2007 - Aston Martin Db9 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Wingsuits are somehow involved in new season of 'Top Gear'

It's a shame that Matt LeBlanc is leaving "Top Gear," but there's a bit of solace in the situation: There's still one more season of him as frontman. BBC just released the new trailer for series 26, and it shows LeBlanc, Chris Harris and Rory Reid getting into all sorts of shenanigans around the globe. "Top Gear" announced LeBlanc's imminent departure back in May 2018, but he still had to finish one more season before leaving. Thus, the upcoming series will be his last, and it looks like he'll go out in a whirlwind of dust, bent metal, water spray and burnt rubber. The trailer shows everything expected from a season of the storied automotive show (well, everything except Hammond, May, and Clarkson, if you're one of those people). There will be precision driving, dubious stunts, name-calling and gobs of stunning videography. In the short one-minute clip, there are flashes of numerous attention-piquing vehicles. The new Bentley Continental GT, a Bentley Le Mans racer, Porsches, Ferraris, the Aston Martin Vantage, and the Mercedes-AMG GT all make appearances. And for some random fun, the boys are seen in wingsuits (doubtful it's actually them), and playing polo in some three-wheel rickshaws (before wrecking said rickshaws). We'll update with more information as soon as we know when the show will start. Related Video: News Source: BBC Celebrities TV/Movies Aston Martin Bentley Ferrari Mercedes-Benz Porsche Videos Top Gear chris harris matt leblanc rory reid

Aston Martin DB11 gets back to work at the Nurburgring

The Aston Martin DB9 has been around for over a decade now. Classic though its styling may be, that means it's ripe for replacement. Fortunately that's just what Aston Martin is working on, as you can see from these latest spy shots. Snapped undergoing development at the notoriously grueling Nurburgring, this prototype appears to have ditched the camouflage worn by the last one we saw in favor of the black body cladding from our earlier shots. That makes it tough to tell anything about its final design, but if precedent proves anything, it ought to be pretty striking once the production bodywork is put in place. The new DB11 (or whatever it's ultimately called) is being built on a new platform that's set to replace Aston's long-serving VH architecture that has adapted over the years but essentially dates back to the V12 Vanquish that debuted way back in 2011. Aston is expected to keep using its even longer-serving 6.0-liter V12 engine on certain models, but the new DB11 is more likely to get the new twin-turbo V8 being built for it by Mercedes-AMG.

Aston Martin Rapide E opens four doors to the company's electric future

At last, the production Aston Martin Rapide E is ready to dance. Developed in conjunction with Williams Advanced Engineering, the carmaker and the Formula One engineering firm did their best to make the most of an aged platform that was last combined with a 595-horsepower V12. In place of the 6.0-liter 12-cylinder, gearbox, and gas tank in the Rapide AMR, there now sits a 65-kWh battery sheathed in a carbon fiber and kevlar case. It powers two electric motors on the rear axle, the power figures a combined 604 hp and 700 pound-feet of torque. The juice powers the 4,387-pound fastback to a 4.2-second dash to 62 miles per hour. Range is said to be 200 miles on the WLTP cycle, which could mean anywhere from 140 to 180 miles in our numbers. The 800-volt electrical architecture permits charging rates of 300 range-miles per hour when hooked up to the proper outlet delivering 100 kW or more. On top of that, since Aston Martin only plans to build 155 examples of the Rapide E at the carmaker's new St. Athans, Wales, facility, the cries about range anxiety should be muted. The aluminum and carbon fiber bodywork has been submitted to a regime of aero efficiency and shedding superfluous ICE bits. Honeycomb fills the grille aperture and housings formerly used for fog lights, while less air is allowed to flow through the bodywork. A new underfloor hooks up to a larger rear carbon fiber diffuser. The 21-inch forged aero wheels wear low-rolling resistance Pirelli P Zeros. Three driving modes work with an adaptive suspension and limited-slip differential, in an attempt to keep the powertrain swap from eliminating the brand's trademark thrills. Inside, a 10-inch digital display supplants the horologically jeweled dash cluster Aston Martins are known for. A companion app conveys typical EV information remotely, and can also tell owners where the car is parked and provide walking directions to the spot. The Rapide E order book is open now, the price only disclosed "on application." Aston Martin's electric future begins now, and James Bond will be the first person to make the trip there.