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Aston Martin Vengeance embodies the wrath of Kahn

Kahn Design, for those unfamiliar, is a British customizer that's known primarily for modifying Land Rovers. And it brought a few of those with it to the Geneva Motor Show this year as well, particularly a rebodied DB9 called the Vengeance. The lines follow a familiar form that still speaks of its underpinnings, but the details have all been worked over: the grille is bigger, the front fenders are wider, the hood has a bulge in it, the C-pillars and rear haunches are wider, the horizontal taillights have been replaced by more retro round units, and the wheels take their inspiration from a roulette table. The result is described as "the conclusion of British designer Afzal Kahn's lifelong pursuit to design the car he has always wanted to drive," and comes with Aston Martin's blessing – or at least its acquiescence: "There is a long and rich history of specialist coach-built Aston Martins," said the company's purchasing director Gary Archer, "and we wish Kahn every success with the Vengeance." The cost of converting a DB9 to Vengeance spec has yet to be announced, but according to the statement below, it " is expected to represent extremely good value for a limited edition coach built car." Related Video: THE KAHN VENGEANCE MAKES ITS INTERNATIONAL DEBUT AT THE GENEVA MOTOR SHOW 2016 The 2016 Geneva Motor Show will see the long awaited launch of the Kahn Vengeance, a new coach built two-door coupe which represents a stunning synthesis of modern engineering and classic streamlined design. The Vengeance will be unveiled to the media at the Kahn Design stand, 6338, on March 1st 2016. Inspired by the Aston Martin designs of the 1980s and 90s, the Vengeance is the conclusion of British designer Afzal Kahn's lifelong pursuit to design the car he has always wanted to drive. Designed to hark back to the glory days of British coach building, the hand built Vengeance is a coachbuilt two door coupe based on a new Aston Martin DB9 chassis. Face on, the redesigned front bumper and wide spaced grille give the Vengeance an aggressive look, framed by widened front wings which merge seamlessly into the doors. The signature central bulge of the bonnet continues to the highly defined lines of the roof, which flow outwards to the widened C-pillars and rear wings, lending a muscular definition to the car's surfaces.

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.

Watch some vintage F1 cars blast up a Japanese mountain road

It's a rare treat to see classic Formula One cars racing anywhere, but watching them on a Japanese mountain road is absolutely sublime. The folks behind Motorhead from Japan took over the toll road's twisting stretch of tarmac to turn this impossible dream into a reality. The unusual opportunity of a closed mountain road would be a waste for only two vehicles, and there were plenty of drivers in amazing machines that wanted to blast up the hill. After the vintage F1 cars got their turn, some drifters in a Nissan GT-R and a Toyota GT86 added some tire smoke to the misty mountain air. A couple more GT-R racecars and some modern sports cars eventually joined them. Before the rain hit, this team had quite a party going on. This video features amazing camera work, but the music unfortunately drowns out the chance to hear these amazing racecars. If watching this leaves you wanting more, Motorhead released a video last year of another group of impressive performance vehicles on the mountain road.