Section: Aston Martin
Written By: Seyth Miersma
May 9th, 2008 5:00 PM
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A high-point in 1980s automotive technological innovation and excess, this 1988 Aston Martin Lagonda is one car that tends to divide people into groups of “love it” or “hate it” We tend to think that the car’s wide, flat, boxy lines are rather elegant, it a bit overly severe. There’s no arguing about the Aston’s being a technological tour de force however, as it boasted features like LCD screens , and a voice warning system that wouldn’t be seen on lesser cars until a decade later.
Part of the very last fourth Lagonda series the 1988 car is one of only 105 made between 1987 and 1990, and would seem to represent the best of the marquee. Nice ornamental Dubai plate comes with the auction as well, perfect for that extra exotic touch.
+ eBay Motors: 1988 Aston Martin series 4 SALOON
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
April 22nd, 2008 1:00 PM
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In the April 9 issue of its print magazine, Autocar reports that there’s a spot of trouble brewing for future owners of the sexy Aston Martin DBS.
Customers who’ve put orders in for the Bond car are going to have to wait about three months longer than Aston had originally intended, to take delivery of the super coupe. Shortages of some of the car’s one-off parts are the source of the hold- up, causing otherwise complete cars to remain unfinished.
Sources within Aston Martin say that the automaker is willing to make people wait, if it means getting the car right. The company isn’t willing to risk its reputation by using available parts that are slightly sub-standard. Bravo.
+ Autocar
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
April 20th, 2008 9:00 AM
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It seems that there was a little real life drama during recent filming of the newest James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace.
While shooting a chase scene in the pouring rain around Italy’s picturesque Lake Garda yesterday morning, a stunt driver lost control of Bond’s Aston Martin DBS. Aston and driver went off the road, crashing into the waters of the serene mountain lake. Thankfully, the driver sustained only minor injuries and was released from the hospital yesterday afternoon.
The DBS however was found to be a total loss after being fished out of Garda, as can be generally evidenced from the image above.
+ Autoblog: Bond stunt driver takes plunge into lake in Aston Martin DBS
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Written By: Dustin P. Walsh
March 7th, 2008 11:00 AM
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Aston Martin Racing held a pre-season test at the Paul Ricard circuit recently. To think that only three years ago, there were no Aston’s in racing. Now, its race cars will be featured, again, in the European and American Le Mans Series, and FIA GT racing.
To show its pre-season efforts Aston Martin has release this “family portrait” of its race cars. Of course, front and center is the Gulf liveried DB9 – which will race in the Le Mans Series. It’s masterfully pinned up next to AM’s Vantage GT and its V8 Vantage N24 (racing in the FIA GT4).
The V12 Vantage RS Concept is trailing the pack, fresh off the plane from the Geneva Motor Show.
Aston Martin Chairman David Richards said, “Just three years ago we didn’t have a single Aston Martin racing car, so if you look at how far we have come in that short space of time it’s quite incredible. Now we have cars in every category, from GT1 to GT4. To see all those cars out here together makes me very proud, and it’s a valuable opportunity for the whole Aston Martin family to share the circuit and their experiences with the factory Gulf team.”
(Press release after the jump)
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Written By: Dustin P. Walsh
March 5th, 2008 5:30 PM
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Austrian-based Magna Steyr just made waves at Geneva with its Mila Alpin Concept. It’s notorious for creating four-wheel-drive cars for BMW, Chrysler, Saab, and Mercedes-Benz.
Now, Magna Steyr uncovered its lucrative contract to build the Aston Martin Rapide. The company will dedicate a facility in Graz, Austria to assemble the four-door coupe. Production will begin in the last quarter of 2009, producing 2,000 units annually, according to Edmund’s Inside Line.
AM executives said they have decided to contract out the production of the Rapide because the automaker is near reaching capacity (8,000 units) at its Gaydon, England plant. They accredit that to the success of the DB9, Vantage, and the all-new DBS.
+ Edmund’s Inside Line: Magna Steyr To Build Aston Martin Rapide
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
February 26th, 2008 12:30 PM
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When the Aston Martin first revealed its V12 Vantage RS Concept this past December, the car was widely praised for its typically beautiful sports car styling. What was a bit more of a question though, was the slightly odd power blue paint that covered the car from stem to stern.
While the color may have received mixed reviews (this writer loves it), Aston thought enough of the new hue to hold a naming contest for it open to the public. Well the results of that contest have come due, and the favorite entry turned out to be “Mako Blue.” Aston apparently loved the shark connotations of the Mako tag, assuming the connection to the predatory performance of its super car lineup.
We’ll give you a chance to reevaluate and comment on the new blue, with live and stock galleries of the V12 Vantage RS below.
(Click through the jump to read Aston Martin’s official press release.)
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
February 14th, 2008 11:15 AM
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Work has begun on the part of Aston Martin to convert a building in a “prime location” near the world famous Nurburgring Nordschleife, into a full-time testing facility for the British automaker. The new space will provide a home for the company’s engineering and development teams.
In recent years Aston has made great use of the German circuit, torturing its sports cars on the 14-mile ‘Ring in efforts to sort out everything from handling performance to reliability. Aston Martin now claims that each of its new vehicles must make it through a 10,000-kilometer trial of the Nurburgring before they can be approved for production.
In addition to sharpening the Aston line, company CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez says that the new facility will play a role for customers as well. We aren’t told what customers will be offered from Aston but Bez does say that they will share a “unique Nordschleife experience.” Where does that line form?
(Click through the jump to read the official Aston Martin press release.)
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Written By: Evan McCausland
February 8th, 2008 11:00 AM
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Every automaker needs a host of suppliers, but if the rumblings are true, newly-independent Aston Martin may, in fact, be looking to Mercedes-Benz for an array of parts. According to Autocar, the owners of Aston might be eying Mercedes-designed parts, including everything from engines to HVAC controllers.
Adham Charanoglu, business development manager of the Kuwaiti firm Investment DAR (which owns the majority of Aston), mentioned to reporters this week that Aston and the three-pointed star could cooperate on a host of programs, ranging from simply supply to actually crafting new models.
(click through for more on a possible Aston-Merc tie-up)
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Written By: Phil Floraday
January 31st, 2008 3:00 PM
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We remain squarely in the honeymoon phase of the new Aston Martin, but so far things appear to be positively glowing with action items showering down over the Cotswolds.
When we spoke with the Aston people during their DBS drive event last October, the subject of the new design studio came up only by accident, and it felt more like a yurt raising among villagers than a major extravaganza for the foreign press. They were unsure whether or not they would even celebrate the opening of the facility, saying they would probably have a small party and we could come if we found our own way there. When we later followed up on the status of it all, this scrape-it-together wee party had ballooned into the largest gala event Gaydon’s horsey set will ever see.
Continue –>
Written By: Seyth Miersma
January 22nd, 2008 12:15 PM
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It seems as if Mercedes-Benz wasn’t the only carmaker to get the memo about cold-weather testing of high-end sports cars today.
Aston Martin has joined in on the power-sliding fun, providing spy shooter Hans Lehmann with some picturesque icy action. In these spy shots, Aston’s sexy four-door Rapide makes quick work of the slick terrain, getting a little frosty, but looking awfully good doing it.
We know the Rapide is far from breaking news, but it’s hard for us not to get more than a little excited any time we see a beautiful car on the cold field of battle. Enjoy.
(Click on the thumbnails below to launch a gallery of Aston Martin Rapide images or through the jump to read Mr. Lehmann’s thoughts.)
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Written By: Phil Floraday
January 21st, 2008 9:48 AM
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Glenn Paulina and his spy shooting crew have captured another exotic beauty during sub-zero testing. This Aston Martin DBS Volante looks as if it would be right at home on the set of the next 007 thriller, but it’s just chilling in the Arctic Circle.
There probably won’t be many changes between the DBS coupe and Volante, but we do expect minor suspension tuning and a few other slight changes to make top-down motoring a little more enjoyable. The good news is that the same 6.0-liter V-12 ought to produce 510 horsepower and the car should only be a tick slower to 60 mph.
(Click through to read our spy’s words.)
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Written By: Evan McCausland
January 10th, 2008 4:10 PM
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The Le Mans season’s not yet begun, but it already looks as if Aston Martin may be a juggernaut in the series. The company’s already fielding cars in GT1, GT3 and GT4 classes , and we’ve learned of the new GT2-class Vantage. Yet for Aston, fielding cars in four classes apparently isn’t enough. We’ve now learned that Aston Martin Racing will have a hand in at least one LMP1 car during this year’s Le Mans series.
Granted, in this instance, Aston’s serving mostly as a powertrain supplier. The car, a new Lola B08/60, will be powered by the same V-12 found under the GT1-class DBR9. Although Aston will work with Lola to fit the engine and provide engineering support during races, the car itself will be fielded by the Czech Charouz Racing Systems team.
Although it remains to be seen how viable a competitor the Aston-Lola will be, we’re already excited with the possible showdown Aston could incite at Le Mans this year. We foresee another dogfight in GT1 between the effervescent Corvette team and the DBR9, but it’d be just as neat to watch an Aston shake down the dominating LMP1 diesels of Audi and Peugeot.
(Click through for Aston’s release on its LMP1 entry)
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