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The legendary Aston Martin DB4 GT is reborn

The trend of resurrecting ghostly automobile legends continues with Aston Martin, which announced Friday it's building a limited run of 25 more DB4 GTs. Originally built from 1959 to 1963, the DB4 GT was among the most powerful British cars of its era and a precursor to the modern supercar. Just 75 DB4 GTs were built during the first run. The GT model was lighter and more powerful than the stock DB4, giving it excellent racing chops. Stirling Moss drove the GT to victory at Silverstone in its competition debut in '59. It's a rare breed with a deep lineage. Within that first batch, just eight even lighter-weight models were built, and Aston is using those as the basis for its continuation series. The company says it will build them in Newport Pagnell in England, its headquarters for decades and now home to the Aston Martin Works heritage division. The DB4 GT continuation brings assembly work back to Newport Pagnell for the first time since production of the Vanquish S left in 2007. The original DB4 GT was produced on this site. The new cars will wear VIN numbers that pick up from the end of the first run in '63. They will use a version of the Tardek Marek-designed straight six-cylinder engine making an SAE-rated 331 horsepower with three twin-choke Weber carburetors. Though it's a straight six like the original, Aston started "from scratch" with the new one, a spokesman said, drawing on the DB11's supplier for the castings. Modern elements, like an FIA-spec roll cage, fire extinguisher, and seat belts will also be added. It will weigh 2,706 pounds. The DB4 GT employs a four-speed David Brown manual gearbox. The car rides on a tubular frame with an independent front suspension; the rear is a Watts linkage setup and both use coil springs. The fuel tank holds 36 gallons, which should prove useful for racing. In that vein, these 25 will be track-only models, and buyers will be able to participate in an international driving program that spans two years and visits circuits like Yas Marina. Owners can receive training from Aston experts like Darren Turner, who counts several class victories at Le Mans. The cost? About $1.9 million at the prevailing exchange rates as of this writing. Aston will begin delivering the DB4 GTs in summer 2017. It joins the growing field of nostalgic continuations, like the Jaguar XKSS, that pick up where the original lineage left off.

The only road-legal Aston Martin Vulcan dressed up in bomber camo for Gumball

The Gumball 3000 is to cars what the Met Gala is to fashion. Whereas Gala guests are flexing their money with outrageous outfits and costly designer customs, Gumball participants show off with expensive and rare vehicles covered in eye-popping temporary skins. One of the biggest stars at the 2019 Gumball 3000 will be the only road-legal Aston Martin Vulcan in the world. This year, the Gumball 3000's path takes drivers from Mykonos, Greece, to Athens, Greece, to Thessaloniki, Greece, to Tirana, Albania, to Porto Montenegro, Montenegro, to Split, Croatia, to Venice, Italy, to Monaco, to Barcelona, Spain, to Ibiza Town, Spain. Approximately 114 teams will be participating in the ostentatious party rally, and few will have a car more special than the Vulcan. YouTube personality Mr. JWW will be behind the wheel of the Team 106 car, which is wearing a slick camo look that is inspired by the Avro Vulcan bomber used by the Royal Air Force (and featured in the James Bond movie Thunderball as another point of reference). JWW will also be joined by G. Stepanovs and S. Tompkins. Of the 24 Vulcans made, the one you see here is the only road-legal version of the bunch. In the video above, JWW shows exactly what makes it capable of driving on public roads. The mods include Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, an increased ride height, a different front splitter, a revised radiator, removed steering lock stops, revised steering rack, and an altered rear wing. The biggest adjustment is the addition of proper headlights, which give the Vulcan an entirely new front-end style. Aston Martin changed a few minor things inside, as well. Check out all of the features in the full video above, and watch the JWW and Gumball 3000 social channels this weekend and next week for ongoing rally coverage. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gumball 3000 (@gumball3000) on Jun 7, 2019 at 6:43am PDT

Aston Martin find unique way to recycle scraps of leather

Ever wonder what happens to the scraps of leather left over after skilled craftsmen are done upholstering the interior of a luxury automobile? There's a lot of hide left over, as we've seen first-hand from visiting the upholstery workshops at various factories, but much of the waste is made up of tiny cutoffs. Some of those pieces might be used for repair kits, some scraps for smaller pieces of merchandise, while others might be sold to nearby craftsmen. Aston Martin found a different use for some of its leftovers. The British automaker put down a canvas in the VIP atrium at its headquarters in Gaydon, UK, and equipped a team of artisans with a whole pile of leather samples. What they did with it is perhaps the most compelling example of recycling we've seen to date. The end result, as you can see from this latest video, is an artistic representation of the Vanquish, made entirely out of leather – as if the interior of the luxurious sports car isn't already clad in enough of the stuff. Of course, it doesn't have the Vanquish's 6.0-liter V12 and its 568 horsepower, so unlike most Astons, it won't be going anywhere in a hurry. Perhaps it could be hung in the upholstery workshop for future workers to admire. Related Video: