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Xcar weighs in on the five best-sounding modern cars

Getting behind the wheel of a well-balanced vehicle can be a wonderfully visceral experience, thanks to the combined feeling of things like the weight of the steering, the bite of the brakes, and, of course, the roar of the engine. Unfortunately, many of the sensations of driving require actually being in the driver's seat to understand them, but thankfully the intoxicating noise of a beautifully tuned internal combustion engine can be shared with everyone. In a new video, Xcar shares their opinion on the five best-sounding modern performance cars. The list is a symphony of horsepower. As opposed to keeping all of the vehicles brand new, Xcar actually picks a few that are recently off the market. They're all definitely champs, though. While the list itself is well stocked, you might be able to argue with the specific order, and it would be nice to hear a few participants from outside of Europe for a collection like this one, too. No matter. Every listener is sure to find something they like in the bunch, though. Turn up the volume and enjoy.

Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider loses roof, swaps doors, keeps the speed

The Aston Martin Valkyrie family has officially expanded to three models with the introduction of the Valkyrie Spider at Monterey Car Week. And as the name suggests, it's a convertible. The new roof required a few tweaks, but the car is still basically the same as the hardtop. The Valkyrie Spider's roof is a removable hardtop made of carbon fiber and featuring hinged polycarbonate windows on either side. This is to allow easier entry and exit with the roof in place. Also, because the roof is removable, the Spider couldn't have the gull-wing doors of the coupe. So Aston Martin reengineered it to have butterfly doors. A few other undisclosed aerodynamic changes were made, too. Though Aston Martin didn't say by how much, the company did say the Spider is a bit heavier than its closed counterpart. But owners are unlikely to really notice since they'll be working with the same 1,139 horsepower from the 6.5-liter V12. And really, even if the weight change were noticeable, it would probably be covered up by the fact that you'll be able to hear that engine much better. It's still extremely fast, capable of around 205 mph with the top off, and around 217 mph with the top in place. Aston will build 85 Valkyrie Spiders. No pricing or availability was given, and there's a distinct possibility all the examples have been sold already. The people who are lucky enough to get one should expect their cars to arrive in the second half of 2022. Related video:

Aston Martin find unique way to recycle scraps of leather

Ever wonder what happens to the scraps of leather left over after skilled craftsmen are done upholstering the interior of a luxury automobile? There's a lot of hide left over, as we've seen first-hand from visiting the upholstery workshops at various factories, but much of the waste is made up of tiny cutoffs. Some of those pieces might be used for repair kits, some scraps for smaller pieces of merchandise, while others might be sold to nearby craftsmen. Aston Martin found a different use for some of its leftovers. The British automaker put down a canvas in the VIP atrium at its headquarters in Gaydon, UK, and equipped a team of artisans with a whole pile of leather samples. What they did with it is perhaps the most compelling example of recycling we've seen to date. The end result, as you can see from this latest video, is an artistic representation of the Vanquish, made entirely out of leather – as if the interior of the luxurious sports car isn't already clad in enough of the stuff. Of course, it doesn't have the Vanquish's 6.0-liter V12 and its 568 horsepower, so unlike most Astons, it won't be going anywhere in a hurry. Perhaps it could be hung in the upholstery workshop for future workers to admire. Related Video: