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Aston Martin reveals Vanquish Zagato Speedster, confirms Shooting Brake

Today is a big day for fans of Zagato-bodied Aston Martins. The company has revealed the production version of the Vanquish Zagato Volante (the gray car above), a soft-top version of the beautiful Vanquish Zagato Coupe. It has the same 580-horsepower V12 as every Vanquish Zagato has, as well as a customized interior covered in so many "Z"s you'd think it was actually an Aston Martin Zoro. It's in production now, but every example has already sold out. It isn't the only open air Zagato to be shown today, though. Aston announced it is expanding its line of limited production Vanquish Zagatos with a Speedster and an upcoming Shooting Brake. View 7 Photos The Speedster (the red car shown here) makes its full debut this week, and unsurprisingly it looks both gorgeous and very similar to the Zagato coupe, and especially the Zagato Volante convertible. The key difference is that this open-top Zagato has dual cowls finished in exposed carbon fiber that flow back from the seats. Zagato says these are reminiscent of the "double-bubble" roof the company is known for, but seeing as this is also a traditional speedster cue, it seems more like marketing serendipity. That doesn't make it less beautiful, of course. It's also the rarest example of the Vanquish Zagato, as only 28 examples will be built, while the Coupe, Volante, and Shooting Brake will each be made in batches of 99. Like the Volante, all Speedsters have been sold. There's yet one more Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato that hasn't entered production, and presumably hasn't sold out yet: the Shooting Brake. As one would expect from a car with the Shooting Brake moniker, it will be a sporty wagon. It will still be a two-seater, which means it should have an impressive amount of cargo space. That storage can be accessed via a powered hatch, and it can be filled with custom made luggage from Aston Martin. The long swooping roof also features the double-bubble design, and consists of plenty of glass to let in light. Though the car hasn't had a real-life reveal yet, Aston Martin has provided a rendering shown above to illustrate what it will look like. We're rather smitten with the look. We also expect to see the production car revealed next year when production begins. Related Video: Featured Gallery Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Volante View 14 Photos Image Credit: Aston Martin Aston Martin Convertible Hatchback Wagon Luxury Supercars zagato aston martin vanquish aston martin vanquish zagato

Best luxury SUVs of 2022 and 2023

Once upon a time, the idea of a luxury SUV meant a Range Rover, and even that was pretty agricultural by modern standards. Then Jeep Grand Cherokees and Ford Explorers started offering fancy, range-topping versions followed soon by Lexus, BMW and Mercedes dipping their toes in the water. And then the floodgates opened. Today, there is a staggering number of luxury SUVs available in every shape, size and price point. There are electric luxury SUVs like the Tesla Model X and Jaguar I-Pace, as well as gas-swilling, high-performance SUVs like the BMW X5 M and Cadillac Escalade V. Sports car makers Porsche, Aston Martin and Lamborghini have even dived in.  But of this great many, which are the best luxury SUVs? We sat down, scoured our reviews, took some votes, had some discussions and came up with the luxury SUVs we view as the best. They are listed alphabetically within the six segments listed below.  Best Subcompact Luxury SUV   |   Best Compact Luxury SUV   |   Best Midsize Luxury SUV (Two-Row) Best Midsize Luxury SUV (Three-Row)   |   Best Flagship Luxury SUV (Two-Row)   |   Best Flagship Luxury SUV (Three-Row)  Best subcompact luxury SUVs Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class Why it stands out: Outstanding space and versatility; legit luxury interior; amusing GLB 35 versionCould be better: Overwhelming and confusing tech interface Most subcompact luxury SUVs are a dubious value, with cramped interiors of marginal quality and unrefined driving dynamics. You'd be much better off paying less money for a loaded, non-luxury compact SUV. The Mercedes GLB is different, though. Its boxy design provides space few other subcompact SUV can match (luxury or otherwise), while its cabin design and feature content are in keeping with pricier Mercedes models. The quality's not exactly up to GLC standards, nor is driving refinement, but the difference is appropriate for how much you're saving and still perfectly acceptable. There's nothing dubious about buying a GLB.     Volvo XC40 Why it stands out: More features for the money; spacious and versatile interior; distinctive design; electric versionCould be better: Fuel-efficient base engine only available with FWD Most subcompact luxury models feel a bit like cheap knockoffs of their bigger, pricier brand mates. The XC40, by contrast, is a break from the Volvo norm in a good way.

Aston Martin DB11 V8 loses four cylinders but none of its grace

We love the Aston Martin DB11. Few vehicles combine speed, luxury, and comfort as well as that beautiful British coupe. That said, it's not the most efficient or affordable GT in the world, but Aston Martin is planning to change that. Starting this year, the company will offer the DB11 a twin-turbocharged V8 sourced from the mad Germans at Mercedes-AMG. We've known about the engine partnership for a while now, though we assumed the first Aston Martin to use a Mercedes-AMG V8 would be the next-generation V8 Vantage. At first, sticking a V8 under the hood might seem like an odd choice, but the DB series only recently started using V12s. Historically, the car has packed powerful inline-six engines. Offering two engines will allow the company to sell a lower-cost model and presumably boost sales. That means changes are strictly mechanical in nature. The engine is the now-common 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged Mercedes-AMG V8. Output is 503 horsepower and 498 pound-feet of torque. That's down 97 horsepower and 18 pound-feet of torque from the 5.2-liter V12. In the Mercedes-AMG C63 S, the 4.0-liter V8 makes equal horsepower and 18 more pound-feet of torque. Aston Martin says that the partnership with Mercedes-AMG allows the company to tailor the engine for Aston Martins. This means a new ECU with new engine and throttle mapping. Losing four cylinders changes the character of the car a bit. The DB11 V8 is a not-insubstantial 254 pounds lighter than the V12. Since most of the weight savings comes from behind the front wheels, Aston Martin says the V8 model is more agile than the V12 model. Engineers have adjusted the suspension bushing, geometry, anti-roll bars, springs, dampers, and stability control to account for the weight savings. The DB11 V8's diet helps offset the lower power output. As such, the 4.0-second 0-62 sprint is just 0.1 seconds off the V12. Top speed is down 13 mph to a still extralegal speed of 187 mph. We don't have fuel economy ratings for the US, but expect an improvement from the V12's current rating. The V8 will be available with all of the same equipment and trims as the V12, with just a few visual changes to distinguish the two models. The V8 gets unique wheels, darker headlight surroundings, and just two vents on the hood, available in either black or titanium. The DB11 V8 goes on sale in the US later this year. At $198,995, it undercuts the V12 model by $17,500.