2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster

2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster

Aston Martin will unveil one of the most eagerly anticipated convertibles of the year when the V8 Vantage Roadster. 2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster SPORT SHIFT designed with new specifications that include Convertible body style, 14 CT / 21 HW fuel economy. 2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster embodies the qualities that are integral to Aston Martin: Power, Beauty and Soul.

2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster

The rationale behind the Aston Martin V8 Vantage S was to push the boundaries of the already acclaimed V8 Vantage with the highest levels of driver involvement possible. Aston Martin engineers set about enhancing nearly every dynamic element of the car to create a highly distinctive driving experience. The Aston Martin Vantage range comes of age with the new Aston Martin V8 Vantage S characterised by a host of new driver-focussed features all designed to push the honed dynamics of the standard Vantage to a new benchmark level.

2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage and the Aston Martin V12 Vantage are a series of hand built sports cars from the British manufacturer Aston Martin. Aston Martin has previously used the “Vantage” name on high performance variants of their existing GT models. “The Vantage S epitomizes every attribute of the V8 Vantage and pushes the driver experience beyond what we have offered before”, says Dr. Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin, “It combines dynamic exhilaration with all the charming finesse, beauty and practicality already associated with the Vantage range”.

2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster

"With every new model we continue to evolve and enhance our VH architecture," said Aston Martin Product Development Director, Ian Minards. "The engineering team at Gaydon looked at every single performance attribute of the V8 Vantage, from engine and transmission to suspension, steering, brakes and tires and considered what was required to make this car deserving of the coveted 'S' badge. The result is a pure driver-focused package that, in both the coupe and Roadster form, exploits and emphasizes the sporting nature of the iconic Vantage."

2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster

Power for the 2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster comes from a 4.7L V8, which has been re-engineered to deliver 430 bhp (436 PS / 321 kW) at 7300 rpm and torque of 490 Nm (361 lb.ft) at 5000 rpm. The engine is mated to a new round-up developed 7-speed Sportshift II transmission specifically designed for the Vantage S with seven short ratio gears. Aston Martin says that the transmission is twenty percent quicker than its Sportshift. The 2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster also benefits from its own sound with a new exhaust muffler, quickened steering rack ratio of 15:1 compared to 17:1 on the standard car and a larger diameter front brake disc with new six-piston front brake calipers, new dynamic stability control (DSC) system and bespoke Bridgestone tires.

2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster

The power and torque delivery on the 2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster is delivered at the most frequently used mid range engine speeds which creates tractable and effortless acceleration. Most demand for power and torque is in the mid-range which on the 2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster is where the greatest torque is delivered at 5000 rpm. As with all Aston Martins, the 2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster benefits from near perfect weight balance of 49:51 front to rear owing to the placement of the gearbox on the transaxle contributing to the excellent dynamics. The 2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster has an automatically retracting fabric hood which can be operated up to 20 mph (30 km/h). The S variant features a unique exhaust muffler specifically tuned to aurally define its sporting intent. A revised map opens the bypass valves earlier in the rev range at 3500 rpm and even earlier in 'Sport' mode producing more crackle on the overrun.

2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster

The 2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster weighs 3726 lbs, 66 lbs (30 kg) lighter than the standard Vantage owing to weight optimization of the new Sportshift II transmission and use of carbon fiber. Air cooled, rather than oil cooled, the Sportshift II system takes advantage through the deletion of the oil pump and associated ancillaries saving 53 lbs (24 kg) over the conventional six speed Sportshift system.

2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster

The optional carbon fibre and Kevlar® composite seats cosset the driver providing support during spirited driving while remaining comfortable on long journeys. Saving 17 kg per car, the seats which are manufactured by a supplier to the motorsport and aviation industries are hand-trimmed by craftsmen and women at the Gaydon production facility.

2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster

Both the Vantage S coupe and Roadster are hand built at Aston Martin's global headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire alongside the V8 Vantage and V12 Vantage. Each Aston Martin V8 Vantage S takes in excess of 185 man-hours to build including 50 man-hours to paint and 70 man-hours to hand trim the interior. Each car undergoes meticulous attention to detail in not only the build phase but quality control and handover processes too.

Aston Martin Cuts Back Production of Rapide Due to Poor Sales

Seems like the recession isn’t hitting just common people, but is also affecting the market for $200,000-plus supercars. One such example is the Rapide, Aston Martin’s sports sedan, whose sales are falling way off initial expectations.
According to media reports, the British carmaker is cutting back production of the Rapide to 25 cars per week, which translates to 1,250 per year, or 750 less than initial estimates.

Silverstone Organisers Ask: What is the Best British Sports Car of All Time?

The fifteen finalists in the Silverstone Classic’s, “Best British Sports Car of All Time” vote-in have been announced, and boy is there some choice picks. Before we get to that though, can I just point out a misnomer in using the, “of All Time” qualifier?
This assumes (prophetically?) that Britain will not be making any more sports cars in the future, whereas, “Best British Sports Car So Far” would be a far more accurate description. But enough with semantics: who are our lucky finalists?

Mercedes-Benz’s Parent Company Nearing a Decision on the Fate of Maybach

It’s no secret that for quite some time now, Mercedes-Benz’s parent company Daimler has just about had it with Maybach and is looking to either shut down the über luxury car brand and call it a day or partner up with British sports carmaker Aston Martin on the development of a new model.
According to a report from Autoweek, the time has come for the German carmaker to make a final decision with the fate of Maybach to be decided by July 1. At a recent press event in Stuttgart, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche told journalist that "there is a higher likelihood to come to a positive decision" for Maybach if the company can find a partner. Up until now, the only automaker that has showed interest in working with Daimler on Maybach is Aston Martin.

Aston Martin to Move Production of Rapide from Austria to the UK

For the past two years, Aston Martin has been manufacturing the Rapide at Magna Steyr’s facilities in Austria, but that’s about to change soon as today, the British automaker announced that it will move production of the four-door sports saloon to the company’s Gaydon headquarters in Warwickshire, UK. The company said the necessary upgrades at its Gaydon headquarters for Rapide will begin immediately with a view to begin production of the Rapide in the second half of 2012.

Investigators Uncover Multi-Million Pound Tax Scam in India; European Exotics, Foreign Diplomats and Bollywood Actors Involved

In what sounds more like the plot of a The Fast and the Furious movie than real life, investigators at India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence office (a.k.a. India’s IRS) have uncovered a massive exotic car smuggling operation in the nation’s capital of New Dehli. It all has to do with India’s notorious 100% import tax on new luxury vehicles.
It began with one New Dehli luxury car dealer, Sumit Walia, importing brand new luxury cars on forged invoices. These invoices listed the cars as second-hand, which saved Walia – and his customers – some 40% on import tax. Some of the cars – which included Porsches, Bentleys and Aston Martins – were found to have been stolen from the streets of Britain, France, Singapore and Japan.

Real Life Cars 2 Characters Dock at London’s Motorexpo

The imposing fleet of 50 Jaguar E-Type models isn’t the only attraction to arrive today at London’s Canary Wharf for the free-to-visit Motorexpo as Disney and its Pixar studio sent two real life characters from the upcoming Cars 2 movie, which is set to hit UK theaters in 3D on July 22. The full-size film-star cars are the Lightning McQueen racer and the Finn McMissile Aston Martin, voiced in the movie by actors Owen Wilson and Michael Caine respectively.

Video: Bloomberg’s Adam Haynes on the Aston Martin Cygnet

You can’t spell, “Cygnet” without, “cynical marketing ploy”. The Toyota iQ-derived stocking stuffer iPhone accessory subcompact has prompted a neat little op-ed piece by Bloomberg correspondent (an ex-pat Aussie) Adam Haynes that includes some fascinating dialogue from Aston Martin insiders.
Most of our readers will know by now that the Cygnet exists purely to counteract the 120 grams of CO2 per kilogram EU carbon restrictions to be introduced in 2012. With a combined CO2 g/km rating of 400, Aston Martin’s current fleet of high performance vehicles could never match this.

Disney and Pixar to Bring CarsFestival

Continuing the assault of promotional material for the second installment of the Cars animated movie franchise, Disney and its Pixar unit announced today that two characters from the film will jump into life at the upcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed, which will be held at the Goodwood House from 30 June until 3 July.

Video: Sights and Sounds of the Aston Martin V12 Zagato

Having brought you a first look at the winner of the design award for Concept Cars and Prototypes at this year’s edition of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Italy, it is now time to show you the Aston Martin V12 Zagato in the flesh and on film. The concept study is a V12 Vantage draped in an aluminum Italian suite, and it will spawn a racing model that will compete in the 24-hour Nurburgring endurance race in late June as well as a limited run production version, scheduled for launch within the next year.
Follow the jump to get a look of the supercar’s lines and a taste of the brutal sounds produced by Aston Martin’s 517-horsepower 6.0-liter V12 engine in our collection of videos.

Aston Martin V12 Zagato is the Winner of this Year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Design Award

The world premiere of the new Aston Martin V12 Zagato, which took place at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2011 this past weekend on the shores of Lake Como in Italy, was marked by the design award for Concept Cars and Prototypes. The conceptual model, which was created to celebrate the Aston Martin and Zagato partnership in the 50th anniversary year of the famous DB4GT Zagato, won the approval of the visitors to the Concorso D’Eleganza event.
The competition in the Concept Cars and Prototypes category included BMW’s new 328 Homage Roadster, the Ferrari Superamerica 45, Audi Quattro, Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake, Infiniti Etherea, Italdesign VW GO!, Rinspeed Bamboo, Renault DeZir and the Scuderia P4/5.

Aston Martin’s One-77 Supercar Filmed on the Streets of London

There are very few cars in this world that can stir our imagination just by looking at them parked on the road, and this is one of them. We’re talking about the top dog in Aston Martin’s current lineup, the One-77 supercar, which was filmed here on the streets of London as it was being started up and ready to launch, by a Youtube user. It’s always great to see a rare supercar being used on the road instead of spending its life in a garage as a centerpiece.

Aston Martin V12 Zagato: Italian Elegance Meets British Brute Force

Some companies really know how to celebrate. Take AstonMartin and Zagato, for example. The iconic British sports car maker and the legendary Italian coachbuilder will mark the 50th anniversary of their first collaboration with a brand new study.
To honor their first joint project, the 1961 DB4GT Zagato, the two companies developed the Aston Martin V12 Zagato, a race car study that will be unveiled on May 21 at the Villa D'Este Concorsod'Eleganza in Italy, where it will compete against the Ferrari Superamerica 45. But this elegant and dramatic coupe was not built for classy Concours d'Elegance events alone, as it will actually race at the Nurburgring 24 Hour event on June 25-26.

Aston Martin and Zagato Reunite, will Show New Car at Villa D’Este Concours

This year, the iconic Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato celebrates its 50th anniversary, and to mark the event, the British automaker and the famous Italian design house have joined forces once again to create a new project that could very well head to production. The new collaboration between Aston Martin and Zagato will be revealed in concept form at the forthcoming Villa D’Este Concours on May 21 to gauge initial customer reaction with a view to a production model following as early as 2012.
For the time being, and aside from the teaser rendering, we don’t get any additional information on the new Aston Martin Zagato but word has it that it could be based on the mechanical hardware and platform of the current V8 Vantage.

Aston Martin to Auction Ulrich Bez’s Rapide for Japan

In a goodwill gesture towards the people of Japan, Aston Martin boss Dr. Ulrich Bez will auction his company Rapide sports sedan at this year’s annual Bonhams event at Newport Pagnell, with all proceeds from the sale to benefit charities providing aid to the victims of the recent earthquakes and Tsunami. The Bonhams auction house said that in support of this initiative, it would waive its commission the Rapide sale that will take place in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, on Saturday May 21.

2012 Aston Martin Sports Cars Vantage GT3

2012 Aston Martin Sports Cars Vantage GT3

Aston Martin is a British car manufacturer from releasing a new racing car named the Aston Martin Vantage GT3. Aston Martin will unveil its new 2012 Aston Martin Sports Cars Vantage GT3 race car which can be seen in all racing circuit in 2012. The new 2012 Aston Martin Sports Cars Vantage GT3 joins the Vantage GT2, GT4, DBR9 GT1 and the AMR-One LMP1 to create the largest and most comprehensive range of Aston Martin race cars to date.

2012 Aston Martin Sports Cars Vantage GT3

GT3 has become a very successful racing car of the DBRS9. Competition is what makes the new car that combines experience in the category of the latest technology in the continuing success of Aston Martin’s race in the GT3 over the years and the future.

Designed to FIA regulations, the 2012 Aston Martin Sports Cars Vantage GT3 will be built around the Vantage aluminium VH architecture with a lightweight dry-sumped 6.0 litre V12 engine, based on the V12 Vantage road car. The engine is capable of delivering 600 HP and a peak torque of 516 lb ft.

The 2012 Aston Martin Sports Cars Vantage GT3 will be equipped with a race semi-automatic paddle shift Xtrac gearbox and the latest race-developed ABS and traction control systems. Aston Martin plans to deliver around 600 horsepower and 516 lbs-ft (700 Nm) of maximum torque in the GT3, with the 2012 Aston Martin Sports Cars Vantage GT3 weighing only 2,755 lbs (1250 kg)

2012 Aston Martin Sports Cars Vantage GT3

Power for the Aston Martin V12 Vantage comes from a 6.0L V12 making 510-hp with a peak torque of 420 lb-ft. That allows for a 0 to 62 mph run in just 4.2 seconds with a top speed of 190 mph.

2012 Aston Martin Sports Cars Vantage GT3

John Gaw, Aston Martin Racing Managing Director said: “The DBRS9 has been a very successful GT3 racing car and, despite being more than six years old, is still competitive today. However, the competition has moved on and we needed to create a new car that combines our six years’ experience in this category with the latest race technology to continue Aston Martin’s success in GT3 for many years to come.”

The first 2012 Aston Martin Sports Cars Vantage GT3 will be completed in July 2011 and will undergo tests and development program during the rest of the year. Ten customer cars will be built ready for delivery for the start of the 2012 season.

2012 Aston Martin Sports Cars Vantage GT3

Aston Martin Sport Cars Green Vantage V12 Race Car

Aston Martin Sport Cars Green Vantage V12 Race Car

It's green - very. This is The Aston Martin Vantage V12 race car is Terrifying and impressive, a well-known brand car that turned into a speed monster, with a design that is really interesting and really cool to make this car really looks cool and amazing. That's not green as in the environmental sense either, as anything with 12 cylinders, a 6.0-litre capacity and 510bhp isn't going to please the tree huggers. The V12 Vantage looks every inch the racing car.

Aston Martin Sport Cars Green Vantage V12 Race Car

Fitted to the squat proportions of the Vantage the aero kit gives this V12 some serious presence. With its deep, punctured front wings, Plexiglas side screens and some serious looking brakes behind the alloy wheels equipped with track rubber, this V12 Vantage demands respect.

There's none of the twitchiness you might expect, the Aston Martin Sport Cars Green Vantage V12 Race Car feeling utterly planted and supremely composed. There's the small issue of manual gear changing, but when the gearbox is so delightfully crisp (and devoid of the ridiculously proportioned gear knob of the road car) and the pedals so perfectly positioned heel-and-toe downshifts are as easy as they come.

Aston Martin Sport Cars Green Vantage V12 Race Car

With entry speeds getting faster and faster, the speed this car can carry through the bends is immense. The track is damp, but the sticky wet race tyres reveal just how compromised even the best road tyres are. There's masses of grip, the traction too is incredible, so the Aston Martin Sport Cars Green Vantage V12 Race Car can use its prodigious power despite the conditions. It's all remarkably easy too, the aerodynamics adding to the Vantage's stability, even in slower speed corners.

The brakes are amazing; with every lap braking can be left later and pushed harder, the Vantage washing off its easily gained speed with zero fuss. Blipping the throttle while doing so and shifting down the manual 'box is a real pleasure, both physically and aurally as each flex of the foot has the V12 flaring up its revs with a glorious sound.

Aston Martin Sport Cars Green Vantage V12 Race Car

We always thought racing cars were edgy, tricky to drive monsters, but quite the reverse is true - indeed compared to the road version on the same track the racecar is an absolute cinch to drive fast. But then this is its natural habitat, yet the evolutionary process to allow it to work so well here is relatively straightforward. It never fails to amaze us how much additional performance can be gained by some tweaked suspension, lower weight, proper tyres and some clever aero kit. Aston Martin Sport Cars Green Vantage V12 Race Car is an impressive road car, but it's also an awesome racecar.

2011 Aston Martin Sports Cars DB9

The Aston Martin company has revealed their new 2011 Aston Martin sport car DB9 with new styling and some engineering and equipment upgrades. 28 June 2010, Gaydon, Warwickshire: In the most significant programme of upgrades since its world debut in 2003, Aston Martin’s sport car DB9 range has received a complete package of styling, engineering and equipment enhancements. “Improving upon what many consider to be one of the most beautiful sports cars in the world is a delicate exercise,” says Aston Martin.

The Aston Martin designers gave new 2011 sport car DB9 subtle enhancements in appearance including a new front bumper, new grille, a reshaped lower intake that now features a hexagonal mesh, new headlight bezels, re-styled sills, silver brake calipers, 20-spoke diamond turned alloy wheels and clear rear light lenses.

Performance comes courtesy of Aston Martin’s sport car celebrated 6.0-litre V12 engine, which develops an unchanged 470bhp and 442lb ft of torque. Mated to a choice of six-speed ‘Touchtronic’ paddle-shift automatic or six-speed H-pattern manual transmissions, the DB9 offers an intoxicating blend of effortless pace and sporting character. A top speed of 190mph and the ability to hit 60mph in just 4.6sec seal its credentials as the definitive 2+2 Grand Tourer.

Ian Minards, Aston Martin’s Product Development Director said, “The DB9 was the first sport car built at Gaydon adopting the VH architecture. It has evolved every year since, with significant changes including a power upgrade and successive reductions in CO2 emissions. The latest package of improvements goes further than ever, highlighting the DB9’s qualities as a true sporting GT and underlining its role as the backbone car of our range.”

The Aston Martin DB9 sport car is available as either Coupe or Volante (convertible) with rear mid-mounted six-speed manual gearbox as standard or optional ‘Touchtronic 2’ six-speed automatic transmission. Production of the revised DB9 is already underway, with deliveries commencing in July. Prices start from £122,445 for the DB9 Coupe and £131,445 for the DB9 Volante.

 2011 Aston Martin Sports Cars DB9

2011 Aston Martin Sports Cars V8 Vantage N420

2011 Aston Martin released the special-edition sportscar back in 2007 to commemorate the success of its Vantage N24 racer at the Nürburgring. It packed 400 horsepower, a series of suspension tweaks and some special cosmetic touches.

The 2011 N420’s sportscar powertrain is the standard Vantage affair, coming with the standard 420 horsepower V-8 engine. Successor to the special edition V8 Vantage N400 of 2007, the 2011 Aston Martin sportscar V8 Vantage N420 is based upon the standard 4.7-litre, 420bhp, 180mph V8 Vantage and is available as a Coupe or Roadster, and with a six-speed manual or optional Sportshift automated manual transmission.

The 2011 Vantage N420 sportscar draws inspiration from the company's experiences at the Nürburgring 24-hour race. In the 2006 running of the annual Nürburgring endurance classic amongst a field of mostly motorsport homologated cars, Aston Martin entered a near-standard, road-registered V8 Vantage.

2011 Aston Martin sportscar used carbon fiber on various parts of the car to help drop the weight by 60 pounds, which while not a lot is still a step in the right direction. The suspension gets the Sports Package that upgrades the Vantage’s springs, shocks and anti-roll bars to give the car better road holding.

The 2011 N420 also features special 10-spoke alloy wheels finished in gloss black, black mesh grille inserts, a sport exhaust system, the Sports Pack suspension (which is merely optional on the regular Vantage) and a range of racing-inspired paint combinations. The N420 sportscar will be available as a coupe or a roadster with the choice of a manual or paddle-shift transmission.

The 2011 N420 sportscar will make its U.S. debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August. Orders may be placed starting this month, with deliveries to begin in the fourth quarter of 2010. Pricing starts at $133,350 for the coupe and $146,350 for the Roadster, less than $10K more than their non-N420 counterparts.