Aston Martin's fastest-ever car

Aston Martin's upcoming One-77 supercar is close to becoming the British marque’s fastest-ever motor, following successful high-speed testing held over the past few months.
According to Aston, the One-77 has already clocked an astounding top speed of 220.007mph (in dry and windy conditions), which is a significant improvement on the 200mph top speed originally predicted for the company's new two-seater. This would go some way towards justifying the £1.2m price tag that has been placed on this 7.3-litre V12-powered supercar.

While the Aston Martin speed record may be within sight – the Vanquish S V12 is purported to have a top speed of 200mph – the One-77 still has some way to go before it surpasses the McLaren F1's top speed of 242.9mph in order to become Britain’s fastest car. But with the One-77 not due out until mid-2010, there is still plenty of time for the Warwickshire-based marque to fine-tune the engine, enhance the aerodynamics and cut some weight in order to move closer to that mark.

2011 Aston Martin Rapide

Four years after the Rapide's debut as a concept, though, Aston has stayed true to its "four-door sports car" ethos with the production version.
The 2011 Rapide is not the British brand's response to Porsche's Panamera. Or a "four-door coupé" cobbled together from sedan parts (Mercedes-Benz CLS, come on down!).

Instead, Aston's approach is more along the lines of a Mazda RX-8 – a more accommodating 2+2 sports car with more doors – but, obviously, in a grander, more luxurious and higher performing package.

Porsche made obvious aesthetic compromises to make the Panamera as roomy as luxobarges like the BMW 7 Series or Mercedes-Benz S Class. The Porsche isn't exactly, um, gorgeous ...

One look at the Rapide, though, and you can see Aston's head pen, Marek Reichman, did the opposite. Especially when viewed from the rear, the Rapide won't be confused as anything less than an Aston.

The Rapide arrives in Canada later this year, starting at $215,000; about $16,000 more than a DB9 2+2 Coupé, with which it shares many nuts and bolts. And like a $201,100 Bentley Continental GT or a $134,200 Maserati Quattroporte Sport GTS, it will be a rare commodity on our roads.

Eventually, the plan is to have Rapide make up about one-third of Aston's global production.

"Before 2007, we would have expected to sell 3,000 to 4,000. But in today's market, where some of our competitors are facing drops of up to 50 per cent in sales, we expect to sell 2,000 to 3,000 Rapides per year," explained Aston Martin's chief executive, Ulrich Bez.

Or about one-tenth of the many of Panameras Porsche hopes to sell annually.

You open the Rapide's rear doors in the typically Aston butterfly fashion. The company readily admits the rear seats are only suitable for children, or adults out for an evening.


Designer Reichman is talented. But he isn't a miracle worker. In real estate terms, sitting in the back is "cozy."

"In Formula 1, they design the cars for the ultimate in performance. And if you don't fit, well, you don't drive the car," said Bez in defence of the car's tight rear quarters.

Regardless, the Rapide is way more spacious for those in the back than a DB9. I could fit in with my hair just brushing the headliner. The 301-litre hatch area is compact-car size. The twin rear seats, though, fold flat, increasing the carrying capacity to 750 litres for things like riding saddles or fox-hunting rifles. And, overall, Aston has ratcheted up the build quality a couple of notches over its current offerings.

There's good reason Aston's four-door looks like its two-door brethren. Although it's about 300 millimetres longer, it shares many nuts and bolts with the DB9.

Under the hood is the coupé's 6.0-litre V12, making 470 hp and 443 lb.-ft. of torque. A six-speed automatic (there's no manual gearbox available) with manual shifting via steering column-mounted paddles delivers power to the rear wheels.


Despite a 180 kg increase over the DB9 – now 1,950 kg – the Rapide will go from naught to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds – only 0.2 seconds behind an autobox DB9.

And what of the automaker's claims that its Rapide offers uncompromised sports-car handling?

The route Aston chose for the Rapide's launch in and around the Spanish seaside city of Valencia, hinted at the Rapide's uncompromising road manners. Even along tight, twisty mountain roads that could qualify as tarmac rally stages, the Rapide didn't disappoint.

For a car as long as a Chrysler 300, the Rapide is communicative and a delight to drive. Not only are its driving dynamics more sporting than a Continental GT or Quattroporte, in some regards, it's a better car to drive than the five-year-older DB9.

Despite the added weight and length, Aston says the Rapide has the same torsional rigidity as the coupé it's based on. The car's rigid aluminum body and linear power delivery from the big V12 come to the fore after only a few clicks driving the four-door like, well, a sports car.

Through back-to-back esses, the four-door Aston is laser sharp and ballerina light on its feet, with the stability control system allowing just a titch of oversteer when exiting corners hard.


Yes, in full-on, take-no-prisoners driving mode, the Rapide will understeer. But a bit of trail braking will bring its bodacious rear end in line.

Hydraulically assisted, the steering is quicker than the DB9 to counter the Rapide's longer wheelbase. It's evenly weighted, smooth and accurate. And even with the rock-solid chassis, over bad pavement, kickback has been dampened.

Magnetically controlled dampers allow three settings: normal, sport and sport-plus. Regardless of which mode you're in, the four-door Aston won't rattle your teeth. Like all Astons, the Rapide's ride is supple, yet tightly damped.

Smooth can also be used to describe the six-speed automatic.

It's not one of those new-fangled dual-clutch setups. Left on its own, though, it responds quickly to down- and up shifts. When using the paddles, the V12's torque allows for quick cog swaps. And when you're performing low-speed parking manoeuvres, there's none of the jerkiness inherent in dual-clutch systems.

In fact, the Rapide's chassis is so good – so balanced, so composed – experienced drivers may ask for more tire (grip), downforce (the car gets light above 180 km/h) and power.

Unfortunately, Aston officials wouldn't say if a Rapide S is in the works.

In the meantime, simply view the new Aston four-door as a "better 2+2." And be thankful Aston's been able to keep threats of automotive blasphemy at bay.

2010 Aston Martin Rapide - Web Exclusive

The first production models have begun to leave the Aston Martin Rapide Plant for delivery.

ASTON MARTIN RAPIDE DELIVERED TO CUSTOMERS

Following the Porsche Panamera, Aston Martin is now ready to join the four-door sports car market with its new Rapide.
The first production models have begun to leave the Aston Martin Rapide Plant for delivery to eager customers at 125 showrooms in 34 countries.

The Rapide was first unveiled at the 2006 Detroit Auto Show and quickly received the green light in 2007 from shareholders.
In addition to designing an entirely new model, Aston Martin also opened its Aston Martin Rapide Plant (AMRP); a new state-of-the-art facility that combines the latest technology with time-honored craftsmanship.

The AMRP is a center of automotive excellence with its preparation of Rapide's bonded aluminum body frame, the painstaking six-stage painting process where nine coats of paint are applied, making Aston Martin's paint finish the best in class, to the trim shop where highly-skilled craftspeople shape and stitch ten of the finest leather hides to create the Rapide's upholstered interior. The production model, unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2009 combines high levels of craftsmanship, excellence design, and the performance Aston Martin is known for.

The Rapide provides room for four adults as well as spacious luggage department. It is powered by a hand built 6.0-liter V12 producing 470hp at 6000rpm and 443 lb-ft. torque at 5000rpm.

The power is sent through a six-speed Touchtronic 2 automatic transmission, allowing for automatic or manual shifting through column-mounted magnesium paddles. The Rapide is now on sale via Aston Martin's global dealership network.

Six New Aston Martins Coming Over Next Six Years

The next couple of years are shaping up to be tremendously busy for Aston Martin, with a reported six all-new models due from the bespoke British automaker between now and 2016.

Kicking off the onslaught of new models will be the ultra-exclusive One-77 supercar due later this year and limited to a total production run of just 77 units.
Built not just as a halo car, but as an ultra-halo car, a sort of rekindling of the legacy of Aston Martin, plus a projection of the brand into the future, the One-77 is designed to be the most quintessential Aston Martin ever, and the most perfectly personalized car available.

Flipping over the other side of the new car spectrum, Aston Martin will follow the One-77 supercar with the Cygnet minicar, a rebadged Toyota iQ fitted with some very distinct Aston Martin styling cues. The reasoning behind the project is to enable Aston Martin to comply with tough new fuel economy and emissions regulations coming into effect in Europe by 2012. Expect the bespoke minicar to be launched some time in 2011.

Around 2013 will be the introduction of the DB9’s successor. Codenamed internally as Project VH500, the new car will share many similarities with the current model though almost every element will be improved upon. More power is also on the table, with the current V-12 engine expected to undergo a major overhaul to not only produce more power but also produce fewer emissions. A replacement for the high-performance DBS is also on the cards.

The smaller Vantage is also due for a major revamp, with its replacement coming just one year after the new DB9. Similar changes are planned for it but given its 2014 arrival, anything could change between now and then. Less weight, more power and sharper handling; need we say more?

In late 2014 or possibly early 2015, a new Lagonda model will be in production. The plan is to build a new luxury SUV using Mercedes-Benz underpinnings and sell it to developing markets like Russia and China where raised off-roaders are more practical than ground-hugging sports cars. The Lagonda Concept from 2009 was actually based on a Mercedes-Benz GL but don’t expect the production version to resemble anything like the original concept. It turns out that the negative reception it's received has persuaded Aston Martin to rethink its design for the new Lagonda.

Finally, in 2016, Aston Martin will launch a successor for the Rapide sedan. Why the relatively short lifespan of the current model? Because the Rapide is based on the same underpinnings as the DB9 and Vantage and since both of these models will be heavily updated and re-engineered then so could the Rapide--and for very little extra cost. Depending on how successful the current Rapide proves, production could be moved back to Aston Martin’s Gaydon facility instead of at the current Magna-Steyr plant in Austria as well.

2011 Aston Martin DB9 Coupe and Volante Upgraded

Photos and information of the coupe and convertible versions of the revamped Aston Martin DB9 are now out officially from the company itself. The DB9 is the best selling sports car from the Aston Martin stable and derives its power from a V12 engine. For its reworked version, the sports car has been given a thorough once over and subjected to a host of enhancements that range from the mechanical to the equipments for the 2011MY.
A lower intake for the front bumper headlight bezels that have been reworked from the DB9 and the radiator sporting a bright finish are the major changes that have been effected on the DB9. In addition the externals have also been given a re-sculptured side sill, alloy wheels with 20 spokes that have been diamond turned, a silver brake caliper set and clear rear light lenses makes up the complete external modification list.

However there is speculation that Aston maybe working on some more additional facelift ideas on its future cars. This draws from the fact that the spy photos of the camouflaged DB9 that was seen before indicated Rapide like headlights as also a new design for the rear bumpers. These changes are not seen in the official photos declared byAston Martin.

The passive damping system of the DB9 has been replaced by a new standard Adaptive Damping system (ADS). This is supposed to provide greater driving comfort along with sharper handling when one switches over to the sports mode.

There is even a Bluetooth microphone system installed on the 2011MY. There is a nee tire pressure monitoring system and the trim and bang has a Double Apex alloy finish. We also get Olufsen and hi-fi options in the car.

Deliveries are expected to start from July. This is as per Aston Martin themselves. Price set for the car in UK ranges from £122,445 for the DB9 Coupe and £131,445 for the top range DB9 Volante.

€ 7,500,000 Aston Martin Super Sport Limited Edition

This is the new limited edition Aston Martin Super Sport! As far as we know the British car manufacturer has not revealed any addition to its line-up, so it has to be a coachbuild project.

So it is! The car pictured above is being developed and produced in close cooperation with Star Electric Cars France.
They are a car designer licensed to create luxury electric golf cars resembling brands like Rolls Royce, Bentley, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, and Porsche. They also design unique cars built for presidents, kings and princes around the world.

It seems they have started a new project; a ‘normal’ sports car named the Aston Martin Super Sport. The Super Sport is a mid-engine engine sports car with genuine “supercar” looks powered by a twin-turbocharged 5.4 liter V8 engine producing 800 up to 950bhp. The power is transferred to the wheels via a six-speed manual transaxle, fully synchronized with an integral, torque-sensing, helical limited-slip differential. If requested a F1 paddle shift gearbox is available.

The exhaust system is powder coated. The brake kit includes Brembo or AP carbon ceramic brakes. The Aston Martin re-build is only available in left-hand drive and has a carbon fiber bodywork with upward hinging doors.

The interior includes leather, alcantara, carbon fiber and Recaro seats. The sat nav system has an iPod connection included.

The coachbuilder will only make eight cars worldwide, each color will only be made once. Sky blue is available immediately. As a customer you can visit the company to see the car and test drive it. He or she can choose the color for the exterior and interior as well as any additional option.

So far so good! But here is the price tag: € 7,500,000 per vehicle!!!

Anybody still interested, feel free to send us an email, we can guide you to the designer and sales manager of this ‘unique’ Aston Martin Super Sport.

Aston Martin confirms to build wonderful Cygnet

Aston Martin has confirmed that the Cygnet 'luxury city car' - originally shown as a concept car in March 2010 - is to go into production in 2011 at the company's Gaydon headquarters in Warwickshire. Based on the Toyota iQ it's designed to be an urban runabout for Aston Martin owners but more crucially, allows firm to reduce its average CO2 emission levels.
The Cygnet is described by Aston Martin as city car 'that sets a new benchmark for compact luxury, building upon nearly a century of experience building high performance sports cars, luxurious long-range grand tourers, and extremely competitive racing machines.' It will certainly be a shock to see a small city car with an Aston Martin badge on, but with an almost unlimited palette of materials, colours and textures, each hand-finished Cygnet will be truly unique.

The cabin will not only be high luxury but equipped with the latest systems including a HDD sat nav system, a music hard drive and an iPod dock.

Power will come from the larger 99bhp 1.3-litre engine from the iQ, so claimed fuel economy is expected to be around 58.9mpg is the Toyota us anything to go by, while emissions should be 113g/km of CO2. At just three metres long it's ideal for busy cities like London and can fit into tiny parking spaces, but still offers decent passenger room for three adults.

Further details on the Aston Martin Cygnet including pricing and specification will be announced later this year but it's expected to cost around £20,000 when it goes on sale. The Cygnet will be the eighth major production car Aston Martin has introduced at its state-of-the art factory since 2004.

"Whatever we do, we do right. If we do performance, we do performance; we don't downsize or compromise our sports cars. The Cygnet needs to satisfy the demands of emissions and space. It is a car without compromise, just like every other Aston Martin," says Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez.

Aston Martin believes the Cygnet will be just the start of a raft of smaller city cars from performance and luxury car manufacturers. "The future city will present a very different luxury brand landscape, as social change and legislation increases the division between urban and anti-urban product categories. With the Cygnet, Aston Martin will be at the forefront of these changes."

Aston Martin enters Turkish market with first dealership in Istanbul

Will be located at Süzer Plaza, in Dolmabahçe, an affluent area of Istanbul and will officially open in January 2011. Customers will be able to view and test-drive selected models from the entire range of V8 Vantage, DB9, DBS, V12 Vantage and new four-door sports car, the Rapide.
Aston Martin said it is gearing up to enter Turkey with a new dedicated dealership in Istanbul, forming part of the company’s ongoing plans to grow the Aston Martin dealership network in new and developing markets.

The new showroom, which will open in partnership with Borusan Otomotiv , will be located at Süzer Plaza, in Dolmabahçe, an affluent area of Istanbul and will officially open in January 2011. A press briefing was held to announce the association between Borusan Otomotiv and Aston Martin. The briefing was attended by Borusan Holding CEO Mr. Agah Uğur, Borusan Otomotiv Executive Committee Co Chairman Eşref Biryıldız together with senior management from the Aston Martin team.

Commenting on the partnership, Michael van der Sande, Aston Martin Chief Commercial Officer said, “Turkey represents a new opportunity for us and a chance to bring the Aston Martin brand to just a few more people. Our decision to expand to Turkey is driven by a strong interest from potential customers who appreciate quality, superior technology, and understanding of craftsmanship."

“Having 430 m2 area, the showroom will display a selection of sports cars from the current Aston Martin range and be staffed by a team of dedicated, specially trained employees,” Aston Martin said in a press release.

“Aston Martin Istanbul will then present its customers and enthusiasts a unique product experience by being able to view and test-drive selected models from the entire range of V8 Vantage, DB9, DBS, V12 Vantage and new four-door sports car, the Rapide,” it added.

The opening of the Aston Martin Istanbul showroom strengthens the company’s global dealership network to a total of 128 around the world.

Aston Martin line up three new special edition sports car

Three new models of the new DB9 are going to join the lineup of Aston Martin products. The event would be best labeled as a sports car bonanza. The names of the three models to come have been decided and are “Carbon Black”, “Quantum Silver” and “Morning Frost”. The cars would be available in coupe or convertible design.


The design of the Morning Frost model gives it a luxury car look and feel. It has a pearl white color as paint job and has silver for grille and brake calipers. The interior is done up with a center console that is piano Black in color scheme. The stitching is of silver color and there is polished glass switchgear along with bronze leather trim. For the Carbon Black model and the quantum Silver one, the makers have given it an aggressive look and touch as the model is leaning more towards the sports model. They even sport a blacked out grille and a sportier exhaust system with graphite tail pipes.

For wheels the cars come with two sets of 10 spoke 19 inch alloys for the three models, with slightly varying designs and black or silver finishes.

For transmission the cars are installed with Touchtronic II six-speed automatic transaxle transmission, mounted on the transaxle. As per company statement this mechanism gives the car a perfect 50:50 weight balance.

Revealed: the new Aston Martin Virage

The Virage shares almost identical styling – and dimensions – with the British marque’s DB9 and DBS sports cars, though the company insists its all-new Virage coupe and convertible have been designed to offer buyers something different.

The Virage will be positioned between the luxury-laden, $368,469 DB9 and performance-focused, $497,441 DBS sports cars when it arrives in Australia in July, with a price tag sitting somewhere between. It will use the same 6.0-litre V12 engine, though with slightly different power and torque outputs of 365kW and 570Nm.


The engine is teamed to a six-speed automatic transmission, and there’s a 'Sport' button on the dash that can be pressed to sharpen throttle response and quicken gear shifts while also holding gears to the engine’s rev limiter.
Advertisement: Story continues below

Carbon-ceramic brakes should ensure the Virage stops quickly, too, and they’re standard – despite the majority of its competitors charging up to $25,000 for them as an option.

The Virage uses the same light-weight bonded-aluminium architecture as the DB9, DBS and Rapide four-door. Aston, however, says it has used its experience of developing the Rapide to improve body stiffness – especially in respect to the convertible (Volante) model – as well as all-round refinement.

The Virage is also fitted with an adaptive suspension system that allows the driver to choose one of two different modes (normal and sport) with five different stiffness settings in each mode.

Inside, the Virage is fitted with a hand-stitched leather-lined interior that uses seven cowhides to cover its surfaces. It also gains a few useful additions such as a sat-nav system with a 6.5-inch high-resolution display, Bluetooth connectivity, and a premium audio system with iPod integration.

La Mans: The New Aston Martin LMP1 race-car

British motor-sport team Aston Martin Racing has taken the wraps off its new prototype challenger, the AMR-One.

Because of new LeMans rules, Aston Martin AMR-One is a new open-top LMP1 race car featuring a 2.0 litre turbocharged six cylinder direct injection petrol engine which has been developed for a new bespoke carbon fibre chassis designed and manufactured by Aston Martin Racing.


Say what ? 2.0-liter ? Yes! New rules – new engine. Audi has downsized from a V10 diesel to a V6 diesel, and Aston has made an even bigger step from a naturally aspirated 6.0-litre V12 to a direct injection and turbocharged 2.0-litre straight six. The new engine, which uses direct fuel injection, produces close to 540 bhp.

Dr. Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin said: “Racing is a fundamental part of Aston Martin’s heritage and Le Mans is the race that every true sports car maker aspires to win. While every aspect of this new LMP1 car has been built purely for racing, we also remain committed to developing race-winning GT cars based on our road cars. We are the only manufacturer to offer a race car for every category from GT1 to GT4.”
Aston Martin AMR-ONE LMP1 Car Technical Specification

Chassis- Aston Martin Carbon Fibre Monocoque ‘open’ style construction, load bearing engine with steel frame to help rigidity.
Configuration- Mid engine rear wheel drive
Engine- In line 6 cylinder, direct injected, turbocharged and intercooled DOHC Petrol engine, 4 valves per cylinder. Approx 540bhp, 6 speed Xtrac
Gearbox- Bespoke 6 speed, transverse, semi automatic pneumatic shift, Xtrac racing gearbox
Suspension- All round double wishbone, push-rod activated Koni dampers with third spring/damper, front and rear. Front Anti roll bar
Steering- Rack and Pinion with electrical power assistance
Aerodynamics - to current LMP1 regulations developed via CFD in conjunction with Totalsim, including latest regulation fin.
Electronics- Full Cosworth electronics systems including engine ECU, data system and telemetry. Full military spec wiring harness and connectors.
Wheels and Tyres - Michelin tyres, 36/71 x 18 front and 37/71 x 18 rear mounted on TWS forged magnesium wheels.
Brakes- Brembo six pot calipers fitted front and rear, Carbon 380mm diameter front and 355mm diameter rear discs with carbon pads

New Amazing Aston Vantage V8 S

Aston Martin launches hotter, faster, sharper version of the Vantage V8

There’s now a new quicker, sharper version of the Vantage V8, a model that’s been continually improved in detail over the years, but never significantly changed until now. It’s the Vantage V8 S, the ‘S’ standing for Sport, and it’s around £20,000 more than the Vantage S, at £102,500.


In racing, the Vantage has been a great success, and the S inevitably draws on the style of the GT4 racer and the V8’s roadgoing big brother, the V12 Vantage in the shape of the sills and the detailing of the front splitter. New wheels, wider at the rear, and with wider tyres all round, finish the styling job, so it’s down to detail – but significant – changes to define the Sportiness.

Power is up, of course, though only by 10bhp, but torque has increased by 20Nm, and it all happens slightly higher up the rev range, mostly through changes to the shape of the airboxes. Interestingly, though, there’s an extra 20bhp at the rear wheels over the non-S Vantage, through a swap to air-cooling rather than oil-cooling the transaxle (the oil pump saps power) – and the other big change back there is the use of a seven-speed automated manual in place of the six-speed.

That makes one hell of a difference, because the V8 is a revvy beast, with far less torque than the V12. The seven ratios fit within the six-speed’s spread, so they’re much coser, and nipping up and down through the gears on the paddle shift keeps the engine singing – and the car flying.

Not so with the gearbox left to its own devices in Drive though (even in Sports mode), when the change seems clunky and sometimes inappropriately judged. Stick with the paddles, they’re a lot more fun.

New brakes, tweaked suspension for less understeer, higher ratio steering (15:1 in place of 17:1) and reduced weight all make for a noticably more agile machine, without much detriment to the ride. Over bumps it will shudder, but it’s never uncomfortable, and even on track it’s utterly unflappable, as demonstrated in a session on the demanding Ascari circuit in Spain.

What’s most noticable on both road and track is the revised engine’s keenness to rev, soaring round to the redline when pushed hard, with a wonderful crispness to the engine note that’s more racer than road car. Like the Vantage V8, the S always sounds best at the top of its rev range, and the quad cam 4.7-litre V8 in the S is always happy to oblige, though there’s enough torque lower down the rev range for it to be pottled around if you can bear to do so.

On the track it becomes clear that the changes to spring, damping and anti-roll rates has reduced understeer, making a little heroic oversteer easier to achieve, but go bowling into a corner too fast, too hard, and it won’t spit you out however hamfisted you’ve been. This isn’t a track car but Aston Martin are keen that owners are able to use the S for the occasional track day – and it won’t disappoint.

Aston Martin unveils new DBS Ultimate

Aston Martin has unveiled a new flagship sports car called the DBS Ultimate. The vehicle is available as a coupe or a Volante. Volante is Aston Martin for convertible. The Ultimate comes in three colors, including carbon black II, quantum silver, or silver fox. The cars all feature uniquely colored DBS badges and a number plate.


The car has a lot of carbon fiber exterior trim and a lot of interesting and attractive touches inside the car such as red stitching on the upholstery and diamond quilted inlays on the seats and door panels. The cars can be had with yellow, red, or black brake calipers. The car is available with manual or automatic transmission versions.

Aston Martin doesn’t mention the engine or power output for the car. That leads me to believe it’s the same engine as the standard DBS cars, which is good thing. The car is expected to have a 510 HP 6.0-liter V12 engine. This would be the perfect car for the next James Bond flick.

Aston Martin To Launch Lagonda Model

Aston Martin is preparing to launch ‘two or three’ new Lagonda models, CEO Ulrich Bez has confirmed to CAR Magazine.

Aston Martin is planning two full-fledged Lagonda crossovers – one that focuses on sport, and one more geared to all-terrain prowess, along the lines of the Audi Allroad, according to CAR.


The sporty Lagonda would likely use a low-riding chassis and larger 21-inch wheels, while the more traditional CUV would have more modest suspension and wheel fittings.
Without getting into details, one of the models will reportedly be a crossover that is based on the 2012 Mercedes M-Class.

These models will be aimed at a very different buyer to those you’d typically find in an Aston Martin dealership, one who lives in regions where it’s not possible to drive a low slung sports car every day.

‘Lagonda cannot survive as a one-model brand,’ Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez told CAR in an interview in the new June 2011 issue. ‘That´s why we are looking at two, maybe three different offerings. The most logical follow-up to the crossover is a high-end, high-visibility luxury saloon not unlike the angular Lagonda designed by William Towns which was not only very different because of its high-tech electronic dashboard.’

Aston Martin Announces New Dealership in Las Vegas

Aston Martin the Americas, in conjunction with Towbin Automotive, is pleased to announce the opening of a new dealership in Las Vegas, Nevada. With immediate effect, Aston Martin Las Vegas is officially open for business, with the construction of a new four-car showroom and service operation on West Sahara Avenue set for completion in fall 2011.


As a vibrant city synonymous with world leading entertainment, Las Vegas represents a key premium automotive market and with over 11 years of experience of servicing the city’s luxury car clientele, Towbin Automotive is well situated to grow Aston Martin’s presence in Nevada. The opening of Aston Martin Las Vegas will give customers from across the region the opportunity to experience the British car marque’s seven model line up of handcrafted high performance sports cars.

Julian Jenkins, Vice President Aston Martin the Americas commented “Aston Martin is in a strong position, with an award winning model line-up and exciting new product, such as the Rapide, Virage and Vantage S. In the continued development of our dealer network across America, we have taken our time to carefully consider the right locations and partners. I am delighted that Towbin will represent our brand in Las Vegas.”

Carolynn Berardi Towbin, Founder, Aston Martin Las Vegas, added “We are proud to represent Aston Martin, a brand synonymous with some of the finest high performance sports cars in the world, and we look forward to extending a deservedly premium ownership experience to clientele from Las Vegas and across Nevada.”

Aston Martin One-77 And V12 Zagato Set For Debut

Aston Martin has confirmed the American debut of both the One-77 and V12 Zagato, as the world renowned British automotive brand plans a series of exclusive celebratory events around the famed automotive week in Monterey, California, from 17-21 August.



Aston Martin will commence the celebrations on the evening of Wednesday 17 August at McCall’s Motorworks Revival where the V12 Zagato will make its American debut. A truly bespoke and exclusive sports car, the V12 Zagato matches modern day technology with traditional craftsmanship.


The new Aston Martin V12 Zagato was originally unveiled as a concept car at the prestigious Villa D’Este Concours in Italy earlier this year, where the car won the award for Design in the Concepts and Prototypes class. Just weeks later the V12 Zagato went on to prove its durability with successful completion of the gruelling 39th ADAC Nürburgring 24 Hour race in Germany. Last month, following overwhelmingly encouraging interest from customers, the company confirmed a strictly limited production run of the V12 Zagato will commence in summer 2012.





As well as attendance at Quail: A Motorports Gathering and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Aston Martin will host guests from The Aston Martin Estate. This exquisite private venue, situated high above Carmel with panoramic views across the Monterey Bay, will provide the perfect backdrop for showcasing the ultimate Aston Martin; the One-77.


The One-77 epitomises everything Aston Martin; modern technology fused with traditional hand-craftsmanship and painstaking attention to detail. As a culmination of all the marque’s know-how, the One-77 delivers effortless beauty guaranteed to stir the senses with performance potential eclipsing any previous Aston Martin.


This grand estate will also serve as the location for a myriad of exclusive events including private viewings of the V12 Zagato and dynamic test drives in Aston Martin’s award-winning line-up of handcrafted high performance sports cars.


“Guests will be given the rare opportunity to test drive our latest model range, including the new Virage and Vantage S, as well as the four-door Rapide” commented Julian Jenkins, Vice President Aston Martin the Americas. "We are very excited about the program this year including the debut of the V12 Zagato, and we look forward to welcoming current owners, new customers and automotive enthusiasts to share our celebrations at The Aston Martin Estate.” 

Aston Martin displays V12 Zagato model at the Dubai Motor Show

A range of super luxury and sports cars are being unveiled at the ongoing high profile Dubai Motor Show. The excitement among the car enthusiasts is at its best as leading sports car makers around the world are showcasing their latest models along with concepts of future cars. In a bid to make the most of this high profile platform, UK based super luxury sports car maker Aston Martin uncovered their all new V12 Zagato model last week at this Show.

According to company, It will be manufacturing limited numbers of this super sports car, all of which are believed to be sold out already. The Aston Martin V12 Zagato carries a price tag of $600,000.

The Aston Martin V12 Zagato model is loaded with a power packed 6.0L V12 48 valve engine which is capable of generating a peak power of 510 bhp @ 6,500 rpm along with 570 Nm torque @ 5,750 rpm. The powerful V12 Zagato model takes just 4.2 seconds to break the speed barrier of 100 km per hour. The powerful engine of the car helps it in reaching a top speed of 305 km per hour. The front mid mounted engine of the car is coupled with a rear mid mounted six speed manual transmission.

In a recent statement, Aston Martin CEO, Dr Ulrich Bez said, "The Zagato design language is a perfect complement to our design and engineering expertise."

Aston Martin designing new sports car to celebrate 100th anniversary

Aston Martin is undoubtedly one of the most iconic sports car manufacturers in the world, and with the British marque set to celebrate its 100th birthday next year, Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez recently confirmed that the brand will debut a brand new model next year to celebrate.


In an exclusive interview with AutoExpress, Bez stated "This will be an entirely new model. We have to do something remarkable to mark our centenary. It won’t be a DB9 with a Centenary Edition badge and it won’t be a limited edition like the One-77 supercar. This will be a mainstream Aston."

It’s currently unclear which model Aston Martin plans to bring into the market, but expect something out-of-this-world and vastly different from the DBS and One-77 which currently top the Aston Martin lineup. It’s vital to point out that whatever the new car is, it won’t be a limited edition so just as Bez stated, so don’t expect a direct competitor to the One-77.

This leaves us with a few options. It could be a brand new Aston Martin SUV which revives the historic Lagonda nameplate, or more likely will be a derivative of the V12 powered DBS which has been spotted testing in recent weeks. If Aston Martin does in fact base this new model upon the DBS, then expect marginally different styling as Bez also confirmed that “You need evolution in design, not constant change”

If that statement rings true in the upcoming model, then redesigned bumpers, skirts, headlights and taillights could be the go, and for all we know, Aston Martin have something very special planned in the performance department