Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'Martin'.
-
Aston Martin DBX shown in near-production form before 2019 launchhttps://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/aston-martin-readies-dbx-suv-2019-launch Aston Martin has confirmed that its first-ever SUV model will be called DBX and launch before the end of next year. The brand has also released official 'spy' images showing the car's near-production bodywork. The DBX was first previewed as a concept car in 2015 but had been tipped to take another name for production, with Varekai one of the rumoured possibilities. Unlike the concept, the production DBX will feature a more conventional five-door layout rather than the sleeker three-door design that was originally expected. The DBX is arguably the most important model in Aston Martin’s history and the next phase of the company’s turnaround plan under boss Andy Palmer. While every Aston produced under Palmer to date as part of his ‘Second Century’ plan has been a replacement for an existing model (DB11, Vantage and DBS Superleggera), the DBX breaks new ground by having no direct predecessor. As well as being the first Aston SUV, it is also the first Aston to be produced in a new purpose-built factory in St Athan, Wales. During its life cycle, it will introduce hybrid technology to Aston, and it will also play a key role in trying to attract female buyers to the Aston Martin brand. The DBX is built on an Aston Martin architecture that will be closely related to that set to be used by the Lagonda saloon and SUV that Aston also has in the pipeline and which will be built alongside the DBX in Wales from 2021. Whereas the Lagonda models will be electrically driven, however, the DBX will start life with petrol power, before getting Mercedes-sourced hybrid technology early in the next decade. Aston Martin’s own V12 and Mercedes-AMG’s V8 engines will both find their way into the DBX, with Mercedes also donating the car’s electrical architecture. The DBX will compete against the likes of the Lamborghini Urus, Bentley Bentayga, Rolls-Royce Cullinan and upcoming Ferrari SUV. Given the broad appeal and rise in popularity of SUVs, the DBX is expected to quickly become Aston’s bestselling model. New official shots show DBX's design for first time Aston has released images of the DBX undergoing testing on the gravel stages of the Wales Rally GB, for the first time giving hints of the final production car’s design. There’s little left of the DBX concept in the camouflaged test mule, although the sleek silhouette does remain, albeit with an extra pair of doors. Sharp body creases and a pronounced shoulder line help reduce the overall visual bulk on what is the most high-sided Aston yet produced, while a new integrated grille design performs a similar role at the front of the car. Aston Martin is already talking up the DBX’s all-terrain capabilities, which are revealed in these official testing images with the company’s chief engineer Matt Becker at the wheel. The DBX is the first Aston Martin to go through a new dedicated test programme, to ensure it can produce the kind of dynamic on-road performance on which Aston has always made its name, allied to some credibility off-road. Testing is also due to take place in the Arctic, the deserts of the Middle East, on German autobahns and at the Nürburgring, as well as both on and off-road in the UK. Itwill also be the first all-new Aston Martin model launched after the company’s stock market flotation, a formal intention for which was finally confirmed in late August after the firm returned to profitability last year. In a long-rumoured move, Aston Martin is set to offer more than £1 billion of shares, which equates to some 25% of the company, on the London Stock Exchange in the autumn. The initial public offering (IPO) values the British manufacturer at around £5bn and would place it in the FTSE 100. Following its own IPO in 2015, Ferrari’s value doubled to around £15bn a year later. Aston Martin has changed significantly as a company under the leadership of Andy Palmer, who joined as CEO in 2014. He has brought financial stability to the company and returned it to profit. Last year, it was in the black for the first time since 2010. Aston’s first-half results in 2018 showed that it recorded a pre-tax profit of £20.7 million. Palmer has underpinned that growth with his so-called ‘second century’ plan, which is formed of seven models being launched over seven years at the rate of one per year, each then on sale for a seven-year model cycle with various derivatives and special-edition versions launched within that. Hybrid powertrains to arrive later in DBX's lifecycle Daimler will provide Aston’s hybrid technology and is also one of two routes for sourcing full-electric drivetrains, according to Palmer, with other external partners also being explored. Aston has sourced an 800V system for its first electric car, the limited-run RapidE due in 2019, and Palmer said 800V and access to the latest chemistry is key to any future EV powertrain from the firm. Although hybrid versions of the DBX are a long way off, the car will be launched with a Mercedes-sourced 4.0-litre V8 and Aston’s own 5.2-litre V12 as core engine options. Palmer said that although he lists the DBX’s rivals as the Bentayga, Urus, Cullinan and upcomingFerrari, each model performs a very different role in the super-luxury SUV segment. “Those minded towards a beauty of execution will move to Aston,” he said. First-time Aston customers are expected to be found in China and North America in particular for the DBX, but Palmer said plenty of existing Aston owners will be interested, too. “It’s fascinating to me that 72% of Aston customers also own an SUV, and normally these are Cayennes or Range Rovers,” he said. “If you’re converted to Aston, it’ll be easier to convert buyers to an Aston SUV.” The final model name of the DBX has yet to be decided upon. However, earlier this year Aston trademarked the name Varekai. The seventh model in its product plan, a mid-engined supercar to rival the Ferrari 488, will be called the Vanquish. The DBX is expected to sell at around 5000 units per year, which would comfortably make it Aston’s most popular model. Last year, the firm sold 5117 sports cars, with the long-term goal of up to 14,000 split between 7000 each from Gaydon and St Athan, and the rest from up to two special, limited-run models each year.
- 6 replies
-
- 2
-
- aston martin
- dbx
-
(and 7 more)
Tagged with:
-
The Aston Martin Valkyrie now comes with a Track Pack https://www.topgear.com/car-news/supercars/aston-martin-valkyrie-now-comes-track-pack Aston Martin will only ever build 150 road-legal versions of the Adrian Newey-designed, 1,100bhp, V12-powered, £2.5m Valkyrie. It will also produce 25 circuit-only Valkyrie AMR Pros for the truly committed track day enthusiast. If you missed out on an AMR Pro, but managed to bag a road-version, fear not - there is another way. Aston has announced that road car customers will be offered the option of a Track Performance Pack, claimed to reduce your lap times by eight per cent… assuming you have the skill to get anywhere near the car’s limits. This includes an entirely new, more aggressive and higher-downforce front clamshell panel, matched to a full second set of body panels so your Valkyrie has a suit for the weekly commute, and an entirely different body for that occasional weekend track sesh. Very much not allowed on the road, the Track Pack also adds lightweight titanium brakes, “track-focused” suspension lowered by 50mm, and the option of Chris Boardman-spec aero carbon disc wheels. And just in case other punters weren’t sure how seriously you take yourself - as you rock up at your local run-what-you-brung in a £2.5m Aston – there’s personalised “pit accessories” and a race suit to match. Aston won’t tell us the price for the Track Pack option, probably because it would blow our tiny little minds. What Aston did let us do, however, is visit them and pretend to be a customer for the day – speccing ‘our’ car, and a Track Pack from scratch. The pictures here (green/silver = road-legal, blue/blue = with Track Pack fitted) are the result. Particular highlights of ‘our’ Valkyrie include the micron-thick titanium badge on the nose, acid green decals highlighting the roof’s bomb graphic from overhead, the honeycomb wheels and an abundance of ‘Mokume’ carbon fibre on the interior – a technique where the carbon is layered up into a solid block and the component machined from that – leaving an intricate wood-grain effect. Fancy. Indulgent options, that we steered cleared of, naturally, included a gold pack – where gold leaf is laid onto the bodywork under the laquer – and woven leather on the door pockets. For Valkyrie customers that can’t make up their minds, or can’t be arsed, there are four “Designer Specifications” that steer them away from fashion faux-pas. So, what’s the verdict? Like our designs, or think you could do better?
- 3 replies
-
- aston martin
- hypercar
- (and 5 more)
-
- 12 replies
-
- aston martin db11
- vantage
-
(and 7 more)
Tagged with:
-
We've been expecting you: full details on Aston's twin-turbo, 503bhp V8 super coupe https://www.topgear.com/car-news/big-reads/all-new-aston-martin-vantage “This is our dedicated sports car. It’s simple, pure energy, it’s a hunter. It has a flick in the tail and the lowest nose we’ve ever produced. If the DB11 is a samurai sword, this is a scalpel.” That’s design director Marek Reichman giving us a hands-on intro to the new Aston Martin Vantage. He’s fully spooled up now, arms flying everywhere, his language getting more design-speak by the second. I’ve pressed the pause button here, on his sword/scalpel analogy, not to point and laugh at some marketing guff, but because in truth it’s rather key. We are witnessing the rebirth of a company, one that’s emerging from a decade where its products overlapped and leaked into one another like layers on a sub-standard trifle. Shored up with new money and new management, there’s now an ambitious plan in place that, should it work, will deliver seven new standalone models (one every nine months) between now and 2021 – and that’s not counting derivatives and cherries like the Valkyrie and continuation DB4 GTs. The first of these seven pillars is the DB11, the Vantage is number two followed by new Vanquish, DBX, a mid-engined supercar, Lagonda 1 and Lagonda 2. In that order. Success hinges on differentiation – creating clear daylight between each pillar, and that’s precisely what’s happening here. Seen any DB11s painted in Radioactive Lime recently? Didn’t think so. And the Vantage’s official launch colour is just the beginning of the changes that make this the Aston for people who enjoy the art of driving fast. The bonded and riveted aluminium structure is, of course, descended from the DB11 – everything from the A-pillar forward is carried over untouched (new crash structures are prohibitively expensive to develop), but 70 per cent of the components are unique. A 280mm reduction in length is down to lopping out a section where the rear seats would be, while, unlike the plusher DB11, the rear axle sub-assembly ditches any rubber bushing and is solid-mounted to the chassis, sacrificing some refinement for more immediate reactions. At 1,530kg dry, it’s 170kg lighter than a DB11, but, to be fair, that’s not saying much. More telling is that it’s a few kilos heavier than a 4WD Porsche 911 Turbo (Porsche quotes 1,595kg, but that’s with all its fluids on board, which weigh well over 100kg). Expect the kerbweight to lighten up a bit in a year’s time, though: that’s when you’ll have the option of substituting the eight-speed ZF auto available from launch, with a manual. Happy days. The engine? We know it well, but that doesn’t make an AMG-sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, recalibrated by Aston to produce 503bhp and 505lb ft of torque, any less titillating. Claimed performance – 0–62mph in 3.6secs and 195mph flat-out – is nudging supercar country, but then so too is the starting price of £120,900. For £20k more, you can have a Mercedes-AMG GT R. Fortunately, the Vantage’s chassis game is strong. Double-wishbone suspension at the front and multi-link at the rear is familiar stuff, as are the adjustable dampers all-round as standard and torque-vectoring by braking. But this is the first Aston to feature a new e-diff that trumps a purely mechanical LSD, Aston says, by going from fully open to 100 per cent locked in a just a few milliseconds. There’s also new bespoke Pirelli P Zeros, and three driving modes: Sport, Sport Plus and Track, that gradually ramp up the damping, throttle response, e-diff, torque-vectoring, steering weight (electromechanical, 2.4 turns lock to lock) and racket from the exhausts, while slackening off the stability control. There is much technology at work, then, but this is also the first Aston to be completely set up by their ex-Lotus ride and handling chief, Matt Becker… and it’s his kind of car. The DB11 he tidied up, filed the edges; here, he was given carte blanche and a dream package to work with. Matt, we’re expecting big things. But driving it is for another day. Now, I’m tracing Reichman’s steps as he stalks his way around the car, index finger on chin, as if he’s still finding new and exciting angles on his work. “This project was really like taking a racecar onto the road, so we needed a different language. It’s purer, it’s more elemental.” Starting from the front – the nose has Bond’s DB10 written all over it; the lights are small and aggressive with a front splitter below smuggling smooth air under the car. The front flanks are defined by ‘side gills’ riddled with bullet holes, while the back wheels are stretched to the rearmost corners where they punch through the car’s skin. Right around the back, you’ll find the real drama, with a full-width light strip, uncapped exhausts sticking out like sawn-off shotguns and a proper functioning diffuser. There’s nothing active here. No flaps or air curtains, just a flat underfloor and a ducktail spoiler, more for stability than big downforce – that’ll come later with the hardcore AMR editions. Normally, we prefer to leave the design decisions to your eyes (who are we to tell you what does and doesn’t look good?), but on this occasion, I’ll allow myself an opinion… it’s taut, exciting and exotic in a way a 911 doesn’t want to be and an F-Type can’t be. With one caveat – like the DB11 it’s very spec dependent. This car is an all-screaming, all-raving version with carbon roof, carbon sills and carbon diffuser, and it’s the one to go for. If you want subdued, go for the DB11, although we’ll understand if you want to tone down the paint. Inside, you can see the bits borrowed from Merc (screen, pointless mouse-style touchpad), but the good news is it’s a complete rethink from the DB11. Feeling fruity? You can have your centre console caked in body-coloured bits, or carbon or piano black if you’re feeling less shouty. Gone are the DB11’s haptic feedback surfaces, replaced with physical buttons because “given the more frenetic driving experience, you want an actual click to tell you a button’s been pressed,” says Reichman. The paddles have grown for the same reason. There’s a bit of a boot, too – 350 litres, to be precise… more than double what you get in a 911’s nose, but then that has back seats for your overflow. Will there be a V12 version? We hope so, but Reichman wouldn’t confirm, preferring to stir the speculation pot by reminding us that the engine bay is shared with the DB11. So we know it’ll fit and why go to the bother of developing a new twin-turbo V12 if you’re not going to spread the costs? Besides, knowing CEO Andy Palmer, the idea of a V12 hot rod will be too tempting to resist. But will it be the Vantage or the DB11 at the heart of this born-again company? It’s a question that leaves Reichman a bit stumped… “I think, maybe this does define our core more than a DB11. If DB11 is about style, this is about developing something you can take racing, and that’s what Aston stands for. When they all line up at Le Mans next year, it will be this next to Porsche, Ferrari, Ford and BMW. We want to win with this car.”
- 2 replies
-
- aston martin
- vantage
- (and 6 more)
-
Aston Martin Debuts an All-New $300,000 DBS Superleggera Coupe The $304,995 V12 will compete against Ferrari’s 812 Superfast. Aston Martin has just debuted the DBS Superleggera on Tuesday, June 26. Based on Formula One styling, the $304,995 coupe will replace the Vanquish, a so-called super-grand touring two-door that Aston Martin has made since 2001. The new car revives two historic nameplates from the Aston Martin line: The DBS title first appeared in a line of coupes starting in 1967, while Superleggera, which means “super light” in Italian, hasn’t been used since the DB4 Superleggera stopped production in 1961. The DBS Superleggera has a bi-turbo, 5.2-liter V12 engine that will be the basis for all forthcoming V12 models as well, since it is highly modifiable and can allow the integration of improvements for various trim lines and future products. The engine made its debut in this year’s DB11 coupe. It gets 715bhp and 664 pound-feet of torque—an astounding amount, considering that even 10 years ago only the most expensive, crazy-looking hypercars crested the 700hp mark. This one looks as if it could saunter down a high-fashion runway. It will give the 789-horsepower Ferrari 812 Superfast a firm challenge for dominance within the set. (The 812 Superfast, by the way, is the only other front-engine, rear-wheel drive, luxury super GT car on the market today. The British company is targeting Ferrari in other ways too.) Zero to 62 miles per hour in the Superleggera is 3.4 seconds. Top speed is 211mph.
- 2 replies
-
- aston martin
- aston martinaston martin
- (and 10 more)
-
http://www.supercars.net/PicFetch?pic=2004_aston_martin_vanquish_zagato_roadster-1.jpg http://www.supercars.net/PicFetch?pic=2004_aston_martin_vanquish_zagato_roadster-2.jpg http://www.supercars.net/PicFetch?pic=2004_aston_martin_vanquish_zagato_roadster-3.jpg Zagato and Aston Martin: a strong alliance that goes back to the 60s with the legendary DB4 GTZ, continued in the 80s with the Vantage and Volante, and is now stronger than ever with the DB7 Zagato and AR1. At this year's Geneva Motor Show, Zagato is presenting the Roadster version of the Aston Martin Vanquish. For the first time, this Milan workshop is not giving an entirely new look to the production model, but is offering an interesting variation of the Vanquish, introducing new elements of style. While the Aston Martin DB7 Zagato and AR1 were initially presented to customers in the form of a limited edition, immediately sold out, the Vanquish Roadster is a concept proposed by Zagato with the backing of Aston Martin itself. Close cooperation between Nori Harada, Zagato's Automotive Chief Designer, and Peter Hutchinson, Design Manager at Aston Martin, has resulted in this new car introducing elements that are a sharp break with the Roadster segment. A totally unique design of the rear introductes a functional modular cover system. A hard top for winter, developed to not appear as an add-on but as an integral part that also takes in the rear. On warmer days of the year, its place is taken by a transparent hardened glass and an easily used soft cover. Developed by Zagato's engineers, this soft top is easily and simply mounted and, when not in use, is held in the luggage compartment without taking up much space. The car has a round rear light cluster, a tapered tail to best feature the wheelbox, a completely new rear bumper and a new transparent cover. The hardened glass, with its curvy 'double bubble' form, uniquely emphasises the relationship between the solid and void. It covers the luggage compartment immediately behind the seats which can be seen through the glass. Story by Aston Martin Lagonda Limited & Zagato, edited by Supercars.net
-
http://www.worldcarfans.com/114020669844/aston-martin-will-recall-75-percent-of-all-cars-made-since Aston Martin DB9 2008-2014 model years Aston Martin has announced a major recall which will affect 75 percent of all cars manufactured since 2007. This huge recall affects no less than 17,590 cars made by Aston Martin and involves all left-hand drive cars manufactured since November 2007 and all right-hand drive models produced since May 2012 which according to a company spokesman represent approximately 75 percent of all cars built since 2007. Out of a total of 17,590 cars, 5,001 units are from North America while the other 12,589 units were sold worldwide and none of the recalled cars is a Vanquish model. This massive recall has to do with a Chinese sub-supplier who was using counterfeit plastic material for a component which they supplied to Aston Martin. Company spokeswoman Sarah Calam says 22 failed parts have been reported so far and luckily no accidents or injuries were related to this problem. As a result of this recall, Aston Martin is now being supplied directly by a DuPont distributor.
- 25 replies
-
- aston martin
- recall
-
(and 7 more)
Tagged with:
-
Huh? Like this nia ... need to be written off? This was the moment a
-
LONDON - A US car enthusiast has bought James Bond's famous Aston Martin car, complete with ejector seat and revolving number plates, at auction in London for more than four million dollars. The 1964 silver Aston Martin DB5 was driven by Sean Connery when he played the fictional British spy in the films "Goldfinger" (1964) and "Thunderball" (1965). US collector Harry Yeaggy flew into Britain for Wednesday's sale and outbid his rivals to buy the car for 2.6 million pounds (S$5.3 million). Click here to find out more! This was less than its pre-sale estimate of more than five million dollars. Yeaggy said the car's new home would be in a US museum - but beforehand he planned to "have a bit of fun" taking the car for a spin around the streets of the British capital. "We're going to fire the car up and drive it round the streets of London tonight. We're going to have a bit of fun with it," he told BBC television. The US collector said he had taken a last-minute decision to fly into Britain for the auction, and confessed to being surprised that an American came out on top in the sale. "I thought a European would buy it. But I guess they didn't appreciate Bond as much as we do," he said. The Bond movie car was sold by its US owner, Pennsylvania broadcaster Jerry Lee, who bought it for 12,000 dollars in 1969. The proceeds will go to his charitable foundation. It is fitted with the full complement of operational "Q-Branch" gadgets, and auctioneers RM Auctions dubbed it the most famous car in the world. The car is also equipped with machine guns, bullet-proof shield, tracking device, removable roof panel, oil slick sprayer and smoke screen, all controlled by "toggles and switches hidden in the centre arm-rest". "The machine guns, as you can see, do come out of their intended place. As far as I know, they don't shoot bullets, but then again, I haven't tried," Don Rose, a car specialist for the auctioneers, told AFP. The gear stick top flips up to reveal the red ejector seat button. It also has a homing radar and a telephone mounted inside the driver's door panel. The car has been on tour over the past five months, with appearances in Britain, Germany, Monte Carlo, New York and Hong Kong. Admission to the sale in Battersea, south London, required the purchase of an official auction catalogue available for 50 pounds. Purchase of the car, lot 197 in the sale, also included a stay at the GoldenEye resort in Jamaica, the original Caribbean estate of Ian Fleming, the British author who created James Bond. A custom-made suit woven with gold thread made by the tailors who dressed Connery as Bond was also thrown in.
-
- car
- enthusiast
- (and 5 more)
-
-
http://jalopnik.com/5852889/watch-this-guy...n-martin-rapide
-
This is out of curiousity...Sorry if it disturbs you in any way! I have been wanting an Aston Martin for the longest of time and right now the most motivating model is the Aston Martin V12 Vantage! It's tickling my wallet for awhile and the reason why it is still my dream car because my mates never fail to desuade me into parting my buck for it, they call it the "James Bond wanabe", "Over-priced Jaguar XJ", "Ford-Aston Martin Crap", "Power-Beauty-Soul...?" and some say it looks like an MX-5! However the part that I love about Aston is it's understatedness, nobel, curves but I really hate that they are putting parts from Volvo and Ford into it and there is way way too much "Cheap looking plastics" for its pricetag. Truth be told that when you fire up the engine, the pitch that the engine makes its ridiculously driving me nuts everytime. The ride and build quality is no less better than your Ferrari, Lamborgini and Bentley. The pricetag really tickles me with what I am getting for my buck however I really don't understand why we see so few of them on our turfs. This is how I look at Aston Martins. A Beautiful, Slutry and Curvy "English" Personal Assistant at my disposal and service. She speaks to you into your ears saying "Take me further and harder boss, I'm all yours!" The best part is you can understand every single word that she says! Hahahahhaha...perhaps it is just me that I'm too imaginative! In the first place no one in the right of logic will get a supercar in Singapore I guess? Thank you in advance and looking forward to your comments and opinions ! Cheers! Gambel
-
So cute! Will it reach our shore? http://www.dexigner.com/news/21624
-
A photo tour of the Aston Martin Factory. http://drive-line.com/08/18/aston-martin-factory/ Great pics.
-
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/26/from-th...-based-on-opel/ the thais at their modifying best again.
-
The mantle of "world's most famous car" is a heavy one indeed. But if any single automobile ever created deserved the honorific, surely it's the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 used on-screen in the production of the iconic 007 films Goldfinger and Thunderball. And in case you were disappointed at having missed the opportunity to get your hands on one of the stunt cars, the real thing is now up for grabs in London, where RM and Sotheby's will be auctioning it off to the highest bidder. The car in question was prepared by Aston Martin for use in the Bond films. After that it went back to the manufacturer, which then sold it to radio host and philanthropist Jerry Lee, who's been holding onto it for the past 40+ years. In pursuit of his charitable work, Lee is finally putting the car up for sale, with bids expecting to top $5 million when it goes under the hammer on October 27. One of only two made and the only one still in existence, the custom DB5 comes packed with all the extras the Q-Branch installed for Bond's use, from the revolving license plates and tracking device to the oil slick dispenser and smoke screen. Source: RM Auctions
-
I kept seeing these cars on the road these days. Am beginning to think that it looks fantastic!
-
taken from netcarshow.com its the modified Db9, will be use for the new james bond movie. dun think will be in production, hehehe. but look nice n fierce!
-
http://www.supercars.net/PicFetch?pic=2004_aston_martin_db9-1.jpg http://www.supercars.net/PicFetch?pic=2004_aston_martin_db9-2.jpg http://www.supercars.net/PicFetch?pic=2004_aston_martin_db9-3.jpg The future of Aston Martin is epitomised by the all-new DB9, a 2+2 seater sports car that sets new standards in its class due to its astonishing combination of agility, V12 power, smoothness, beautiful design and hand craftsmanship. Using a radical new aluminium-bonded body frame, the DB9 is one of the most sophisticated and technically advanced sports cars in the world. It is powered by the latest version of Aston Martin's 6.0-litre V12, producing 450bhp and a top speed of 186mph. Yet the DB9 is significant well beyond being a class-leading sports car. It is the beginning of a new era for Aston Martin. It is the first car to be hand-made at Aston Martin's new state-of-the-art facility in Gaydon, Warwickshire, where all future Aston Martin models will be developed and built. 'Gaydon is the future of Aston Martin,' says Dr Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin. It combines cutting-edge high technology with hand-craftsmanship and tradition. It is probably the best facility of its type in the world, and the perfect showcase for how to design and build innovative sports and GT cars for the 21st Century. All cars built at Gaydon will be based on Aston Martin's new VH [Vertical Horizontal] platform. It's the first time in our history that we have had a totally flexible yet dedicated Aston Martin platform. The DB9 is the first car to use it making it the most important Aston Martin ever. Light and immensely strong aluminium frame In a long list of technological innovations, the most important is the bonded aluminium frame. Aston Martin believes it is the most structurally efficient body frame in the car industry. The new Aston Martin VH (vertical horizontal) aluminium structure gives immense benefits. It is very light, aiding performance, handling, economy and durability. It is also enormously strong. Despite being 25 percent lighter than the DB7 bodyshell, the DB9 structure has more than double the torsional rigidity. This is the car's backbone, the skeleton to which all the mechanical components are either directly or indirectly mounted. Drawing on the experience and technology pioneered in the Vanquish, the DB9's frame is made entirely from aluminium. Die-cast, extruded and stamped aluminium components are bonded using immensely strong adhesives, supplemented by mechanical fixing using self-piercing rivets. The frame is made in aluminium and the body panels are then fitted, again using adhesives, in the advanced body assembly area at Aston Martin's new Gaydon facility. This adhesive is applied by a robot - the only one at Aston Martin. Computer controlled hot-air curing ensures the highest standards of accuracy and repeatability. The bonding has enormously high stiffness, so that shakes and rattles are obliterated. Bonding also has excellent durability offering better stress distribution than welding - which is more prone to crack. The process is also used in the aircraft industry and Formula One. In addition to the aluminium frame, other lightweight or high-technology materials are used extensively. The bonnet, roof and rear wings are aluminium. The front wings and bootlid are composite. Cast aluminium is used in the windscreen surround, another industry first. Magnesium alloy, which is even lighter than aluminium, is used in the steering column assembly and inner door frames. The driveshaft is made from carbon fibre. It is part of the torque tube that rigidly connects the front engine to the rear gearbox. This arrangement helps the DB9 achieve perfect 50:50 weight distribution, further improving handling. Suspension / Brakes / Wheels The DB9 uses all-round independent double-wishbone suspension. As the body frame is brand new, the chassis designers were able to start from scratch - rather than be forced to develop a suspension for an adapted saloon car platform. The front suspension is mounted on a cast aluminium subframe. At the rear, another subframe carries the rear suspension as well as the rear transaxle. Forged aluminium wishbones are used front and rear, as are aluminium-bodied dampers. This is rare, even on top-end sports and GT cars. The steering rack is mounted ahead of the front wheels, which provides better control under extreme steering loads and heavy braking. Magnesium alloy is used in the construction of the steering column. Even the wheels have been specially designed to save weight. The 19-inch alloys are made using flow forming rather than casting. This saves about 1kg per wheel, benefiting unsprung mass, overall vehicle weight, and reducing rotational inertia. The tyres have been specially developed by Bridgestone. The calipers are made from a single casting, rather than being fabricated in two halves and then bolted together. This increases strength and rigidity and gives superior braking performance at high speeds. Braking is improved by Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), which is computer controlled to optimise the front-to-rear brake balance, and by Brake Assist - in which the cars electronics detect when the driver wants to emergency brake and automatically applies maximum braking force, cutting stopping distance. There's also the latest anti-lock (ABS) system, which prevents the car skidding or sliding out of control. Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) is standard. DSC is an advanced electronic control system that continually analyses wheel speeds, steering angle and yaw rate. It reduces the risk of skids by automatically applying braking to individual wheels, or reducing engine torque. Instrument pack The instrument pack is particularly attractive and innovative and all dials are made from aluminium. Microperforations allow the warning lights to illuminate through the aluminium. The rev counter runs anti-clockwise to maximise the visible area for the central electronic display, in the main instrument cluster. It's also a nice reminder of earlier Aston Martin models such as the Atom and the DB2. There is no conventional red line on the tachometer. A red warning symbol will be displayed when maximum revs are reached but - thanks to the high-tech electronics - the red line varies, depending on the engine's mileage, how recently the engine has been started, and ambient temperature. The electronic message displays in the main instrument cluster, and in the centre console, are organic electroluminescent displays (OEL). This is another car industry first. There are many benefits to OELs compared with conventional LCDs, including higher resolution and greater contrast, and improved clarity, particularly when viewed from an angle. Safety 'Volvo is renowned as the automotive safety leader,' says Chief Programme Engineer David King. It was the perfect partner to assist in delivering the DB9's outstanding safety performance. All crash testing was done by Volvo in its state-of-the-art safety centre in Sweden. The VH platform was designed to provide a supremely robust passenger cell that cocoons its occupants. The cell is protected at the front and rear by extruded aluminium crumple zones. Dual-stage driver and passenger airbags, and seat-mounted side airbags, offer further protection, as do seat belt pretensioners. Engine The engine is developed from the V12 used in the Vanquish. The advanced quad-cam 48-valve engine has been designed by Aston Martin engineers in partnership with Ford's RVT (Research and Vehicle Technology), and is unique to Aston Martin. The crankshaft is new, as are the camshafts, inlet and exhaust manifolds, the lubrication system and engine management. The result is more low-down torque and a more seamless power delivery. Maximum power is 450bhp and maximum torque 420lb ft. Even more impressive, 80 percent of that maximum torque is available at only 1500rpm. Comparing the Vanquish's engine to that of the DB9, Fitzsimons comments: The Vanquish offers more ultimate performance, the DB9 has more torque over a wider rev range, says Fitzsimons. In the new DB9, the V12 - which is a significant 11.8kgs (26lb) lighter than the Vanquish V12 - has been fitted as far back and as low as possible, to assist agility and handling. This helps the DB9 achieve its perfect 50:50 weight distribution. Rear Transaxle The DB9 is fitted with a rear transaxle to help achieve the ideal 50:50 weight distribution. The front mid-mounted engine is connected to the rear gearbox by a cast aluminium torque tube, inside which is a carbon fibre drive shaft. The use of carbon fibre prevents any flex and ensures low rotational inertia, improving response and cutting both noise and vibration. Two transmissions are offered: a six-speed ZF automatic gearbox and a new six-speed Graziano manual gearbox. The ZF automatic used in the Aston Martin DB9 is particularly innovative. The DB9 is one of the first cars in the world to use a shift-by-wire automatic gearchange. The conventional PRNDL gear lever has been replaced by a system of buttons that select park, reverse, drive or neutral. Those choosing the ZF automatic can drive the car in full auto mode, or can change gear manually using the paddle shifts. The paddles are made from lightweight magnesium and are directly behind the steering wheel, at the ten-to-two position. They allow instant Touchtronic gearchanging. Clean and elegant styling The Aston Martin DB9 is a modern interpretation of a traditional Aston Martin sports car, representing a contemporary version of classic DB design elements and characteristics. 'Aston Martins are not edgy cars - they don't have sharp surfaces or pronounced power domes,' says Hank Fisker, Director of Design, 'the bodywork is elegant and gently curved, like a supremely fit person, with great muscle tone. But it is not like a body builder, who is bulky and out of harmony.' The side profile is very clean, with a single-sweep roofline. There is a pronounced boot - a noticeable feature of the DB4 and DB5 - and the haunches on the rear wings are wide and curvaceous. The aluminium bonnet runs all to the way to the leading edge of the car. 'This accentuates the length of the bonnet and the power of the car,' says Fisker. All front cut lines emanate from the grille. The DB9's bumpers are invisible. The front number plate is part of the crash structure and computer modelling has enabled Aston Martin to use invisible -hard pressure zones- to cope with bumps. The side strakes - an Aston Martin DB signature - are made from metal. The door handles are flush with the body opening the unique swan wing doors, which rise at a 12-degree angle for improved access. Interior 'The DB9 had to have the best quality and most luxurious cabin in the 2+2 sports car class,' says Fisker. As with the exterior, the design is simple and elegant and a premium quality look and feel are crucial. The latest technology is also essential, and that's exactly what the DB9 customer gets, says Fisker. But in an Aston Martin, the technology is aimed at increasing the driving pleasure. There are no computer gimmicks. You don't buy an Aston Martin to play games on the in-car computer, or to send emails. Aluminium is used for door handles, on the dashboard, in the instrument cluster, and for some trim panels. The most distinctive use of aluminium is probably in the instruments. The dials are made from aluminium, and are of noticeable three dimensional design. They are flood lit, not back lit - making them especially attractive and clear at night. There are 20 new leather colours, supplied by Bridge of Weir in Scotland. The hides are particularly soft and supple. The leather skins the seats and is used widely throughout the rest of the cabin. 'We spent a lot of time considering how best to use wood, says Interior Designer Sarah Maynard. Today wood is typically used as an applique, strips of highly polished veneer simply adding decoration to the car. We wanted the wood in the DB9 to look more structural, as it does on avantgarde modern furniture. We also wanted to use large pieces of wood, rather than little strips - again, as in top furniture. Maynard adds: 'Wood is used in two places only: on top of the centre of the dashboard and, if the customer chooses, for the door caps. Three types of wood are offered: walnut, mahogany and bamboo. The wood is one piece, so it looks completely different from burr strips, and can be oiled rather than high gloss. Glossy wood invariably looks like plastic.' Her favourite cabin design feature is the clear glass starter button. 'It seemed wrong to us that most car starter buttons - the first point of contact between driver and engine - is a plastic button. We wanted something better so decided on crystal-like glass. The Aston Martin logo is sand etched into it. It's lit red when the ignition is on, and afterwards changes to light blue. I think it's a really cool piece of design.' Conclusion The DB9 manages to combine all facets of style, quality and useability of a traditional Aston Martin without relying on retrospective detail or design. It is a totally modern Aston Martin. Sales of the model will start in Spring 2004, replacing the DB7, the most successful Aston Martin in history. Story by Aston Martin, Edited by Supercars.net
-
-
Aston Martin launches the V8 Vantage - the third model from Aston Martin Aston Martin has issued the following press release: Aston Martin unveiled the production version of its eagerly awaited V8 Vantage at the 2005 Geneva International Motor Show on Tuesday 1st March. First shown as a concept car at the 2003 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the V8 Vantage immediately caused a worldwide sensation as it allows Aston Martin to enter a new sector of the premium sports car market with a genuine alternative to other cars that are currently on offer. Deliveries of the V8 Vantage to customers in the UK and Europe will begin in late summer and in North America and the rest of the world by the end of the year. It will be built at Aston Martin
-
Having got a sneak ride in an AM V8 Vantage prototype, Auto Express has this to report: Aston Martin V8 Vantage [/size] ess than a year after launching the acclaimed DB9, Aston Martin is poised to release its next world-beater: the V8 Vantage. Conceived as a rival to Porsche's 911, the V8 vantage is entering the final stages of an exhaustive two-year development programme. This has seen prototypes cover a total of two million miles, in locations as diverse as the scorching heat of Dubai, the freezing cold of Sweden and the punishing N
-
A 'custom-built' vehicle in a 'made-to-measure' suit by a great tailor based on a production vehicle of great prestige. This, very briefly, is the Bertone Jet 2 (the name is a tribute to the Aston Martin Jet created by Nuccio Bertone in 1961, based on the Aston Martin DB4 GT as a one-off). A Concept car developed from the Aston Martin Vanquish, the Bertone Jet 2 has the same mechanical lay out, the floorpan structure (the wheel base has been lengthened by 210 mm. to allow two rear seats to be added to the original version) and all the BIW elements 'under the skin' to limit investments and not alter the elements which are subject to homologation. Bertone Jet 2 expresses the concept of a modern 'custom-built' car. In other words a vehicle which, on the basis of a non-perceptible carry over nucleus, is characterized by a completely new body. In this sense the Bertone Jet 2 re-proposes, in modern terms, a product linked to the traditional history of Italian coachbuilders which dressed the most enchanting engines of the time in 'haute couture'. In recent years, the public has determined a marked division of the market in niche products. This diversification in demand entails massive economic investments for the manufacturers. The Bertone Jet 2 is an example of how Bertone could help the manufacturers to diversify their own range by preparing 'custom-built' vehicles, exactly as they did in the fifties and sixties, with all the quality and safety standards of a modern automobile manufacturer. The proposal expressed by the Bertone Jet 2 has been made sustainable from the manufacturer's point of view, thanks to a maximum synergy with the components of the original model. From the engineering point of view, Bertone has respected all the structural limits of the original vehicle, the modification of which would have entailed high levels of investment (which would not have allowed to contain the price difference of the custom-built vehicle). At the same time, the finished vehicle is characterized by a specific identity which is so strong that it can be presented as a new model. To the hypothetical final customer, the decision to work with limited investments could translate into a reasonable price increase, to justify the possession of an exclusive object, a vehicle for a few refined connoisseurs. The point of departure for the styling definition was the search of a Bertone identity with respect to the classic Aston Martin features. The car body, originating from sinuous lines and tight 'geometrical' features, is a synthesis of the two brand identities. The flowing shape follows a forward leaning belt line which rises towards the tail; a graphical treatment which enhances the physical power of the Bertone Jet 2 through flowing and natural phrasing. The idea of movement is resumed by a large transparent roof, which emphasizes the dynamism and the impetus of the vehicle. In the front part the classic Aston Martin grille remains, with additional air ducts to cool the disc brakes. The flush cover headlights propose an evolved graphic with respect to the original model. The rear view focuses on the vertical tailgate, the outline of which repeats the shape of the Aston Martin grille. The Bertone Jet 2 presents the classic interior configuration of the 2+2 coup
-
Anyone notice the new Peugeot 407 looks extremely like the Vanquish from the front ? A coupe version will bear even more similarity !