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Aston Martin plans to keep the internal combustion engine alive beyond 2030

As it stands, Aston Martin will be banned from selling gasoline-burning cars in its home country in 2030. California lawmakers want to push internal combustion technology off the scene by 2035, but Aston Martin's chief executive doesn't think that pistons, valves, and fuel injectors will completely disappear even as bans come into effect. "By 2030, 5% of business will still always be ICE. I never see it going down to zero," predicted Lawrence Stroll, Aston Martin's chairman, during the Financial Times Future of the Car summit. He added that there is "always going to be enthusiasts" who will request a powerful gasoline-fueled engine, and who will be able to pay for it. If it's not delayed, loosened, or reversed, the United Kingdom's blanket ban on internal combustion engines will mean that any new gasoline-powered Aston Martin sold within the nation's borders will not be street-legal starting in 2030. Owners will presumably be allowed to drive them on private property, like race tracks, and companies like Porsche are ramping up their efforts to present synthetic fuels as a viable alternative to premium unleaded. Across the pond, no such ban has been announced by our federal government -- at least not yet. 2021 Aston Martin DBX View 40 Photos Aston Martin plans to keep investing in gasoline-powered engines in the coming years; if the technology is getting regulated into extinction, it's going out with a bang. Stroll announced that some of the company's future models will continue using engines built by Mercedes-AMG, but they'll be tuned in-house. "Our current AMG engines are just that: AMG engines in an Aston. With this new deal, we will have bespoke AMG engines for Aston with different outputs, torque characteristics, etc. They'll still be AMG components, but they'll be bespoke-manufactured in Germany," he announced. As it stands, the only engine the carmaker gets from its German investor and partner is a twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V8, which powers a wide range of models. Its portfolio also includes a V12 it designed in-house, and a new 3.0-liter V6 is under development. Engines aren't the only bits with a "made in Germany" tag that future Aston Martin models will receive, however. Stroll confirmed that AMG's upcoming plug-in hybrid technology will permeate the British firm's range, and he revealed that the first electric Aston Martin will use drivetrain components (like motors and batteries) from AMG.

Aston Martin Vanquish Vision concept coming for Ferrari F8 Tributo and company

Aston Martin will restore the Vanquish name on a mid-engined supercar due in 2022, previewed by the Vanquish Vision concept. To be powered by a less potent version of the hybrid twin-turbo V6 powertrain also going in the Project 003, the Vanquish will challenge super-coupes like the Ferrari F8 Tributo, as well as the next-generation hybrid successors to the McLaren 720S and Lamborghini Huracan. The Vanquish will be the fourth mid-engined offering from the Gaydon maker, after the Valkyrie, Valkyrie AMR-Pro, and Project 003, but the first to go into series production. In spite of the fact that it shares clear lineage with the Valkyrie and Project 003, the Vanquish will make some key departures. The chassis will be fashioned from bonded aluminum instead of carbon fiber. The concept is said to be 85 percent of the final form, with only minor changes to come as Aston Martin learns its way around a mid-engined production car for the first time. The forms are fuller, with less of the negative space employed on the hypercars for a "more seductive and less technical appearance." Aggressive touches remain, however, as in the fat rear tire leering through a hefty gap between the bodywork and a serious diffuser. And check out those exhaust tips poking McLaren-style out of the bodywork. Codenamed AM9, the coming coupe departed from Aston Martin's own expectations in that it got smaller than originally envisioned. Palmer told Autocar, "One of the real learnings with Adrian Newey is obsession with weight and mass, and package size. Our designers are now pushing our engineers; cars were getting bigger but now we're heading smaller, with cars packaged around the engine. It's the reversal of a trend." Related Video:

Bond in Motion car exhibit coming to L.A.'s Petersen Automotive Museum

The Petersen Automotive Museum was already a must-see for any car enthusiast visiting Los Angeles, and it's about to get a little better should you also be a James Bond fan. Opening Sept. 25 in the museum's appropriately named Grand Salon gallery will be the "Bond in Motion" exhibit of more than 30 cars, motorcycles, boats, submarines, helicopters and scale models used during the creation of the 24 official James Bond films. The timing corresponds with the Oct. 8 release of "No Time to Die," the upcoming 60th anniversary of the first Bond movie ... and hey, the release of our "All 24 James Bond movies ranked only by their cars." Highlights include many of the most famous Bond cars, including a 1977 Lotus Esprit S1 in submarine guise from "The Spy Who Loved Me," an Aston Martin V8 from "The Living Daylights," a 1999 BMW Z8 from "The World is Not Enough," the Aston Martin DB10 specially made for "Spectre," the post-flipped Aston Martin DBS from "Casino Royale," and one of the 1964 Aston Martin DB5s from the recent movies. I visited an exhibit of the same name back in 2013 at England's sensational Beaulieu Motor Museum. Although the one in L.A. won't be as comprehensive as that, simply due to logistics, many of the same vehicles and props will be present. You can see some of the photos from that exhibit below, and should you be a James Bond fan, can appreciate that it went much further than the Aston-heavy headliners above. In fact, it was hard to see what was missing from the collection. Tickets are on sale for the opening reception Sept. 23 featuring "one-night-only photo opportunities, live entertainment, food and martinis, shaken not stirred." Considering this is Los Angeles we're talking about, it's perfectly plausible this means noteworthy cast members from past films. Prices are $60 for general admission and $199 for VIP access, which includes exclusive access to the exhibit, "007 lounge" and a curated talk, plus complimentary food and a hosted bar.  The exhibit runs until October 2022.  AMC Hornet and Mercury Cougar XR7 View 22 Photos