1957 Aston Martin Db2/4 on 2040-cars

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Aston Martin One-77 designer gives back to teacher who changed his life

It's a pretty fair bet that we've all had "that" teacher. The educator that stood out above all the others while we were in school and not only taught us, but made us into a better person – our very own Mr. Feeny, Mr. Belding, Mr. Holland or even Mr. Miyagi. The Windsor Star has the story of one such teacher and her troubled student that went on to help design some of the most desirable cars in the auto industry. Karlene Berry spent 30 years as a teacher, and among her many, many students is Michael Lehti, the product of a broken home and self-described has having "never been the greatest academic." What Lehti could do, though, was design cars. With the help of Berry's class, he overcame his early obstacles and went on to work with the design team on the Aston Martin One-77 (pictured above) and the RUF CTR3, among other vehicles. With Lehti and Benson's old school closing, the pupil reached out to his teacher 32 years after graduation to say "thanks" and pay tribute for her impact on his life. Head on over to The Windsor Star, and check out this inspiring story. Featured Gallery Aston Martin One-77 News Source: The Windsor StarTip: Mike Read This Aston Martin aston martin one-77

Channeling Bond in a 2005 Aston Martin Vanquish S

Spectre is nearly upon us, the next episode in the James Bond series bringing with it a conceptual peek at the future of Aston Martin courtesy of the DB10. As for how much Bond's new ride predicts the DB11 that will be offered to civilians, "elements" is the most concrete word we've heard to describe the bridge from one to the other, and that doesn't tell us much. Still in the dark about where Aston Martin is going, we recently got the opportunity to remember where it's been. Some friends of Autoblog at Regency Car Rental in LA told us we could borrow their 2005 Aston Martin Vanquish S, so we spent the day hunting nefarious types on twisty Malibu roads, then cruising the Valley looking for a tuner shop that could install a minigun. The Vanquish played a role in the 2002 film Die Another Day, back when Pierce Brosnan made a living as the roguish, rakish MI6 asset. The film rekindled the union between the agent and Aston Martin after a three-movie interlude in which Bond drove BMWs, including, oh-so-briefly, a Z3. Returning with a bang – make that thousands of large- and small-caliber bangs – Q Branch fitted the hero car with rockets, guns that could shoot incoming projectiles, machine guns, an ejector seat, and invisibility camouflage. On the chicest streets in the sleekest LA neighborhoods the Vanquish S still passes the look-at-me test. The Vanquish S we picked up from Regency didn't have any of that, but as indicated by that S at the end it did have more power and performance than the standard Vanquish in the movie. Horsepower from the 5.9-liter V12 went from 460 to 520 in the S, and this model also got stiffer springs, new suspension geometry, quicker steering, and 19-inch lightweight wheels. Exterior modifications were a wider, more curved grille, a front splitter (not present on this car), and a larger rear spoiler. On the most chic streets in the sleekest LA neighborhoods the Vanquish S still passes the look-at-me test – everywhere we went, men and women paid attention to our arrival. As for us, we're split on its looks right down the middle of the car. We've been fans of the front since the day of the reveal, especially the front fascia and headlights, but we're still not sold on the rear, starting from where the vertical line in the door where the sheetmetal expands into those trademark haunches. We didn't encounter anyone else with such reservations.

Aston Martin wants to get involved in F1 engines

LONDON — British luxury sportscar maker Aston Martin is looking to get more engaged in Formula One, chief executive Andy Palmer said on Sunday amid speculation of a title partnership with Red Bull and future engine involvement. "We want to be more involved in the sport," Palmer told Britain's Channel 4 television while attending the Singapore Grand Prix. "We're currently studying the 2021 engine. If we get a reasonable regulation that brings down the cost of the engine, Aston would like to be involved in the engine," added the Briton. "And then of course we'd like to be involved a little more next season and then join the dots. But it really depends on what happens with the engine regs." Red Bull and Aston Martin have an existing relationship, with the team's race cars carrying branding for the marque since last year. Top designer Adrian Newey, whose Renault-powered Red Bull race cars won four successive drivers' and constructors' titles between 2010-13, has worked with Aston Martin on the AM-RB 001 Valkyrie 'hypercar'. Media reports have suggested Aston could become Red Bull's title sponsor next season. Former Nissan executive Palmer was a key figure in negotiating just such a previous deal for the Japanese manufacturer's Infiniti brand, which has now gone to the Renault works team, to partner Red Bull. The British-based team currently use Renault engines, branded Tag Heuer. Formula One, under new management since U.S.-based Liberty Media took over in January, and the governing FIA are looking at what sort of unit will power the series once the current agreement expires in 2020. The aim is to bring down costs and allow a cheaper and less complex engine than the current 1.6 liter V6 turbo hybrid power units, one that could also encourage new manufacturers into the sport. Aston Martin, a 104-year-old firm whose road cars have become closely associated with fictional British secret agent James Bond, last competed in Formula One in 1960. The company is now owned mainly by Kuwaiti and Italian investors and is seeking to boost its share of U.S. markets. Last month Aston reported its first half-yearly profit in almost a decade and it expects full-year volumes to rise by around a third to roughly 5,000 cars. Reporting by Alan BaldwinRelated Video: Motorsports Aston Martin Renault Technology Emerging Technologies Racing Vehicles F1 adrian newey