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Aston Martin gets to work on DB9 successor

Introduced over a decade ago, the DB9 is by now the oldest model in the Aston Martin lineup. It predates the arrival of the V8 Vantage, outlasted the Virage and DBS that spun off from it, and outlived the One-77, V12 Zagato and Cygnet that have all come and gone over the length of its tenure. But soon the current DB9 will be retired. In its place, we're looking forward to an all-new model to spell the beginning of the end of Aston's long-serving VH architecture and restrict the ubiquity of the 6.0-liter V12. In their place, as we well know, the DB9's successor will be based on an all-new aluminum platform and be powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 to be furnished by Mercedes-AMG. Though AML insists that the engine is being developed by both parties and built by AMG to Aston's exact specifications, Autocar reports that it will be the same unit being developed for Mercedes' own models, with modifications limited to ECU, exhaust and possibly turbo boost, but with no internal modifications. Even as-is, the engine is expected to produce almost as much power as the DB9's current V12 but a bit more torque – which, combined with the lower weight, ought to make Aston's new core GT quicker than the one it will replace. Rather than using the new eight-speed automatic introduced for the latest twelve-cylinder Vanquish and Rapide S, the current DB9 is expected to continue using the old six-speed slushbox until its replacement goes with Mercedes' new nine-speed unit. Expect a step forward in styling but with familiar Aston cues, potentially previewed by the Zagato one-off pictured above and the new Lagonda sedan, when it arrives in 2016. The big question is what Aston will call the next-gen DB9. It skipped the DB8 when naming the replacement for the DB7 – ostensibly to show how big a step it was, but probably also to avoid confusion over its cylinder count. We couldn't imagine Aston going backwards in its naming scheme, but whether it sticks with DB9, moves on to DB10 or jumps to DB11, one thing's for sure: it will definitely carry the initials of the company's former president David Brown. When reached for comment on the development of the DB9 successor and what that would mean for the future of the V8 Vantage, Aston Martin spokesman Matthew Clarke told Autoblog: "Part of our agreement with Mercedes is specifically for V8 engine development but never have we anywhere made any comment as to where such engines would or wouldn't be used."

How to lease an Aston Martin for $1,900 a month, but drive it for free

A sad fact of life is that we can't always get what we want, but that doesn't mean it hurts to dream. For many drivers that yearning is for an exotic sports car that rests well outside their financial grasp. Aston Martin seems to be taunting those folks now with a way that makes the company's luxury GTs seem just a little more attainable. Ally Financial is the brand's new lease partner, and one of the announced deals offers a new V12 Vantage S coupe for $1,900 a month. For that money, customers get a vehicle capable of reaching 60 miles per hour in a scant 3.7 seconds thanks to a 6.0-liter V12 making 565 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque with a seven-speed automated manual gearbox. Still, $1,900 a month is hardly a bargain for most people, especially for a leased vehicle that eventually needs to be turned in. In fact the deal works out to $22,800 a year or about $63 a day. Of course, getting the chance to drive a V12 Vantage S for a little while might make the money worth it. That got us thinking: how could we offset the cost of this lease? There's a company called RelayRides that's essentially Airbnb for cars. People list vehicles, set a price, and the company covers the insurance. The renter is even supposed to replace any used gas, which might be a lot with the V12 Vantage. After browsing the service, normal transportation seems to hover around $50 a day, but high-end rides can go for a lot more. We found examples like a 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class for $135, a 2013 Tesla Model S for $199, a 2006 Porsche 911 for $189, and a 2012 Cayman for $195. You can probably see where we are going with this: rent the Vantage to recoup some (or all) of the monthly payment. Hiring out the Aston Martin every day seems highly unlikely, and in that case you never get to drive. Instead, offer it at $190. Clearly, the coupe's not alone in this price range, and the Vantage only needs to be out of your hands for 10 days a month to repay itself. For the rest of the time, you're behind the wheel. Obviously this is not any kind of financial advice. Depending on the popularity of RelayRides in a given area, an owner might be forking over the whole month's $1,900 to Aston Martin. Explain in Comments, if you can think of any other legal ways to use the Vantage to pay back it's monthly lease.

2012 Pebble Beach Concept Car Lawn offers a tutorial in cars to come

The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is a showcase for some of the world's most exquisite vintage vehicles, but if newer metal is more your speed, the Concept Car Lawn is the place to be.
This year saw models from Bugatti, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, McLaren and Bentley as well as SRT, Hennessey, Infiniti and Lexus among others. The ultimate sampler platter of exotic and concept vehicles saw the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse mingle with the Lamborghini Urus Concept and the mighty Hennessey Venom GT, though we found ourselves particularly smitten with the BMW Zagato Roadster and the Aston Martin Vanquish.
Not that we could go wrong anywhere we looked. The 2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed seemed perfectly content parked on the manicured putting green, as did the McLaren MP4-12C Spider. Get cozy with the full gallery below to see the smattering of metal on the lawn.