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Aston Martin DB11 V8 loses four cylinders but none of its grace

We love the Aston Martin DB11. Few vehicles combine speed, luxury, and comfort as well as that beautiful British coupe. That said, it's not the most efficient or affordable GT in the world, but Aston Martin is planning to change that. Starting this year, the company will offer the DB11 a twin-turbocharged V8 sourced from the mad Germans at Mercedes-AMG. We've known about the engine partnership for a while now, though we assumed the first Aston Martin to use a Mercedes-AMG V8 would be the next-generation V8 Vantage. At first, sticking a V8 under the hood might seem like an odd choice, but the DB series only recently started using V12s. Historically, the car has packed powerful inline-six engines. Offering two engines will allow the company to sell a lower-cost model and presumably boost sales. That means changes are strictly mechanical in nature. The engine is the now-common 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged Mercedes-AMG V8. Output is 503 horsepower and 498 pound-feet of torque. That's down 97 horsepower and 18 pound-feet of torque from the 5.2-liter V12. In the Mercedes-AMG C63 S, the 4.0-liter V8 makes equal horsepower and 18 more pound-feet of torque. Aston Martin says that the partnership with Mercedes-AMG allows the company to tailor the engine for Aston Martins. This means a new ECU with new engine and throttle mapping. Losing four cylinders changes the character of the car a bit. The DB11 V8 is a not-insubstantial 254 pounds lighter than the V12. Since most of the weight savings comes from behind the front wheels, Aston Martin says the V8 model is more agile than the V12 model. Engineers have adjusted the suspension bushing, geometry, anti-roll bars, springs, dampers, and stability control to account for the weight savings. The DB11 V8's diet helps offset the lower power output. As such, the 4.0-second 0-62 sprint is just 0.1 seconds off the V12. Top speed is down 13 mph to a still extralegal speed of 187 mph. We don't have fuel economy ratings for the US, but expect an improvement from the V12's current rating. The V8 will be available with all of the same equipment and trims as the V12, with just a few visual changes to distinguish the two models. The V8 gets unique wheels, darker headlight surroundings, and just two vents on the hood, available in either black or titanium. The DB11 V8 goes on sale in the US later this year. At $198,995, it undercuts the V12 model by $17,500.

Aston Martin's AM-RB 001 hypercar headlines the Canadian Auto Show

We've been hearing about the Aston Martin Red Bull AM-RB 001 for the better part of a year, and Thursday morning Aston revealed the imposing hypercar for the first time at an auto show. Kicking off the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, Aston chief executive Andy Palmer called it "the defining hypercar of this decade and a hugely desirable investment for collectors and enthusiasts," according to a statement. The reveal comes the day after Aston highlighted its technical partners for the hypercar, which is being developed in tandem with Red Bull Advanced Technologies. The AM-RB 001's debut comes not far from the base of Canadian motorsports expert and auto supplier Multimatic, which will make the carbon-fiber MonoCell for the hypercar. Aston also said Wednesday that Cosworth will produce the naturally aspirated V12 engine, Rimac will make the battery for the electric motor, and Ricardo will supply the seven-speed gearbox. Aston said the "original full-sized model" of the AM-RB 001 will be on display in Toronto alongside the company's other spotlight car from last year, the DB11. .@astonmartin's Dr. Andy Palmer (@AndyatAston) kicks off Media Day at #CIAS2017 unveiling the #AMRB001. #AstonMartin pic.twitter.com/R2Frr83xc6 — Canadian AutoShow (@autoshowcanada) February 16, 2017 Related Video:

Aston Martin Vantage AMR is road-going follow-up to AMR Pro

Two months ago, Aston Martin launched its new AMR line of vehicles with a pair of limited-edition cars. One was a slightly warmed-up Rapide sedan called the Rapide AMR, and the other was a track-only Vantage with a race-car-derived V8 called the Vantage AMR Pro. Now the company has released a third, or third and fourth depending on how you're counting, model that splits the difference. The new Vantage AMR, sans the Pro part, is available with either a V8 or a V12, and can be had as either a coupe or convertible. What make the Vantage AMR special are limited production and aesthetic upgrades. Only 300 examples will be made, 200 of which will have the V8, while the other 100 have the V12. The V8 doesn't make any more power than the standard model, but the V12 produces an extra 30 horsepower over the standard model for a total of 595. Aston Martin also offers an optional titanium exhaust to improve the sound of these engines and reduce weight, but it doesn't change output. Observers of these Astons will be able to spot them by their special paint schemes with a center stripe down the middle. The cars can be had in white with an orange stripe, black with a blue stripe, blue with a red stripe, or silver with a gray stripe. There's also a "Halo Pack" that includes a green paint scheme similar to Aston Martin's GT racing cars, complete with a lime green stripe. There's also a no-cost option to add an Aston Martin badge painted in the colors of the Union Jack. Every color combination comes with a color-coordinated interior, too. Just because this is a very rare Aston Martin doesn't mean there aren't any options. On the contrary, there are quite a few, mostly concerning appearances. On the outside, carbon fiber side skirts, headlight housings, and grille are all available. An aerodynamics kit is also available that adds a big rear wing, front splitter, and front canards for additional downforce. Lightweight forged wheels are also available. Inside, the carbon fiber decoration continues with available seats, instrument surround, window sills, and grab handles. Depending on whether you're converting Euros or British pounds, an Aston Martin Vantage AMR will start between about $125,000 or $143,000. That doesn't really matter, though, since the Vantage AMR won't be offered in the US. It will only be available in the UK, Europe, China, and the Asia Pacific region. Middle Eastern buyers can also pick one up, but only the V12 variant.