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Aston Martin sues supplier Envisage over copyright infringement

Automakers don't make the entire cars themselves. They typically design and engineer them, outsource many of the components to outside suppliers, and put them together at assembly plants. Farming out work to those suppliers can result in some leaks in the automaker's intellectual property, but while that's typically covered in extensive legal documents, disputes can arise. And in this case, it's arisen between Aston Martin and one of its suppliers. That supplier is the Envisage Group, a British firm based in Coventry that has, among its various clients, performed design work for Aston since 2007 and supplied parts and tooling since 2011. That means it has access to certain proprietary information regarding Aston and its products, and now the automaker is claiming the supplier has taken unlawful advantage of that access and its copyrights to further its other businesses. Among its other services, Envisage operates a coachbuilding operation that handles the production of vehicles like the Eagle's customized Jaguar E-Types and the Speedback GT for David Brown Automotive. The latter, pictured here, bears more than a passing resemblance to classic Astons, and the company name itself suggests a certain affiliation as well. However both Aston Martin and David Brown Automotive insist that the lawsuit is unrelated. In correspondence with Autoblog, the latter sent the following statement: Following speculation in recent press reports that David Brown Automotive and Speedback GT are the subject of, or involved in, legal proceedings by Aston Martin Lagonda Limited against Envisage Group Limited, David Brown Automotive can confirm that it, and its products, are in no way implicated and the production of our vehicles continues unaffected by the litigation. According to the report from the Telegraph, the lawsuit filed with the UK's High Court makes specific mention of badges, wheels and headlights belonging to Aston Martin that Envisage has allegedly used in promoting its services. Featured Gallery David Brown Automotive Speedback View 18 Photos News Source: The TelegraphImage Credit: David Brown Automotive Design/Style Government/Legal Aston Martin lawsuit court david brown automotive david brown automotive speedback

Weekly Recap: BMW rolls out ambitious plug-in hybrid electric plan

"We believe that for the United States, this is going to be very important." – Julian Arguelles Let there be no doubt, BMW is serious about electric vehicles. The German automaker said this week it will make plug-in hybrid versions of all of its core models, an aggressive move that demonstrates its commitment to electric propulsion systems. BMW did not specify which vehicles will get the plug-in systems or provide a timeline for when they will arrive. But the announcement is clearly more than blustering, and the company revealed a 3 Series plug-in prototype this week at an event in France. BMW said the 3 Series uses a version of its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine (240 horsepower, 300 pound feet of torque) with an electric motor sandwiched between the engine and transmission in place of the torque converter. It has an all-electric range of 22 miles. A plug-in X5 with the same powertrain was also displayed alongside the 3 Series, though the X5 has been on the auto-show circuit for more than a year, including a recent stop in Los Angeles. Those two vehicles use "eDrive," and BMW's plans represent the first widespread transfer of its technology from development of the i3 and i8 models to more mainstream products. BMW said it's developing electric powertrains so they can be deployed rapidly across its range, and they are flexible enough to be used with fuel cells in future products. Enticingly, BMW is also working on a "Power eDrive" system, which debuted in a 5 Series GT concept at the event in France. This setup has two electric motors powered by a 20-kilowatt-hour battery pack, and when teamed with a four-cylinder turbo, pump out about 670 hp. Reinforcing BMW's commitment, the company will add more than 200 jobs at its factory in Dingolfing, Germany, to support electric-vehicle development. The moves come as BMW and other automakers diversify their portfolios while fuel economy and emissions regulations are getting tighter around the world. The United States has set a 54.5-mpg CAFE requirement for the 2025 model year. BMW said the electric vehicles were developed with an eye toward the US market, its government policies and its wide-ranging commuting styles. "We believe that for the United States, this is going to be very important," spokesman Julian Arguelles said. Ben Scott, a senior analyst in London with automotive research firm IHS, said BMW's moves are expensive – but necessary – to keep pace with the market.

Aston Martin to demo Vulcan at Spa 24 Hours

The Aston Martin Vulcan is an absolutely evil-looking hypercar with a low-slung, heavily angular shape that looks ready to challenge any track in the world. With a 7.0-liter V12 with over 800 horsepower on tap, it can complete a lap in the blink of an eye, as well. Unfortunately, the Vulcan isn't street legal, meaning that this beast is exclusively for the circuit. To show this carbon-fiber rocket ship off to some very wealthy potential clients, Aston Martin is bringing the limited model to the 24 Hours of Spa on July 25 for a few high-speed laps prior to the green flag. Works driver Darren Turner will be doing two flying laps around the picturesque Belgian track. As a member of the development team from the very beginning, there's likely no other person better suited to driving the hypercar than him. It should be quite a sight to see the black and blue machine shooting up Eau Rouge, too. Aston Martin Racing is also on hand for the actual race, and the squad has two customer teams in V12 Vantage GT3s in the Pro-Am class. If you can't make it to Belgium for the weekend, the event is also livestreamed on YouTube at the Blancpain Endurance Series' GT World channel. The event kicks off at 10:30 AM Eastern on July 25. ASTON MARTIN VULCAN TO RUN AT SPA 24 HOURS 23 July, Gaydon - The highly-anticipated Aston Martin Vulcan will attend the showpiece of the Blancpain Endurance Series, the TOTAL 24 Hours of Spa, this weekend (25 July) and will demonstrate its abilities as the ultimate track-only machine as it completes two flying laps of the world-famous circuit. With its 800-plus bhp powertrain developed in conjunction with Aston Martin Racing, the 7.0-litre V12 Aston Martin Vulcan will be driven by works driver Darren Turner (GB), who has been involved in the design and development of the car from its inception. Turner has more than 20 years experience in developing racing cars and relished the opportunity to put this track-knowledge into Aston Martin's most extreme sportscar. "It's been amazing to have been involved in this project from the beginning," said Turner. "From the conceptual sketches through to working with the designers on driver ergonomics, it is a fascinating process to be part of. "It was very early days for the car when we first ran it at Goodwood Festival of Speed, but we certainly made a good impression and now we get to show the car in its most natural environment.