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800-hp Aston Martin Vulcan will live long and prosper... on the track

The Aston Martin Vulcan might by one of the most beautiful creations to ever emerge from the British sports car company. Unfortunately, its status as a track-only toy limited to 24 units makes seeing one on the road practically impossible. That's a shame, too, because nothing would wake up an early morning commute better than seeing jets of flame shoot out of the side of this coupe. For the Vulcan, Aston Martin takes a 7.0-liter version of its tried and true V12 and promises to extract over 800 horsepower from it. The engine is hooked up to a six-speed sequential gearbox, and the car features all of the other necessities for a full-bore track car too. The pushrod suspension, anti-lock carbon-ceramic brakes and traction control are all fully adjustable to create the perfect balance for any circuit. Underneath, there's a carbon fiber monocoque, and the body panels are also made from the lightweight material. While the mechanicals are everything a driver could want on the track, the design is just as attractive. The styling takes the taut lines from Aston Martins of the last decade and sharpens everything to look futuristic. The pointed, orange filaments making up the taillights are an especially cool touch. The brand promises to reinterpret this look for future models, so we might still see inspiration of it on the road. Give it a thorough look in our live gallery above from the floor at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. Related Video:

Aston Martin to race with solar power

Aston Martin may be more about luxury GTs than performance-obsessed supercars, but when it comes to racing, it's no holds barred. Aston Martin Racing has developed competition-spec versions of the Vantage and DB9, and even done a few LMP1 prototypes. But while some have been powered by V8s and others by V12s, the one underlying commonality is that they have all – in contrast with championship-winning diesel and hybrid prototypes – been powered exclusively by internal-combustion engines burning gasoline. That's what makes this announcement noteworthy. At Le Mans last weekend, the factory team announced a partnership with the Hanergy Global Solar Power & Applications Group that will see solar panels installed on the roof of the Vantage GTE it fields in the World Endurance Championship. Only the thin panels won't be powering the wheels, boosting the engine somehow or powering the batteries for a hybrid assist. They'll be used to power the air conditioning system. Which may seem inconsequential, but when you consider that the AC typically saps power from the engine – and it can sap quite a lot on a hot race day – that could amount to a serious performance advantage while keeping the drivers comfortable. While the system wasn't ready to use at Le Mans last weekend, temperatures at the French track don't get too high, so the air-con wouldn't likely be a big factor. The team (operated on Aston's behalf by Prodrive) does expect, however, to have the system up and running in time for next round at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, where it can get insufferably hot. Aston and Hanergy also hope to install the system on the V12 Vantage GT3 and V8 Vantage GT4 it supplies to customer teams, and install solar panels on the roof of the new facility Prodrive is building in Banbury, UK. Aston Martin Racing Joins Hanergy in Solar-Powered Project Le Mans, 13 June 2014 - Banbury, 13 June 2014 - Aston Martin Racing has signed a partnership agreement with solar technologies experts Hanergy Global Solar Power & Applications Group, in a project exploring how the sun's energy can be used to improve race car performance at the pinnacle of sportscar racing, the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), starting with the 24 Hours of Le Mans this weekend (14-15 June).

Kahn tackles Aston Martin with a Vengeance

Though Aston Martin has been known to produce some pretty stunning designs all on its own, it's also no stranger to the efforts of independent coachbuilders. It's had a longstanding relationship with Zagato that has given birth to some of the most stunning automotive collaborations ever to roam the open road, but now it's time for another designer to step up to the plate with the creation previewed here. It's called the Vengeance and it's the latest project from Kahn Design – a British firm perhaps better known for its (often wildly) customized Land Rovers, but with a history of enhancing Astons as well. Adopting a name that fits into traditional Aston nomenclature along nameplates like Vantage, Vanquish and Virage, the Vengeance is being built atop a DB9, but with highly modified coachwork. As you can see from the preview renderings in the slideshow above, the design calls for features a a bulging hood, slotted grille, wide rear fenders, polished steel roof and window frames, and staggered alloys – 20 inches up front, 21 in the back – inspired by roulette wheels with diamond-cut rims and body-colored centers. "The Vengeance underlines Kahn Design's expertise in design and coachbuilding," said Azfal Kahn in the statement below. "With a team of over 25 designers in house we're involved in all aspects of product design from automotive to timepieces, interiors, retail space, clothing and accessories." Only a limited quantity of individually numbered examples will be hand-made in the British Midlands, with pricing and availability yet to be announced but promising what Kahn says will "represent extremely good value for a limited edition coachbuilt car." Kahn Design launches coach built 2 door retro classic coupe named the 'Vengeance' Origins The practice of automotive coachbuilding stretches back to the early 1900s, when discerning customers would employ the services of expert craftsmen to create a custom vehicle body on a pre-manufactured chassis. Following in this tradition, renowned British designer Afzal Kahn has announced the launch of a new coachbuilt car codenamed the Vengeance. Built on a new Aston Martin DB9 chassis, the Vengeance is a wide body two door coupe, with a muscular, aggressive design evoking the silhouette of a sabretooth on the prowl. Design A supercar owner and connoisseur since his late teens, Kahn has always sought to push the boundaries of car design, developing a distinctive, aggressive design language.