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Aston Martin Vulcan meets Avro Vulcan [w/video]

The Vulcan represents the very best that Aston Martin can do: a monstrous track car boiled down to its essence. But it's not the only Vulcan ever to roar out of the UK. Aviation enthusiasts will fondly recall the Avro Vulcan, an iconic jet bomber from the 1950s. There's only one such aircraft still capable of soaring through the skies, and now it's been brought together with its earthbound namesake. The Aston Martin Vulcan we already know, though not as well as we might like to. It's a track-bound supercar along the lines of the Ferrari FXX K or McLaren P1 GTR. But instead of a hybrid powertrain mounted amidships, it's got a naturally aspirated 7.0-liter V12 up front and kicking out over 800 horsepower. Unfortunately only 24 of them will be made, so even if you venture down to your local circuit for a track day, you're still not very likely to see one up close. Even rarer, though, is the Avro Vulcan. Part of the Royal Air Force armory from 1956 to 1984, the Vulcan was a giant delta-wing bomber that measured around 100 feet long (depending on the version) with a wingspan just as wide. Of the 136 that were made, only one – Vulcan XH558 – remains in operation, courtesy not of any national military but of the Vulcan To The Sky charitable trust. But it's about to be put to pasture as the centerpiece of the Vulcan Aviation Academy & Heritage Centre at Robin Hood Airport (seriously) near Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. Before Vulcan XH558 is retired, though, it's set to make one final flight. And in preparation for that historic event, it made a pass by Elvington Airfield for a brief – if distant – encounter with its namesake. The feat was pulled off purely for the photo op, so whether you're more into the car or the plane, you might as well check out the results in the gallery above and the brief video clip below. ASTON MARTIN VULCAN IN TRIBUTE TO ITS V BOMBER NAMESAKE 02 October 2015, Gaydon: As the last remaining airworthy Avro Vulcan prepares for its final flight later this month, the iconic 1950s British V bomber has been united with its modern namesake: the Aston Martin Vulcan. Vulcan XH558 – currently being operated by the charitable trust Vulcan To The Sky – is due to retire from 'active service' in October, going on to form the centrepiece of the educational Vulcan Aviation Academy & Heritage Centre at her home base, Robin Hood Airport near Doncaster.

Aston Martin renames Vantage GT3 after Porsche throws hissy fit

Porsche has a long history of using the name "GT3" for its hardcore, naturally aspirated 911 models, and that means it's certainly not going to share it with the likes of Aston Martin. See, it seems the arrival of the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show didn't sit well with Stuttgart, which opted to lawyer up. According to Goodwood Road and Racing, attorneys from both sides of the Channel have been in discussion for months over the issue, with Porsche arguing it's been using the GT3 name since 1999, and that makes it theirs. Aston, though, argues that the FIA GT3 racing series makes the name fair game for road cars. Moreover, the Brits point out that the alphanumeric was in use well before Porsche got its mitts on it – GRR rightly points out the Lotus Esprit GT3 hit the streets three years before the 996 GT3. And while we're on the subject, Bentley has its own GT3, but we're guessing its status as one of Porsche's siblings means its immune to this kind of squabbling. Rather than getting into a knock-down, drag-out courtroom brawl with one of the Volkswagen Group's prized brands, though, Aston has taken the high road. The company will rechristen both the road-going Vantage GT3 and Vantage racer as the GT12. While Porsche is no stranger to aggressively protecting what it views as its closely held vehicle names, we have to admit, it seems like Aston actually has something of a case. Do you think the Brits were right to settle and change the Vantage's name, or should they have taken the fight to Porsche? Have your say in Comments.

Aston Martin owners rev up for possible sale or stock IPO

LONDON — Aston Martin's owners have hired financial advisory firm Lazard to prepare for a stock market listing or sale of the British sports car maker made famous by fictional spy James Bond, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Italian private equity fund Investindustrial and a group of Kuwaiti investors, who together own more than 90 percent of the marque, are hoping to cash in on a recovery in sales and are in the initial stages of a strategic review. They have hired investment bank Lazard to work on a preliminary plan and could either opt for an initial public offering (IPO) in the third or fourth quarter of 2018 or a trade sale, two of the sources said on Friday. A deal could value the maker of the sports car driven by Britain's Prince William on his wedding day at between 2 billion and 3 billion pounds ($4 billion), one of the sources said, adding a listing was the most likely option. However, no final decision had been taken and the investors could decide to retain control, the sources added. Investindustrial declined to comment while Aston Martin and Lazard did not return requests for comment. Adeem Investment, one of the Kuwaiti investors, was not immediately available. If successful, a float of Aston Martin would be a milestone deal for the 104-year-old car manufacturer and would follow the IPO of Italian sportscar maker Ferrari which made its Wall Street debut in 2015 amid strong investor demand. Investindustrial, led by founder Andrea Bonomi, bought 37.5 percent of Aston Martin in 2012 in what was the fund's best-known investment in Britain. The fund, which has clinched a number of Southern European investments since its launch in 1990, is Aston Martin's single biggest investor and is driving the plans, the sources said. Beside Lazard, other investment banks have approached the private equity fund in recent weeks offering advice ahead of a possible IPO, another source said. Yet no other mandates will be awarded this year for the Gaydon-based firm, which is in the midst of a turnaround plan that aims to restore the business to profitability following six years of losses. Aston Martin, which recently unveiled its new Vantage model, is on course to post its first annual pre-tax profit since 2010 as strong demand for the luxury automaker's DB11 sports car boosts its performance.