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Aston Martin DBR4

 

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Aston Martin Lagonda: the 2014 comeback revealed - Car Magazine Online

Aston Martin Lagonda will be relaunched in 2014 - and this is our first glimpse of the new Lagonda super-saloon.The new July 2014 issue of CAR magazine, out today, spills the details on the Lagonda relaunch. Click here for a free digital preview of the latest edition.

This artist's impression shows the anticipated direction of the Lagonda limo, based on the spy photos published by CAR in May 2014.

Our photographs captured a wedgy four-door saloon testing on the roads around Aston Martin's Gaydon HQ in Warwickshire, UK. The prototype was believed to use the running gear of the Rapide limo but clothed in composite body panels.

Aston Martin Lagonda: a special by Q

Aston Martin first mooted relaunching Lagonda back at the 2009 Geneva motor show, when it showed the controversial Lagonda SUV concept.
Five years on, CAR understands Aston is finally ready to make a formal launch this summer.
And instead of a lumbering 4x4, Aston is preparing this secret sports saloon, which will be built by Q branch, the company's personalisation department.

The Lagonda super-saloon: what we know

The new July 2014 issue of CAR magazine reveals the lowdown on what we know about the new Lagonda.
It is tipped to use the 600bhp 5.9-litre V12 seen elsewhere in the Aston firmament, mated to an upgraded eight-speed automatic transmission.
If Q department is responsible for the new Lagonda saloon, it seems certain that only lower volume production is likely. Fewer than 100 units are mooted.

Why is Aston Martin reviving Lagonda?

Aston Martin is talking to Daimler about collaborating on future projects. It has been busy trying to fill every niche possible with special editions and spin-off models, and Lagonda is a further brand extension allowing it to appeal to new clients and new territories. Limousines and SUVs suddenly sound quite achievable, capturing extra sales and revenue to build more breathing space to engineer the next generation of Aston Martins.

 

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[Teste] - Aston Martin V8 Vantage N430 - Autocar

All the goodness of the V8 Vantage S in a marginally cheaper package

What is it?

The Aston Martin Vantage’s eventual replacement isn’t due until 2018, and Aston’s arguably too prominent VH architecture is being revised for the very thing. Before that there’ll be a new DB9, after which all Aston Martins will be visually and mechanically more differentiated, but in the meantime Aston has to make the best of what it has.

Oh look: new colours. I hesitate to say it, but it feels like Aston is about to enter a Bugatti Veyron/late Lamborghini Gallardo phase. The age of waiting. The age of the Aston Martin special edition.

This one is called the N430. It’s a V8 Vantage but with Vantage ‘S’ mechanicals (bringing ten more horses to match the numerals stitched into the headrests), and ‘S’ suspension and steering.

There’s also quite a long list of extras, supplied as standard including five colours like the Alloro Green (‘race’) pictured above. All the base colours are classy, to our eyes. Then there are the contrast cant rails, grille surround and diffuser. Those are… well, why don’t we move on?

What is it like?

Dynamically, things are as we’ve found them previously, which is no bad thing at all. The past two times a Vantage has been eligible for entry in our Britain’s Best Driver’s contest, it has finished on the podium (V8 Vantage S, and V12 Vantage S).

So this N430 handles terrifically. The hydraulically assisted steering is sweet – accurate, feelsome, well-geared and middlingly weighted – and near its extremes the Vantage has the sort of handling balance that other manufacturers would do well to use as a benchmark. It nudges towards steady-state undertseer, then can be easily provoked into a neutral or slightly tail-happy line, but every corner is a blank page – you can do with it as you please.
On the road it’s pretty firm, mind you. The V8 Vantage S gets passive dampers, and so does this N430, so there isn’t the option to slacken or stiffen them like there is in the V12 Vantage S. But the ‘S’ is meant to be the keenest Aston to drive, so we’ll forgive it that. You wouldn’t tell off aPorsche 911 GT3 for being ‘a bit firm’. Charming engine? check. Average gearbox? check.

Where we’d send greater criticism the Aston’s way is inside it. We know the reasons and understand them. Aston doesn’t make many cars, and it gradually upgrades things when it can (the fit and finish and communications systems are far better than they were at the V8’s launch nine years ago), but understanding it doesn’t mean a customer will excuse it.

Should I buy one?

Depends on your priorities. In some areas, like cabin efficiency, the competition has moved on, and while the Vantage still retains its feel of hand-built charm that’s absent from its rivals, the first time you try and retune the stereo, you’d swap the whole darned thing for a better system put into place by a robot.

Overlook that, though, and the rest of the Vantage package, such as the driving experience - which is, let’s face it, the most important bit of the lot – remain world class. You’re looking at one of the sweetest-handling cars you can buy. And that will never age.

 

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[Teste] - Aston Martin V8 Vantage N430 - CAR

The ‘N’ stands for Nurburgring, and the 430 for the power output. The Aston Martin Vantage N430 signifies the next top-level version of the V8-powered coupe and Volante, taking over from the N420 and before that,N400 series of Nurburgring-inspired models.Read on for our full Aston Martin Vantage N430 review.

Why does Aston name its Vantage N430 after a race track in Germany?
Aston Martin Racing celebrates 10 years in 2014, which has its base at the famous Nordschleife circuit, and the sportscar maker has just had two strong weekends of motorsport. Two weeks ago at Le Mans, it spanked Ferrari for a class victory, while yesterday at the Nurburgring 24-hour, its GT3 entry fended off a feisty BMW Z4 to claim an impressive fifth outright. Also on track, the N430 made its competition debut at the event, and finished second in its class.

What about the Aston Martin Vantage N430 for the road?
Tear off the stickers, remove the roll-cage and the racecar is near identical to the new road car. There’s still the lipstick on the nose, and the coloured mirrors and pillar to set the N model apart, as well as graphite-finished forged alloys inspired, says Aston, by itsCC100 concept from 2013. The metal grille and window surrounds are painted flat black, and the same exterior colour combos – green and yellow, red and blue, white and grey, plus two other ‘livery’ choices – are reflected inside with contrasting stitching in that shade, too.

With its alcantara steering wheel, Aston says that this is supposed to be a sports car, not a grand tourer, so has started with the short-wheelbase Vantage and its 4.7-litre V8. It’s upped the power by 10bhp, through the ECU with changes to the fuel ‘strategy’, firmed up the suspension and shed 20kg with lightweight sports seats. There’s a choice of the six-speed manual we’re driving here, or a seven-speed robotised-manual ‘Sportshift II’ with black magnesium paddles for a whopping £9500 extra.

Aston Martin N430: performance, spec
On the road, the Vantage N430 is a treat. From the delicious warble at idle, the Vantage opens its lungs at around 3000rpm then all the way to the 7500rpm rev limiter, with a metallic rasp that has your right foot subconsciously staying flat a little longer, and you’ll hang on to lower gears from more noise, too, as it’s so encompassing. The response off the mark in the ‘Sport’ setting is solid, but not earth-shattering for the class of 2014: 0-62mph takes 4.8sec, and it continues pulling all the way to its 190mph top speed.

This manual Vantage N430 suffers from a heavy clutch and dilutes the driving experience with the characteristically odd placement of the stubby shifter. It’s too far back from the otherwise good driving position (we chuckled at the weight-saving seats still having electric adjustment). As you accelerate, with the delivery smooth rather than brutal, the awkward body twist for the next gear makes you not as smooth as you could be. It's a simple glitch which would annoy us every day...

Around town, you can be slow, delicate and make changes that cannot be felt, but the shifter’s woes are magnified when you’re tackling a winding road. Here, the N430 is a delight: its ride on the fixed (non-adaptive) suspension is compliant yet relatively supple, although we reckon it’ll be a bit hard on our rough UK roads, while the steering is superb. It has a little on-centre play, and needs a fair amount of lock to make things happen, but it means that at high-speed, it’s in its element. You’re not constantly tweaking the wheel to reposition the Vantage N430 in a corner, because it’s so composed, so stable and so obedient that the creamy steering is spot on.

That hydraulic steering might be a little heavy at slow speeds, but the N430 is best when having its neck wrung – this is a brutally fast point-to-point machine. That steering adds to the agile feeling, quick response and chuckability of the V8 Aston into a corner. There’s loads of lateral grip from the 295-section rear Bridgestones, and power down out of corners in the dry is near sublime.

The handling balance is quite neutral: you have to do all of your braking in a straight line, otherwise you can actually make this thing understeer, as the front end could do with more bite. Yet that composure, agility and powerful six-piston front brakes will have you pushing hard with full confidence that the show won’t fall apart should you need to pull up, or if a corner tightens up a little more than you expected
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The downsides of the Aston Vantage N430?
Take this either way: this model is not limited to 400 coupes and 400 Volantes like the previous N models. That’s good – because if you want one, you can have one – but that means it’s not so exclusive.

Beside that, we all know that the Vantage has been on sale since 2005, and that every Aston is showing its age – and lack of cash investment – in the cabin’s equipment levels. It’s also exquisitely thirsty, with figures that reflect a small jet rather than something that’s still on the ground. A tank larger than 80-litres would help, but can hardly be packaged and will add heft.

At £89,995, there’s a smaller hop from the Vantage V8 to this N430 than previous N models, and that also means it’s £5k more than the much younger Jaguar F-Type R Coupe.

Verdict

The N430 is a solid proposition: we reckon that it’s more fun on a winding road than an F-Type, and more civilised around town – but we’ll see who wins the stoush when we have them together on the same road, at the same time. The Aston is not as sharp as a Porsche 911, but Stuttgart’s legend is arguably more mainstream than the Aston. So while it’s admittedly showing its age, the N430 Vantage can still make you smile when you look at it, hear it, feel it and exploit it. It’s also not a big upsell from a regular V8 Vantage for something that little more special, making that price not so bad after all.

Statistics​

How much?	£89,995
On sale in the UK:	Now
Engine:	4735cc 32v V8, 430bhp @ 7300rpm, 361lb ft @ 5000rpm
Transmission:	Six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Performance:	4.8sec 0-62mph, 190mph, 20.5mpg, N/A CO2
How heavy / made of?	1610kg steel/aluminium
How big (length/width/height in mm)?	4385/1865/1260mm

CAR's rating

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Handling

Performance

Usability

Feelgood factor

Readers' rating

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[Goodwood 2014] - Aston Martin DP-100 Vision Gran Turismo

The Aston Martin DP-100 Vision Gran Turismo, a conceptual 800bhp mid-engined supercar that only exists in the virtual world, has been unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

A crack Aston Martin design team spent a hectic six months creating the radical machine, but it will never carry a passenger or turn a wheel in anger.

Designed on the proverbial blank sheet of paper, the car is a virtual-only GT racer created for the hugely popular Gran Turismo 6 computer game. GT6’s creator, Kazunori Yamauchi, has invited a small group of car companies and “cool brands” to create new products and launch them within the game over the next 12 months.

The proposed twin-turbo V12 Aston is soon to be ready for download by gamers, and as well as the virtual car, Aston Martin has created a full-size 3D display model to stress that this is far from being a frivolous project.

“Many of the design cues visible on DP-100 could feed into future sports cars we’ll launch in the offline world,” says Aston Martin design director Marek Reichman, who led the project.

The model, seen exclusively by Autocar between completion and shipping to Goodwood, a few hours before its official launch, bristles with Aston references freshly and subtly expressed.

DP-100 is intended as a proper GT race car, short-nosed and low, with a cab-forward layout to give maximum space for a large V12-based powertrain behind the driver. In the flesh is looks imposing but compact; nowhere near as large as a full-size Lamborghini for instance.

On the upper flanks there’s well-defined chine-line each side, running from the rear of each front wheel, upward and rearward to define the car’s proportions and especially its prominent rear haunches, which are almost architectural in form.

The car’s styling refers clearly to the Aston Martin One-77 supercar (via a well-defined chine-line that runs around the car and defines its stance), to the recent CC100 anniversary car and even to Aston’s revolutionary mid-engined Bulldog concept of the early 1980s. Designed by the late William Towns, it had the same sort of radically 'waisted' body style.

Race-bred aerodynamics contribute much to DP-100’s overall look, but designers have taken trouble to avoid crudely added wings or cut holes to relieve high pressure areas. In key places air is ducted straight through the car — to benefit of engine and downforce. The central front air intake has an unmissable Aston grille-shape, flanked by a pair of ducts that carry air straight through the body to exit across a very large, Le Mans-style diffuser.
“We designed the car according to a philosophy we call RaceCraft,” explains chief exterior designer Miles Nurnberger, “which combines the no-nonsense requirements of a race car with the kind of beauty and sophistication you find on a really well-crafted road car.

“The design is fully detailed,” he adds. “We’ve created a plausible chassis and a working suspension, a fully equipped cabin and even a complete underbonnet layout, but to see everything we’ve created. You have to play the game.

The cabin is enclosed by forward-opening 'swallow' doors, plausibly designed because they have to open in the GT6 game. The interior takes a lot of influence from the open, spartan CC100 concept, which uses exposed carbonfibre surfaces in many places.
Over DP-100’s front wheel arches (which in race cars are notorious high pressure areas) the designers have provided ducts for the outflow of air, but disguised them brilliantly so that the car’s proportions are not interrupted.

The wheels themselves are a tour-de-force; they are fitted with hinged carbonfibre blades, looking a little like jet engine intake compressor blades, which bend outward under the wheel’s rotational forces to create a smooth disc at high speed, for lowest aerodynamic drag. The wheels fit closely into the plainly styled wheel arches, and wear 255/40x20in Michelins in front, and 295/40sx20s behind.

The colour scheme — a kind of metallic China-white on the left and right extremities, with a purple expanse on the nose, the two major colour patches separated by a line of luminous orange — may not describe very well, but it looks amazing in the flesh, doing what so much of the restr of the car does, suggesting a life in racing but doing it with greater-than-usual design sophisticated.

Nurnberger reckons his favourite DP-100 features are a tail light treatment made up of an exotic array of light-sticks (they look more like something out of a museum of modern art) a pair of tiny headlights each buried in the entrance to matching NACA ducts on the short nose, that gather air for other uses, a pair of extravagantly curved pieces that define the car’s upper proportions (Nurnberger calls them floating cant rails).

Kazanori Yamauchi, who watched DP-100 evolve, says he’s delighted with the result: “When I first came face to face with this car I was at a loss for words. It is is clean and classy, and also very emotional. Here was this future Aston Martin in front of me, so detailed it could be released on the market pretty much as it.”

 

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O V8 Vantage é imortal

Já não falta muito para o Corsa e este começarem a discutir o titulo de vampiro da indústria automóvel

 

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[Lançamento] - Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Roadster

Aston Martin has announced its V12 Vantage S Roadster. It’s a natural spin-off of the V12 Vantage S coupe which impressed us so much last year; it finished fourth in our Car of the Year contest, ahead of the excellent Audi R8 V10 Plus.

With the same 565bhp 5.9-litre V12 at its heart, this new drop-top version instantly becomes Aston Martin’s quickest and most powerful roadster yet. Its 201mph top speed noses it ahead of the Ferrari 458 Spider, while 0-60 is ticked off in 3.9 seconds.

Aston is keen to extol the virtues of all its torque, too; its peak figure is 457lb ft, with more than 80 per cent of that (376lb ft) available from 1000rpm. Equally, the British company talks up the naturally aspirated engine’s racing DNA, with CNC machined combustion chambers and hollow cam shafts derived from motorsport advancements.

As with the V12 Vantage S coupe, a Graziano-made seven-speed automated manual paddleshift transmission replaces the old V12 Vantage’s six-speed manual, saving 25kg and improving shift speeds while cranking up those motorsport credentials.

Its shift speeds – along with the car’s adaptive damping, power steering assistance levels and throttle response – can be adjusted via a selection of driving modes (dubbed Normal, Sport and Track) and a sport button. The raucousness of the Roadster’s exhaust – derived from the One-77 hypercar, we’re told – is also adjusted via the sports button.

The Roadster gets the same styling accoutrements as its hard-top sibling, with dark carbonfibre replacing the shiny aluminium details normally seen on Vantages, while the grille is inspired by the item on the bold Aston CC10 Speedster, bringing with it an improvement in air flow.
Aston Martin hasn’t yet priced the V12 Vantage S Roadster, but its forebear commanded a £15,000 premium over the coupe, so expect a figure around £153,000.

 

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Aston Martin desiste da ideia de criar Lagonda SUV

Talismanic former CEO of Aston Martin Dr Ulrich Bez may well have been one of the mostoutspoken characters in the automotive industry. But where is the company going as it heads into the post-Bez era? PH got a hint chatting with Director of Design Marek Reichman just the other day. “China is historically a four-door market,” Marek points out. “Obviously our most successful model there is Rapide.”

Lagonda SUV concept canned; no great loss?

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And what of Lagonda and the SUV?“We first showed the Lagonda SUV concept back in 2009,” explains Marek. “We still have plans for the brand. There might be some surprises in the marque’s re-establishment into the market place, but as a very unique coachbuilt experience. And that’s probably what’s most befitting of the brand.”

Will Lagonda become a high-end badge, perhaps like Special Operations to Jaguar Land Rover or a limited edition model in its own right?
“It’s more. It’s the reinvention of the marque, the brand, but done in a very, very limited way. It’s not something we believe that is a mass product.”

21st-century reinvention of this might be rather cool

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When Aston Martin talks of ‘limited’ and ‘special’ and ‘not a mass product’, then you know we’re talking about a very special car indeed. It means, in all likelihood, fewer than 100 units, very exclusive and with a price tag to match. Our money is now firmly on the rumoured Lagonda four-door, pitched squarely at the emerging markets in China and the rest of Asia. And what of Dr Bez’s SUV?“That was a different time,” interjects Marek smoothly. “It was Ulrich’s time. And now we’re in a very, very different time, with a different plan and with a different projection of what that brand should become.”