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Aston Martin reveals new V12 Vantage S Roadster as its fastest droptop to date

You have to hand it to Aston Martin. Its entry-level V8 Vantage may be nearly a decade old, but the British automaker never tires of rolling out ever more powerful versions. Where the original packed a 4.3-liter V8 derived from a Jaguar design and producing 380 horsepower, this latest version packs 565 hp to become the company's quickest and fastest roadster to date, not to mention its most powerful. Following the debut of the V12 Vantage S coupe, the new V12 Vantage S Roadster packs the most powerful iteration of Aston's ubiquitous 6.0-liter V12 engine to date. Equipped with CNC-machined combustion chambers and hollow camshafts, unburdened of 44 pounds of excess weight and mated to Gaydon's latest Graziano-developed Sportshift III seven-speed sequential gearbox, that engine is capable of propelling the open-top rocket to 60 in 3.9 seconds en route to a top speed of 201 miles per hour. That's considerably quicker than the flagship Vanquish Volante, which runs to 60 in 4.1 seconds and tops out at 183 mph, painting the V12 Vantage S Roadster as Aston's most performance-focused droptop to date. It's also got a flatter and fatter torque curve than the previous V12 Vantage Roadster, three-stage adaptive damping, three-stage stability control and two-stage ABS, carbon-ceramic disc brakes and a lightweight exhaust derived from the pipes on the One-77. Like what you see? There are more details to digest in the press release below, including a full range of customization options from the Q by Aston Martin catalog. ASTON MARTIN V12 VANTAGE S ROADSTER – AN OPEN INVITATION TO EXCITEMENT - Debut of the luxury brand's most potent and exhilarating roadster yet - 6.0-litre V12 engine: 565 bhp and 620 Nm delivers 201 mph top speed - Supreme agility and intense excitement characterise new model Aston Martin is opening up a new world of exhilarating driving excitement with the announcement of the hotly anticipated V12 Vantage S Roadster. When it arrives in markets around the world later this year the new sports car will become the luxury British marque's most potent, fastest and fastest-accelerating series production roadster to date and follows in the broad tyre tracks of the V12 Vantage S Coupe that was launched to worldwide acclaim in 2013.

Aston Martin reportedly picks out a name for DBX SUV: Varekai

It seems a distinct possibility that the name of Aston Martin's upcoming SUV will not remain "DBX," as it has been known. The British Autocar reports that the manufacturer has earmarked the name Varekai for it, which would certainly tie in nicely with the company's earlier V-named products. The word Varekai comes from the Romani language, meaning "Wherever," and for a go-anywhere SUV it would be more than suitable to have a nomad name. However, while Aston has applied to trademark the name, it would not comment on the name's authenticity when asked by Autocar. The SUV, no matter what it will be called, will be manufactured in a new facility in St Athan, Wales. The factory is based on an old air force base, and it will bring up to 750 new jobs to the area when it is brought online. Last month, Aston Martin said the first phase of the facility's construction is now complete, and the SUV will start production in 2019. The powerplants for it will be V8 and V12 engines, as well as a hybrid and an all-electric drivetrain in development. Related Video: News Source: AutocarImage Credit: Aston Martin Rumormill Aston Martin Crossover SUV Electric Future Vehicles Hybrid Luxury Performance

Aston Martin CEO calls Tesla Model S 'Ludicrous' mode stupid

To be fair, some would say paying as much as a quarter-million dollars for a car in itself qualifies as "ludicrous." But the CEO of Aston Martin, a company that is readying a pricier electric-vehicle competitor to the Tesla Model S, didn't mince words in discussing Tesla's newest gizmo that can propel the sedan from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than three seconds. In fact, Andy Palmer, Aston's CEO, prefers a slightly more balanced approach. Palmer was quoted in Automotive News as saying that Tesla's Ludicrous Mode was "stupid." He added that he'd rather have an electric vehicle that could last "a few laps of a decent race course" instead of one that does its best imitation of a Dodge Challenger Hellcat. Palmer also took to his Twitter account to note, among other things, that the Aston's "insane mode comes as standard - no button required." Aston Martin said earlier this week that it planned to make a battery-electric variant of its Rapide Sedan. That model will have 800 horsepower as well as a 200-mile single-charge range. The car will also cost between $200,000 and $250,000, or about twice the cost of a top-of-the-line Model S. As for the Tesla, its Ludicrous mode was announced last month for the Model S and it will eventually be added to the Model X for those who are big on flipping SUVs. Tesla said that the feature cuts the sedan's 0-60 mpg time to a tidy 2.8 seconds, though the option does cost about $10,000. Which is probably about the price of an Aston Martin door handle. Featured Gallery 2015 Aston Martin Rapide S View 32 Photos News Source: Automotive News (subs req'd) Green Aston Martin Tesla Electric ludicrous mode