Tag: aston martin

Aston Martin, AMG Announce Technical Partnership

Reports from a little over 2 months ago spoke of talks between Daimler and Aston Martin, about “supply and technical-cooperation agreements.” Now, Aston Martin has announced that it has signed a Letter of Intent which looks “towards a technical partnership” with Mercedes-AMG GmbH. The two companies aim to have definitive agreements done by year’s end.

The proposed deal will allow Aston Martin access to AMG’s resources for the development of bespoke V8 powertrains for the next generation of the British marque’s models. AMG, which is owned by Daimler, will also assist Aston Martin with electronic architectures. In return for the technical assistance, Daimler will get a non-voting stake of up to five percent of Aston Martin and will join existing shareholders including Investment DAR and Investindustrial.

Aston Martin sources cutting-edge technology from key suppliers around the globe and the opportunity to include content from Mercedes-AMG GmbH in our next-generation sports cars is, clearly, good news. Working with Mercedes-AMG in this way while, of course, remaining independent and preserving the unique character and style of Aston Martin that has been the mainstay of the company throughout its 100-year history, points to a very bright future for the company as it starts its second century in business.

– Ian Minards, Director, Product Development, Aston Martin

Even though part of the deal ensures a supply agreement between AMG, Daimler and Aston Martin, the British automaker will continue to manufacture all of its sports cars at its Gaydon facility.

We are proud to work with Aston Martin and provide them with powertrain and electric/electronic components for their forthcoming sports cars. This is proof of AMG’s technological and performance expertise and a real win-win situation for both sides.

– Ola Källenius, CEO, AMG

July 26, 2013
24 Hours of Le Mans: Aston Martin driver Allan Simonsen killed in crash

Danish racing driver Allan Simonsen was killed as a result of injuries sustained during a crash at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The incident took place on the fourth lap of the race. Simonsen, who was participating for the seventh-time this year at Le Mans, spun about 10-minutes into the race, hitting safety barriers at the Tertre Rouge bend. According to race officials, the 34-year-old was in serious condition after the accident and was immediately rushed to a hospital, where he died shortly thereafter.

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest, which organizes the 24 Hours of Le Mans, released the following statement:

The driver was immediately attended on the scene by the doctors from the Automobile Club de l’Ouest’s Medical Service.

In a serious condition, Allan Simonsen was transferred immediately to the Circuit Medical Centre where he died soon after due to his injuries.

Allan Simonsen’s family has been informed immediately by David Richards, Principal of the Aston Martin Racing team.

Allan Simonsen, an experienced driver aged 34, had taken part in seven 24 Heures du Mans.

His team mates in the No.95 car were his fellow countrymen, Christoffer Nygaard and Kristian Poulsen.

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest wishes to express its great sadness following this incident, and extends its deepest condolences to the family and those close to Allan Simonsen.

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest will make no further statement while the exact reasons for the accident are still being wholly determined.

Aston Martin has completely blacked out its website, save for the following statement:

Le Mans, 22 June 2013: It is with great shock and sadness that the Aston Martin Racing Team confirms that an accident occurred shortly after the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans at around 15:09 hrs CET today (22 June) when the No 95 Vantage GTE driven by Allan Simonsen left the track at Tertre Rouge.

Tragically, and despite the best efforts of the emergency services in attendance, Allan’s injuries proved fatal.

Aston Martin Racing Managing Director, John Gaw, said: “On behalf of all of us at Aston Martin Racing, I would like to extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the individuals, and families whose friends or loved ones were involved in today’s terrible tragedy.”

Aston Martin Racing will not make any further comment until the precise circumstances of the accident have been determined. Next of kin have been informed.

Following the ACO’s media statement concerning the tragic death of Aston Martin Racing driver Allan Simonsen, and at the specific request of his family, the team will continue to participate in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in tribute to Allan.

A video showing the first 10 minutes of the race can be found below.

WARNING: It ends with Simonsen’s accident, along with an official statement from race’s governing authority, Automobile Club de l’Ouest.

[youtube id=”cCiMk8MYGeo” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

The No. 95 Aston Martin that Simonsen co-drove along with teammates Christoffer Nygaard and Kristian Poulsen has officially retired from the race. Our condolences to all those close to Simonsen.

[Image source: Aston Martin]

June 23, 2013
2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante unveiled

If you have saved up to the tune of $300,000 to spend on a top-of-the line Aston Martin, but believe that a roof ruins the experience of driving such a car, congratulations, today is your lucky day! Aston Martin has unveiled the 2014 Vanquish Volante, and unsurprisingly, it is an absolute beauty. It’s the first carbon fibre-bodied convertible in Aston’s history, and like it’s coupe sister, is the ultimate expression of the famous British automaker’s finest technology.

Like the coupe, the Vanquish Volante wears a coat of aggresion albeit with typical Aston Martin elegance and grace. The switch to the carbon fibre body provides an incredible strength-to-weight ratio and allows the shaping of the Volante’s unique rear airfoil, pronounced rear haunches and the dramatic strake towards the lower end of each door. Under the hood, you’ll find the same 6.0-litre V12 engine from the Vanquish, which translates to 565 horsepower, 457 lb-ft of torque and one of the most amazing soundtracks in the automotive world today, made even better by the lack of a roof. The soft top can go down at speeds up to 30 MPH and folds in just 14 seconds.

This is not simply a great-looking car. This is a great car engineered and crafted for the connoisseur by people dedicated to delivering exceptional sports cars with clearly defined characters.
– Ulrich Bez, CEO, Aston Martin

Convertibles always need stiffening up as compared to their coupe counterparts, due to the reduction of rigidity brought about by the removal of the roof. This usually changes the vehicle dynamics and ends up adding a decent amount of weight, both factors being nemeses to a supercar. But thanks to underskin reinforcements to the aluminum VH4 chassis, The Vanquish Volante is 13% stiffer than the droptop DBS it replaces and the stiffest Volante in the marque’s history. It also retains the coupe’s near ideal 51:49 front-to-rear weight distribution. Like the coupe, the Volante features Aston’s ADS Adaptive Damping System that allows the car to offer touring comfort and a fully optimized Track mode. Carbon ceramic brakes with multi-piston calipers ensure that the Volante stops as well as it accelerates.

Pricing starts at US$ 297,995 and the Aston Martin Vanquish Volante is expected to hit the markets early next year.

June 19, 2013
New Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Puts Out 565 hp

It was recently announced by Aston Martin that they were discontinuing the V12 Vantage model. However it seems that they’re still making it, kind of. This is the V12 Vantage S. It looks mostly like the outgoing V12 Vantage, however the aluminum grille vanes are swapped for carbon fiber or titanium silver mesh inside a grille shell inspired by the CC100 Speedster concept, there are new ten-spoke, 19-inch alloys, the roof goes black and this is the first time customers can spec black pedals.

At its heart is the new AM28 engine, a more evolved species of the 6.0-liter V12 incorporating features like CNC-machined combustion chambers and hollow camshafts. It produces 565 horsepower, a 50-horse increase over the outgoing model, and 475 pound-feet of torque, a boost of 37 lb-ft. Acceleration from 0-100 kmph is expected to come before the four-second mark (down from 4.2 seconds) and it will go on to an astonishing 329 kmph, up from 304 in the base V12 Vantage. The exhaust note is adapted from the One-77 (which is a great thing) and it is now the fastest car Aston Martin makes. In fact, except for the One-77, it’s the fastest road car in the company’s history.

It also marks the debut of a new transmission from Aston: A seven-speed Sportshift III. Sport shift denotes Aston’s sequential gearboxes, which means that there is no manual transmission option. This transmission is very high tech and is 55 pounds lighter than the six-speed manual it replaces. Yes, it can shift quicker than the manual, but the V12 Vantage’s most unique trait is now gone, which will surely upset die-hard loyalists. Other than that, three-stage adaptive damping confers Normal, Sport and Track modes to the suspension settings and alters the amount of power-assist for the steering. A second, independent Sport setting controls gear selection, throttle response and exhaust note.

Most importantly, it still looks the part.

May 30, 2013
CC100 Speedster Celebrates 100 Years of Aston Martin

This is the Aston Martin CC100 Speedster Concept, and it was unveiled earlier this week at the Nordschliefe, ahead of the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. The V12 powered one-off car was designed by Aston Martin to celebrate the company’s centenary, and was piloted around the Nürburgring by Aston CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez. Racing royalty, Sir Stirling Moss drove the 1959 Aston Martin DBR1 alongside the CC100, acknowledging the designers who claim that the CC100 was inspired by the Le Mans winning 1959 racecars.

Aston claims that the two-seat CC100 Speedster was created in under six months time. Powered by the British automaker’s well-known naturally aspirated 6.0-liter V12 and six-speed sequential manual paddleshift gearbox, 0-100 kmph should be dealt with in four seconds and it should go on to hit 290 kmph. But we all know that Aston Martins aren’t really about power and flappy paddle gearboxes. To reinforce our point, just look at it.

A polar opposite of Lamborghini’s sharp and angular 50th year celebratory model, the Egoista, the CC100 is elegant, smooth and flowing. The long sloping hood, strong haunches, and even the side-view mirror stalks seem to have sacred proportions. The CC100 Speedster Concept isn’t the fastest or the most outrageous car in the world, what it is, is a throwback to the beautiful racecars of half a century ago. What it is most of all, is an Aston Martin.

May 22, 2013
Autogyaan: Aston Martin Vanquish, Looks This Good Never Go Out Of Style

Walk up to the Aston Martin Vanquish, and at first glance you could almost certainly justify about $100,000 of the $280,000 base price. Aston Martin has been criticized quite a bit in recent years over stubborn design policies. People don’t like how all Aston Martins have looked pretty much the same for a few decades, save for a headlight here and a spoiler there. But does it really matter, when they look like this? Imagine what you sound like when you say, “I’m sorry, I’m sick of the stunning lines on every car”.

The Vanquish, seen here at the New York Auto Show, is absolutely drop dead gorgeous. Its curvier than the DBS, and features some very smooth flowing lines from front to back. The body is now a concoction of aluminium, magnesium and exposed carbon fiber bits for added muscle. It takes some evident design cues from the biggest brother in the Aston Martin lineup, the One-77, and I’m not complaining. It oozes elegance, has tons of character and manages to seek attention in the classiest way possible.

It manages to keep up on the asphalt as well. The 5.9 litre V12 engine produces 565 BHP and has a lot of improvements – variable valve timing at intake and exhaust, improved intake manifold, larger throttle body – which have lowered peak torque deeper in to the rev range. This produces some serious pull coming out of corners leaving quite a few pulses racing. The double wishbone suspension and monotube adaptive adjustable dampers allow some compliance in normal and sport mode, but track mode may definitely cause the small issue of a slipped disc. Carbon ceramic Brembo brakes are standard, and get the job done, and well.

The Aston Martin Vanquish is not as expensive as its V12 competitors, like the Lamborghini Aventador and the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta. Its also not nearly as powerful, with the Lambo grinding out 691 BHP and the F12 a massive 730 BHP. But then again, the Vanquish isn’t going after the same target demographic either. It comes with heated seats, a 13-speaker 1000 watt Bang & Olufsen sound system, and a very functional infotainment system with haptic feedback buttons. The interior is trimmed with Fine Luxmil and semi-aniline leather and Alcantara, all hand stitched. Its aimed at people who want a comfortable grand tourer, which they can take on road trips through Europe, and maybe to the supermarket on the weekends.

Not many people buy Aston Martins because of superb performance or exclusivity. They buy them because whenever they peep out of their bedroom windows to take a look at the weather, and they see the silhouette of their Aston Martin glowing in the setting sun’s orange light, it puts a big fat smile on their faces.

April 3, 2013