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Aston Martin deal with Red Bull means F1 tech for Vanquish

Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing made no secret that their AM-RB 001 hypercar (rendering above) would use Formula One tech, but the cutting-edge motorsports knowledge will also trickle down to more accessible Aston Martin vehicles. "Some of the technologies we are developing with Red Bull Technologies and Adrian [Newey] will undoubtedly flow through to the next Vanquish," Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer told Drive. He thinks the model's price is high enough to allow the use of F1 tech. "I am particularly interested in structural carbon fiber and KERS type technology that you could easily see working in that car," said Palmer. The AM-RB 001 is due for 2018, and the new Vanquish would come afterward. Aston Martin and Red Bull hope their hypercar project sets benchmarks in the class. "The McLaren F1 is the perfect analogy of what we're trying to do - bring Formula One to the road in a genuine and authentic manner," Palmer told Drive. He claims that simulations already show the AM-RB 001 could lap Silverstone quicker than an F1 car. For context, the slowest qualifying time in the British Grand Prix last year was a 1:39.377 lap around the nearly 3.7 mile track. With projects like the hypercar, the next Vanquish, and the latest DB11, Aston Martin has a busy launch calendar over the next few years. A next-gen Vantage is in the company's plans, and there's the DBX crossover, too. The British sports car maker also wants to do two limited-edition models a year, like the Vantage GT12 and Vulcan in 2015. The vehicles for 2016 and 2017 are still mysteries, but 2018 would bring the electric Rapide and the AM-RB 001, according to Palmer. When combined with Mercedes powertrains and technology in future models, the company hopes to appeal to more customers. Related Video:

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:

LeTV's SEE Project will introduce new EV in Shanghai

It's very unlikely that many people here in the states will have heard of Beijing-based LeTV. Aston Martin, on the other hand? That's pretty stylish company. LeTV is working on an electric-vehicle project called SEE (Super Electric Eco-system). The concept version is slated to debut at the Shanghai Motor Show next April. LeTV says that that same month, the car will "roll of the production line," as well. That sounds awfully optimistic, to us, but we'll just leave that alone for now. The racing-car-shaped vehicle, which will have "high- and low-powered" versions, is about 11'5" long and 5'4" wide. That's about a foot shorter and a few inches narrower than a Mini Cooper. The twist, such as it is, comes from the fact that LeTV says it will develop the model with the help of both Aston Marin and BAIC Motor Corp., which adds a shade of legitimacy to the project. Aston Martin is in the process of launching its battery-electric Rapide sedan, which will have 800 horsepower and a 200-mile single-charge range, so that would ostensibly be a competitor to Tesla. The Rapide EV could run as much as $250,000. As for BAIC, is has been looking to expand its role in the plug-in vehicle sector since 2009, when it debuted a division called Beijing New Energy Automotive Co. Just last month, BAIC opened an electric-vehicle research and development center in California's Silicon Valley, the company's first outside China. You can take a look at LeTV's press release below. LeTV Partners With Aston Martin to Deliver Next Generation Electric Vehicles BEIJING and BANGALORE, October 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The most significant (monetarily) deal that came out of Angela Merkel's visit to India was that of a Euro 1 billion solar power fund solidifying India's stance to develop 100GW solar capacity by 2022. These are positive moves in a time when the focus on the effects of climate change are intensifying and how economies across the globe decide to combat the effects of it. One particular way in which India could benefit hugely from alternative fuels is from the perspective of vehicles. The nation recently joined the Electric Vehicles Initiative, a forum for global cooperation on the development and deployment of Electric Vehicles (EVs). With an interest in the Indian market, LeTV, a multinational company based in Beijing, announced its electric car plan on December 9th, 2014, when its founder, Mr.