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Robert Plant’s 1965 Aston Martin DB5 is for sale

It was made famous by James Bond in the 1964 film "Goldfinger," and this particular version was given its lived-in quality by the frontman of one of rock-and-roll's biggest bands. Now you, too, can own the Aston Martin DB5 likely driven to Bron-Yr-Aur and across the land of the ice and snow by none other than Robert Plant. The website Classic Driver is offering the 1965 DB5 coupe owned by Plant, who is most famous as the former lead singer of hard rock titans Led Zeppelin, from the early 1970s until 1986, when he sold it to father and son collectors based in England. Painted in Dubonnet Rose, the four-seater GT has 62,400 miles on it, a tan leather interior and what must be many, many untold stories of rock-and-roll excess. The DB5, which updated the DB4, had an all-aluminum 4.0-liter, DOHC straight-six engine that made 285 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque mated to a full synchromesh ZF five-speed gearbox. It also featured three SU carburetors, twin hydraulic brake servos, Girling disc brakes and the early use of electric windows. It became famous as James Bond's third but most recognizable card, with a prototype version full of gadgets used by Sean Connery in "Goldfinger," and the car re-appearing in several subsequent Bond movies and with different actors. This particular DB5 was restored by Aston Martin agents Chapman Spooner shortly after Plant sold it in 1986, and the car was entered into a number of Aston Martin Owners Club events during the '80s. The current owner bought it in 2008 from Nicholas Mee & Co., used it very sparingly and kept the car in a controlled environment. Given the lore that surrounded Led Zeppelin in its heady '70s rock-juggernaut days, it's remarkable that the car survived intact as well as it apparently has. The DB5 was apparently a popular one among British rock royalty of the era, as Bonhams Bond Street just sold a '64 version previously owned by Paul McCartney for $1.8 million.Related Video: Featured Gallery Robert Plant's 1965 Aston Martin DB5 View 15 Photos Image Credit: Nicholas Mee & Co Ltd Aston Martin Automotive History Coupe Luxury Classics famous cars aston martin db5

800-hp Aston Martin Vulcan will live long and prosper... on the track

The Aston Martin Vulcan might by one of the most beautiful creations to ever emerge from the British sports car company. Unfortunately, its status as a track-only toy limited to 24 units makes seeing one on the road practically impossible. That's a shame, too, because nothing would wake up an early morning commute better than seeing jets of flame shoot out of the side of this coupe. For the Vulcan, Aston Martin takes a 7.0-liter version of its tried and true V12 and promises to extract over 800 horsepower from it. The engine is hooked up to a six-speed sequential gearbox, and the car features all of the other necessities for a full-bore track car too. The pushrod suspension, anti-lock carbon-ceramic brakes and traction control are all fully adjustable to create the perfect balance for any circuit. Underneath, there's a carbon fiber monocoque, and the body panels are also made from the lightweight material. While the mechanicals are everything a driver could want on the track, the design is just as attractive. The styling takes the taut lines from Aston Martins of the last decade and sharpens everything to look futuristic. The pointed, orange filaments making up the taillights are an especially cool touch. The brand promises to reinterpret this look for future models, so we might still see inspiration of it on the road. Give it a thorough look in our live gallery above from the floor at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. Related Video:

Aston Martin's CEO says that autonomous cars are only a matter of time

In addition to bringing the Aston Martin AM-RB 001 to its first auto show this week, the CEO of Aston Martin, Andy Palmer, revealed his thoughts on the future of cars. And it's a future full of autonomy and electricity. According to our friends at TechCrunch, Palmer said it's a question of when – not if – autonomous vehicles will reach the public. T echCrunch also reports that Aston plans on offering an autonomous Lagonda in the future. For those of us who love driving ourselves, though, there is some good news: Fully autonomous cars are likely well into the future. Palmer told the Toronto Star that he recognizes autonomous driving is a bit antithetical to a sports car company, saying "we're a driver's car, so we're not in a rush to go driverless." He also pointed out a number of issues that personally concern him about autonomous vehicles, and which have him hesitant to pursue autonomous tech on Astons. His primary concern, according to both TechCrunch and Toronto Star, is the issue of security, but he also wants to make sure the technology is truly ready. TechCrunch reports that he said companies need a full understanding of the tech "before we beta test our customers." This statement seems pointed at Tesla, which has often said that its semi-autonomous Autopilot feature is in beta. In addition to discussing autonomous vehicles, Palmer talked about the future of electric cars, which he finds to be bright. He told the Toronto Star that he believes the future of vehicle propulsion has been decided, and that it will be electricity. He pointed to a shift in focus from the German automakers, as well as the Volkswagen diesel scandal as indicators. Palmer suggested that 25 percent of cars will be powered by electricity sometime in the next eight years, but noted this leaves plenty of room for internal combustion vehicles for a while. Related Video: