2014 Aston Martin Rapide on 2040-cars

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2015 Aston Martin Vanquish [UPDATE]

There's something really special about an Aston Martin Vanquish. It's not my favorite model in the British automaker's range – I'm more of a Vantage guy, if I'm being choosy. But every time I drive one, I feel like I'm piloting something fit for royalty, $300,000 price tag and all. It's stunning to look at, even in the rather drab shade of gray pictured here. It makes an absolutely killer noise, the free-breathing V12 firing from beneath the hood and out the back with a truly intoxicating sound. And from behind the wheel, it feels like a truly proper grand tourer. Well, almost. The one major hiccup with the Vanquish I drove last year was its six-speed automatic transmission. In a word, it was awful. Really jarring shifts, delayed manual control through the paddles, and really, just a hugely misaligned piece of an otherwise excellent puzzle. So I was happy to hear that for 2015, Aston Martin had fitted a new, ZF-sourced, eight-speed unit – you know, the transmission being used by automakers like BMW, Jaguar, Audi, and many more. I normally have zero issues with this silky gearbox. But in the Vanquish, it wasn't smooth sailing like I expected – it feels like it still needs some final calibrations. But that doesn't make this car any less special. Drive Notes I love this engine. The 5.9-liter, naturally aspirated V12 makes 569 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, and it absolutely loves to rev. That's a good thing, since the siren song of the Vanquish's V12 is most pronounced at higher engine speeds. In fact, it's not really all that audible right from the get-go. You have to work it up past 2,500-3,000 rpm before this thing really starts to sing. But when it's turned up to 11, it's one of the best-sounding engines I've ever heard. That said, getting the Vanquish going is kind of an awkward process. There's a surprising momentary lack of power delivery right at throttle tip-in, and then the Vanquish suddenly jolts forward. It's alarming – I found myself raising an eyebrow and yelling "GO!," especially when trying to quickly merge into the traffic flow. But it'll go, when it's ready, and hitting 60 miles per hour takes just 3.6 seconds. The transmission is still an issue here. When left to its own devices, it doesn't have a problem finding the right gear for the occasion, but the actual shifts don't fire off with the smoothness and quickness that I've come to expect from this tranny in other models.

Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG formalize technical partnership

The development of a partnership between Mercedes-Benz and Aston Martin has been a long time coming. The news dates back to 2008, and over the five years since was supposed to lead to a rejuvenation of both the Maybach and Lagonda brands. That program ultimately fell apart, but the tie-in was forged afresh in July when the two automakers signed a letter of intent over a renewed partnership. And now that partnership has been formalized.
In a deal just announced, Mercedes-AMG will build a new V8 engine for Aston Martin that will power a new generation of luxury GTs for the British marque, presumably to replace the 4.7-liter V8 in the Vantage. The relationship appears to be similar to the one already in place between AMG and Pagani, only in this case, will involve Daimler taking as much as a five-percent stake in Aston Martin and an observer seat on Aston's board.
The technical partnership is also set to lead to the supply of electric and electronic systems, and could incorporate "additional areas of cooperation in the future." Whether that will include a fresh attempt at reviving Lagonda remains to be seen, as does the future of Aston's long-serving, Ford-based 6.0-liter V12 engine. But for now you can read the full announcement below.

Aston Martin Vengeance embodies the wrath of Kahn

Kahn Design, for those unfamiliar, is a British customizer that's known primarily for modifying Land Rovers. And it brought a few of those with it to the Geneva Motor Show this year as well, particularly a rebodied DB9 called the Vengeance. The lines follow a familiar form that still speaks of its underpinnings, but the details have all been worked over: the grille is bigger, the front fenders are wider, the hood has a bulge in it, the C-pillars and rear haunches are wider, the horizontal taillights have been replaced by more retro round units, and the wheels take their inspiration from a roulette table. The result is described as "the conclusion of British designer Afzal Kahn's lifelong pursuit to design the car he has always wanted to drive," and comes with Aston Martin's blessing – or at least its acquiescence: "There is a long and rich history of specialist coach-built Aston Martins," said the company's purchasing director Gary Archer, "and we wish Kahn every success with the Vengeance." The cost of converting a DB9 to Vengeance spec has yet to be announced, but according to the statement below, it " is expected to represent extremely good value for a limited edition coach built car." Related Video: THE KAHN VENGEANCE MAKES ITS INTERNATIONAL DEBUT AT THE GENEVA MOTOR SHOW 2016 The 2016 Geneva Motor Show will see the long awaited launch of the Kahn Vengeance, a new coach built two-door coupe which represents a stunning synthesis of modern engineering and classic streamlined design. The Vengeance will be unveiled to the media at the Kahn Design stand, 6338, on March 1st 2016. Inspired by the Aston Martin designs of the 1980s and 90s, the Vengeance is the conclusion of British designer Afzal Kahn's lifelong pursuit to design the car he has always wanted to drive. Designed to hark back to the glory days of British coach building, the hand built Vengeance is a coachbuilt two door coupe based on a new Aston Martin DB9 chassis. Face on, the redesigned front bumper and wide spaced grille give the Vengeance an aggressive look, framed by widened front wings which merge seamlessly into the doors. The signature central bulge of the bonnet continues to the highly defined lines of the roof, which flow outwards to the widened C-pillars and rear wings, lending a muscular definition to the car's surfaces.