car for the new generation, but it’s not in sedan form this time. The automaker unveiled the new Lagonda Concept at the Geneva Motor Show—in all its V12 powered SUV glory.

Dr. Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin, described the new Lagonda as “the avant-garde luxury car of the future.” It is derived from Mercedes’ four-wheel drive GL chassis. Despite its SUV classification, the Lagonda can only seat four people. Plus, the car should feature the “innovative new propulsion technologies” that Aston Martin claims will be provided, providing relatively-good fuel economy and eco-friendly figures for the production model.

This reveal is among the most surprising at the Geneva Show. The Lagonda has traditionally been a luxury four-door saloon, preceded by the Lagonda Rapide GT car. It takes its name from the car manufacturer integrated into Aston Martin back in 1947. Though, to be fair, Aston Martin did intend to extend Lagonda’s market reach when it announced the brand’s relaunch.

The production model is still at least three years away. That is, of course, assuming plans for production push through. It’s not exactly a luxury-SUV-friendly market right now.

Source: Car Magazine Online

So Lamborghini has unleashed its most powerful production car ever in the Murcielago SV. The whole obsession for power doesn’t stop there though as far as automotive exotica is concerned as we now see the first Aston Martin One-77 (out of the 77 for production) in the Geneva Motor Show.

Aston CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez has been hyping about the level of hand-built craftsmanship combined with technology that the One-77 will embody. Not to mention the exquisite look that has been characteristic of Astons of recent years. (Uhm, maybe not so with the DB9 Volante.)

The One-77 will be quite a rarity in motoring. Only 77 of these carbon fiber-monocoque cars will be put into production. The guaranteed lightweightedness and the power coming from the 7.3-liter naturally aspirated V12 engine that produces over 700 bhp (an adapted version of the 6.0L V12 currently found in the DBS and the DB9) is quite the potent combination with a projected top speed of more than 200 mph and naught to 60 in just 3.5 seconds.

Helping the car put power on the road is new six-speed gearbox that channels the power to the rear wheels. The One-77 also features Aston’s “robotised sequential manual” transmission. How that differs from a proper manual or a flappy-paddle gear shifters, we just have to clarify when Aston reveals more details about the car.

Source: Aston Martin

You don’t have to be Goldfinger to acquire this nifty gold-plated Aston Martin DB7, but you’re going to need a boatload of money, nonetheless. First exhibited at the Quantum of Solace premiere event, the MPH Show at Earl’s Court in 2008, the golden car is set to be auctioned in mid-March at Race Retro in the United Kingdom.

The car is essentially a 1995 model year DB7, commissioned by the Italian Prince Rupoli. Its external finish includes 24-carat gold, palladium, and platinum. It is expected to fetch between £45,000 and £55,000, although original production costs were pegged at some £150,000.

Race Retro, dubbed “Europe’s Premiere Winter Show for Historic Motorsport”, will be held at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry from March 13 to March 15. H&H Auctions, the official auction partner of the event, will be the one in charge of the golden DB7’s sale.

The auction is also part of a commemoration of Aston Martin milestones, where several notable Aston Martin models from the past will be showcased.

Source: Motor Authority

Hot on the heels of other new models being revealed prior to their debuts at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, Aston Martin has released information on its upcoming Aston Martin DBS Volante convertible variant for its GT car.

The DBS Volante features the same uprated 6.0-liter V12 engine found in the coupe version (remember the one that James Bond has in Casino Royale?). It is mated to a six-speed transmission, available in either manual or automatic. The automatic, however, comes with F1-style paddle shifters. The car’s power is rated at 510 horsepower, and it can go from 0-100kph in a mere 4.3 ticks. Top speed is pegged at 191 mph, or 307 kph.

There’s more: the car is equipped with 20-inch alloy wheels and high-performance Pirelli P Zero tires. There’s also a good range of spokes for the wheels, with 20-spoke and 10-spoke diamond—turned alloy choices. It also has carbon ceramic brakes and a host of high-end interior furnishings including a topnotch entertainment system from Bang & Olufsen, with iPod compatibility and the ability to playback a host of audio and video formats.

While the engine specs are nothing new, the upgraded features and the convertible-styling itself should provide enough points of interest for potential buyers. Aston has some history of messing things up with their Volante version. Personally, I still prefer the hardtop.

Source: 4wheelsnews

According to Aston Martin, the new V12 Vantage is “the most potent sports car in this marque’s 95-year history”. And now there are official photos to at least show us how the car looks, some time before it is finally unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show this March.

The limited-run high-performance sports car will sport a 6-liter V12 (duh) that produces 510 brake horsepower with 420 lb.-ft. of torque and a top speed of 190 mph. Aston Martin also cites the V12 Vantage as “driver-focused but usable” with “phenomenal levels of grip”, hinting that the new car will be distinct from the previous V8 and DBS. 0-60 time is a mere 4.1 seconds.

There have been some changes between concept and production models, in order to incorporate new components and to improve interior space. V12 Vantage chief platform manager Paul Barratt acknowledged that the real challenge was getting the larger V12 engine to fit in the V8 chassis.

High-performance specs, dazzling curves, and a host of high-tech features such as Bluetooth and cruise control sure makes the V12 Vantage one helluva package. Good thing we won’t have to wait long to see it at the Geneva Show.

Source: Autocar

Finally, some real news about the up and coming monster Aston Martin four-door – the Rapide. With cars like the Lamborghini Estoque and the Porsche Panamera, the Rapide is sure to make the performance four-door market segment really interesting and we finally get to see official images leaked courtesy of Autocar.

The images are very close to the concept car that Aston presented a couple of years ago with some minor refinements done to the shape and curves. The Rapide is based on the DB9 chassis since the four-doors needed a longer wheelbase. It is powered by a 6.0L V12 engine that generates 480 bhp. The car is mated to a six-speed ZF auto Touchtronic gearbox.

The car is set to be slotted in between the DB9 and DBS in Aston’s range. Now this is quite confusing since, while it does have the power and performance figures that could slot it in that spot nicely, this car has got four-doors. And, in this world, that makes a lot of difference.

Source: Autocar

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT4 was unveiled last week in Dubai, and with the launch come the juicy details about Aston Martin Racing’s successor to the Vantage N24. The car was developed for six whole months and was tested at the Dubai Autodrome.

Compared to its predecessor, the N24, the GT4’s 4.7-liter 8-cylinder engine has a higher capacity for a higher amount of torque for its rev range. The front uprights have been modified for increased camber. It has larger brake discs at the front and the cooling system has been modified. The GT4 is also 300 kilograms lighter than a normal V8 Vantage.

David Richards, Aston Martin chairman, cited the N24’s success in its racing class as a good base to develop “a competitive racing car for professional and semi-professional drivers, but also a forgiving car which will appeal to enthusiasts who wish to use it for track days and club racing.”

You can’t argue with performance and success. The V8 Vantage GT4 builds on a solid platform and should deliver quite a punch for those who can afford the hefty price tag once the car is delivered in January 2009.

Source: Lethistorylive

For some reason, I wanted to punch Ulrich Bez’s nose for that stunt they did in the Paris Motor Show giving us a paltry upskirt of the One-77. But thanks to Dutch website 925.nl, we finally get to see complete renderings of the One-77.

Officially, Aston is just showcasing silhouettes of the beastly 700+ hp supercar on their sites and all they wanted us to see in Paris was a cheek. Dubbed as a combination of engineering magnificence and aesthetics, the One-77 will feature lots of carbon-fiber bits and pack a massive V12 engine. The car, of which only 77 will be built has already sold out.

Still, we have to wait until next year to see the $2.1 million supercar in the Geneva Motor Show in its full metal glory. Aston is challenging all extremely-powered supercar like the Bugatti Veyron with this car. Judging by these renderings, by God, it looks quite exquisite.

Source: Inside Line

It’s not too long ago since Mercedes-Benz ended their run with the McLaren with its final SLR McLaren. Now, they’ve decided to forge a new partnership with another great name in the industry in Aston Martin. Aston Martin is getting all the lucky breaks recently giving their move to break away from Ford much reason to think that it’s the best business move they’ve had.

With this new partnership with Mercedes-Benz, Aston is optimistic it will open up a lot of opportunities. This would allow Aston to experiment on Merc’s wide range of technologies even making hybrid Astons and a Lagonda SUV most likely.

The partnership, dubbed as the roject Romeo and Juliet, is valued at $384M USD, Aston Martin’s CEO Ulrich Bez and Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche. We just hope that this wouldn’t end as tragic as the Shakespearean play where they both end up killing themselves.

Source; CAR

Reading this bit of news just made me feel sad. I have always dreamed of driving me one of these but my middle class income means that it would take me all my life and a miserly lifestyle to be able to afford the $265000 price tag on the Aston Martin DBS. Now, we might have to expect more price bumps as the company heads for a more upscale market.

Aston’s got new cars to hit the markets. The high-performance four-door Rapide will be on sale shortly. It’s beastly limited edition One-77 has sold out even before production. And they’re also out to relaunch the swanky luxury Lagonda badge.

Aside from these upcoming cars, Aston is also lining up replacements for the DB9 and the V8 Vantage into the pipeline just in time for their launches in 2011. As far as pricing is concerned, it is possible that the Vantage will be bumped to the current price range of the DB9 and the DB9 hiked up to the DBS’ price range.

Source: AutoWeek