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Revealed: Aston Martin shows first V12 Speedster prototype

The V12 Speedster — Aston Martin's "living show car" — has moved from the realm of dreams (and digital renderings) to the physical world. Here it is in the metal. In the composite? A bit of both, we'd reckon, but we can say this for certain: it's definitely not glass. Aston Martin's 88-unit, $950,000, topless supercar is officially entering the physical development stage "in earnest," the company's spokesperson said, and here are the photos to prove it. Aston Martin had originally planned to start delivering V12 Speedsters in the first quarter of 2021, but whether that's possible in the world of COVID-19 remains to be seen.  The company says this prototype is intended for "dynamic development," meaning it's going to be used to fine-tune road and track performance. Based on the details Aston Martin has released so far, we're inclined to believe that it will be a treat in both departments. Aston Martin V12 Speedster View 18 Photos Fortunately, we have Aston Martin's previous renderings. Aston says the V12 Speedster is powered by a 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 making 700 horsepower and 555 pound-feet of torque. Power goes to the rear wheels by way of a ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox. The British luxury builder claims this combo is good for a run to 62 mph in 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 186 mph. The platform itself is made by combining elements of the DBS Superleggera and Vantage. It has 21-inch forged, center-locking wheels, huge carbon ceramic brakes and adaptive dampers. As you can see from the gallery, Aston Martin did not include any photos of the prototype's interior, and we suspect that's because it doesn't actually have one yet — at least not anything worth showing. That's just as well. This is a single-purpose toy, not a touring coupe, and anything more than a well-anchored set of seats and intuitive driver controls is just a bonus anyway. 

Aston CEO claims Cygnet cancelled because Toyota is dropping iQ in 2014

While slow sales and a $50,000 price tag may have been contributing factors to the Aston Martin Cygnet being cancelled last month, Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez is pointing the finger at Toyota for the demise of this luxurious little city car. In a discussion with Autocar, Bez is quoted as saying that the ultimate reason the Cygnet was cut is because Toyota plans on dropping the iQ (on which the Cygnet is based) in 2014 - a claim denied by the Japanese automaker.
Interestingly, the article also cites another publication reporting that a Toyota importer in the Netherlands heard the same news as Bez, and it has already stopped importing the cars. If the European Toyota iQ is cancelled, that would likely spell the end of the slow-selling Scion iQ in the US, which has sold just 3,365 units through September (a drop of 51 percent year over year).
Regardless of why production of the Cygnet ended, Bez also says that a lack of support from Toyota on the project prevented it from being offered in the US or receiving a supercharged engine, which are two factors that likely would have made the car appealing to more buyers.

Bond does a machine-gunning Aston Martin donut in first 'No Time to Die' trailer

James Bond doesn't just drive an Aston Martin. He doesn't just do donuts, and he doesn't just shoot machine guns. Double-oh-seven does donuts in an Aston Martin DB5 while Gatling guns pop out of its headlights and snipe his enemies. The stunt is one of the most eye-popping visuals in the first official trailer for the newest film in the Bond franchise, "No Time to Die." For the last time, a Bond trailer debuts with Daniel Craig as the lead man, and it puts all of the information we've been collecting throughout the past few months into an action-packed 2 1/2 -minute clip. The trailer starts exactly how we'd hoped, with a car chase between the DB5, Jaguars, and some motorcycles. Even before the new footage, Aston Martin detailed exactly which cars we'll see in the new flick. To some degree, the Valhalla, the DBS Superlegerra, the V8 Vantage, and the DB5 will all make appearances. While the DB5 seems to be Bond's vehicle of choice, the trailer shows newcomer Nomi (played by Lashana Lynch) driving the DBS. In addition to the Range Rover seen flipping in the clip, we also expect to see the new Land Rover Defender in the film.  As is typical of any Bond story, 007 seems to get caught in a trap, as he navigates his relationship with Lea Seydoux as Madeleine Swann and chasing Rami Malek, the new villain Safin. Here's the synopsis straight from YouTube:  In No Time To Die, Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology. We also see appearances from Ralph Fiennes as M, Christoph Waltz as Ernst Stavro Blofeld, Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, and Jeffrey Wright as Leiter. "No Time to Die" releases April 8, 2020. Celebrities TV/Movies Aston Martin Videos James Bond trailer Daniel Craig db5 No Time to Die