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Aston Martin teases extreme Vantage GT3 for Geneva

Aston Martin's Vantage range has been on the market for ten long years, dating back to the Ford era and making it just a bit younger than the DB9, but still ripe for replacement. And that's just what Aston Martin has in store, with a new platform under development and a new engine deal with Mercedes-AMG. But before a replacement arrives, the British automaker will send off the current Vantage with what promises to be its most extreme version yet. First mooted over a year ago and spied more recently undergoing testing at the Nurburgring, Aston has now released this teaser video announcing the upcoming debut of the Vantage GT3 to bridge the gap between the top-of-the-line V12 Vantage S road car and the competition-spec V12 Vantage GT3. As such, we're expecting it to pack the company's ubiquitous 6.0-liter V12 engine, likely with some upgrades: what produced 510 horsepower in the previous V12 Vantage and 565 hp in the newer V12 Vantage S is likely to nudge the 600-hp mark in the GT3. Along with the expected power upgrade, we can look forward to all the usual suspects: more extreme aero and cooling, upgrades suspension, brakes and rolling stock, a stripped-out cockpit and more. The Vantage GT3 is confirmed to debut at the Geneva Motor Show this coming March.

Aston Martin names new regional chief for the Americas

Aston Martin has named a new president for the Americas region. Starting October 26, the role will fall to Laura Schwab, who joins Aston from rival Jaguar Land Rover. The Louisville, KY native is a graduate of the law school at the University of Kentucky. She worked in the technology sector in Southern California before embarking on a career in the automotive industry, working for JLR in a variety of marketing and communications posts. She has served for the past year and a half as JLR's marketing director, having previously worked in Land Rover's North American office in a variety of capacities. In her new job, Schwab will be responsible for all of Aston Martin's activities in the Americas, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, and South America. She'll be working out of the company's regional headquarters in Irvine, CA, reporting to directly global sales director Christian Marti. Pictured above is the DB10 created for the latest James Bond movie, on display in Monterey this summer. "Laura is an excellent addition to the Aston Martin team. Throughout her career in the automotive business, Laura has demonstrated an ability to implement marketing and retail programs to drive growth," said Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer in the statement below. "As we embark upon delivery of our six-year 'Second Century Plan' the Americas region offers a considerable opportunity and I look forward to Laura applying her skills to help us grow awareness of the Aston Martin brand in this region." Related Video: ASTON MARTIN APPOINTS LAURA SCHWAB AS NEW AMERICAS REGIONAL PRESIDENT 2 October 2015, Gaydon: Aston Martin is pleased to announce the appointment of Laura Schwab as President for Aston Martin The Americas, reporting to Global Sales Director Christian Marti, effective 26 October. Laura joins Aston Martin from Jaguar Land Rover where she worked most recently as Marketing Director, leading marketing communications, experiential events, sponsorships, product marketing, customer engagement and corporate social responsibility. Based at the company's regional headquarters in Irvine, California, Laura's role as Regional President embraces sales and service, public relations, brand marketing and communications to both Aston Martin's customers and 46 dealers in the region, spanning the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America.

Aston Martin will race the Valkyrie hypercar at Le Mans in 2021

Aston Martin will challenge for outright victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours race in 2021 with its Valkyrie hypercar, the British luxury sportscar maker announced on Friday after race organizers rewrote the rules. The governing FIA, who oversee the World Endurance Championship, and race organizers Automobile Club de L'Ouest, revealed earlier that hypercar derivatives would replace prototypes as the top category starting in the 2020-21 season. Aston Martin will field two works Valkyries, powered by V12 normally-aspirated engines, as part of a multi-year commitment to a championship currently dominated by Japanese manufacturer Toyota. The announcement comes 60 years after Aston Martin's sole overall triumph at Le Mans in 1959 with Britain's Roy Salvadori and American Carroll Shelby. Le Mans winner Toyota, meanwhile, has committed to staying in the WEC after 2020 subsequent to the hypercar rules. The Japanese manufacturer said in a statement before this weekend's race at Le Mans' Sarthe circuit that it would continue in 2021 with a hybrid-powered prototype based on the GR Super Sport road car. Track testing of the new car will begin next year. Defending champions Toyota will start on pole position on Saturday after sweeping the front row in qualifying for the third year in succession. "This new era of competition is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate our credentials not only as a race team against some of the best in the business, but also as a sportscar manufacturer," said Toyota Gazoo president Shigeki Tomoyama. The 2021 Le Mans will also be the 100th anniversary of Aston's first entry at the Circuit de la Sarthe. "I think you'd say from the brand's point of view, there's a little bit of unfinished business to be done," Group Chief Executive Andy Palmer told Reuters. Top Formula One designer Adrian Newey, who has won championships with Williams, McLaren and Red Bull, helped create the Valkyrie. The limited edition road legal version costs in the region of 2.5 million pounds ($3.17 million). "We don't under-estimate the difficulty of an outright win at Le Mans and you never under-estimate the tenacity and resources of Toyota," said Palmer. "On the other hand, we're not coming just to make up the numbers. We're coming here to give it a bloody good shot." Palmer said the new regulations would significantly reduce the costs of competing, without giving details about the likely budget, and hoped commercial rivals McLaren and Ferrari would take up the challenge.