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Aston Martin Bulldog gets another chance to wedge its way past 200 mph

Tell us if this sounds familiar: In the mid-1970s, Aston Martin decided it wanted to prove its engineering prowess by building a car that would hit 200 miles per hour, so company designer William Towns penned the Bulldog DP K9 concept; in 1980, Aston Martin test drivers took the Bulldog to 191 mph at the MIRA test track, but the company was short on cash, so when Victor Gauntlett bought a 10% stake in the company and became chairman in 1981, he canceled the Bulldog program. The company sold the car to a Middle Eastern collector in 1982, while Gauntlett engineered a sales recovery and Aston Martin's return to the James Bond franchise. Now, 37 years later, Classic Motor Cars (CMC) in Bridgnorth, wants to show off its new engineering facility and prowess, and it intends to do so with the Bulldog. CarBuzz picked up on the story that the concept's current owner sent the coupe to CMC for a nut-and-bolt restoration, expected to take roughly 18 months. After that, the Bulldog will take a run at its destiny, aiming for 200 mph, or even better, the 237 mph that Aston Martin engineers at the time said the car should do.      The Bulldog's ultra-wedge shape, stretched over 186 inches and just 43 inches high, could not have come from any other decade. A panel on the front lowered to reveal five square headlights, while giant gull-wing doors doubled the car's height when opened. The interior, matching the Towns-designed Lagonda Series 2, showed off LED lights, buttons and touchscreens. Designers put the 5.3-liter V8 from the front-engined "Oscar India" V8 Vantage into the middle of the Bulldog, then lashed two Garrett turbochargers on top, final output claimed to be 700 horsepower and 500 pound feet of torque. Shifting through a five-speed manual, the rear-wheel-drive, 3,814-pound coupe hit 60 miles per hour in 5.1 seconds. If the Bulldog had achieved its target, it would have been the fastest production car in the world. The plan was to build up to 25 units for sale, which would pay for development costs said to exceed 1 million pounds at the time. The restoration will return the concept to its original state, CMC's managing director adding that it "may include modern components and technology to improve the car's reliability." The original car, for instance, didn't have side mirrors; those were supposedly added by the Middle Eastern collector. The original was gray and white, not green, had a black interior instead of tan.

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  

Aston Martin Victor is a one-off Q build inspired by the original V8 Vantage

Aston Martin’s Q division should be taken very seriously. It just turned out this stunning one-off custom model named the Aston Martin Victor. The Victor is based on a One-77, and itÂ’s the biggest project Q has ever taken on. Aston used the V8 Vantage of the 1970s and 1980s as the design inspiration for the Victor, making it look like a resto-mod Aston Martin. We dig it, a lot. The styling is massively different than a One-77 from front to back, as Aston has gone over every surface of this car. Our favorite highlights include the round headlights, Vulcan-inspired taillights, and boattail rear with its massive, upturned spoiler. It walks the Aston line of being beautiful and aggressive at the same time, with the emphasis on aggression in this build. The paint is called Pentland Green, and itÂ’s complemented by a whole lot of satin carbon fiber. The carbon-fiber monocoque chassis is adapted from the One-77. However, the new carbon-fiber body weighs less than that of the original One-77. Under the sculpted hood sits a 7.3-liter V12. ItÂ’s also from a One-77, but itÂ’s been heavily breathed upon by Cosworth. Output is bumped up to 836 horsepower and 606 pound-feet of torque, increases of 86 and 53 respectively. And then thereÂ’s the transmission. Aston converted it to a genuine three-pedal six-speed manual. The gearbox comes courtesy of Graziano. It requires new twin coolers to handle the heat and a motorsport clutch to handle the torque.  Shifting is done with a solid walnut knob, and itÂ’s simply beautiful. Forest Green “Conker Bridge of Weir” leather covers the cabin where you donÂ’t see exposed carbon fiber. Cashmere is used for the headliner, while anodized aluminum and polished titanium serve in concert with walnut wood for the interior trim. Yeah, it was probably extremely expensive. This car should handle spectacularly well, too. It uses the same inboard dampers and springs as the Vulcan, allowing for six settings of aggression. Aston says it was tuned to ride well on the street in addition to a racetrack — after all, it is road legal. Center-lock wheels are fitted, and six-piston Brembo brakes with carbon-ceramic rotors sit within them. Aston says it produces even more downforce than a Vantage GT4 racecar, so itÂ’s a serious track monster. We donÂ’t know how much it costs, but whoever commissioned the build is certainly extravagantly rich. Related video: