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Aston Martin DB11 arrives with 600 horsepower, stunning design

The drapes have been removed from the new DB11, billed by Andy Palmer, Aston Martin's chief executive, as "not only the most important car that Aston Martin has launched in recent history, but also in its 103-year existence." Well, they all are, Andy. Aston Martin is such a small company that it bets the farm with each new model. That's part of its appeal, for Aston's one constant is the svelte beauty of its cars, which (lest we forget) are the company wheels for one Commander James Bond. So the DB11 is important, make no mistake. It goes on sale this autumn and will cost $211,995 in the US. It's the tenth car (there was no DB8) in a lineage that began in 1948 with the DB1 – the first car to bear the initials of then owner, David Brown. Just 15 DB1s were made, but the DB line has been the most successful model for Aston Martin over the years, including such cars as the DB5 and DB7 as well as the 2003 DB9, which was the last all-new Aston Martin. This totally new DB11 is a clean-sheet approach from design director Marek Reichman, with a new aluminum bodyshell, suspension, cabin, and a Mercedes-Benz-based electronic architecture, which runs the systems. View 24 Photos To save fuel the engine will close down one bank and run as a 2.6-liter straight-six when the extra power is not required. The heart is a brand-new, 5.2-liter V12 boosted with two Mitsubishi Heavy Industries twin-scroll turbochargers with water-to-air inlet-charge coolers. It punches out 600 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 516 pound-feet of torque from 1,500 rpm. Maximum speed is said to be 200 miles per hour with 0-62 acceleration in 3.9 seconds. The new engine drives the rear wheels via a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and a mechanical limited-slip differential. Aston moved from the previous 6.0-liter naturally aspirated unit to a 5.2-liter biturbo to improve the part-load efficiency and EPA fuel economy figures. "In downsizing we want the emissions and we want the economy, but more than those, we want the torque," says Ian Minards, director of product development. To save fuel the engine will close down one bank and run as a 2.6-liter straight-six when the extra power is not required, but to prevent the exhaust catalyst from overcooling, the electronics switch between two banks. "It's undetectable," says Minards. Minards' team spent three years creating this car. "It's been a little bit daunting," he says.

15-year-old Russian footballer crashes Aston Martin he's owned for 3 days

You wouldn't expect a 15-year-old boy to have the driving experience required to tame an Aston Martin, and things went just as you would suspect for one young, Russian soccer player who fits that description. It only took three days before the teen reportedly collided with a Volkswagen Tiguan at an intersection in Saint Petersburg, Russia. To make matters worse, the boy allegedly fled the scene afterward because he didn't have a driver's license. The purported driver was Konstantin P., a goalkeeper for the Zenit-84 soccer team, according to Life News from Russia. The teen told the website that the Tiguan came out of nowhere at around 50 miles per hour (80 km/h). He was driving into the intersection and claimed to be going about 25-30 mph (40-50 km/h) when they collided. No one was reportedly hurt in the incident. Konstantin allegedly bought the Aston Martin with his own money, but he might not have been responsible enough to actually drive it. According to CarScoops, he's now facing potential charges from the incident. News Source: Life News, CarScoopsTip: CarScoops Weird Car News Aston Martin Coupe Performance vw tiguan

Aston Martin previews new 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12

Depicted in the teaser video above is Aston Martin's new 5.2-liter twin-turbocharged V12. Beyond those basic specifications, Aston isn't saying much about this new engine or what it will power, but it does promise that the new engine will debut sometime this year. The bulk of Aston Martin's current lineup – basically everything but the V8 Vantage – is powered by a 6.0-liter V12 that dates back to the DB7 Vantage that debuted in 1999. Only where that model produced 420 horsepower, the latest version in the Vantage GT12 produces nearly 600 hp. Which just goes to show how much Aston has been able to do with the aging engine, but everything has its limits, and all good things must come to an end. While the switch to forced induction may mean a less revvy engine, it ought to deliver more torque (as well as lower emissions and fuel consumption). Aston has a new partnership with Mercedes-AMG that is slated to supply the British automaker with a twin-turbo V8. But the German outfit has considerable expertise with twin-turbo V12s as well. The production facility that recently relocated from Affalterbach to Mannheim produces the 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 that motivates Mercedes' own SL65 roadster, G65 sport-ute, and S65 sedan, coupe, and cabrio, as well as the version for the Pagani Huayra.