Tag: martin

Aston Martin unveils AMR-One LMP1 race car

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Aston Martin, Racing

2011 Aston Martin AMR-One

2011 Aston Martin AMR-One – Click above for high-res image gallery

Aston Martin has revealed its plans for this year’s LeMans Cup series, introducing a brand new LMP1 race car called the AMR-One in the process.

The AMR-One is powered by a turbocharged and direct-injected inline-six gas engine resting in a carbon fiber monocoque open-top chassis. The Aston’s tiny 2.0-liter mill was developed with LeMans Cup’s new efficiency regulations in mind.

There will be six AMR-Ones built in total, with a one-car effort going into the 2011 Intercontinental LeMans series, which includes the 24 Hours of LeMans. Darren Turner and Stefan Mucke plus a third driver (to be determined) will wheel number 007 at LeMans, and Adrian Fernandez, Andy Meyrick and Harold Primat will drive car 009. Follow the jump for Aston’s official press blast.

Gallery: 2011 Aston Martin AMR-One

2011 Aston Martin AMR-One front three quarter2011 Aston Martin AMR-One2011 Aston Martin AMR-One side2011 Aston Martin AMR-One rear2011 Aston Martin AMR-One close

[Source: Aston Martin]

Continue reading Aston Martin unveils AMR-One LMP1 race car

Aston Martin unveils AMR-One LMP1 race car originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Aston Martin unveils AMR-One LMP1 race car”

Geneva 2011: 2012 Aston Martin Virage is more of a good thing

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Aston Martin

Aston Martin Virage debut in Geneva

Aston Martin Virage – Click above for high-res image gallery

Truth be told, we didn’t really see the need for a new Aston Martin to slot between the DB9 and DBS, but after getting the low-down on the new 2012 Virage, we’re welcoming it with open arms. Based on the same VH architecture as the other cars in the English brand’s lineup, the Virage uses Aston’s wonderfully vocal 6.0-liter V12 to crank out 490 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. In the Virage, those dozen cylinders are stirred exclusively through the company’s six-speed Touchtronic 2 paddle-shift transmission.

While the Virage’s design isn’t vastly different from anything else in the automaker’s portfolio, it’s definitely got some pizzaz. Much like the larger Rapide, we can’t help but stare at this coupe for long periods of time – it’s simply gorgeous. Need proof? Click through our high-res gallery below to see the Virage from all angles, then learn more in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Aston Martin Virage: Geneva 2011

Aston Martin Virage: Geneva 2011Aston Martin Virage: Geneva 2011Aston Martin Virage: Geneva 2011Aston Martin Virage: Geneva 2011Aston Martin Virage: Geneva 2011

Gallery: 2012 Aston Martin Virage Coupe

2012 Aston Martin Virage Coupe2012 Aston Martin Virage Coupe2012 Aston Martin Virage Coupe2012 Aston Martin Virage Coupe2012 Aston Martin Virage Coupe

Live photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

Continue reading Geneva 2011: 2012 Aston Martin Virage is more of a good thing

Geneva 2011: 2012 Aston Martin Virage is more of a good thing originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Geneva 2011: 2012 Aston Martin Virage is more of a good thing”

Report: Aston Martin mulling return to straight-six engines?

Filed under: Aston Martin, Rumormill

Aston Martin logo

Aston Martin boss Dr. Ulrich Bez let the cat out of the bag this week, revealing that the automaker is seriously contemplating bringing back the straight-six engine. Up through the most recent DB7, Aston’s silky inline-sixes defined the brand.

According to Bez, if Aston decides to go back to its old standby, the engine would likely be a 2.5-liter unit sporting direct injection and a turbocharger. Dr. Bez’s thoughts have turned to engines since Aston’s universal VH platform won’t need updating for a few more years. According to Bez, getting a six-pot in the current architecture won’t be an issue, since V12s already slide in nicely.

We wouldn’t look for a six-cylinder Aston for at least another five years, but the idea of a turbocharged, six-cylinder Vantage-style baby Aston does pique our interest.

[Source: Piston Heads | Image: Drew Phillips/AOL]

Report: Aston Martin mulling return to straight-six engines? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: Aston Martin mulling return to straight-six engines?”

Aston Martin releases details on 2012 Virage Coupe and Volante

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Aston Martin

2012 Aston Martin Virage Coupe – Click above for high-res image gallery
Aston Martin has taken the wraps of its new Virage Coupe and Virage Volante. Both models are based on the automaker’s VH architecture – so they’re “all-new”… kinda – and are meant to slot in between the DB9 and the DBS in the lineup. The bonded aluminum chassis, with aluminum, magnesium and composite body panels, receives the familiar 6.0-liter V12 rated at 490 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. The standard transmission (a rear transaxle) is a six-speed automatic “Touchtronic 2” gearbox, helping to deliver a 0-60 time of about 4.5 seconds and maxing out at a top speed of 186 miles per hour.

The suspension is double-wishbone on all four corners, with Aston Martin’s Adaptive Damping System (ADS) with Sport mode as standard equipment. Wheels are 20-inch alloys, mounted over carbon ceramic disc brakes at all four corners (six-piston calipers up front, four-piston units in the rear), with Pirelli P Zero tires standard.

No word yet on pricing or availablity (feel free to read through the press release after the break), but we’ll be getting all the details on the new Virage at next week’s Geneva Motor Show. Expect driving impressions to come… soon.

Gallery: 2012 Aston Martin Virage Coupe

2012 Aston Martin Virage Coupe2012 Aston Martin Virage Coupe2012 Aston Martin Virage Coupe2012 Aston Martin Virage Coupe2012 Aston Martin Virage Coupe

Gallery: 2012 Aston Martin Virage Volante

2012 Aston Martin Virage Volante2012 Aston Martin Virage Volante2012 Aston Martin Virage Volante2012 Aston Martin Virage Volante2012 Aston Martin Virage Volante

[Source: Aston Martin]

Continue reading Aston Martin releases details on 2012 Virage Coupe and Volante

Aston Martin releases details on 2012 Virage Coupe and Volante originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Aston Martin releases details on 2012 Virage Coupe and Volante”

First Aston Martin One-77 delivered to Monte Carlo

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Europe, Aston Martin

First Aston Martin One-77 delivered

It’s official, ladies and gentlemen: Aston Martin has entered the million-dollar ultra-hyper-supercar league with the new One-77.

Now, we know what you’re thinking, the One-77 was released a while ago already. But it wasn’t until now that the first example has left the factory and delivered to its first lucky (and evidently very wealthy) customer. Delivery took place in no less prominent a location than Monaco, right in front of the iconic Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo.

The One-77 carries a stratospheric €1,340,000 (~$1.8m) price tag, but that’s only if you got on board at the beginning – if you were one of the final seventeen customers to place your order, the price reportedly went up by £150,000 (~$240k) for a final sticker of $2.04 million, With the first of 77 examples now delivered, the production run is set to conclude at the end of the year.

[Source: GTSpirit.com | Image: Fqogil]

First Aston Martin One-77 delivered to Monte Carlo originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “First Aston Martin One-77 delivered to Monte Carlo”

Aston Martin V8 Vantage S packs more power, attitude

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Aston Martin, Luxury

Aston Martin V8 Vantage S – Click above for high-res image gallery

Aston Martin has found a way to turn up the heat on its V8 Vantage with a new S model. The coupe packs the same 4.7-liter V8 under the hood as its predecessors, though the mad scientists in Gaydon have managed to wrench a full 430 horsepower and 361 pound-feet of torque from the eight-pot. The engine is now bolted to a tweaked version of the company’s seven-speed SportShift II transmission with even shorter ratios than before and the combined effect should be more than enough to snap your neck in style.

The engineers also bolted in a quicker steering rack, huge rotors and six-piston calipers up front to ensure this machine can take whatever level of flogging you deem appropriate.

The design crew at AM specifically lifted cues from the even mightier V12 Vantage and the race-bred Vantage GT4. That means buyers can expect to find a carbon fiber splitter low on the front fascia and a pair of wildlife-swallowing inlets designed to feed those massive stoppers. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: Aston Martin V8 Vantage S

[Source: Aston Martin]

Continue reading Aston Martin V8 Vantage S packs more power, attitude

Aston Martin V8 Vantage S packs more power, attitude originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Aston Martin V8 Vantage S packs more power, attitude”

Aston Martin prices Cygnet, announces two launch colors

Filed under: Europe, Hatchback, Aston Martin, UK, Luxury

Aston Martin Cygnet Launch Editions

Aston Martin Cygnet Launch Editions – Click above for high-res image gallery

If you’ve been wondering exactly how much Aston Martin plans on charging for the pleasure of owning its new Toyota iQ Cygnet, wonder no more. The company has officially released pricing details on its first sub-compact. For the lowly price of just £30,995, you can slide behind the leather-wrapped wheel and avoid the hassle of having to shell out for those pesky congestion charges in downtown London.

Seems perfectly justifiable to us.

Aston Martin is offering two special-edition version of the Cygnet to commemorate the car’s launch. The first, fittingly called the Cygnet Launch Edition White, is slathered in Snow White paint. If this is Aston Martin’s interpretation of the fairest of them all, we’d hate to see the seven dwarves. The exterior also gets plenty of chrome bright work and custom wheels, while the interior gets pearl-white leather and satin chrome accents.

If that’s just not naughty enough for you, Aston Martin is also offering up the Cygnet Launch Edition Black. The evil twin is dipped in Magic Black paint that hides shades of green. Matte-black louvers and chrome accents dominate the rest of the exterior, while the cabin is treated to diamond-pattern black leather. Hit the jump for the full press blast.

Gallery: Aston Martin Cygnet Launch Editions

[Source: Aston Martin]

Continue reading Aston Martin prices Cygnet, announces two launch colors

Aston Martin prices Cygnet, announces two launch colors originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Aston Martin prices Cygnet, announces two launch colors”

Video: Aston Martin LMP1 and V12 Vantage sing 12-cylinder love songs to each other

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Aston Martin, Racing

Aston Martin V12 Vantage meets the LMP1 racer

Aston Martin’s V12 Vantage meets the Gulf LMP1 racecar – Click above to watch video after the jump

Aston Martin may offer a car with eight cylinders, but the automaker’s heart truly lies within those machines powered by 12. The Vantage was recently given a full injection of awesome when the folks in Gaydon decided a power upgrade was in order. The V12 Vantage is loud and proud thanks to its 6.0-liter V12 that churns out 510 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. That same 6.0-liter unit can be found in the DB9, Rapide, DBS and even the ultra-exotic One-77, and it’s also the mill that powers Lola-Aston Martin B09/60, better known as the Aston Martin DBR1-2 LMP1 racecar.

The 510 hp in the V12 Vantage is certainly impressive, but the DBR1-2’s power output is raised to around 650 hp for racing duty. That 140-hp advantage is stretched much further when you factor in the weight difference between the two cars – the V12 Vantage weighs 3,700 pounds and the DBR1-2 tips the scales at just 2,000 pounds.

Still, these two Astons pump fuel through similar hearts, and the automaker put together a short video clip that shows the two coming together on a rain-slicked country road. Hop the jump to see the V12 Vantage meet the DBR1-2 LMP1 racecar.

[Source: Aston Martin via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Aston Martin LMP1 and V12 Vantage sing 12-cylinder love songs to each other

Video: Aston Martin LMP1 and V12 Vantage sing 12-cylinder love songs to each other originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Dec 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Video: Aston Martin LMP1 and V12 Vantage sing 12-cylinder love songs to each other”

Report: Aston Martin to build Maybachs?

Filed under: Sedan, Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Rumormill, Luxury

2011 Maybach

2011 Maybach range – Click above for high-res image gallery

Aston Martin and Daimler are apparently becoming chummy right now. According to The Financial Times, the two automakers are chatting about a possible relationship centered around Daimler’s super-luxe Maybach sedan. Aston Martin is reportedly looking to glean some powertrain knowledge from the German automaker (for a possible Lagonda revival?) and Daimler could use help reviving a car that few are buying.

An exotic luxury sedan crafted as a joint venture between the Brits and the Germans sounds like an intriguing concept. As a matter of fact it should sound intriguing because Bentley and Rolls-Royce figured out the formula a few years ago. Though few out there can actually afford any automobile in this category, it would be nice to see new life breathed into the Maybach nameplate.

Gallery: 2011 Maybach range

[Source: Financial Times – sub. req.]

Report: Aston Martin to build Maybachs? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Dec 2010 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: Aston Martin to build Maybachs?”

Aston Martin finishes year with trio of DB9 specials

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Aston Martin, Luxury

Aston Martin DB9 Carbon Black and Morning Frost editions – Click above for high-res image gallery

It doesn’t take much to crank out a new special edition every once in a while, but Aston Martin has proven itself particularly adept at it. Over the course of the 2010 calendar year, the British automaker has offered up the V12 Vantage and DBS Carbon Black, V8 Vantage N420 and DBS UB2010 (commemorating Dr. Ulrich Bez’s ten years at the head of the company). But before the year draws to a close, Gaydon has not one, not two, but three new special editions.

The latest special Astons are based on the DB9 – packing the usual 470-hp 6.0-liter V12 mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox – and are available around the world in either coupe or Volante convertible body-styles. All three feature unique paint jobs, special 19-inch wheels, piano black veneers in the cabin and custom door-sill plates announcing the edition’s name.

The DB9 Morning Frost differentiates itself with pearlescent white paint, silver brake calipers, and metallic bronze leather interior, while the DB9 Carbon Black (like the Vantage and DBS editions of the same) and the Quantum Silver editions – the former in black and the latter in the same shade of silver portrayed in the latest Bond movies – also get a sports exhaust, leather roof lining and glass switchgear. You can read more about ’em in the press release after the jump, accompanied by the high-resolution images in the gallery below.

Gallery: Aston Martin DB9 Morning Frost, Carbon Black and Quantum Silver editions

[Source: Aston Martin]

Continue reading Aston Martin finishes year with trio of DB9 specials

Aston Martin finishes year with trio of DB9 specials originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Aston Martin finishes year with trio of DB9 specials”