AstonMartin

Rusty Aston Martin Sells for £206,000 at Auction

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

The collector car market has spiraled to such an extent that seeing a car sell at auction for £206,000 (about $319k) barely even raises an eyebrow these days. But for that kind of money, you'd still expect the car to be in good condition, right? But that's how much one buyer paid recently for what is euphemistically being referred to as a "rolling restoration project" – auto-speak for a handyman's dream.

The car in question is a 1958 Aston Martin DB2/4 MkIII convertible. Or at least it once was. And when it was, it belonged to one David Brown, the former Aston Martin chief whose initials still adorn the company's svelte GTs to this day. Unfortunately the car sat in disrepair for 30 years since then, but after having been rediscovered was sold at auction by Barons at Sandown Park in Surrey, England.

Gallery: David Brown's 1958 Aston Martin DB2/4

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Tags: aston martin, aston martin db24, astonmartin, barons, david brown, sandown park

Aston Martin Cygnet Still Has a Racy Side

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Aston Martin Cygnet in Gulf Livery – Click above to enlarge

Aston Martin is an automaker with a history that's indelibly linked with racing... not to mention beautiful designs, attractive colors and, um, James Bond. But the British automaker has more recently signaled its intent to be known for offering a lavishly equipped fuel efficient city car that focus solely on transportation duties and not 0 to 60 times or top speeds.

Mostly. A quick run through the automaker's website shows that its not willing to let the Cygnet degrade its performance and racing image entirely. To wit, the little urban commuter is pictured in a number of scenarios that don't exactly scream "efficient transportation." For instance, there's an orange-helmeted Stig lookalike posing with the Aston in one scene.

Note too that the Cygnet can be customized with three different racing paint schemes, two of which focus on the classic British Racing Green of Aston Martin's current racers and a third that shows the Cygnet painted up in iconic Gulf livery. Feel free to check it out for yourself at AstonMartin.com.

[Source: Aston Martin]

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Tags: aston martin, Aston Martin Cygnet, AstonMartin, AstonMartinCygnet, cygnet, cygnet by aston martin, cygnet gulf, CygnetByAstonMartin, CygnetGulf, gulf, gulf livery, GulfLivery

Aston Martin CEO Explains Importance of Cygnet Minicar

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Green

Aston Martin builds some of the fastest, most desirable and undoubtedly most beautiful cars in the world by following a very simple formula. Front engine, rear-drive coupes (and sometimes sedans) powered by the biggest, most powerful engines available. As you would expect, fuel efficiency has historically been of very little concern.

Nowadays, though, that formula for success has a major flaw in that a line-up full of gas-guzzling machines doesn't make the populace (well, at least large portions of it) or the government particularly happy. Hence, Aston Martin has decided to offer another kind of vehicle entirely, one that hopefully will allow it continue merrily selling its favored line of supercars. Explains Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez:

First, we need a more sustainable product line-up... Second, we need to satisfy demand where we know it exists... Thirdly, we need to bring the company's fleet carbon emissions down. The Cygnet is perfect for that. This is just a small, stylish and efficient runabout: it doesn't need batteries or flywheels to be that way. So it's not pretending to be something it's not.

[Source: Autocar]

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Tags: aston martin, Aston Martin Cygnet, Aston Martin Cygnet concept, AstonMartin, AstonMartinCygnet, AstonMartinCygnetConcept, cygnet by aston martin, Cygnet concept, CygnetByAstonMartin, CygnetConcept

Kobe Bryant's Aston Martin Edition Nike Hyperdunks

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Shoes, Men's Style, Celebrity Design

Value isn't a term typically bantered about by collectors. Value for such enthusiasts exists on a different plain. If something's a must-have, then they must have it, and that's the value. Take, for example, these special edition Nike Hyperdunk basketball shoes. Nike's only making 500 pair, and they're already trading for as much as $700.

So what makes these so special? Not the shoes themselves, but the feat they supposedly represent. A couple of years ago NBA all-star Kobe Bryant appeared in a video for Nike in which he appeared to have jumped over an Aston Martin roadster that was speeding right at him. In the middle of the playoffs, no less. Bryant looked to have cleared the car, and people went nuts. Of course it was all camera tricks, even if he actually is capable of theoretically pulling it off.

That's what these shoes celebrate. They've got Kobe's signature embossed on the inside of the tongue, and Aston Martin's winged logo on the outside. Are they worth seven bills? Well, that depends... to who?

Gallery: Nike Hyperdunk Kobe Bryant Aston Martin Edition

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Tags: aston martin, AstonMartin, basketball, kicks, kobe, kobe bryant, KobeBryant, nike, nike hyperdunk, NikeHyperdunk, shoes, sneakers, sneaks

Aston Martin establishes British Series for Gentleman Racers

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Sports

As well as Aston Martin is known to discerning clients around the world for their top-of-the-line sportscars, in the world of motor racing, the stoic British marque is renowned as a force to be reckoned with. Aston's motorsport activities, however, extend beyond their own factory teams to provide customers with competition machines of their own in various classes of GT racing. The starting point is the Vantage GT4 and the Vantage N24 that came before it. Now that Aston has sold these client racing machines to gentleman racers and privateers around the world, the company is establishing its own spec racing series to give its clients a chance to race against each other on some of Britain's finest circuits in similar machinery.

Following in the footsteps of such championships as the Ferrari Challenge, Porsche Supercup and Lamborghini Super Trofeo – to say nothing of Aston's own Asia Cup – the Aston Martin British GT4 Championship is kicking off its first season, consisting of five races across the UK and one in Belgium. About $20k will get existing owners of race-spec Vantages a full season of racing, including transportation, hospitality and specially-made racing suits. The company's experienced race engineers will be on hand at each event to provide service that reaches from simple tire-swaps to a complete engine replacement. At the end of the season, the winner will get a chance to test drive either a GT2 or GT3-level Aston Martin racing car.

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Tags: aston, aston martin, aston martin british gt4 championship, aston martin gt4, aston martin vantage, AstonMartin, AstonMartinBritishGt4Championship, AstonMartinGt4, AstonMartinVantage

Aston Martin Rapide Watch Key

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Luxury Cars & Autos

No more fumbling around looking for car keys or lugging chunky and unattractive key fobs around for owners of the new Aston Martin Rapide as Jaeger-LeCoultre has partnered with the car-maker to come out with this stylish AMVOX2 Transponder Rapide, a timepiece that does double-duty as a car key. Simply touch between the 8 and 9 to unlock, between the 3 and 4 to lock, or touch them both simultaneously to trigger the 'find me' feature where the headlamps light up for easy spotting.

The AMVOX2 Transponder Rapide is the result of over 18 months of research and engineering to miniaturize the car's transponder key in order to fit it into and around the workings of a timepiece without sacrificing style, and it can be yours for just £21,850 (or about $33,800).

Via Trendhunter

Gallery: Aston Martin Rapide

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Tags: aston martin, AstonMartin, car keys, CarKeys, jaeger-lecoultre, jaegerlecoultre, rapide, watch, watch key, watches, WatchKey

Filthy Rich Arab Buys TEN Aston Martin One-77s

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Wealth

According to a new report a single and obviously incredibly rich buyer in the Middle East has shelled out for not one but ten Aston-Martin One-77 supercars which cost $1.7 million apiece. The unnamed buyer - we're guessing oil sheik - apparently paid a premium to get the cars sent to his desert demesne, bringing the total cost of the cars to $23 million. He is reportedly planning to give one to each member of his immediate family. Sounds like a pretty popular guy. Aston Martin unveiled the car last year and announced that only 77 examples would be made. With a low weight carbon fiber monocoque, the sexy beast's 7.3-liter V12 engine with 750 hp helps it hit a top speed of 220 mph.

[via AutoGuide / TopSpeed]

Tags: Aston Martin, Aston Martin One-77, AstonMartin, AstonMartinOne-77, Middle East, MiddleEast, supercar, UAE

Aston Martin Cygnet Spied on the Streets of London's Soho District

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Plenty has been written about the Aston Martin Cygnet, and much of it has been less than enthusiastic. After all, how does one connect the dots between a tiny, efficient and low-performance city car and the British sporting brand's super high-performance models? Apparently, that would be with Aston's signature front fascia along with an interior swathed in the requisite leather and unobtanium surfaces. Oh, and a suitably high price tag, no doubt.

Whether or not the Cygnet is a good idea, it certainly seems as if Aston Martin is pushing forward with the launch of the 3+1, which is based on the diminutive Toyota iQ. Proof of such can be seen in this series of spy photos, which show the Cygnet out and about in London's fashion-forward Soho district. The mini-mobile will be offered first to current Aston Martin owners, then it may see a limited release in select European dealerships later this year, assuming sufficient demand is found.

[Source: Secret New Cars]

Tags: aston, aston cygnet, aston martin, Aston Martin Cygnet, aston martin cygnet spy shots, AstonCygnet, AstonMartin, AstonMartinCygnet, AstonMartinCygnetSpyShots, cygnet

Cufflinks Made from Prince Charles' Aston Martin

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Men's Style

A while back when Prince Charles converted his beloved 1970 Aston Martin DB6 Volante, a 21st birthday present from his mummy the Queen of England, to run on wine, there were some spare engine parts left over. Now London-based TMB Artmetal, makers of "provenance" items fashioned from parts of automotive, aeronautic, locomotive and maritime icons, has come out with limited edition cufflinks made from the original aluminum engine pistons removed during the conversion. There are two editions of 100 pairs, each priced at £995 or about $1,600, finished with 18ct gold. One edition is an exact, miniature sculpture of the DB6 Volante, whilst the other replicates the car's iconic wheel spinners – the quick-release fixing that secures the Aston's wheels. All profits go to Charles' youth charity, The Prince's Trust.

[via Duncan Quinn]

Tags: Aston Martin, AstonMartin, biofuel, British royalty, BritishRoyalty, cufflinks, London, Prince Charles, PrinceCharles, Queen of England, QueenOfEngland, UK

Conquisto Lamborghini SUV Concept

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Aston Martin's Lagonda SUV concept unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show is, in the words of our correspondent, "an awkwardly-styled crossover with a huge gaping mouth and unattractive shape." An unlikely idea from the famed British marque, we'd say it needs more work. Even unlikelier perhaps is the prospect of an SUV from Lamborghini, though Belgian designer David Cardoso has come up with an idea of what such a creature could look like. Dubbed the Conquisto, the two-door vehicle looks a bit like a jacked-up Gallardo, while the four-pipe sports exhaust system and massive air intakes front and rear indicate a beast lurking beneath the bonnet. While you may not be crazy about the idea it at least manages to retain much of the marque's aggressively sporty spirit.

Tags: Aston Martin, AstonMartin, concept car, ConceptCar, Lamborghini, SUV

Aston Martin May Build Hybrid Lagonda SUV, Electric Cygnet

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Green

Aston Martin Lagonda Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Are hybrid drivetrains befitting of a premium luxury and performance brand? Well, that depends on who you ask. According to such diverse automakers as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Rolls-Royce and even Ferrari and Lamborghini, the answer is 'yes'. Aston Martin CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez, though, reportedly believes otherwise. "The current hybrid technologies are not suited to the character of Aston Martin sports cars," explains Bez.

We're not so sure we agree, especially since Aston's long-planned Lagonda revival – which may or may not come wrapped in an ungainly SUV package – is rumored to be equipped with a hybrid powertrain. After all, the torque-rich nature of electric motors certainly wouldn't be a bad thing for a luxury tourer.

A few branches up on the green tree, Aston Martin's tiny Toyota iQ-based Cygnet minicar could quite possibly get a fully electric drivetrain, which would seem to make sense given that car's stated mission as an urban runabout for those times when a V12 Vanquish could be considered overkill. Beautiful, sonorous, splendid overkill...

Gallery: Lagonda Concept

[Source: Autotelegraaf.nl via Motor Authority]

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Tags: aston martin, Aston Martin Cygnet, aston martin hybrid, aston martin lagonda, AstonMartin, AstonMartinCygnet, AstonMartinHybrid, AstonMartinLagonda, cygnet, electric cygnet, ElectricCygnet, Lagonda, lagonda concept, lagonda crossover, lagonda hybrid, lagonda suv, LagondaConcept, LagondaCrossover, LagondaHybrid, LagondaSuv

Rare $1 Million Aston Martin in Arizona Auction

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

An extremely rare alloy-bodied 1963 Aston Martin DB4 GT (above), one of only 75 built, is expected to fetch up to $1 million at RM Auctions' Automobiles of Arizona event at the Biltmore Resort and Spa in Phoenix on January 21. The exclusive competition variant of Aston's famed DB4, the model was formally introduced in September 1959 at the London Motor Show and was based on the race winning prototype driven to victory at Silverstone in May 1959 by the great Stirling Moss. The example on offer is the last DB4 GT built and underwent a complete restoration during 1994-95. The car has a luxurious Connolly leather interior with Wilton wool carpets, handles like a race car and does 150 mph.

Tags: Arizona, Aston Martin, AstonMartin, Biltmore Resort, BiltmoreResort, classic cars, ClassicCars, Phoenix, RM Auctions, RmAuctions, Stirling Moss, StirlingMoss

Aston Martin Takes Another Look at the Lagonda Concept

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Ever meet a pair of siblings and notice one excels at everything and the other's a bit of a deadbeat? That's Aston Martin Lagonda Limited. If you're wondering what the Lagonda part is for, you're on the right track. It forms the full name of the company best known for producing James Bond's automobile of choice, but while Aston Martins are some of the most beautiful and successful sportscars on the road or track, Lagonda is considerably less so.

The automotive marque originally founded in 1906 was acquired by Aston Martin in 1947, and though Aston's tried at several intervals to revitalize its sister brand, not much good has ever come from it. Most recently, the company announced the rebirth of Lagonda, unveiling the concept car you see above at the 2009 Geneva auto show. It was supposed to be a luxurious crossover, based on the Mercedes GL-Class and powered by a V12 engine. Reception was rather cold, and Aston pulled the concept after the first day. But now it's back, courtesy of a new batch of photos released by Aston Martin's PR department. What they're up to – and why they've brought the one project that failed back to light – is beyond us, but you can have a look for yourself in the fresh gallery below.

Gallery: Lagonda Concept

Tags: aston, aston martin, aston martin lagonda, aston martin lagonda concept, aston martin lagonda limited, AstonMartin, AstonMartinLagonda, AstonMartinLagondaConcept, AstonMartinLagondaLimited, lagonda, lagonda concept, LagondaConcept

Aston Martin Launches Revised V8 Vantage for 2010

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Aston Martin's V8 Vantage is already deemed one of the most proportionally perfect sportscars on the market, so the British automaker would be wise not to mess with it too much. Fortunately they've kept the revisions mild as reports surface of an update for the 2010 model year.

The 2010 Aston Martin V8 Vantage benefits from new tail-lights, side sills and mess inserts for the exterior vents, plus a new list of optional equipment: 19" forged aluminum alloy ten-spoke wheels, lightweight carbon-kevlar seats and a 1000-watt Bang & Olufsen stereo system.

They've also cut the car's carbon emissions (down to 315 g/km for the manual transmission and 300 for the Sportshift), and the order books are reportedly open now ahead of deliveries beginning early in the new year.

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Tags: 2010 aston martin v8 vantage, 2010AstonMartinV8Vantage, aston, aston martin, aston martin v8 vantage, aston martin vantage, aston v8 vantage, aston vantage, AstonMartin, AstonMartinV8Vantage, AstonMartinVantage, AstonV8Vantage, AstonVantage

Jaeger-LeCoultre AMVOX2 Racing Paris Chronograph for Aston Martin

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Luxury Cars & Autos

Between Panerai and Ferrari, Breitling and Bentley and the countless other watchmaker-automaker collaborations, few are as convincing as Jaeger-LeCoultre and Aston Martin. The former's timepieces are every bit as alluring and finely-crafted as the latter's sportscars, but this has to be the finest yet.

The second of two special edition racing chronographs, the Jaeger-LeCoultre AMVOX2 Chronograph Racing Paris honors Aston's considerable Le Mans racing prowess. It features JLC's own 751E movement, just five and a half millimeters thick and an innovative system that allows the wearer to lock and unlock the doors of an Aston sportscar right from the watch itself. Pretty trick, and while there are many editions of the AMVOX2 available, only 24 examples of this particular one will be produced, available exclusively from the Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique on Place Vendome in Paris.

Gallery: Jaeger-LeCoultre AMVOX2 Chronograph Racing Paris