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Aston Martin V12 Speedster will ditch roof and windshield

If your hunger for supercars with no windshields wasn't satiated with the McLaren Elva, we have good news. Aston Martin has one of its own to be revealed later this year. It's simply called the Aston Martin V12 Speedster, and sounds like it will be entertaining. Though the car hasn't been fully revealed, the teaser image gives us a good look at the profile. The nose is pointy with a huge grille like the Aston Martin Vantage. The short deck with tall rear spoiler is also Vantage-esque. Between the wheels appear to be some very aggressive air vents and character lines. And of course, there's no roof or windshield. There are cowls behind the seats, which are fitting since Aston says this car is inspired by the Le Mans-winning 1959 DBR1 race car and the 2013 Aston Martin CC100 concept car, both open sports cars. Powering the V12 Speedster is, obviously, a V12 engine. It's a version of the twin-turbocharged 5.2-liter that's been used in different versions of the DB11. In the Speedster it will produce 690 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, which is less than the 715 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque in the monster DBS Superleggera. The engine is matched to an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. Only 88 V12 Speedsters will be built, and Aston is taking orders now. Completed cars will be delivered in early 2021. Pricing hasn't been announced, but we doubt that will be an issue for those ordering one. Related Video:    

Aston Martin's CEO says that autonomous cars are only a matter of time

In addition to bringing the Aston Martin AM-RB 001 to its first auto show this week, the CEO of Aston Martin, Andy Palmer, revealed his thoughts on the future of cars. And it's a future full of autonomy and electricity. According to our friends at TechCrunch, Palmer said it's a question of when – not if – autonomous vehicles will reach the public. T echCrunch also reports that Aston plans on offering an autonomous Lagonda in the future. For those of us who love driving ourselves, though, there is some good news: Fully autonomous cars are likely well into the future. Palmer told the Toronto Star that he recognizes autonomous driving is a bit antithetical to a sports car company, saying "we're a driver's car, so we're not in a rush to go driverless." He also pointed out a number of issues that personally concern him about autonomous vehicles, and which have him hesitant to pursue autonomous tech on Astons. His primary concern, according to both TechCrunch and Toronto Star, is the issue of security, but he also wants to make sure the technology is truly ready. TechCrunch reports that he said companies need a full understanding of the tech "before we beta test our customers." This statement seems pointed at Tesla, which has often said that its semi-autonomous Autopilot feature is in beta. In addition to discussing autonomous vehicles, Palmer talked about the future of electric cars, which he finds to be bright. He told the Toronto Star that he believes the future of vehicle propulsion has been decided, and that it will be electricity. He pointed to a shift in focus from the German automakers, as well as the Volkswagen diesel scandal as indicators. Palmer suggested that 25 percent of cars will be powered by electricity sometime in the next eight years, but noted this leaves plenty of room for internal combustion vehicles for a while. Related Video:

Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Volante caught out in the rain

We've had the pleasure of driving the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, with its 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 making an astonishing 715 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. The only drawback was not getting full exposure to the alpine air as we sped down the Autobahn. We've seen spy shots, though, of a DBS Superleggera Volante that could provide that experience, but it was still wearing camouflage. Now, our spy shooters have caught the convertible in testing, giving us a good look at the car. It was rainy as the car prowled around near the Nurburgring, so the convertible top was kept closed. It still looks sleek as all heck, with sheets of water dripping from its tires and aerodynamic bits, fallen leaves trapped in the grille. The convertible top maintains the tight and low roofline of the coupe, but it significantly shrinks the rear window. But that visibility issue would be eliminated with the top dropped. Under the hood and the rest of the sheetmetal, we expect this to maintain all the mechanical goodness and sporty prowess of its fixed-top stablemate. We're not sure when the official debut of the grand touring convertible will take place. We're hoping we'll have the chance to test it out before the fall leaves and drenching rains arrive in 2019. Related Video: