2003 Aston Martin Db7 Volante 5.9l V12 5-spd Auto Transmission on 2040-cars

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Aston Martin Vantage AMR is road-going follow-up to AMR Pro

Two months ago, Aston Martin launched its new AMR line of vehicles with a pair of limited-edition cars. One was a slightly warmed-up Rapide sedan called the Rapide AMR, and the other was a track-only Vantage with a race-car-derived V8 called the Vantage AMR Pro. Now the company has released a third, or third and fourth depending on how you're counting, model that splits the difference. The new Vantage AMR, sans the Pro part, is available with either a V8 or a V12, and can be had as either a coupe or convertible. What make the Vantage AMR special are limited production and aesthetic upgrades. Only 300 examples will be made, 200 of which will have the V8, while the other 100 have the V12. The V8 doesn't make any more power than the standard model, but the V12 produces an extra 30 horsepower over the standard model for a total of 595. Aston Martin also offers an optional titanium exhaust to improve the sound of these engines and reduce weight, but it doesn't change output. Observers of these Astons will be able to spot them by their special paint schemes with a center stripe down the middle. The cars can be had in white with an orange stripe, black with a blue stripe, blue with a red stripe, or silver with a gray stripe. There's also a "Halo Pack" that includes a green paint scheme similar to Aston Martin's GT racing cars, complete with a lime green stripe. There's also a no-cost option to add an Aston Martin badge painted in the colors of the Union Jack. Every color combination comes with a color-coordinated interior, too. Just because this is a very rare Aston Martin doesn't mean there aren't any options. On the contrary, there are quite a few, mostly concerning appearances. On the outside, carbon fiber side skirts, headlight housings, and grille are all available. An aerodynamics kit is also available that adds a big rear wing, front splitter, and front canards for additional downforce. Lightweight forged wheels are also available. Inside, the carbon fiber decoration continues with available seats, instrument surround, window sills, and grab handles. Depending on whether you're converting Euros or British pounds, an Aston Martin Vantage AMR will start between about $125,000 or $143,000. That doesn't really matter, though, since the Vantage AMR won't be offered in the US. It will only be available in the UK, Europe, China, and the Asia Pacific region. Middle Eastern buyers can also pick one up, but only the V12 variant.

Aston Martin teams with Red Bull Racing for new supercar

Aston Martin has a new supercar in the works. Only this time, it isn't going it alone. Dubbed project AM-RB 001, this model is being jointly developed by the British automaker and Red Bull Racing. The freshly inked "Innovation Partnership" has been a long time in the making and will combine the talents of Aston Martin's chief designer Marek Reichman with those of Red Bull's legendary technical director Adrian Newey. Motorsports consultancy AF Racing AG will also collaborate with Q by Aston Martin Advanced and Red Bull Advanced Technologies to get the project off the ground and onto the road – and the track. Unfortunately, as the press release below and teaser image above are decidedly sparing with the details. But Reichman says the partnership is "in the process of developing a hypercar that combines the latest in aerodynamics from F1 and the stunning design language of an Aston martin sports car." One way or another, we trust it will prove a worthy successor to the likes of the exotic One-77 and the track-bound Vulcan. This isn't the first time we've seen Aston's chief exec Andy Palmer broker a partnership with Red Bull, having previously chaired the team's longtime sponsor Infiniti. Nor is it the first time we're seeing Red Bull dip its toes outside the confines of the F1 regulations – only its previous designs remained limited strictly to the cyberspace of the Gran Turismo gaming series. We'll be watching closely to see how this supercar project comes together. Related Video: ASTON MARTIN AND RED BULL RACING TO CREATE NEXT GENERATION HYPERCAR 17 March, 2016, Melbourne: British luxury brand Aston Martin and Formula One team Red Bull Racing are today announcing a partnership which sees Red Bull Racing's Chief Technical Officer, Adrian Newey and Aston Martin's Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman collaborate to produce a ground-breaking Aston Martin hypercar. Codenamed Project 'AM-RB 001', the new hypercar will represent the ultimate blend of cutting edge F1TM technology with Aston Martin's signature sports car design. The combined talents of Newey, widely noted as the most successful Formula One designer of all time, and Reichman, Aston Martin's design chief since 2005, are set to produce the ultimate hypercar. Combining the strongest elements of Red Bull Racing, Red Bull Advanced Technologies and Aston Martin, this new Innovation Partnership unites the world's best aerodynamicists, composite experts and manufacturing masters.

Aston plans Tesla-fighting 800-hp electric Rapide

Aston Martin is taking direct aim at the top versions of the Tesla Model S with a plan to launch a battery electric Rapide sedan boasting 800 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and a 200-mile range within the next two years. Company CEO Andy Palmer confirmed the vehicle's development to Automotive News during the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. A test mule to engineer the powertrain was already on the road, Palmer asserted. The electric Rapide would join the internal combustion version, rather than replace it, and the BEV would likely remain a niche product with just a few hundred per year carrying a price between $200,000 and $250,000. Palmer indicates the model would prioritize performance. "I think that the fact that you could drive a few laps of a decent race course or race it around the Nordschleife is much more interesting than doing 500 meters in Ludicrous mode," he said to Automotive News, taking a swipe at Tesla's latest upgrade. Palmer has referenced the electric Rapide before. Earlier this year, he said that power would be a major priority for it. Aston Martin has also received help on the project from an undisclosed Silicon Valley partner, but Palmer said the collaborator wasn't Tesla. "If you want to keep making V12 engines, then you've got to do something at the opposite end of the spectrum," Palmer said about the company's strategy to Automotive News. The Rapide is just the first step in the brand's electrification, and the DBX is also under development for the next decade in EV, plug-in hybrid, and internal combustion versions. The crossover concept debuted at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show as an EV.