Aston Martin
Aston Martin reveals the luxury-spec Rapide Luxe
Aston Martin has released photos that depict a new variant of the gorgeous-looking Rapide four door coupe. This new variant is treated to a more luxurious finishing with things like custom leather upholstery, walnut wood trim, a rear seat entertainment system, heated and cooled seats, glass switchgear and a 1000 watt Bang & Olufsen audio system.
There is also a matching six-piece luggage set to go along with it. Called the Aston Martin Rapide Luxe, it is offered with a variety of exclusive body colour options, a bright grille finish as well as large 20-inch alloys shod with Bridgestone Potenza tires.
No changes under the hood, not that it needs any. Its scrumptious 6.0 liter V12 still makes 470hp and 600Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 6-speed Touchtronic 2 transmission. Continue reading to view more images of the 303km/h four seater. Read the rest of this entry.
Aston Martin Lagonda confirmed for production
The Aston Martin Lagonda has been confirmed for production, according to Autoblog.nl. This comes after an announcement July last year that the Lagonda’s production plans have been put on hold indefinitely. The Dutch motoring website said that Aston Martin’s CEO Ulrich Bez has confirmed the plan at an event in Amsterdam. The article stated that the Lagonda would be an wheel drive SUV and that this model would sell well in emerging markets such as China, Russia and the Middle East.
The Lagondo was first shown as a concept at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show but it did not receive a good response, especially in regards to it’s design. With that in mind, the production model may look quite different compared to the concept you see above.
VIDEO – Why the Cygnet? Aston Martin explains
We all know that Aston Martin will produce the Cygnet super mini and some of us, if not most, are still wondering why Aston Martin is placing such as small car in its portfolio, and it being a based on a Toyota makes it even harder to convince. To help some of you understand, the company which is fondly known of making sumptuous sports cars, has released a 3 minute 6 second video.
The video centers around the motive behind the Cygnet project and it has Aston Martin’s CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez and design director Marek Reichman doing the explanation. Continue reading to watch the video. Read the rest of this entry.
2011 production of Aston Martin Cygnet confirmed
Aston Martin has confirmed the production of the Cygnet, which is expected to kick-start sometime next year. As mentioned previously, the company’s new super mini is basically a rebadged Toyota iQ, with modifications to make it look like an Aston, or at least an attempt to make it look like one.
No details have been released about the Cygnet’s powertrain but many expect to see Toyota’s 1.33 liter engine in there. This engine produces a decent 97hp and 123Nm of torque. A far cry compared to other engines found in more powerful Astons. However you can expect this engine to be retuned to offer more power, breaching the 100hp mark.
The Cygnet will be produced at the company’s Gaydon headquarters. “Our customers need a small car for urban and city use, and they want the right tools for the right job, to downsize creatively without compromising intelligence, artistry and personality,” said CEO Dr Ulrich Bez.
“The Cygnet is designed to support our sports cars by providing a greater degree of freedom in the urban context; it is a very special car, a premium but compact package with heart, soul and personality,” he added. Fellow British sports car maker Lotus has also followed suit to play the small car game with its CityCar concept, based on the Proton EMAS concept. You can watch a previously-released promo video of the Cygnet here.
Aston Martin confirms 750 horses for the One-77
Aston Martin has announced the One-77‘s official power output, which is figured at 750hp. It’s 7.3 liter mouth-watering V12 which is linked to a 6-speed robotized manual gearbox also churns out 750Nm of torque. Despite releasing the horsepower and torque numbers, the company is still being tight-lipped about the One-77′s official 0-100km/h sprint figure and top speed.
It did previously reveal that the One-77 breached the 354.86km/h mark at a secret proving ground in southern Europe. The Aston Martin One-77 is based on a 77-unit production run and deliveries of the limited edition supercar will initiate in early 2011. The company also released a video along with the announcement. Continue reading to enjoy the footage. Read the rest of this entry.
2011 Aston Martin LMP1 race car – initial sketch
Aston Martin has released an initial design sketch of it’s 2011 Le Mans 24 Hour contender. Just like before, Aston’s prototype race car will be finished in Gulf Oil livery and this 2011 variant is being designed from the ground up featuring an open cockpit monocoque and a new petrol powerplant.
The company believes that his new race car can deliver what is expected of it especially when Automobile Club De L’Oues or ACO assured that the 2011 regulations will help balance out the performance between petrol and diesel-fueled Le Mans contenders. Diesel race cars have been dominating the sport since 2006 with cars like the Audi R10 TDI and the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP.
Aston Martin have won the GT category twice in 2007 and 2008 and it also clinched the overall Le Mans series last year. Continue reading to view a high-res version of the sketch above. Read the rest of this entry.
First few Aston Martin Rapides leave the factory
The sweet looking Rapide 4-door sedan by Aston Martin was first unveiled in late 2009 at the Frankfurt Motor Show and the first few examples are now ready to leave the factory. These brand spanking new Rapides are set to reach their respective owners as well as up to 125 Aston dealers in 34 countries.
The Rapide is being manufactured at the Aston Martin Rapide Plant in Graz, Austria. This plant was co-created with Magna Steyr. The Rapide is motivated by a mouth-watering 470hp 6.0 liter V12 which also makes a healthy 600Nm of torque at 5000 rpm. The engine is linked to a 6-speed Touchtronic 2 automatic box with steering-mounted magnesium paddle shifters.
