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Zagato reveals custom Aston Martin Virage Shooting Brake

Of all the pan-European collaborations, the decades-old partnership between Aston Martin and Zagato is among our favorites. It's a tie-in that dates back to the DB4 GT from 1960 and has materialized in numerous forms over the years since. What you see here is the latest. Unveiled today at the Chantilly Art & Elegance show in France, the Aston Martin Virage Shooting Brake Zagato follows in the same style as the DBS Coupe Zagato Centennial and the DB9 Spider Zagato Centennial one-offs revealed last year as part of Aston's 100th anniversary celebrations. It adopts a similar rectangular style to the previous two examples, but reinterpreted in a classic, low-slung, three-door wagon form to celebrate Zagato's 95th birthday. Completing the trilogy, this coachbuilt custom is based on the Virage model that itself was based on the DB9 and slotted in below the DBS until being discontinued two years ago. The atelier didn't reveal much in the way of technical details, but its underpinnings suggest it's powered by Aston's long-serving 6.0-liter V12 with 490 horsepower. Whereas the previous models were commissioned by American and Japanese collectors, the Shooting Brake was built for a European customer. This shooting brake follows in a long line of Zagato-bodied Astons including the aforementioned DB4 GT, the 1986 V8 Vantage Zagato and V8 Volante Zagato, the 2002 DB7 Zagato, the one-off 2004 Vanquish Roadster and the 2011 V12 Zagato. Scope out the latest in the quartet of images in the gallery above and the press release below. ZAGATO ATELIER ANNOUNCES THE WORLD DEBUT OF THE ASTON MARTIN VIRAGE SHOOTING BRAKE ZAGATO AT THE CHANTILLY ARTS & ELEGANCE CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE Chantilly, France (7 September, 2014) – For Zagato, 2014 is a very important year. It commemorates 95 years of continuous activity, innovative design and three generations of Zagato family leadership. Following the world debut of the Lamborghini 5-95 Zagato at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, Zagato Atelier continues celebrating its 95th anniversary with the grand debut of the Aston Martin Virage Shooting Brake Zagato at the Chantilly Art & Elegance. This mark's Zagato's second world premiere in 2014. This one-of-a-kind car was commissioned by a European client who desired an atelier-level, collectible modern car.

2015 Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT First Drive

Only one thing is going through my mind as I blast down the Autobahn at 170 miles per hour: If someone were to give me $100,000 today, I'd go buy a new Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT tomorrow. I know there are a dozen other choices out there – cars that are more powerful, quicker around a road circuit and much less expensive, but you can keep your Corvette, your 911, your F-Type, your GT-R and your top-spec pony cars. My money would go towards this entry-level Brit with the metallic green paint and bright-yellow race-inspired accents. Aston Martin has always crafted alluring – and expensive – automobiles. Yet this is the first time one of its offerings has come close to making sense to both the enthusiast's heart and to his or her accountant. It may sound absurd, but considering the GT's engineering, design, pedigree and hand-crafted execution, its $99,900 sticker price (plus $2,825 destination) makes it an absolute bargain. To experience the new V8 Vantage GT, a model sold as the N430 in other markets, the British automaker invited me to attend this year's grueling Nurburgring 24-hour race. Before I watched its race-prepared siblings lap the famed circuit for a full day (all four Vantage models that entered finished), I was handed the keys to my very own example – in Alloro green exterior paint with yellow club sport graphics – configured with a welcomed six-speed manual gearbox. Vantage is the smallest, lightest and most agile of the Aston Martin lineup, and it's been around for a good while already. As you'll likely recall, the Vantage is the smallest, lightest and most agile of the Aston Martin lineup, and it's been around for a good while already. First launched at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show, today the model is offered in Coupe and Roadster bodystyles with the buyer's choice of either a V8 or V12 powerplant. The coupe, like all of the automaker's production models, rides on its modular VH platform, a lightweight bonded aluminum and magnesium monocoque structure fitted with aluminum body panels for Vantage duty. Aston Martin is proud of its aerospace-like chassis, and it's historically been eager to promote its ability to offer its affluent clientele customized vehicles, with personalized upholsteries, colors and options – think of it like ordering a custom-tailored suit. But that exclusivity has previously come at a considerable price, starting at $121,225 (including destination) for its least-expensive V8 Vantage.

Weekly Recap: Marchionne's Manifesto again calls for industry consolidation

Sergio Marchionne isn't taking no for an answer. Despite public rebuffs from General Motors and Ford, the leader of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles continues to push for consolidation within the auto industry. His latest assertion came Wednesday when he said a combination of FCA with another automaker could net savings of $5 billion or more annually. No, this isn't about selling his company, he claimed, it's about cutting costs. Put simply, the auto industry wastes money, Marchionne said during FCA's earnings conference call. Companies invest billions to develop basic components that all cars use, but many consumers don't care how they work or recognize the differences. "About half of this is really relevant in terms of positioning the car in the marketplace," he said. "The other half, in our view, is stuff which is neither visible to the consumer nor is it relevant to the consumer." In 2014, top automakers spent more than $100 million on product development, FCA estimated. Marchionne said consolidation could save up to $1 billion on powertrains alone, noting that almost every automaker offers four- and six-cylinder engines. Not everyone has to make their own, he contended. "The consumer could not give a flying leap whose engines we are using because they are irrelevant to the buying decision." That's pretty provocative for enthusiasts, but less so for average consumers. Still, there are major differences in power and efficiency ratings, even among similar engines. Skeptics could argue consolidation would also weaken competition and reduce choices for car buyers. Marchionne stressed his presentation, curiously entitled Confessions of a Capital Junkie, wouldn't require closing factories or dealerships. It's not his final "big deal" as CEO, intent to sell FCA, or a way to elevate his company up the automotive food chain. He claims he wants to fundamentally change the industry and its habit for burning cash. "The horrible part about this, and the thing that I find most offensive, is that the capital consumption rate is duplicative," he said. "It doesn't deliver real value to the consumer and it is in its purest form, economic waste." Other News & Notes Ford Profits dip in first quarter Ford profits fell $65 million to $924 million in the first quarter, hampered by slight dips in revenue and sales.