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One-off Aston Martin DB9 Spyder Zagato Centennial up for grabs

There's a long and proud history of Aston Martins coachbuilt by Zagato, and while we wouldn't call them commonplace, most of them were put in serial production, however limited. But not this one. This one-of-a-kind DB9 Spyder was handbuilt by Zagato (along with a similarly styled DBS coupe) to celebrate Aston's centenary. Rather than remain in the private collections of either company, though, it was built in England, fitted with its customer bodywork (over the course of a year) in Italy, showcased back in England and then again at Pebble Beach before being delivered to its owner, who has kept it in California ever since. But now he's putting it up for auction. Equipped with a 6.0-liter V12, carbon-ceramic brakes and of course that unique coachwork, the DB9 Spyder Centennial edition has been consigned to RM Sotheby's for its sale in Monterey this coming August, two years after it was first shown there. It's anticipated to fetch between $380,000 and $450,000, which would be about double what Aston charges for a new DB9 Volante, but strikes us as a pretty solid investment considering just how rare this particular Anglo-Italian bird really is. Of course the Aston Zagato isn't the only notable vehicle RM has in store for Pebble this year. It's also highlighting a 1968 Maserati Ghibli Spyder that's billed as the first of its kind ever made, a US-spec Ferrari Daytona prototype, an early Lamborghini Countach and a rare 1973 Nissan Skyline GT-R. In short, RM's Monterey auction is already shaping up to be a notable one, and we're still a few months out with new consignments being added all the time.

Amazon opens contest for The Grand Tour tickets in the US

British enthusiasts already had the opportunity to win tickets to the first taping of The Grand Tour, and now Amazon has opened up a similar chance for customers in the US. In celebration of Prime Day, which starts today, customers in the US can enter The Grand Tour Prime Day Prize Draw. The prize includes travel, $200 to spend, accommodation, and a meet and greet with Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May. Customers that are interested fulfilling a childhood dream should visit Amazon's website and fill out the entry form soon as the draw closes on July 12. The Grand Tour will launch this fall as an exclusive for Amazon Prime members with the exact city locations for studio records set to be revealed later this summer. Amazon, however, did reveal that the trio will host shows in the UK, US, and Germany. So there's no need to get too upset if you don't win the draw. With Top Gear getting a major shakeup with the departure of Chris Evans, we're itching to see Clarkson, Hammond, and May behind the wheel of cars again. The trio, it seems, is also excited to get the new show rolling as Clarkson posted a drifty video on his Facebook page. The trio are currently in Italy filming a comparison between an Aston Martin DB11, a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, and Rolls-Royce Dawn. The five-second clip has the Challenger Hellcat and DB11 drifting head-on into the camera crew, which is behind the wheel of an Alfa Romeo. News Source: Amazon, FacebookImage Credit: The Grand Tour TV/Movies Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Dodge the grand tour

Carfection gets an inside look at Aston's 800-hp Vulcan

Most of us will never get close to a beast like the Aston Martin Vulcan. After all, the British automaker will only build 24 of them, and each is priced at over $2 million. Fortunately our friends at Carfection (previously known as Xcar) have done it for us with this latest video. The Vulcan, for those unfamiliar, is Aston Martin's take on the same formula that brought us the likes of the McLaren P1 GTR and Ferrari FXX K (not to mention the 599XX and FXX that came before). Only by "us," we mean billionaire playboys with the funds and the will to play racing driver in track toys designed purely for their amusement. And where the McLaren and Ferrari are both mid-engined hybrids derived from road-going supercars – the former with a pair of turbochargers – the Vulcan is purpose-built for the task and packs an oversized, naturally aspirated 7.0-liter V12 mounted up front said to be good for 800 horsepower. It's more extreme than anything else Aston Martin has ever made for the street or racing. Check it out for yourself in the two-minute clip above to see how it's put together by the company's most skilled craftsmen. And don't forget to turn up the speakers. Related Video: News Source: Carfection via YouTube Aston Martin Coupe Supercars Videos viral video aston martin vulcan carfection