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Aston Martin Vulcan being converted to road-going spec

The Aston Martin Vulcan wasn't designed as a road-going vehicle, but the two dozen buyers who've plonked down the $2.3 million to buy one may soon be able to drive on public roadways. According to Autocar, British motorsports engineering company RML is preparing a road conversion option for the Vulcan, apparently with Aston's blessing. The process will reportedly involve testing the engine for emissions, mounting some new lights, and running simulated crash tests. The ride height will likely need to be raised and the gear ratios altered, but nothing will be done to compromise the vehicle's trackability (such as removing any part of the roll cage). The undertaking is expected to cost six figures, which buy another road-going Aston but is hardly a drop in the bucket relative to the Vulcan's purchase price. Certification on a single vehicle type basis might not be feasible in all markets, particularly here in the United States, where two out of the 24 being made are said to reside. "When we went to market, there was hesitation from a few prospective owners because it didn't have a road pack... but RML said they had the ability to do it," Aston Martin chief Andy Palmer told Autocar. "It has taken a bit of time to work out what's possible from an engineering perspective, but we expect four or five owners will take advantage of this. We have the sales of the last two cars currently under negotiation and it looks like the road conversion could be the closer on those deals." The Vulcan is Aston's take on the likes of the Ferrari FXX K and McLaren P1 GTR: a seven-figure supercar designed neither for the road nor for racing, but just for their owners' enjoyment. Like its rivals, Aston Martin organizes special track days for Vulcan owners as part of a complete program, but unlike those mid-engined hybrids, the Vulcan is naturally aspirated, with its engine up front. Lanzante previously announced a similar road conversion option for the McLaren. RML's expertise lies principally in constructing racing cars – particularly touring cars. It previously collaborated with Aston Martin on the AMR1 Group C racer from 1989 (not to be confused with the later LMP1 prototype). It has also undertaken a number of road-car projects, particularly for Nissan (where Palmer used to work), developing such unique concepts as the Micra R, Juke-R and Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge. Related Video:

Aston Martin DB9 successor spied, may be called DB11

This is by far our best look yet at the car that will replace the long-serving Aston Martin DB9. Previous photos of the grand tourer have consisted of mules based on the current car, but here we get our first taste of a model wearing its production skin. Despite the heavy camouflage, the DB9 successor looks to borrow its styling from the Aston Martin DB10, which will feature in the latest James Bond film. Considering this, it's not surprising that our spies report the new GT will wear the DB11 moniker. While the headlights look somewhat like the current Vantage, it's a fair bet that they'll bear more of a resemblance to the DB10 when the production model arrives. The grille sits lower than on current models, although, unlike 007's Aston, it does have an independent lower grille. It's hard to discern much from the rear of the car, though, owing to the fake taillights and heavy camouflaging on the rear hatch. That, thankfully, isn't an issue in the car's profile. Despite the heavy camo, we can see a suitably large set of haunches and the brand's trademark side grille. Expect Aston to continue using swan wing doors, judging by the shape of the units spied on this prototype, while we predict a larger greenhouse than seen here, owing to the camo over the quarter window. The partnership between Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG will bear production fruit with the so-called DB11, as our spies report the new Brit will be available with the same 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 being offered in the AMG GT. Don't fret purists – Aston's 6.0-liter V12 will also be on offer. We're fairly convinced Britain will sink into the ocean before Gaydon abandons the venerable 12-cylinder. Have a look at the latest round of spy photos and let us know what you think of Aston Martin's work so far. Related Video:

Kahn Design to reveal Aston Martin Vengeance in Geneva

The major automakers won't be the only ones with new metal to showcase in Geneva next month, so will aftermarket tuners and coachbuilders like Kahn Design. The British outfit is rolling into the Swiss expo this year with the long-awaited Vengeance, its own take on the Aston Martin DB9. We first caught wind of the Vengeance project in May – just after a similar project by Henrik Fisker was quashed. But unlike the proposed Fisker Thunderbolt, Kahn secured Gaydon's blessing in developing the Vengeance: "Aston Martin has entered into a supply agreement with Kahn Design," AML spokesman Kevin Watters confirmed to Autoblog at the time, "and will supply a very limited number of DB9s for an extensive coachbuild conversion." The design, as you can see, bears the familiar hallmarks of a contemporary Aston, but rendered more aggressive in a style that looks similar to the manufacturer's own One-77. It won't be the first such coach-built Aston Martin we've seen, but most of the others to date have resulted from a longstanding collaborative effort between the British automaker and famed Italian carrozzeria Zagato. Another recent project saw Bertone convert a Rapide into the Jet 2+2 shooting brake in a revival of the Vanquish-based Jet 2 from 2004. In a bit of a role reversal, Aston served as something of a coachbuilder itself in rebodying the Toyota/Scion iQ as its own Cygnet, having previously outsourced production of the Rapide to contract manufacturer Magna Steyr. Alongside the Vengeance, Kahn plans to display the Flying Huntsman 6x6 pickup based on the Land Rover Defender at the Geneva Motor Show. It will be joined by a customized red Range Rover and blue Range Rover Sport done up as pace cars, and a widebody Jeep Wrangler from its Chelsea Truck Company division. Related Video: