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Cash influx could help Aston Martin double sales

Aston Martin is on the verge of a major product overhaul – complete with new architecture and powertrains. And good thing, considering that the Vantage and DB9 are each about a decade old. But to make it all happen, the British automaker is going to need a massive capital influx. Fortunately, that's just what it got when Investindustrial came on board. The Italian private equity fund, which previously owned a large chunk of Ducati and is now building a Ferrari theme park in Spain, bought a 37.5 percent stake in Aston Martin back in 2012. The acquisition reportedly cost Investindustrial the better part of a quarter billion dollars, but that's not the end of the firm's investment in Aston. According to Bloomberg, Investindustrial is now pouring even more into the Gaydon-based marque to help fund its product blitz. The output of that investment is expected to be announced at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. That's where Aston's new chief executive Andy Palmer (whom Investindustrial reportedly helped poach from Nissan) is tipped to announce the company's new product plan that is earmarked to help double the company's sales from around 4,000 units last year to as many as 8,000 once those new products reach the market. The plan will assuredly include replacements for Aston's trademark luxury GTs, but could also encompass a new crossover utility vehicle to give it a greater foothold in growing markets like China while taking on similar new products from key rivals like Bentley and Maserati. While those two competitors are owned by larger auto groups – Volkswagen and Fiat Chrysler, respectively – Aston is independent. It's brokered a deal with Mercedes (thanks once again in no small part to Investindustrial) to help with components it can't effectively develop in-house, but the cash injection will be critical to the brand's revival plans.

Aston Martin Vulcan revealed with 7.0L V12, more than 800 hp

Herewith, Aston Martin would like you to turn your attentions to its Vulcan – in case the sound it makes or the flames it shoots weren't still on your mind. Those two sensory incitements come from Aston Martin's V12, but one that has been bored out from the usual 5.9 liters to 7.0 liters. We haven't been granted a precise horsepower figure yet, but it's quoted as being more than 800. That heart lies just in front of a carbon fiber monocoque and is wrapped in a carbon fiber body, those bits assembled by company motorsports partner Multimatic – the same Canada-based Multimatic that will be fashioning the body for the coming Ford GT. This is an FIA-approved treat for the track only, so it's got a pushrod suspension with adjustable dampers and anti-roll bars, a six-speed sequential transmission, carbon ceramic discs and adjustable anti-lock brakes with Brembo calipers, and adjustable traction control. The 19-inch wheels in back rest on 345-section Michelin tires. The bad news: there will only be 24 of them, so if you want one you should get on the phone this instant. If you can get your name added to the list, you might also wish to sign up for the racing development program offered with it. Factory pilot Darren Turner, he with two GT1 class win for Aston Martin Racing in 2007 and 2008, will "support owners on their learning journey" as they are coached at tracks around the world. Vulcan owners will get classroom lessons on top of practical instruction in wares including the V12 Vantage S and One-77 as they work their way up to getting the most out of their Vulcan. On top of that, they can book time in Turner's Base Performance Simulators for virtual driving time. Or for the money all of this is sure to cost, they could just have a simulator installed in one of their Mediterranean lake homes. For the rest of us, the Vulcan contains design cues we'll see in future Aston Martins. We could know more about that, and its specs, when it's unveiled next week at the Geneva Motor Show. There's a press release below for now. ON TRACK FOR GLORY: ASTON MARTIN VULCAN PREPARES FOR TAKE-OFF - Geneva global reveal for limited edition, track-only, 7.0-litre V12 supercar - Motorsport-developed technology for extreme on-track performance - Expert tuition, technical support and experience programme for owners 25 February 2015, Gaydon: Introducing the Aston Martin Vulcan – a track-only supercar and the British luxury brand's most intense and exhilarating creation to date.

Fisker sues Aston Martin for $100M over The Force 1

We were expecting Henrik Fisker to bring The Force 1, his next vehicle design, to next week's Detroit Auto Show, but that might not happen. In December an attorney for Aston Martin sent Fisker a letter asking the Danish designer to either not show his car in Detroit or to change the design. Fisker responded to that letter by filing $100-million civil extortion lawsuit against Aston Martin in a California Federal court, naming company CEO Andy Palmer, chief spokesman Simon Sproule, and chief creative officer Marek Reichman as defendants. Based on the overhead-view sketch, the English carmaker believes that The Force 1 is "strikingly similar to several of Aston Martin's cars, including the DB10" from the movie Spectre. At the same time the carmaker's letter to Fisker admitted that it doesn't know what the final design will look like, but it appears that the carmaker's intent to "protect its valuable rights if necessary" could not make way for patience. Or perhaps Aston Martin is trying to prevent another Thunderbolt episode before it starts. That incident last year involved the carmaker suing Fisker over his reimagined Vanquish, with the two settling the matter out of court. Fisker says The Force 1 has isn't based on an Aston Martin, and as part of the lawsuit submitted a design breakdown of both the DB10 and The Force 1. Fisker's latest is apparently in partnership with VL Automotive, the company that's been threatening to release a V8-powered Karma sedan for years now, and the Detroit show organizers say they've been working with VL, not Fisker. The lawsuit seeks the $100 million for punitive and compensatory damages and court costs, alleging that Aston Martin's actions "would subject [Fisker] to public humiliation, embarrassment in the industry, and significant financial losses." The public allegations go even further, Fisker's lawyer Jonathan Michaels saying that the English brand, "In an effort to protect itself from further market erosion... conspired and devised a scheme to stomp out Henrik Fisker's competitive presence in the luxury sports car industry." News Source: Wall Street Journal Design/Style Government/Legal Detroit Auto Show Aston Martin Fisker Coupe Luxury Performance lawsuit Henrik Fisker spectre aston martin db10