Nother CarGuy

Aston Martin is upping its performance game by unveiling the new DBS Superleggera Volante. Billed as the fastest convertible ever made by Aston Martin, the DBS Superleggera Volante has a twin-turbo 5.2-liter V12 engine that produces 715 hp (533 kW / 725 PS) and 664 lb-ft (900Nm) of torque. It is connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission which enables the car to accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 3.6 seconds and 0-100 mph (161 km/h) in 6.7 seconds. Given enough room, the model will eventually top out at 211 mph (340 km/h). Styling largely carries over from the coupe, but Aston Martin says the model has been equipped with deeper side strakes which draw more air from the front wheel arches to reduce lift and aid high-speed stability. The convertible also has a revised Aeroblade ll system that provides additional downforce at the rear end. Speaking of the latter, the DBS Superleggera Volante produces 390 lbs (177 kg) of downforce which is just 6.6 lbs (3 kg) less t...

As the Aston Martin Vanquish enters the final phase of its production life, the British marque has unveiled a limited-edition model, dubbed the Vanquish S Ultimate. Limited to just 175 units worldwide, customers will have the option of buying the Vanquish S Ultimate in Coupe or Volante guise in one of three different exterior color schemes and interior trim packages. The first of these ‘Designer Themes’ sees the car painted in Ultimate Black and complemented by Copper Bronze accents on the front air intake, side sills, and rear diffuser. Additionally, the car has numerous carbon fiber accents and an interior featuring Obsidian Black leather with Chestnut Tan accents, stitching, and carbon. If this finish isn’t to the taste of customers, a second Designer Theme is offered. It combines Xenon Grey paint with contrasting Cobalt Blue accents, yellow brake calipers, black 5-spoke wheels, Electron Yellow accents in the cabin, Phantom Grey leather upholstery and Spectral Blue...

Joining the V12-powered DB11 that was launched last year, and the newer AMG V8-powered model, this third member of the DB11 family features a fabric roof, available in a choice of Bordeaux red, black silver, and grey silver. The soft-top has new acoustic and insulation materials, and 8-layer roof cossets, that keep occupants away from the wind noise and unpleasant weather. It takes 14 seconds to lower and 16 seconds to raise, and it can be operated at speeds of up to 31mph (50km/h). Aston Martin promises that the new roof mechanism is as reliable as they come, after testing it to the extremes in special weather conditions, where it was subjected to more than 100,000 cycles, thus compressing 10 years of use into one month. Overall, the DB11 Volante was punished in various locations around the globe, from Death Valley to the Arctic Circle. But the new Aston Martin DB11 Volante is more than just a pretty face, as it's based on its fixed-roof siblings' aluminum ...

Aston Martin has released the first pictures of the Vanquish Zagato Speedster and Shooting Brake. Set to join the previously announced Coupe and Volante, the latest two additions are already a hit as Aston Martin has sold out of its entire production run of the Speedster. This is an impressive feat as the model isn't slated to go into production until next year. The Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake is the newest entry to the lineup and it boasts a dramatic body which is sure to garner plenty of attention. Aston Martin only released a couple of pictures of the model but the company says the vehicle is a "strict two-seater" with a unique roof which has a glass inlay that allows light to flood into the cabin. Speaking of the interior, the Shooting Brake has herringbone carbon fiber trim, anodized bronze controls, and optional aniline leather upholstery. Buyers will also find a power tailgate which opens to reveal a "luxuriously trimmed rear cabin area" compl...

Aston Martin has announced plans to unveil the new Vanquish Zagato Volante at Pebble Beach. Recently caught undergoing testing on the Nürburgring, the model combines classic Aston Martin elegance with a striking design by Zagato. Full details will be released next month, but the model will be powered by a 6.0-liter V12 engine that produces 592 hp (441 kW). The company believes this will enable the car to accelerate from 0-60 mph in just 3.7 seconds. Production will be limited to 99 units and the company says all of them have already been spoken for. Besides introducing the Vanquish Zagato Volante, Aston Martin use Pebble Beach to stage the North American debut of the Rapide AMR. Billed as the "world’s fastest and most thrilling four-door" sedan, the model features a new front splitter, an enlarged grille, and aerodynamic side skirts. The car has also been equipped with a sporty rear diffuser, a four-tailpipe exhaust system, and 21-inch alloy wheels. A naturally...

Aston Martin has a storied history with custom coachbuilding that extends long past the point at which most automakers gave up the practice. That typically takes shape in association with Zagato, but Kahn Design got in on the action at the Geneva show last year when it unveiled the Vengeance. A year later, Kahn is back with (another) Vengeance, this time taking down the top to make a Volante version. Like the coupe revealed last year, the Vengeance Volante is based on the Aston Martin DB9, but replaces the subtly elegant bodywork with a more emphatic form. That includes wider fenders, a thicker grille, and wheels that look like they could moonlight on a roulette table. The bodywork is all crafted in the UK “using traditional British coachbuilding techniques,” with an interior swaddled in black leather, fluted and stitched by hand. “Creating a convertible version of the Vengeance posed some challenges, given the unique coach built nature of the vehicle, but we’ve overcome them ...

Fans of Aston Martin visiting the Geneva Motor Show next month will get to see the new  Vanquish S Volante  – the convertible version of potentially the ultimate naturally aspirated British GT to date. But that won't be the only twelve-cylinder drop-top Aston on display: Kahn Design will also be on hand with the Vengeance Volante. As you may recall,  Kahn revealed the Vengeance  coupe at the same show last year. It's based on the  Aston Martin DB9  but features fresh bodywork – not unlike all those  Zagato-bodied Astons  we've seen over the years.  Now the firm known principally for customizing Land Rovers is preparing a convertible version of the Vengeance, which promises to embody the same muscular attitude as the coupe while embracing the open-air driving experience. "Creating a convertible version of the Vengeance posed some challenges, given the unique coach built nature of the vehicle,” said Afzal Kahn, “but we’ve overcome them in tr...

Just when you though Aston Martins couldn’t become  more beautiful , the British brand has just taken the top off the Vanquish S Volante. As the name implies, the new convertible is based around the immensely pretty Aston Martin  Vanquish S  unveiled late last year. That means that it continues to be powered by a naturally-aspirated 5.9-liter V12 engine delivering 594 hp at 7,000 rpm and 465 lb-ft of torque at 5,500 rpm. As with the coupe, drive is then sent to the rear wheels courtesy of a re-calibrated 8-speed Touchtronic III transmission. Compared to the run-of-the-mill Vanquish Volante, the  S-badged model  also benefits from a new exhaust system with quad tailpipes. retuned suspension components and updated anti-roll bar bushes. Among the most obvious visual tweaks a carbon fiber-clad front fascia and splitter, new aerodynamic side skirts and an overhauled rear-end with a menacing diffuser, the aforementioned quad tailpipes and a flurry of carbon accen...

Hot off the heels of the  Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato's launch, the British marque has unveiled the Volante derivative at the ongoing Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in the U.S. As with the hardtop, just 99 examples of the Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Volante will be produced, likely priced at over 500,000 euros ($566,000) each. The droptop is particularly special as it follows on from a selection of other limited-run convertible Zagato models, like the DB7 Zagato, the 2003  DB AR1  and the original V8 Vantage Volante of 1987. Design wise, the Vanquish Zagato Volante is identical to the coupe albeit for the lack of a fixed roof, now replaced by a folding fabric design. This means that compared to the standard Vanquish Volante, the Zagato-designed model is bathed in a number of unique styling elements like the bespoke front fascia and fog lights and the same overhauled rear end of the coupe.  As with the coupe, the stunning taillights also bare a striking resembl...