07 Db9, One Of A Kind, Pristine, 06,08,09 on 2040-cars

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Geely in talks to take a stake in Aston Martin

China’s Geely Automobile Holding held talks with Aston Martin management and investors as it considers investing into the British luxury carmaker, the Financial Times reported on Friday. Geely is conducting due diligence as it looks at taking a stake in the 107-year-old UK firm, which warned earlier this week its 2019 profits would by cut nearly in half due to weak European markets. Another report out today said that Aston had canceled its RapidE electric car because of its financial situation. Geely owns controlling stake in another British car company, Lotus, and also the London EV Company, which makes London cabs. It also owns Volvo and a nearly 10% stake in Daimler. Aston Martin was not immediately available for comment. Geely did not immediately respond to a request for comment.  Related Video:     Earnings/Financials Green Aston Martin Geely

Aston Martin DB11: Everything we know right now

With six and a half decades of heritage, the Aston Martin DB is one of the most storied nameplates in the savory sports car stratosphere. And we're (probably) just weeks away from seeing the next major chapter: the DB11. A few exclusive spy shots reveal new details, and we've gathered some crucial intelligence to help us get a better idea of what we can expect from the new DB11 when it launches later this year. Much like how the previous DB9 ushered in a new generation of cars from Aston's Gaydon, UK, headquarters, the British carmaker says the DB11 will kick off its "Second Century Plan." An insider told us that Aston is in the final tuning stages, and as such, the engineering prototype pictured here is likely the closest thing we've seen to a final production-spec car. While early mules had moldings and panels, we now have a good sense of the DB11's proportions, and can clearly see the rear-wheel-drive coupe's character lines. We can also see an aero-lip intake under the grille that appears to be significantly wider than on the DB9. Beyond being aesthetically pleasing, this is a necessary addition for better cooling. Our sources tell us power is expected to be above that of the naturally aspirated V12 Vantage's 565 hp and 458 lb-ft of torque. Gaydon's partnership with Daimler will soon yield the new Mercedes-AMG 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine for use in Aston Martin cars, but the Brits surprised us recently by showing a teaser of a 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12. The timing is curious, and makes us suspect that the DB11 will continue the 12-cylinder tradition, despite the pressure to be increasingly fuel efficient. Our sources tell us power is expected to be above that of the naturally aspirated V12 Vantage's 565 horsepower and 458 pound-feet of torque. While the current DB9 boasts a six-speed automatic gearbox, we understand the V12 will be mated to a new transmission with more speeds. It's possible the DB11 could get the ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic that Aston recently added to the Vantage and Rapide range. The DB11 will ride on an all-new chassis, and in continuing the industry trend, the new car should be lighter, tipping the scales below the current DB9's 4,000-pound mark, despite some new equipment. The Daimler partnership should improve a major area where Aston has historically lacked: in-car technology and infotainment.

Aston Martin DBS, Superleggera names resurrected for a new ‘Super GT’

Aston Martin has announced it's bringing back the time-honored DBS name. Originally used in the 1967-1972 GT car, the name was briefly resurrected for a DB9-related model made from 2008 to 2012, and then put back on the shelf. The new car, which Aston refers to a "flagship Super GT," will be introduced in June, as mentioned in a teaser video that somehow reminds us of the xenomorph creature in the "Alien" sci-fi movies. But it's not going to be a big, heavy bruiser, as Aston is also adorning it with a Superleggera badge, referring to super-lightweight construction and dating back to the classic Carrozzeria Touring days of the DB4, DB5 and DB6. Sources such as Autocar say the new, Vanquish-replacing model would have the turbocharged 5.2-liter V12 from the DB11, but tuned for considerably higher output than the DB11's 600 horsepower — perhaps 700 hp is in order. Official power figures have not yet been released, but June isn't that far away. Announcing the re-birth of an iconic name. A distinctive moniker, set to be proudly worn once again by Aston Martin's flagship Super GT. DBS Superleggera.https://t.co/W7Z6SuJFbW pic.twitter.com/1e4ePW84sl — Aston Martin (@astonmartin) April 17, 2018 Related Video: Aston Martin Luxury Performance dbs