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Aston Martin CEO plans for seven-vehicle lineup

Aston Martin which has survived for the last hundred or so years with a remarkably tiny vehicle lineup, is now making preparations for its next seven vehicles, according to the company's CEO, Andy Palmer. The CEO elaborated on the company's "Second Century Plan" explaining that it'd feature a three-pillar product road map that is apparently "crystal clear." Pillar one, sports cars, should surprise no one. The three-pronged lineup will continue, with the new DB11 sandwiched between the Vantage and Vanquish replacements. But don't expect more than three Aston sports cars – Palmer shut down the idea of a car below the Vantage. Next, we have "saloons," which means sedans, if you prefer coffee to tea and Hershey's to Cadbury. This is trickier, of course. In April of 2015, we reported that the Rapide sedan would die and that the DBX would be its replacement. But in October, we reported that the Rapide name may live on as an all-electric model. That same April report also claimed we'd see a Lagonda-badged sedan, which now seems like a virtual certainty following the success of the rare Lagonda Taraf. The tea leaves of pillar three – crossovers and "specials" – are the most difficult to read. We know the rakish DBX crossover is coming. But we're wagering that Aston will complement its CUV/SUV lineup with something more traditional that could combat stuff like the Bentley Bentayga. But rather than badging it as an Aston, we think it's more likely this hypothetical vehicle would be badged as a Lagonda. Here's why. The last thing we wrote about a Lagonda SUV came in July 2014, when reports indicated that plans for such a vehicle had been abandoned. But with the explosion in CUVs at virtually every price point, it seems impossible for Aston Martin to ignore the segment. This would give the company a two-pronged approach. We doubt Aston would reestablish the Lagonda brand to just sell a single vehicle. What about the specials, though? That sounds like low volume and high performance to us, which could mean a One-77 successor. Aston has gone on record as saying it'd be open to aerodynamic god Adrian Newey penning a hypercar design. In fact, regarding a Newey-designed Aston, Palmer himself said, "There is rarely smoke without fire." If this were to ever happen, though, we're betting it won't be for some time. The DB11, Vantage/Vanquish replacements, and DBX will be the first new vehicles from the brand, Palmer indicated.

Here's what Top Gear thinks of the Aston Martin Vulcan

With a limited run of just 24 units, the Aston Martin Vulcan isn't an easy vehicle to get your hands on. Even if you find one, the next challenge is locating a suitable track to drive it because these rare beasts aren't street legal. Top Gear (the website, not the TV show) arranged both and reported on the amazing experience of driving this rare hypercar in must-read story. Top Gear lapped the Vulcan around the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix circuit and came away thoroughly impressed. The author admits that the McLaren P1 GTR has a greater output, but driving the Aston Martin is still an incredibly visceral experience. Downshifts judder through the chassis, flames shoot from the side pipes, and the 820-horsepower V12 screams. "Five laps and I'm spent – I start to get a headache, I need to drink, sweat gathers, ears ring," the writer says. The Vulcan trains its handful of wealthy owners to be racers, but the interior still cossets them in Aston Martin's traditional luxury. As they learn the car, drivers can turn the power up from 550 hp, 675 hp, and to the full 820 hp when they feel ready. The suspension is also fully adjustable. So there's a touch of understeer out of the box, but a person can mitigate that as they gain experience. Plus, the writer claims the cabin fit and finish is marvelous. Head over to Top Gear to get the full story, it's well worth a read. Related Video:

Xcar takes us behind the scenes of Aston Vantage video shoot

Xcar makes some of the best car videos on the internet, which is why we enjoy bringing them to your attention whenever they surface. And if you've taken the time to watch any of them, it probably won't surprise you to find out they don't just come together all on their own. Like any production, the producers at Xcar do their homework, take their time to set up, shoot and reshoot segments, and surely spend plenty of time in post-production as well. It's a labor of love, but as you can see from this latest "behind the scenes" video, it's not always pleasant. This video shows us what it was like to put together the video with the Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Roadster released a couple of months ago. The talents behind the video series took the unusual decision of filming the drop-top supercar in the sleet and snow of the Welch countryside, enduring some punishing conditions in the process... but it all proved worth the effort for the video that resulted.