Autoblog

The people behind the latest Bond films seem to have a knack for destroying perfectly good Aston Martin DBSs. First they rolled one (repeatedly) in shooting Casino Royale. Never missing an opportunity to total a perfectly good Aston, they crashed another one in a rock quarry for the opening sequence of the upcoming Quantum of Solace sequel, but not before a factory test driver tanked another one into Lake Garda in northern Italy. And while you might figure a totaled Aston would, naturally, be worth less than a new one, you've evidently underestimated the clout of the 007 mystique.

Daniel Craig, the latest actor to take up the James Bond mantle, has revealed that the tanked DBS was extracted from the Italian lake and sold to a collector for an outrageous £200,000, some 60,000 thousand pounds sterling more than the £134k price of a brand new (and functional) example of the top-of-the-line British supercar. Somebody evidently needs to explain to said collector that the DBS in question was not a working example of the submersible Lotus from For Your Eyes Only. Rinspeed's got that one covered.

[Source: What Car?]

Aston Martin has stepped in to clarify recent rumors of its Lagonda revival. We know that a Lagonda concept is due to be shown at next year's Geneva Motor Show, and of late it was speculated to be something SUV-ish. An Aston spokesperson has laid out the plan, and this time neglected to mention the acronym "SUV" at all.

Two upcoming Lagondas will probably be sedans and use Aston's VH platform, tending to the luxury side of sporting while Aston solidifies its grip on the sporting side of luxury. An upscale and up-priced version of the Rapide will come in 2011, followed by a $100,000-or-so S-Class challenger in 2012. Now that we've got the SUV thing out of the way, let's hope Aston stays on the right course and creates cars that don't look anything like more DB9 clones.

[Source: Automotive News, sub req'd]

It's hard to think of a DB-9 or Vanquish as anything other than automotive perfection, so when the Brits in Gaydon say the One-77 is the embodiment of Aston Martin design, color us interested. The ultra-exclusive two-seat supercar seems to have it all: a 700 hp V12, carbon fiber chassis, aluminum body, and the ultimate in Aston design. The One-77 has an exclusive price tag of about £1,050,000 before taxes, too, and even the Paris Motor Show isn't a big enough venue to unveil the full design to the world.

Aston Martin is sure playing up the anticipation for the One-77, and even though there is absolutely no shot we'll ever get to drive one, we're taking the bait. Teasers and sneak peaks are all we're getting at this point, and with a full year before it goes on sale, we could be waiting a bit longer. Aston CEO Bez Ulrich and chief designer Mark Reichman sat down to discuss the One-77 with the cameras rolling, and the two key players on team Martin seem to be in love with this vehicle. Hit the jump to see more glimpses of the One-77 lurking in the shadows, while Bez and Mark shower the mega-exclusive supercar with verbal praise. Now just show us the whole damn car already!

The Paris Motor Show has given up its secrets, but that doesn't mean the teasing is over. Top Gear magazine has the story on the Aston Martin One-77, joined by what will probably be more tease-tastic renders. One thing that can be gleaned from the rendering on the TG microsite is the headlight layout, with an inner row of LEDs leading back to an array that includes at least one additional cluster of LEDs. The front end still looks a tad overwrought to us – and a little reminiscent of the GTbyCitroen – but we suppose we'll just have to get a copy of Top Gear before we vote with our thumbs.

[Source: Top Gear via Motor Gears]

Aston Martin said it would have a "property" here in Paris, and indeed it did. The Aston Martin One-77 made its "debut," but it looks like we'll have to wait a bit longer to see the British automaker's $1,000,000+ super coupe.

Judging by the limited upskirt shots in our gallery, the length of the One-77 easily surpasses the DB9 and the stylized front end, with blacked-out headlamps, ensures that the One-77 will spend more time in the comfy confines of heated and carpeted garages then out on the track where it's 7.3-liter V12, carbon fiber monocoque and massive brakes will be put to good use.

The ultimate Aston Martin is only a year old, but it's already getting some updates including a new automatic transmission. The DBS will receive an optional automatic transmission dubbed the TouchTronic 2 for the 2009 model year, a re-engineered version of the ZF six-speed unit equipped in the DB9. Given the DBS' more harder attitude over the DB9, the transmission has been tuned for faster, more aggressive shifts in order to maintain the same acceleration capabilities as the manual transmission version and giving drivers the choice of swapping their own cogs via steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. When the situation is more relaxed the driver can enjoy some tunes over the new 1,000-watt Bang & Olufsen stereo system. For those inclined to occasionally punish a couple of friends, Aston is now offering a pair of +2 rear seats. The company claims this is at the request of customers, but frankly, customers who make such silly requests should probably be sent elsewhere anyway. The automatic DBS commands a $4,000 premium over the three pedal variant and starts at $273,000.


[Source: Aston Martin]

Two new images and more details about the limited edition Aston Martin One-77 have surfaced, providing us with a price, a handful of specs and some new views of the bespoke supercar.

Despite what the original teaser revealed, sources indicate that the One-77 will be packing a naturally aspirated 7.3-liter V12, as opposed to a 7.0-liter unit, putting out 700 hp and 553 lb.-ft. of torque. Power will be channeled through a rear, mid-mounted six-speed automated manual transmission, featuring Auto Shift Manual and Select Shift Manual (ASM/SSM), and controlled by an electro-hydraulic system.

The coupe will be available in left- or right-hand-drive, but seating will be limited to two. The exterior body panels will be made of handcrafted aluminum, while the monocoque body structure will be fashioned from carbon fiber. A deployable rear spoiler, adaptive suspension, carbon ceramic brakes and stability/traction control are all part of the package, and the One-77 is expected to tip the scales at just over 3,300 pounds.

A "Direct Customer Sales Contract" was supposedly leaked to 925.nl, which covers the details in all their fine-print glory, along with the price tag. One of 77 One-77s will set you back £1,050,000, excluding VAT and all the other taxes that go into the purchase. While Aston Martin isn't on the schedule for this week's Paris Motor Show, we're hoping to catch a glimpse of the new coupe in the City of Lights before it goes on sale towards the end of 2009.


[Sources: 925.nl and al-eds.com]

We were totally buying Hamann's line about "form follows function," right up until the point we saw the roof scoop on the tuner's Aston Martin V8 Vantage package. That aside, the kit from Hamann is one of the most comprehensive we've seen, implementing an array of aerodynamic, handing and engine mods to take the baby Aston to the next level.

On the aero side, Hamann festooned the Vantage with a new lower front fascia with two-piece spoilers, added a pair of sideskirts, a three-piece rear diffuser and a small, if not entirely stealthy, rear spoiler. You can get all these bits, or a different lip spoiler, in either carbon fiber or fiberglass, along with a roof scoop allowing you to channel your LeMans ambitions in poseurific style.

The engine benefits from a retuned ECU that can boost power of the outgoing Aston's 4.3-liter V8 to 358 hp (23 hp more than stock) or the 2009 model's 4.7-liter V8 to 426 hp (30 hp more than stock). A stainless steel exhaust is supposedly good for another 20 hp, but it's unclear whether the same gains can be attained without tweaking the Vantage's computer.

The handling has been shored up with a set of Hamann's three-piece 21-inch wheels and new springs that drop the Vantage by 30 mm up front and 20 mm in the rear, while the interior receives a new aluminum pedal set, bespoke floor mats and optional custom leather trim.

Check out all the details in the press release after the jump and peruse the gallery below.

When we recently posted on Aston Martin dragging Lagonda out of its crypt, one of the assertions was that "they've reportedly ruled out the possibility of a sport-ute." That might have been nothing more than a semantic turn, as Car & Driver is reporting that the first Lagonda will be "something SUV-ish."

Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez said the new car will have historical influences at the same time as it is "future-orientated," but the giveaway for C&D seems to be in his line that it will be "truly versatile" and "suitable for both existing and emerging markets." We can't tell if anyone actually came out and told the mag that the car would be an SUV, but an Aston source is quoted as saying it "wouldn't be an SUV in the same way as BMW X5."

So back to the semantics of no "sport-ute" and "SUV-ish" -- this sounds like it could be a brutish, hi-luxe sedan, or even a wagon suitably forceful enough to put space between it and the Rapide. Since Aston's looking at its long-term future, we imagine it will want something that won't leech sales, and that leaves a number of options. Which one the company settles on, however, we won't know until the concept shows up at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show.

[Source: Car & Driver]

Believe it or not, the Aston Martin you see above is really a previous generation Ford Mustang. Built by Canada-based Exclusive Motor Cars, the extensive conversion included stretching the wheelbase, widening the track, fitting a custom interior, and adding 34 composite body panels to convert the coupe into one of the most believable replicars we've ever seen.

Look familiar? You might remember seeing the car when we discovered it back in January, but it has since received some upgrades straight out of James Bond's V12 Vanquish in "Die Another Day". Of course, the hood-mounted machine guns and the rocket launcher in the grill won't be blowing up Bond villains any time soon, but you have to admit they're pretty cool. They even retract neatly into the bodywork with the simple touch of a button. The good news is that you can have one of your own through the car's distributor, Hillbank Motorsports. The bad news? It will cost you somewhere north of $100,000. We were fortunate enough to see the car in person, and took plenty of photos and a video showing the trick hide-away weapons. Hit the jump to see it in action.