2007 - Aston Martin Db9 on 2040-cars

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Lagonda electric crossover SUV coming in 2021

The folks at Aston Martin's ultra-luxury division Lagonda have been busy lately. The company showed a concept for a full-electric sedan at Geneva, with plans for production, and have now revealed a preview of a full-electric crossover SUV concept. It doesn't have a name yet, but, like the Lagonda Vision Concept, it's a look at a future production Lagonda. And although the Vision Concept was shown first, this crossover is planned to hit production two year's earlier in 2021. Aston Martin Lagonda only released one image of the crossover, and, well, it looks unique. We only get a look at the rear 3/4 angle, and the car above it is clearly the Vision Concept. Lagonda says the crossover is inspired by the Vision Concept, and looking at the photo, it does appear to pretty much be the Vision Concept but with a taller ride height and an extended roofline to create a hatchback. As for what we can expect from the crossover, we can extrapolate from the Vision Concept. Lagonda announced that it has plans for its production EVs to have a range of about 400 miles with solid-state batteries. Its vehicles will also be all-wheel drive. Only time will tell whether Aston Martin and Lagonda will be able to deliver on long-range, solid-state battery-powered cars within three years. Related Video:

First Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato continuation body completed

Last fall, we reported how Aston Martin was bringing back the DB4 GT Zagato model as a continuation series of 19 cars to celebrate Zagato's 100 years. Building the new classics has begun at Aston's Heritage Division at its Newport Pagnell facility, and the first body has now been completed. Aston Martin says the cars, which are only sold paired with new DBS GT Zagatos, are built using "a blend" of David Brown-era old-world craftsmanship and modern applications. As an example, a digital body buck now exists to help craft the panels, which are hand-formed from 1.2-millimeter-thick aluminum sheets in 1950s style. The adjacent gallery shows the unhurried style in which these very limited-edition, new/old Astons are built, and how a ball-peen hammer is still the tool of choice there. Underneath the aluminum, in a lightweight tubular frame, sits a Tadek Marek-designed 380-horsepower "twin spark" straight-six engine, paired to a four-speed manual gearbox and a limited-slip differential. Power is up about 50hp in comparison to an earlier DB4 continuation model. We only need to take a look at classic Astons to see what the DB4 GT Zagato continuation cars will look like, but the design of the modern DBS GT Zagato counterparts is still to be officially revealed. The DBS Superleggera-based twin-turbo V12 cars were previewed in a set of renderings late last month, and they are expected to come with at least 715 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque. The continuation DB4 GT Zagatos will reach owners in the third quarter of 2019, and the DBS GT Zagatos will follow in 2020. The car combos are priced at almost $8 million. Featured Gallery Aston Martin DB4 GT Continuation Build Image Credit: Aston Martin Aston Martin Classics zagato

Aston Martin Vulcan being converted to road-going spec

The Aston Martin Vulcan wasn't designed as a road-going vehicle, but the two dozen buyers who've plonked down the $2.3 million to buy one may soon be able to drive on public roadways. According to Autocar, British motorsports engineering company RML is preparing a road conversion option for the Vulcan, apparently with Aston's blessing. The process will reportedly involve testing the engine for emissions, mounting some new lights, and running simulated crash tests. The ride height will likely need to be raised and the gear ratios altered, but nothing will be done to compromise the vehicle's trackability (such as removing any part of the roll cage). The undertaking is expected to cost six figures, which buy another road-going Aston but is hardly a drop in the bucket relative to the Vulcan's purchase price. Certification on a single vehicle type basis might not be feasible in all markets, particularly here in the United States, where two out of the 24 being made are said to reside. "When we went to market, there was hesitation from a few prospective owners because it didn't have a road pack... but RML said they had the ability to do it," Aston Martin chief Andy Palmer told Autocar. "It has taken a bit of time to work out what's possible from an engineering perspective, but we expect four or five owners will take advantage of this. We have the sales of the last two cars currently under negotiation and it looks like the road conversion could be the closer on those deals." The Vulcan is Aston's take on the likes of the Ferrari FXX K and McLaren P1 GTR: a seven-figure supercar designed neither for the road nor for racing, but just for their owners' enjoyment. Like its rivals, Aston Martin organizes special track days for Vulcan owners as part of a complete program, but unlike those mid-engined hybrids, the Vulcan is naturally aspirated, with its engine up front. Lanzante previously announced a similar road conversion option for the McLaren. RML's expertise lies principally in constructing racing cars – particularly touring cars. It previously collaborated with Aston Martin on the AMR1 Group C racer from 1989 (not to be confused with the later LMP1 prototype). It has also undertaken a number of road-car projects, particularly for Nissan (where Palmer used to work), developing such unique concepts as the Micra R, Juke-R and Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge. Related Video: