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Aston Martin to keep the faith with V12, manual transmission

Downsized engines and dual-clutch transmissions may be the way the industry is heading, but Aston Martin is more deeply rooted in the past than most. Which could explain – at least in part – why the British automaker is planning on sticking with V12 engines and manual transmissions for the foreseeable future. After speaking with Aston's new chief executive Andy Palmer at the Geneva Motor Show last week, Car and Driver reports that Gaydon is in no rush to get rid of the building blocks that have made it what it is today. And that means continuing to evolve its VH architecture, twelve-cylinder engine and six-speed manual gearbox. The company is working to develop a new platform and is collaborating on a new twin-turbo V8 with Mercedes-AMG. But those are still several years out, and Aston doesn't plan to wait that long before rolling out new models. Before the new AMG-powered Vantage is ready, C/D reports that Aston will introduce the replacement for the DB9 that will still be based on the VH platform and pack an evolution of the company's ubiquitous and long-serving 6.0-liter V12. "That platform was definitely far ahead of its time," Palmer told C/D. "It should have been described as a modular architecture, like [VW's] MQB or one of the other systems big manufacturers have adopted. We're always making excuses about it being an old platform, but if you were to compare the original VH platform to today's there's an enormous transformation. And it's a great way to build cars in the volumes that we do." The platform and the engine aren't the only old-school technologies Palmer is intent to keep. While Ferrari and Lamborghini do away with the manual altogether, and even Porsche goes PDK-only on the 911 GT3 and GT3 RS, Aston isn't giving up its clutch pedal any time soon. "I would love to be the last car manufacturer providing stick shifts in the U.S.," said Palmer. "That's my hope, we will keep the faith." Of course part of that could come down to Aston not having a dual-clutch transmission to offer, while its antiquated sequential gearbox lags behind the times. But it will likely gain access to Mercedes transmissions along with the engine deal.

Aston Martin begins building continuation DB5 with fake machine guns

We could have written this sentence in 1963: "Aston Martin has launched production of the DB5." Then, it would have referred to a shapely new coupe introduced to the popping of flash bulbs to replace the DB4. In 2020, it signals that the first batch of "Goldfinger"-spec continuation cars announced in 2018 by former CEO Andy Palmer are nearly ready to roar out of the Aston Martin Heritage Division's workshop in Newport Pagnell, England.  Workers build each DB5 from scratch, they're not starting with a donor car, and the process takes approximately 4,500 hours (or six full months). The firm explained it builds cars by hand using period-correct manufacturing techniques when possible, but it's not opposed to embracing modern engineering advancements when needed. Aston Martin enlisted the help of EON Productions, the company that makes James Bond films, to ensure the continuation cars are accurate replicas of the DB5 used in "Goldfinger." Most of the gadgets that wowed movie fans on the big screen are accounted for, including a rear smoke screen delivery system, a simulated oil slick delivery system, a set of revolving license plates to fool the bad guys, and twin machine guns hidden behind the headlights. Fear not; they're fake, so you don't need to invest in an armored Mercedes-Benz G-Class if you spot a new DB5 in your neighbor's driveway. Buyers can pay extra for a hatch above the passenger-side front seat. Inside, the add-ons include a telephone integrated into the driver's door, a radar screen tracker map (which is also fake), and a tray used to store weapons under the seats. Watch your elbow if you're lucky enough to ride in one: Some of the buttons used to activate the aforementioned gadgets are integrated into the armrest. The aluminum hood hides a 4.0-liter straight-six engine that slurps gasoline through three SU carburetors to deliver about 290 horsepower. It spins the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transmission and a mechanical limited-slip differential. Aston is also installing disc brakes all around and non-assisted rack-and-pinion steering, so the continuation cars will accelerate, handle, look and sound like a DB5 should. Aston Martin is only making 25 examples of the modern-day DB5, and it priced each one at GBP2.7 million (about $3.3 million at the current conversion rate). Deliveries are scheduled to begin in the second half of 2020, which is when the DB5 will return to the big screen in the next installment of the James Bond series.

Major Aston Martin shareholder cuts stake in British carmaker

A top Aston Martin shareholder cut its stake in the British carmaker by nearly 5%, a regulatory filing showed on Monday. Italian private-equity firm Investindustrial Advisors Ltd disclosed a stake of 14.99% in Aston Martin as of May 29, compared with its previous stake of 19.92%. It was not immediately clear why the fund cut its stake.  Investindustrial is the company's second-biggest shareholder after Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll, according to Refinitiv Eikon data. The 107-year old luxury carmaker in May posted a deep first-quarter loss after sales dropped by almost a third due to the impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Aston Martin and the PE firm did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva) Related Video: