2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Coupe 6-speed Nav 19's 26k Texas Direct Auto on 2040-cars

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Ferrari SUV and Aston Martin in Formula E? | Autoblog Podcast #529

This week, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Green Editor John Beltz Snyder. They discuss Ferrari's SUV plans as well as Aston Martin's Formula E consideration. They also talk about cars we've driven including the Chevy Colorado ZR2, a Nissan Rogue ProPilot prototype and a Ford Shelby GT350. This week's podcast also features a car you don't need a license to drive. Autoblog Podcast #529 Your browser does not support the audio element. Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Ferrari SUV FCA keeping Jeep Aston Martin mulls Formula E Cars in the office: Ford Shelby GT350, Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, Nissan Rogue with ProPilot Assist The List: Drive a car that requires no license 3 Big Questions: Ferrari SUV or Lamborghini SUV? Chevy Colorado ZR2 or Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro? Ford Shelby GT350 with or without Performance Package? Spend my money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Green Podcasts Aston Martin Chevrolet Ferrari Ford Jeep Lamborghini Nissan SUV Electric Performance Videos Formula E shelby nissan propilot

Aston Martin spotted testing striking Lagonda sedan

Aston Martin may be known more for its two-door GTs and cabrios, but it has made a handful of four-door sedans. They've historically worn the Lagonda name as either a nameplate or marque, and that's just what we seem to have here. Spied running along familiar test routes in the UK, this prototype is reportedly registered to Aston Martin and based on the current Rapide S, complete with the company's long-serving AM11 6.0-liter V12. Only whereas the Rapide packs everything in tight on a short wheelbase – albeit with more room in the back than the two-door DB9 or Vanquish – this prototype appears to be riding on a stretched wheelbase. Over that lengthened frame, Aston's Q customization department has apparently draped custom bodywork with lines that seem to blend elements of the last Aston Martin Lagonda sedan that wedged its way in between 1976 and 1990 on the one hand, and Zagato's pair of Centennial concepts presented last summer on the other. One thing it clearly is not, however, is the Lagonda crossover concept which Aston revealed to mixed reviews at the Geneva Motor Show back in 2009. The big question is where this sedan is heading (beyond its test route). We could be looking at a highly exclusive creation for a handful of wealthy clients, or at a production model to relaunch the Lagonda brand as has long been anticipated. We're hoping it's the latter, but we'll just have to wait to find out. Judging by how close it looks to completion, it shouldn't be too long.

2019 Aston Martin Vantage ridealong: Going to the extremes

"My job is to make them drive like they look," Matt Becker, Aston Martin's vehicle attributes engineer, tells me. The engine is idling, and we're harnessed inside of the 2019 Vantage test mule's racing bucket seats, somewhere on a frozen lake near the Arctic Circle in Sweden. Since the Vantage is Aston's best seller, and it's representative of the things the brand stands for, it's safe to say this chilly prototype is the most important Aston Martin on the planet right now. "Shall we have a go?" Becker rhetorically asks, looking out at the ice track. "First, with all the systems on. We test and develop this car with systems on and off, at every stage." Becker shifts the Vantage into Drive, and immediately it sounds happier. Under the hood is an Aston-ized, AMG-sourced twin-turbo V8, packing 503 horsepower and 505 lb-ft of torque. It was given the full work-over, and the controller algorithms were developed to make it behave like a proper Aston. Power is channeled through an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox. How and when the power comes on depends on driving conditions and mode, of which the 2019 Vantage has three: Sport, Sport Plus and Track. Absent is the DB11's GT mode, which fits perfectly on the grand tourer but not on a pure sports car such as the Vantage. Throughout testing, the Vantage stays under heavy camouflage and even sports some DB11 bits at first to deter speculation. But despite the partial DB11 drag, the Vantage will embody CEO Andy Palmer's directive: "[W]e need greater differentiation between the lines." While the DB11 is a striking and elegant grand tourer, the Vantage dials up the aggression over its predecessor. A massive, oxygen-gulping grille dominates the frontend. The car is about the same width as the DB11, but in person, it seems twice as wide as more pedestrian sports cars. Fender vents serve both functional and aesthetic purposes. The lip of the trunk swoops up, a naturally integrated spoiler that will help deliver downforce. But there's a lot more at play than is even immediately evident to the eyes, most important of which is the electronic rear differential. This the first Aston to ever be fitted with an e-diff. As Becker explains: "What that allows us to do is vary the amount of torque across the rear axle that we have, which allows you to make the car very short, very agile. Add in tricks like Dynamic Torque Vectoring, and because we can open up the diff, it's like putting a pole in the ground when you're skiing.