2023 Aston Martin Dbx 707 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Xcar gets first live look at Aston Martin Vantage GT3

Yesterday Aston Martin took the wraps off the Vantage GT3, a limited-edition version of its entry level model that has now become its most powerful and hardcore. But while we'll have to wait a couple of weeks until the Geneva Motor Show to see it up close and in the metal, Xcar has been granted an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Gaydon's latest. The Vantage GT3 packs the same 6.0-liter V12 as just about everything else Aston makes (save for the lower-spec V8 Vantage), but with 592 horsepower on tap and less weight to motivate, it'll out-perform them all. One of the best parts, though, is the engine note which Xcar was able to record and which sounds second to none. We're going to miss big naturally aspirated engines like this once the turbos have taken over for good. Related Gallery Aston Martin Vantage GT3 View 22 Photos News Source: Xcar Geneva Motor Show Aston Martin Coupe Performance Videos xcar aston martin vantage gt3

Aston Martin losses shrink, still amount to nearly $10k per car

Aston Martin's current lineup may be the best it's ever been, but that doesn't mean the automaker is making money off its Vantage, DB9, Vanquish and Rapide dream machines. In fact, the company lost $41 million in 2013, but that pretax figure is actually a third lower than in 2012. Revenue was up a promising 12.6 percent, according to Reuters. The Kuwaiti-owned British manufacturer blames its losses on the still troubled global economy, acknowledging that it's seen a small recovery in the ultra-high-end segment of the market. Global sales were up from 3,800 to 4,200 in 2013. To put it all in perspective, $41 million in losses on 4,200 units works out to around $9,700 lost per vehicle sold. That's no way to run a railroad. While the company's CFO, Hanno Kirner, told Reuters the company is hoping for a big bounceback by 2016, Aston's fortunes in the United States remain uncertain due to a new federal side-impact standards. The company has filed for exemption, although the jury is still out on the success of that petition.

Aston Martin's electric Lagonda lineup to open with a crossover

At the time of the Geneva Motor Show, Aston Martin announced it would be re-awakening the storied Lagonda brand to manufacture zero-emission luxury cars. The timeline for these was cast to 2023 at first, but now information has come to light that Lagonda would start selling cars two years earlier, with — you guessed it — an SUV. AutoExpress is reporting that the first model for Lagonda will be a full-electric SUV, which would share some of its technology with the Aston Martin DBX, which might gain the name Varekai when it hits production. Talking to AutoExpress, company CEO Andy Palmer divided the future plans in two: "if it's an Aston, it's probably got a gasoline engine and it's probably got a V-configuration. It might or might not have a hybrid attached to it. But if it's a Lagonda, it's 100 percent electric." Palmer says Lagonda could be able to sell cars via a separate network in the U.K., but that globally the cars would have to co-exist in Aston Martin brand centers. Palmer wouldn't confirm whether the 2021 Lagonda SUV would also be made in the same St. Athan factory as the DBX. The Lagonda sedan was previewed by the swoopy Vision Concept, which Palmer says is "a design study" that focuses on core elements of the Lagonda. Palmer says two key aspects of the concept might not yet be production-ready by 2021: the solid state battery and Level 4 autonomy. The production car should have a realistic range of more than 400 miles, and it should be able to whisk customers away as effortlessly as a chauffeur-driven sedan. View 14 Photos Related Video: