2023 Aston Martin Vantage V12 Roadster on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Aston CEO claims Cygnet cancelled because Toyota is dropping iQ in 2014

While slow sales and a $50,000 price tag may have been contributing factors to the Aston Martin Cygnet being cancelled last month, Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez is pointing the finger at Toyota for the demise of this luxurious little city car. In a discussion with Autocar, Bez is quoted as saying that the ultimate reason the Cygnet was cut is because Toyota plans on dropping the iQ (on which the Cygnet is based) in 2014 - a claim denied by the Japanese automaker.
Interestingly, the article also cites another publication reporting that a Toyota importer in the Netherlands heard the same news as Bez, and it has already stopped importing the cars. If the European Toyota iQ is cancelled, that would likely spell the end of the slow-selling Scion iQ in the US, which has sold just 3,365 units through September (a drop of 51 percent year over year).
Regardless of why production of the Cygnet ended, Bez also says that a lack of support from Toyota on the project prevented it from being offered in the US or receiving a supercharged engine, which are two factors that likely would have made the car appealing to more buyers.

Aston Martin DB11 is such a tease

Aston Martin would like to take a moment to remind you that it makes beautiful cars. Naturally, the model you're likely most interested in learning about is the upcoming DB11, which we're pretty sure will make its global public debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March. To make sure you don't forget, the automaker has created this handy teaser microsite. Although the video released by Aston Martin to go along with its teaser site doesn't actually mention one of its prettiest recent models, the DB7, it does hit some memorable highlights. Starting all the way back in 1950 with the introduction of the DB2, the British sportscar manufacturer has had a history of stunning coupes. Perhaps the most well-known of all is the DB5 of the Swingin' Sixties, made famous as the car James Bond drove as he eluded baddies in movies like Goldfinger. Granted, we already have an idea of what the new DB11 will look like, at least from the front, which makes dark and shady teasers like the one here a tad less interesting. No matter, we like what we've seen so far, and can't wait to take it all in once the coupe is released in all its official glory. Until then, let the teasing continue. Related Video:

Aston Martin Vantage GTE race car revealed

Though Aston Martin had more than enough news in revealing the new V8 Vantage, it decided it needed to show one more thing: the Vantage GTE race car. Obviously the body work is based on the road car, but it's more aggressive. It has an even bigger version of the V8 Vantage's massive grille. The hood gets extra vents. The exhaust now exits out the front fenders. And, of course, it gets a huge wing and equally monster diffuser. The interior is quite a bit different, though, with the comfy seats and leather trim gone in favor of a roll cage and bare carbon fiber components. Under the skin, there are some similarities to the regular V8 Vantage. The main connection is the Vantage GTE's engine, which is a version of the same 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged AMG V8 found in the road car. It makes more power than the street version with at least 530 horsepower. Torque is roughly the same, though. Instead of an eight-speed automatic, the Vantage GTE uses a six-speed sequential manual transmission. Both cars use double-wishbone suspension front and rear, but the GTE gets adjustable anti-roll bars and Ohlins adjustable shocks. The brakes are also upgraded to six-piston front calipers and four-piston rear calipers from Alcon. It will start racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2018. Related Video: