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Aston Martin considering US plant for DBX production

Aston Martin could be the next foreign automaker to begin production in the United States, according to the latest report from the Financial Times. The British automaker is reportedly considering a number of possibilities to handle assembly of the production version of the DBX crossover concept presented in March. Among them is the prospect of building a new plant in a Southern state like South Carolina or Tennessee, which could bring with it significant tax breaks and other incentives that would ease the process and make it financially attractive. Aston's main plant at Gaydon, UK, is reportedly nearing capacity as the company ramps up production, with a series of new models on the way. It moved production of the Rapide, its only model produced overseas, back to Gaydon in 2012 after it was initially handled off-site by Magna Steyr in Austria. That doesn't mean that the US proposal will necessary get the nod, though. Another possibility Aston is considering is taking over the former Jaguar facility at Browns Lane in nearby Coventry. The DBX concept was unveiled as an electric crossover coupe at the Geneva Motor Show last month, showing the way forward for the brand. The production version is expected to adopt a more conventional setup with four proper doors and an internal-combustion engine.

Continuation Aston Martin DB4 GTs unleashed at Silverstone track day

The first customers for the Aston Martin DB4 GT continuation cars have now gotten to experience track time in them. Aston arranged a customer track day at Silverstone, with five continuation GTs stretching their legs on the legendary circuit. The continuation cars are a 25-car run built by Newport Pagnell's Aston Martin Works, after the original 1959 recipe. The manufacturer has dedicated a two-year international track driving program for the cars, and the next event after Silverstone will be the Rockingham circuit in the UK on June 21. The third track day will take place in Le Mans on July 27 — more tracks will be announced later. The events have driving trainers to instruct DB4 GT owners about handling their cars the way they are supposed to, or as Aston's press release puts it: "They will help customers master driving techniques from an era when track driving was more art than science." Well put. One of the instructors is Aston Martin Racing driver Darren Turner, three-time Le Mans class winner. If you can't quite swing it to get yourself a real continuation Aston, there's also a more modern opportunity waiting to be seized: a DB5 replica based on — of all things — a Honda S2000. As its dimensions are just a bit off, the car seems to be a cross between The Car and a David Brown Speedback, and it retains the S2000 interior. The asking price is an eye-watering $95,000, which is still a lot less than a continuation DB4 GT. Related Video: Featured Gallery Aston Martin DB4 Continuation Silverstone trackday News Source: Aston Martin Aston Martin Coupe Luxury Performance Classics

Aston Martin reportedly cancels electric RapidE amid money troubles

Aston Martin's first production-bound electric car won't be based on the Rapide after all, according to a recent report. The British firm allegedly canceled the RapidE project after several costly delays. British magazine Autocar learned from a source close to Aston Martin that it has consigned the sedan to the automotive attic to focus on ramping up production of the DBX, its first SUV. It's a hugely important model that will make or break the company's 2020 balance sheet. Other seemingly random projects like the ACH130 helicopter co-developed with Airbus are much less distracting because there's little substance to them; it's essentially just a nice interior and an eye-catching paint job. The RapidE, however, was a new car under a familiar body. Presented as "a truly historic step" that would pelt Aston into the world of electrification, it snubbed the Rapide's 6.0-liter V12 and instead offered drivers an electric powertrain with 610 horsepower and a 65-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. The firm quoted a 200-mile driving range, which is on par with the Porsche Taycan's EPA rating, and a 4-second sprint to 60 mph, which is about as quick as a gasoline-burning Rapide. Development work began in 2015 with the help of LeEco, a Chinese tech giant-turned-electric car manufacturer founded by Jia Yueting, the man behind Faraday Future. Aston Martin chose to finish funding the project on its own after money trouble forced LeEco out. Williams Advanced Engineering provided its expertise, but Aston Martin had to foot the bill on its own, so the RapidE went from a low-volume model to a limited-edition sedan. Aston Martin planned to make 155 examples of the RapidE in a new facility located in St. Athan, Wales. Each one carried a price tag reading "on application," which is automaker-speak for "really expensive," and one was spoken for by James Bond. We reached out to the company to verify Autocar's report, but were told they couldn't comment on future product speculation. There's no word yet on what this means for the other electric cars Aston has in the pipeline, including two luxury sedans previewed by concepts and intended to revive the dormant Lagonda name in the early 2020s. Featured Gallery Aston Martin Rapide E:Auto Shanghai 2019 View 11 Photos Green Aston Martin Electric Sedan