2009 Aston Martin Vantage Convertible $154k Msrp on 2040-cars

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Aston Martin previews 'world's most powerful luxury SUV'

Aston Martin is preparing to expand the DBX lineup with what it promises will stand proud as "the world's most powerful luxury SUV." Concrete details remain few and far between, but the British firm released a short video to preview the mysterious new model. Posted on Aston Martin's official social media channels, the 13-second flick shows a sporty-looking wheel design, a piece of carbon fiber interior trim, and the company's wing-shaped logo embroidered into a headrest. What's perhaps more telling is the engine revving in the background. While previous rumors claimed that the spicier DBX would get a V12 engine, this one sounds a lot like a V8 to our ears. If the DBX S — a name that hasn't been confirmed for production yet — indeed lands with a V8, the unit will certainly be an evolution of the Mercedes-AMG-sourced 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged engine that powers the standard model. It develops 542 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque in its regular state of tune; how much power it will make in the S is still up in the air. AMG pushes it to 603 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque in the GLE63 S and the GLS63 S (which are sitting out the 2022 model year), but those figures wouldn't give the DBX access to the power crown; Porsche's Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid has 670 horsepower and it qualifies for the "luxury SUV" label. Expecting an output of 670-plus horsepower isn't unreasonable, though crossing your fingers for the 720-horsepower V8 from the GT Black Series is likely wishful thinking, plus the usual assortment of chassis, suspension, and braking system upgrades needed to keep the cavalry in check. Aston Martin's preview hints that visual modifications inside and out will be part of the performance-oriented package as well. Intrigued? So are well. We won't have to wait long to find out: the next DBX variant will make its debut on February 1, 2022. Related Video:

Aston Martin DBX flies on two wings in wild Mansory treatment

Subtlety, thy name is most definitely not Mansory. The German tuner has revealed its latest subject, an Aston Martin DBX outfitted with the company's signature gaudiness. If you can look past the visual assault, however, the car is notable for being the first tuned DBX. Mansory modified the Aston's AMG-built twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine with a new ECU, bigger turbos, and reworked exhaust. That transforms the already powerful DBX from a 542-horsepower 516-pound-foot SUV into an 800-horse, 738-pound-foot behemoth. A shield-shaped badge reads "Mansory P800 Performance" just in case you have any doubts about its output, but nowhere is this alphanumeric sequence mentioned in its press materials. Mansory claims a 0-62 time of 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 202 mph. Brakes and wheels are not discussed either. The firm also claims that many of the aerodynamic changes are necessary to keep the DBX grounded as it reaches supercar speeds. Those include a widebody kit with pronounced fender vents, a front fascia that offers more openings than the Washington Generals, and the rear diffuser gives customers the choice of two placements for the dual exhaust. One places the tailpipes on opposite sides of the rear fascia, and one puts them side by side in the center. Many of these bits, including the side skirts, are made of forged carbon. We know it's supposed to be lightweight, modern and expensive, but we can't help but think they end up looking like the basic granite countertop in a Zillow flipper. You also may have noticed that the Mansory DBX has not one, but two elaborate rear wings. Each is made of forged carbon, and each also looks like a Klingon ritual battle weapon. You can have the Mansory DBX in any color you want as long as it's black with lime green. While the DBX's exterior isn't overly saturated in textmarker grun, the same cannot be said for its cabin. There, a dizzying pattern of chartreuse AM grilles on the seats, door panels and center console give life to the nightmare scenario of being trapped inside a Magic Eye poster. If you really have a jones for a faster DBX, may we recommend that you wait for the upcoming V12, which will likely retain Aston Martin's traditionally elegant styling. The DBX may have saved Aston Martin from financial ruin, but let's not ruin the DBX.

1965 Aston Martin DB5 Convertible fetches record $2 million in Paris

Aston Martin and Ferrari may occupy similar territory in the current market for new cars, or at least overlap, but when it comes to their respective classics, they're in different leagues. While some classic Ferraris can sell at auction for eight figures, the highest prices ever paid for classic Astons work out to seven. That makes this latest result something of a world record. At its recent auction, held at the Grand Palais in Paris during the Retromobile classic car show this past weekend, venerated auction house Bonhams sold a 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Convertible (one of just 35 left-hand-drive models made) for the equivalent of $2.14 million. That makes it the highest price ever paid for a production DB5 - coupe or convertible - in the history of automobile auctions, driving the most successful automobile auction Bonhams has ever held in Europe. It was not, strictly speaking, the most ever paid for any Aston, however. That honor, according to Sports Car Market, goes to the 1955 DB3S racer that Gooding & Co. sold for $5.5 million at Pebble Beach last year. Nor was it the most expensive DB5 (modified or otherwise), after the highly modified one from the James Bond movies Goldfinger and Thunderball sold for $4.6 million back in 2010. This latest record easily eclipsed other production DB5s, though: The most we'd ever seen a standard model sell for was $1.65M at RM's auction in Monterey last year. Other high-priced Aston auctions include a Zagato-bodied 1960 DB4 GT "Jet" ($5M, Bonhams 2013), another DB3S ($3.7M, RM 2012), a '57 DBR2 ($3.4M, Christie's 1985), a Ghia-bodied '56 DB2/4 ($2.3M, RM 2013) and a series of DB4 GTs that have gone for between $2.2 and $2.7 million.