2011 Aston Martin Vantage on 2040-cars

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Historic cars — and a Spitfire fighter plane — go on sale in Britain

An assortment of somewhat eccentric but ultimately appealing vintage collectors’ machinery, topped by a 1983 Lancia Rally “Evoluzione” and featuring Porsches, Bugattis and even a Spitfire fighter plane from World War II, will go to auction in Britain next month. The event, organized by the Bonham/Cars auction organization and scheduled for September 9-10, is formally called the “Revival Sale,” to be held on the grounds of Goodwood, site of the famous track southwest of London. Cutting to the chase, hereÂ’s a look at some of the highlights noted by BonhamÂ’s that are expected to attract substantial bidsÂ…plus thereÂ’s the airplane as the cherry on top. —1973 3-liter Martini Racing Works Team Porsche Carrera RSR 'R7' Endurance Racing Coupe (estimated bid, $4.7 million to $7.25 million.). ThatÂ’s quite a name for quite a race car and a veteran of the 24 Hours of LeMans in 1973. The carÂ’s background goes back to the previous year, when Porsche launched its new 911 Carrera model with engine capacity raised from 2.4 liters to 2.7. A batch of 500 lightweight-bodied 911s was built to achieve governing-body sporting acceptance (homologation) of the new variant. Three versions were offered – the RS (RennSport), RST (touring) and the ultimate racing RSR, of which this 'R7' is one of only four such works team cars to have survived. ItÂ’s also one of only a few cars to wear the classic Martini Racing livery with its dark-blue and red striping upon a German-silver background.  —1967 Toyota 2000 GT (estimate: $835,000-$1.1 million) in Pegasus White is believed to be first acquired by the owner of Toyota Mozambique and was one of only two cars imported to the East African country. Known for its precise engineering and impeccable quality, this Japanese halo car was one of only 351 built in 1967-1970. Over the years, the GT's exterior and interior have been preserved and an engine rebuild was undertaken. It was awarded "Best in Show" at the London Concours in 2022. — 1986 Aston Martin Virage Coupe Prototype (estimate: $315,000 - $440,000). This is a two-door prototype of the company's mainstream model of the 1990s, the Virage. In 1990, the vendor received factory approval to strip down the chassis and rebuild it to his 6Â’3” height.

Why you should run out and buy a vintage Aston Martin Lagonda right now

Aston Martin has a reputation for crafting some of the world's finest luxury GTs, and with a little help from James Bond, it has also become a quintessential British brand. While the company's models are known for combining speed and luxury, they certainly aren't recognized for being inexpensive. However, there might be a way to get the Aston badge and potentially make a little extra money if you ever decide to divest. Bloomberg suggests looking outside the mainstream by taking a closer look at the original wedge-shaped Lagonda (above). First shown in the mid '70s, the Lagonda looks like nothing else on the road before or since. Early models feature pop-up headlights and styling so sharp the sedan appears to be slicing through the air, even while sitting still. Later revisions softened the design slightly, and even Aston Martin's modern reinterpretation (inset) doesn't go as far as its predecessor. The interior is what really makes the Lagonda famous (or infamous), though. With instruments displayed on LEDs or CRT screens, depending on model, it's like the science fiction in there. Power is provided by a 5.3-liter V8 quoted at around 280 horsepower, according to Aston Martin. Unfortunately, the Lagonda's avant-garde styling and reputation for unreliability hasn't garnered much love for the super saloon over the years. Aston Martin only made 645 of them by the time production ended in 1989. The tide appears to be turning, though, and the sedan's value is rising strongly. According to Bloomberg, citing Hagerty, prices currently average about $44,000, up 61 percent since 2010, and the later, somewhat more reliable examples are up 85 percent. Perhaps those values are soaring because those lining up for the new Lagonda (a.k.a. Taraf) are looking for a historical counterpart to display alongside their next car. Head over to Bloomberg to get the full story on why it might be time to reconsider these once unloved four-door Astons.

Bathurst 12-hour gallery is GT3 heaven [w/video]

The 2015 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour race was run this weekend at the Mt. Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, Australia. Race photographer Joel Strickland sent us a huge batch of photos, all of which make us salivate for the switch to GT3 rules in the United SportsCar Championship; the top seven finishers at Bathurst were of seven different makes: Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3, Audi R8-LMS Ultra, Aston Martin Vantage GT3, Bentley Continental GT3, Mercedes SLS AMG GT3, Ferrari F458 Italia and Lamborghini Gallardo. It was a sweet victory for the No. 35 car driven by the NISMO Athlete Global Team after it crashed in Saturday qualifying, and then was only in third place on the penultimate lap. The three-man driving team included two GT Academy winners, one of whom, Florian Strauss, has only been a professional race car driver for 18 months. It's the first time the GT-R has won at Panorama since the original R32 "Godzilla" took back-to-back wins in 1991 and 1992. Second place went to the No. 15 Phoenix Racing Audi R8-LMS Ultra, 2.4 seconds behind the winners, third to the Craft Bamboo Racing Aston Martin Vantage not even half a second behind the Audi. The Bentley Motorsport team, in its first Bathurst 12-Hour with two cars, had its No. 10 Continental GT3 in the lead until the penultimate lap and in second place until the final corner, but crossed the line in fourth after some rubbin'-is-racin' action from chasers. And if pictures aren't enough, as of writing you can still watch the live stream of the entire race at the Bathurst 12-Hour site. Or, if you don't have the time, at least be sure to check out the last five minutes, below. Enjoy. Featured Gallery 2015 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour View 118 Photos Image Credit: Copyright 2015 Joel Strickland / AOL Motorsports Aston Martin Audi Bentley Nissan Coupe Racing Vehicles Videos aston martin vantage gt3