Aston-Martin cars

TopSpeed Rendering: 2013 Aston Martin Rapide S

Only days ago, we were showing off some newly uncovered spy shots of the soon-to-be-unveiled Aston Martin Rapide S, but with the bikini-style camouflage it was wearing, it was hard to tell what we were really in store for. To counteract this censorship by Aston, we turned to our crack rendering team to use those spy shots to whip us up a clear look at this new model.

To be perfectly honest, according to the spy shots and our artist’s rendering, there’s really not too many outward differences between the 2012 model and this prototype. The first thing we notice is the addition of a front spoiler just below the grille. Speaking of the grille, it appears to be just slightly larger than the one on the 2012 model, as are the air intakes on the lower grille.

On the back end, we can see that the spoiler boasts a new shape, as it angles upward at a steeper angle near the center. It’s hard to tell on the spy shots what exactly is going on with the taillights, but given the fact that the camo cuts them off at one point, we can assume that they will be revised as well.

The biggest revision to the Rapide S is something you will never see, but you certainly will feel. The 6.0-liter V-12 engine under the Rapide’s sleek hood has been re-tuned to pump out an additional 40 to 50 horsepower, increasing its already impressive output numbers to somewhere between 500 and 520 ponies.

With this increase, Aston also plans to keep the Rapide’s fuel economy steady at its already wallet-draining 13 mpg city and 19 mpg highway. Then again, if you are snagging up a car that retails at more than $200K, gas mileage is likely at the bottom of your required features.

We’ll keep a close watch on this upcoming new Aston Martin and update you with any new information that comes up.

Video: Aston Martin Vanquish at Goodwood Festival of Speed

The new Aston Martin Vanquish made its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and luckily for us, Youtube user Shmee150 was attending the show and shared his cool video of the new supercar with us.

Although it was not officially on display in the supercar paddock, the new Vanquish was whisked in and out for quick runs up the hill-climb where poeple could see it in action and also enjoy the amazing sound of the engine.

For those who do not remember, the new Vanquish comes as a replacement for the old DBS. It is powered by a 6.0-liter V-12 engine that delivers an impressive 565 HP and a peak torque of 457 lbs-ft. With this impressive amount of power under the hood, the car will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds and up to a top speed of 186 mph.

Video: Aston Martin On Track - Nurburgring 2012

In May 2012 a series of Aston Martin models were taken on the world famous Nürburgring Grand Prix track to show what they are capable off. This exclusive event gave Aston Martin owners and enthusiasts the chance to experience unique and dynamic driving experience in a safe, controlled environment.

A selection of customer and hire cars took part in the day. The list of models presented at the event includes models like DBS, DB9, Rapide, V8 Vantage and Virage. Unfortunately new Vanquish wasn’t unveiled at the moment so it wasn’t presented at Nurburgring.

Another important event organized by Aston Martin will be the Track day at Boxberg held on14th - 15th July 2012.

Until then watch this video and see what the Aston Martin models are capable of. Their engine is pure music, so turn up the volume!

Spy shots: Aston Martin Rapide S caught testing for the first time

Aston Martin Rapide S has been rumored for quite some time now, but just now Aston Martin decided to take the car out for some testing sessions. And luckily for us our spy photographers were in the right place at the right time and managed to shot some images of the next Rapide S.

As you can see the prototype is heavily camouflaged and its pretty difficult to see what changes will be made for the luxury sedan, but the spoiler looks as it will go deeper than on the normal Rapide, and the grille has also grown and will receive bigger air intakes - proof that under the hood there will be a more powerful engine. At the back the rear lights have also been changed and the spoiler is also bigger and more sculpted.

Under the hood Aston Martin will place the same 6.0 Liter V12 engine, but with output will go up to about 500 - 520 HP. It has also been rumored that the next Rapide S will also get a modified chassis setup.

Expect to see the new Rapide S launched by the end of the year.

Video: Aston Martin DBS Volante pitted against Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster

With all the recent hype surrounding the brand new Aston Martin Vanquish, one could be excused for completely forgetting about its predecessor, the DBS, which is still going strong. This fact is exemplified in the latest EVO magazine track test conducted by television presenter, Tiff Needell.

Despite the fact that the DBS Volante will be superseded by a convertible version of the new Vanquish in a couple of years, pitting the present day DBS Volante against the much-newer Mercedes Benz SLS AMG Roadster is still a prevalent test.

Not only do both of these cars slot into similar price brackets and appeal to similar buyers, but both produce similar outputs with the DBS Volante cranking out 510HP and 420 lb-ft of torque from its impressive, yet rather-out-dated, 5.9-liter V12 engine.

Featuring a vastly different 6.2-liter V8 engine, the SLS AMG Roadster produces a little more than the DBS, with peak horsepower reaching 563HP while an impressive torque figure of 479 lb-ft is also achieved.

With both cars’ tackling the Bedford Autodrome in similarly horrible conditions, it certainly makes for an enjoyable video, so check it out!

2012 Aston Martin DB9 1M

Last November, Aston Martin launched a cool competition on Facebook in order to celebrate its One Million fans. People were asked to choose between four different designs - Aero, Dynamic, Heritage and Heritage Art - for a new model called the "DB9 1M." The winner has finally been selected as the Aero.

This special DB9 1M features 20-spoke, silver diamond-turned wheels, black brake calipers, and an Obsidian Black and Spicy Red interior with a Piano Black fascia.

This will most likely be the last version of the current DB9 built before Aston Martin brings the next generation to the market next year. Aston Martin has announced that the DB9 1M will make its official debut in the next few days, but the first image was published on their Facebook account. We don’t expect to see this model built in large numbers nor do we expect the winner to receive this as a gift.

We’ll keep you posted on any details that arrive on the Aston Martin DB9 1M when it is officially unveiled at Goodwood.

2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante

Every time Aston Martin unveils a new model, the Volante version is sure to always be waiting right around the corner, and the new Vanquish is no exception. Since the company has recently revealed the first details on the coupe version of the Vanquish, we thought now would be a good time to reveal our rendering of the Vanquish Volante.

The upcoming Volante will borrow every detail from its coupe version, except, of course, for its soft top. It will feature the completely different, lower front lip and small rectangular mouth as the new generation Vanquish, as well as larger air ducts, revised headlight assemblies, nostril-style heat extractors on the hood. The rear of the vehicle features the new generation’s significantly larger and more aggressive spoiler, but the overall shape and design of the taillights is the same as on the 2012 model.

Under the hood, the Vanquish Volante will keep the same 6.0-liter V-12 engine with an output of 565 HP at 6,750 rpm and a peak torque of 457 lbs-ft at 5,500 rpm. The 0 to 60 mph will take a bit longer than the coupe’s 4.1 seconds and the top speed will be a bit slower than the coupe’s 186 mph, but that’s the sacrifice owners will have to make to have the wind in their hair during their long drives.

The new Volante Vanquish will arrive a few months after the coupe version and will be put on sale on the US market in 2014.

Aston Martin Vanquish Configurator Goes Live

Aston Martin has finally released the online configurator for its much-anticipated sports car, the Vanquish, which is a true sign that the wait is finally over. The first thing that absolutely will blow your mind is the “Paint Colour” section, as there are 32 different colors to choose from. The palate you have to choose from is so full of varying colors that it looks like the paint card displayed in the paint department at Home Depot.

In addition to the paint colors, you get seven different rim styles to choose from and even five brake caliper colors. That’s just about as custom as you can get in a mass-produced car.

On the bottom of the configurator, you get a little wheel that allows you to rotate the car to get a good look at all sides of it. Our only complaint about that feature is that it is not very smooth and sometimes it has a mind of its own. There are far better ones out there that move the car more accurately and smoothly.

Another complaint is that there is no option to configure the interior. We assume Aston Martin is releasing this system slowly as we get closer to the Vanquish’s release date in late-2012. We have to give Aston Martin some credit for releasing this configurator so early on. We are willing to bet that thousands of prospective owners will be playing with that tool until the day this new sports car hits showrooms.

You can check out the configurator for yourself here.

Spy Shots: Aston Martin Vanquish goes for another round of testing

While the new generation Vanquish won’t make its official debut until late August at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Aston Martin is hell-bent on testing it to the nines at the famous Nurburgring race track. In fact, this is the second time in the past few days we have shared images of James Bond’s new company car completely uncovered.

The new Vanquish comes as a successor to the very successful DBS sports car, but according to numerous rumors, it will be about 75% new in terms of its design. The supercar will combine design elements from the One-77 supercar and the Project AM 310 unveiled at the 2012 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. It will also use plenty of carbon fiber to cover its goodies in lightweight style.

The future Aston Martin Vanquish is powered by a 6.0 liter V12 engine with an increased output to about 573 HP. This revised engine is mated to a new 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifter controls on the steering wheel.

2012 Aston Martin DBS Casino Royale by Kahn Design

While the world is preparing to say good bye to the Aston Martin DBS, more and more tuners have turned their attention to the car that became famous thanks to its part in the James Bond movie Casino Royale. The latest package comes from British tuner Kahn Design who has tried to offer the DBS an alluring combination of style, sophistication, majesty, convention, comfort, and practicality.

Kahn’s package doesn’t include any power upgrades, but it does include a smoky exterior finish befitting of a spy. It has matte black front splitters, privacy tinted glass, a matte black rear diffuser, and a matte grey twin exhaust system. Adding to the look is a lowered sports suspension, which displays the new set of diamond cut smoked black Kahn 21" RSX-F wheels (available in 9 x 20) highlighted by the red brake calipers. Not much was done to the interior except for exquisite black Alcantara sports seats and a steering wheel complete with white stitching, but with Kahn’s tuning packages, customers can always ask for any array material and color combinations.

Power remains with the hand-built V12 engine producing a total of 510 hp at 6500 rpm.