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Aston Martin Valkyrie heads to public roads for the first time

The Aston Martin Valkyrie may not be headed for the WEC racing series anymore, but it is finally hitting public roads. Aston Martin shared some images of the start of public road testing and tuning with a production prototype. The car is undisguised because, well, we've seen it a number of times before, but it's still interesting to see it in such mundane settings. Public roads really emphasize how alien the Valkyrie looks. In particular, the shot of it in front of other production cars show that it's about half their height. It also doesn't look especially longer or wider than some of the somewhat small cars in the background such as that Hyundai Kona. And of course the Valkyrie's deep diffuser openings, undulating fenders and little cockpit all look outrageous on the street. We mean that in the best way possible. Aston still plans to begin delivering Valkyries to customers in the second half of this year. It will make at least 1,000 horsepower and rev to over 11,000 rpm. It will be street legal, though not when equipped with the track package or if it's the 1,100-horsepower AMR Pro variant.

Aston Cambridge celebrates British Spitfire with bespoke V12 Vantage S

Update: These special-edition Aston Martins are a creation of Aston Martin Cambridge, a dealer. They are being built in cooperation with Aston's Q bespoke division. The Supermarine Spitfire is well-known in the UK for its role in World War II. To commemorate the plane's first flight, which took place 80 years ago, Top Gear reports that Aston Martin Cambridge has created a limited-edition model of the V12 Vantage S. The automaker will only build eight units of the Spitfire 80, and it's safe to assume that none will make it to the US. As a special-edition model, the V12 Vantage S is finished in "Duxford Green" – aptly named after the Royal Air Force base where the first Spitfire squadron was stationed – with a yellow pinstripe along the side of the vehicle. The special edition isn't just a fancy paint job, as Duxford's Aircraft Restoration Company hand-built several components for the vehicle. The most prominent include the tailpipe finishers that have a rainbow bloom effect to match the original Spitfire's exhaust. Aston Martin's Q division added special touches to the interior with bespoke embroidered logos on the headrests, and the RAF's iconic roundel is integrated directly into the central dash. According to a Facebook post by Aston Martin Cambridge, the seats and inside of the glovebox feature Kestral Tan leather with black stitching, while the rest of the interior has black Alcantara with Kestral Tan stitching. Because of the car's exclusivity and unique touches, Aston Cambridge priced the Spitfire 80 at roughly $240,210, which is almost $50,000 more than a standard V12 Vantage S. An unspecified percentage of the vehicle's price will be donated to the RAF Benevolent Fund. All eight owners will receive their vehicles at IWM Duxford – a historic airfield and museum – on October 18th and go for a flight in a Spitfire. Related Video:

'Q by Aston Martin' bringing unique creations to Monterey

Want an Aston Martin unlike any other on the road? You'll need to look to Q, and no, we're not talking about the inimitable Desmond Llewelyn. No, we're referring to Aston's in-house customization shop, a one-stop destination that can set your Vantage or Vanquish even further apart from every other vehicle on the road. Aston Martin is bringing four new Q-customized cars to next week's festivities in scenic Monterey, CA, covering the gamut of the brand's portfolio. At the lead is the Aston Martin flagship, the hardtop Vanquish. Finished in an eye-catching – and decidedly un-Aston-like – Abor Orange, the Vanquish boasts unique carbon fiber work, with a twill that's twice the size of your average CF. Inside, a new print has been emblazoned on the Obsidian Black leather, which Aston says is styled after the helix of a carbon molecule. For those who want to stand out and experience the wind in their hair, Q is also bringing out a pair of Aston Martin's Volante variants. The Vanquish Volante wears Frosted Silver paint, 10-spoke alloys and a Chestnut Tan interior. The DB9 Volante, meanwhile, sports perhaps the oddest style of this quartet, with Ashen Blonde exterior paint and, um, a pink interior. It's actually called Blush Pearl, and it's complemented by Piano Ice Mocha on the center stack. Finally, Q has turned its eye on the V12 Vantage S, decking it out in amethyst paint with a Monterey Pearl grille. The cabin sports the same Obsidian Black leather found on the Q-fettled Vanquish, but rather than the helix design, the Vantage S sports bold, Vivid Purple leather accents. The contrasting bits include the seat stripe, headliner, portions of the steering wheel finish and glove box liners. Take a look both up top and below for galleries of all four customized Astons, and then scroll down for the full press release from Aston Martin.