Archive for Aston Martin

British sports car maker; Aston Martin has revealed the One-77 super car at the Geneva Motor Show. The One-77, which will only be produced on a limited 77-unit production run features a 7.3 liter dry sump V12 which is based on the 6.0 liter V12 block and developed with Cosworth. Horse power is figured at slightly more than 750HP.

The One-77 which features a lightweight and immensely rigid carbon fiber monocoque structural core comes with Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve (DSSV) technology, Carbon Ceramic Matrix brakes, Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires (255/35 ZR20 front, 335/30 ZR20 rear) and an improved version of the 6 speed robotized sequential manual.

The auto maker has yet to release confirmed information regarding the One-77, but has revealed that it is projecting weight figure to hover around the 1,500 kg region and that naught to 100 km/h sprint figure is expected to be 3.5 seconds while top speed is expected to be in excess of 320 km/h. Continue reading to view an image gallery.

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British sports car maker; Aston Martin has revealed the open-top DBS Volante V12 ahead of its Geneva debut next week. With a fabric convertible top which is designed to copy the silhouette of the DBS coupe, the DBS Volante becomes the company’s 16th top-less vehicle. It takes 14 seconds to operate the convertible and the operation can be performed at speeds of up to 48 km/h.

Power is derived from Aston’s hand built all alloy 6.0 liter V12 (quad overhead camshaft, 48-valve) front-mid mounted engine that is able to kick out 510 HP and 570 Nm of chassis twisting torque. The Volante features a top speed of 307 km/h and a naught to 100 km/h figure of 4.3 seconds. The 2+2-seater convertible’s engine is coupled with a rear-mounted 6 speed manual gearbox, while a 6 speed ‘Touchtronic 2′ (with electronic shift-by-wire) option is also available for those you who prefer to leave gear changes to the tranny.

The DBS Volante with High Intensity Discharge (HID) head lights up front and LED tail light at the back features high performance carbon ceramic brakes as standard, with ventilated carbon ceramic discs, 398 mm diameter with six-piston calipers up front and ventilated carbon ceramic discs, 360 mm diameter with four-piston calipers at the back.

Suspension wise, the north end is set up with independent double wishbone incorporating anti-dive geometry, coil springs, anti-roll bar and monotube dampers while down south features independent double wishbones with anti-squat and anti-lift geometry, coil springs, anti-roll bar and monotube dampers. The dampers feature Adaptive Damping technology.

The Volante which measures 4721 mm in length, 1905 mm in width and 1280 mm in height with a wheelbase of 2740 mm has its interior which is finished in full grain leather fitted with; heated sports seats with electric adjustment and memory settings, trip computer, LED map light, Hard Disk Drive (HDD) satellite navigation system, Bluetooth connectivity, Tire Pressure Monitor, Battery disconnect switch and much more.

With the roll-over protection system, the safety features of the convertible is made up of dual-stage driver and passenger front airbags as well as side airbags, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) as well as traction control.

To give a more defined spirited driving experience, the DBS Volante includes a “Sports” driving mode that engages; a more aggressive gear shift strategy as gear changes feel sharper and more forceful, engine speed matching on downshifts is more aggressive and in full automatic mode, up shifts occur at higher engine speeds. There is also a designated ‘Track’ mode which automatically sets all dampers to their firmest positions, making it ideal for circuit driving.

Drivers can select and press the button for two seconds to engage DSC ‘Track’ mode which raises the threshold at which the DSC system intervenes, to allow the car’s rear to step out further. Holding the button for four seconds disables DSC completely leaving everything to the driver’s skill.

As standard, the DBS Volante comes with a Bang & Olufsen’s BeoSound audio system that features 13 individual speakers and Bang & Olufsen’s unique Digital Signal Processing system for your ear-satisfying pleasure. Other optional accessories include; 20 inch wheel packages comprising of 20-spoke alloy wheels with graphite finish, 10-spoke diamond-turned alloy wheels and 10-spoke diamond-turned alloy wheels with graphite finish, Piano Black fascia trim and centre console surround for the interior as well as a tracking device.

Aston Martin has given us a preview of the Aston Martin V12 Vantage, based on the successful V8 Vantage model. Under the hood is a 6.0 liter V12 putting out 510 horsepower and a massive 570Nm of torque, which can take the coupe up to 100km/h in just 4.2 seconds. A concept version of the car was unveiled in late 2007, and this production version will be revealed just over a year later at the Geneva motorshow in March 2009.

Externally, the V12 Vantage looks similiar to the V8 Vantage, but under the hood there have been some engineering changes especially at the front to fit the larger engine. The rear suspension gets a more compact dual-rate spring design to accommodate the wider rear wheels. The transaxle gearbox’s (tranxle = mounted at the rear, to help with weight distribution) final ratio has also been modified from 3.909:1 to 3.71:1, to allow a higher top speed and lower cruising engine speed as made available by the higher torque levels. It also has an LSD.

There are two driving modes – a regular normal mode and a Sport mode that can be activated at the touch of a button. This gives the driver sharper throttle response and a sportier exhaust note. A revised stability control system allows the driver to either leave it on, enter a more lenient “track mode”, or completely switch it off, much like BMW with its DSC, DTC and DSC off modes.

The V12 Vantage’s standard brakes are Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brakes, which are cooled by air ducts positioned within the front grille. These brakes are a massive 398mm in diameter with 6 pistons at the front and 360mm at the rear with 4 pistons. They are also 12.5kg lighter than regular brakes while being tougher and having better heat dissipation properties.

This is the Aston Martin equivalent of say, shoehorning the large 5.0 liter V10 engine from the M5 into the BMW M3. Given that even in Malaysia the difference in price between the M3 and the M3 is just a little over RM100k, why not just go out and buy an M5, or in this case an Aston Martin DBS?

Look after the jump for more photos and a full spec list.

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We are in the midst of a financial depression but apparently the rich are still thriving, perhaps enjoying the freed-up money that they have from laying off extra workers. Earlier this month we heard news of Maserati making a come-back to Malaysia. Next up is Aston Martin, another maker of sexy high-end sports cars.

There’s apparently an Aston Martin showroom being built on Jalan Genting Kelang near Berjaya’s Sri Pelangi condos. A quick check with Bursa Malaysia filings (page 160) shows that a unit of Berjaya Land Berhad had actually purchased a 49.9% share of Singaporean company Aston Martin Lagonda (S.E.A.) Pte Ltd for RM8.47 million back in 2006. AML SEA is the dealer for Aston Martin in Malaysia and Singapore.

Looks like Berjaya’s making a big re-entry into the automotive market. It now deals with Mazda, Skoda, Changan, Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles and soon Aston Martin. Berjaya has also secured rights to sell Changan cars in Vietnam. Pretty soon we’ll be able to see more of the DBS, DB9 and in the future the Rapide on the road, I hope!

Click here to read the rest of Official Aston Martin showroom in Malaysia

This is apparently a new rendering of the production version Aston Martin Rapide that has found its way onto the internet. The rendering shows that it’s pretty much very near to the concept car that was displayed at the 2006 Detroit show. A previously released rendering of the front end of the production car (you will find this image after the jump) shows the futuristic headlamps have been replaced with conventional projector headlamps.

Now seriously, this is how a sedan based on sports car design language should look now. An Aston Martin’s coupe-like form is much easier to transform into a sedan compared to a Porsche’s frog-hatch stance. Expect a price range of between US$160,000 to US$175,000 in markets with realistic prices, and add the necessary taxes and etcetra for the Malaysian price.

Look after the jump for a photo gallery of the concept from 2006.

Click here to read the rest of Aston Martin Rapide’s rear end revealed!

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage now comes with a 4.7 liter engine, but lucky drivers of the 4.3 liter V8 Vantage who may not feel as lucky as they should be because they feel left out thanks to their now “outdated” car can hop along for the ride tanks to a new power enhancement upgrade which boosts their engine power from 380hp to 400hp and torque from 410Nm to 420Nm. Of course, this is still lower than the new V8 Vantage’s 420hp and 470Nm figures of course, thanks to its larger engine.

This power upgrade uses a new induction system based on the technology used in the Aston Martin DBS. It uses a pair of switching airbox-valves that open at 5,500rpm to allow more air into the engine, resulting in more power produced in a controlled manner. The ECU has also been reprogrammed with new software with revised ignition timing, and the ability to recognise higher octane fuel to maximise performance.

Another upgrade available is the Sports Pack, which comprises of uprated springs and Bilstein dampers which improve the car’s handling. Also included in the Sports Pack are lightweight forced aluminium wheels in a 5-spoke design to reduce unsprung mass.

I just caught the latest installment in the James Bond universe – the Quantum of Solace over the weekend. I’m abit disappointed that the sexy Aston Martin DBS did not get much screentime other than an initial heated car chase scene.

Instead, Bond goes on to drive a few SUVs from the Ford group of marques, though the makers did try to “balance” them out with a fuel efficient small car.

Let’s have a look at the cars of the Quantum Solace.

Click here to read the rest of Cars used in the Bond movie Quantum of Solace

While a select group of the world’s rich and famous are looking forward to delivery of their custom Aston Martin One-77, race teams can now look forward to purchasing the new Aston Martin Vantage GT4 racecar, based on the new 4.7 liter V8 Vantage. This model succeeds the previous 4.3L Vantage N24 car.

The new Aston Martin Vantage GT4 is built to FIA GT4 specs and can compete in the following races: the FIA GT4 European Cup; British GT4 Championship; Britcar Endurance Series; German GT4 Championship; Dutch Supercar Challenge; Dutch GT4 Championship; VLN Endurance Championship at the Nurburgring; Australian Endurance Championship; the American SCCA Championship; and the Aston Martin Owners Club Race Series.

Other than the obviously larger engine, the car also gets larger front brake discs with revised cooling design and modified front uprights to give increased camber. The larger 4.7 liter V8 engine has had its ECU tuned for race use, and gets a free-flow exhaust system to let the V8 breathe and exhale without restriction. As the standard engine already has a dry-sump lubrication system to prevent oil surge during sideways motions, that is retained. Either a 6-speed manual or a Sportshift transmission can be specified.

At 1,330kg, the GT4 car is about 300 kilos lighter than the standard car, thanks to a range of weight reduction procedures which include stripping the interior bare of trim except for the fascia mounting which is rewrapped with Alcantara. The door and console casings have been replaced with new lightweight mouldings. Further race preparation include a high-strength steel rollcage, a Sabelt 6-point safety harness with a push-button release, a Lifeline Zero 360 gas fire extinguisher, and Recaro competition seats.

Also, all active safety systems are carried over from the road car – dynamic stability control, traction control, ABS and electronic brakeforce distribution, so that should help to keep the car out of trouble though like the road car, you can switch some of them off.

More images of the car available after the jump.

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The leakage of unreleased photos of a car onto the internet way before the manufacturer does a public unveiling seems to be happening more and more these days, and this time we have the honour of drooling over badass-looking product shots of the ultra exclusive and expensive Aston Martin One-77 way before its launch.

From these photos we can see that the Aston Martin One-77 keeps the classic Aston Martin shape and most of its design cues as well – the gaping front grille and the sleek wrap-around tail lamp clusters. Unlike your classic sleek and understated Aston Martin, the car is littered all-over with aggressive design elements such as on the door and on the engine hood, which I’m not really sure I like. The headlamps look like they’ve been stopped abruptly before extending to the front of the recessed area where they sit by a gaping slit – presumably this is the air intake to cool the massive front brakes needed to stop the 700hp V12-powered car.

Only 77 units are available and after knocking on the doors of the rich and famous, Aston Martin managed to find over 100 people who were interested. Aston Martin is keeping to its promise of only making 77 though, and according to them, the customization list is so vast and detailed that its most likely no two Aston Martin One-77s will be alike.

Look after the jump for three more angles of the One-77.

Source

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Two more photos of the upcoming ultra expensive Aston Martin One-77 have been released, depicting the car in a front 3/4 and rear 3/4 view.

It looks like an Aston Martin alright, but alot more aggressive thanks to the nice bodywork they’ve done on the side of the car. Like its namesake, if you manage to be one of the lucky buyers, you will own one of 77 units of the limited edition Aston Martin One-77.

Word is that the car’s V12 engine will be front mid-mounted and will have 7.3 liters of displacement, putting out a targeted 700 horsepower. This will be mated to a twin clutch transmission mounted at the rear for optimum weight distribution.

Look after the jump for the rear 3/4 view and a previously released side view.

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Aston Martin One-77: more details revealed

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