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Aston Martin recalling majority of cars built since late 2007 over counterfeit Chinese parts

Back in June 2013, Aston Martin recalled just under 700 vehicles over faulty throttle arms that could break without warning. Bad news, for sure – and things just got a whole lot worse. According to Reuters, the British luxury brand now needs to recall 17,590 vehicles due to counterfeit plastic materials being used by a Chinese sub-supplier – that's roughly 75 percent of the company's output over the same period. Basically, here's how it boils down: with the exception of the Vanquish, Aston Martin will recall all left-hand-drive vehicles built since November 2007, and all right-hand-drive cars built since May 2012. Just as we told you in the recall notice from 2013, the accelerator arms in these cars may fracture, increasing the risk of a crash. Shenzhen Kexiang Mould Tool Co Limited, a Chinese company that molds the accelerator pedal arms in these affected models, was using counterfeit plastics, according to Reuters. These bad plastics were supplied by Synthetic Plastic Raw Material Co Ltd, of Dongguan. An Aston Martin spokesperson tells Reuters that there have been no reports of accidents or injuries in conjunction with this problem.

Ford's J Mays feels vindicated by Fusion reception

It's hard to think back now, but the same man overseeing the design of the 2013 Ford Fusion also presided over a rather lackluster period in Ford design, highlighted by vehicles like the Five Hundred and Freestyle. With the redesigned Fusion receiving high praise, J Mays tells Automotive News that he feels vindicated from criticisms suggesting he's not a daring enough designer.
When Mays took over as lead of design in 1997, he admits to having quite an ego ("My head would barely fit through the door some days. I've long since gotten over myself") and the workload to match. With the Blue Oval's portfolio full of premium brands like Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo at that point, along with the bread-and-butter Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models, Mays certainly had quite the challenge.
It was in the mid-2000s that Mays took over just the premium brands, and took on the new title of Chief Creative Officer. At the time, Mays endured some criticism for looking backwards to retro styling, rather than setting a new standard for American car design - criticism that Mays says he is free from with the all-new Fusion.

Aston Martin wants to get involved in F1 engines

LONDON — British luxury sportscar maker Aston Martin is looking to get more engaged in Formula One, chief executive Andy Palmer said on Sunday amid speculation of a title partnership with Red Bull and future engine involvement. "We want to be more involved in the sport," Palmer told Britain's Channel 4 television while attending the Singapore Grand Prix. "We're currently studying the 2021 engine. If we get a reasonable regulation that brings down the cost of the engine, Aston would like to be involved in the engine," added the Briton. "And then of course we'd like to be involved a little more next season and then join the dots. But it really depends on what happens with the engine regs." Red Bull and Aston Martin have an existing relationship, with the team's race cars carrying branding for the marque since last year. Top designer Adrian Newey, whose Renault-powered Red Bull race cars won four successive drivers' and constructors' titles between 2010-13, has worked with Aston Martin on the AM-RB 001 Valkyrie 'hypercar'. Media reports have suggested Aston could become Red Bull's title sponsor next season. Former Nissan executive Palmer was a key figure in negotiating just such a previous deal for the Japanese manufacturer's Infiniti brand, which has now gone to the Renault works team, to partner Red Bull. The British-based team currently use Renault engines, branded Tag Heuer. Formula One, under new management since U.S.-based Liberty Media took over in January, and the governing FIA are looking at what sort of unit will power the series once the current agreement expires in 2020. The aim is to bring down costs and allow a cheaper and less complex engine than the current 1.6 liter V6 turbo hybrid power units, one that could also encourage new manufacturers into the sport. Aston Martin, a 104-year-old firm whose road cars have become closely associated with fictional British secret agent James Bond, last competed in Formula One in 1960. The company is now owned mainly by Kuwaiti and Italian investors and is seeking to boost its share of U.S. markets. Last month Aston reported its first half-yearly profit in almost a decade and it expects full-year volumes to rise by around a third to roughly 5,000 cars. Reporting by Alan BaldwinRelated Video: Motorsports Aston Martin Renault Technology Emerging Technologies Racing Vehicles F1 adrian newey