2009 Aston Martin Dbs 6 Speed Black 2 Tone Red Black Interior on 2040-cars

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Forza Horizon 3 adds Ford Police Interceptor, Jeep CJ5

We're only a few weeks past the debut of Forza Horizon 3, and already the folks at Turn 10 are introducing the first of six car packs for the open-world driving game. Focused heavily on performance, there are still a few, um, oddballs, including one we're sure Forza's livery customizers will have a blast with. The Smoking Tire Car Pack brings seven new vehicles to FH3, with the Aston Martin Vulcan, Pagani Huayra BC, GTA Spano, Lotus 340R, and BMW M2 repping traditional performance vehicles. As per usual, FH3 renders each car beautifully and promises a solid approximation of real-world performance – even if you do ditch the roads and opt to rampage through the Australian countryside. While performance is good, the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor and the Jeep CJ5 Renegade bring an off-beat vibe to this particular pack. We aren't certain, but this might be the first time the Police Interceptor appears in a blockbuster driving game. While we expect plenty of police car liveries for the Crown Vic, Forza's rabid community of tuners and customizers are sure to do much more with it. As for the CJ5, is there a better vehicle for tooling about Australia? Yeah, we didn't think so. The Smoking Tire Car Pack is available for free as part of the Forza Horizon 3 Ultimate Edition or Car Pass program. Commitment-phobes can also download this single vehicle pack for $7. Featured Gallery Forza Horizon 3: Smoking Tire Car Pack News Source: Turn 10 StudiosImage Credit: Turn 10 Studios Toys/Games Aston Martin BMW Ford Jeep Lotus turn 10 studios bmw m2 forza horizon ford crown victoria aston martin vulcan forza horizon 3 gta spano

Aston Martin DBS 59 limited edition celebrates 1959 Le Mans victory

David Brown — the "DB" in Aston Martin model names — first tried to put his company on the top step of Le Mans in 1949 with the DB2. It took 10 years, the DBR1 winning the world's most prestigious 24-hour race in 1959 with Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori behind the wheel. The second DBR1 came in right after, driven by Paul Frere and Maurice Trintignant. To celebrate the 60-year-old victory, Aston Martin Cambridge commissioned Q by Aston Martin to build a special-edition DBS Superleggera called the DBS 59. Finished in Aston Martin Racing Green, bronze detailing recalls the classic race car, while carbon fiber calls out to modern ones. The Aston Martin and Superleggera badging, front grille surround, and brake calipers are finished in a burnished yellow hue, the 21-inch forged wheels splashed with a contrasting bronze. A yellow arrow adorns the tire wall, a painted 5 inside a roundel adorns the fender underneath a Q by Aston Martin badge. Behind the rear aeroblade, bronze foil inlay lists the chassis and engine numbers of the DBR1. The roof gets gloss black carbon fiber. In the Chestnut Tan and Obsidian Black cabin, Q by Aston Martin re-created the original weave on the DBR1 seats to trim the seatbacks and door cards. The shift paddles and 59 Edition embroidery are finished in bronze, the speaker grilles embroidered with a circuit outline. A stitched note on the sun visor lays out the race details. Buyers who wish to go further can purchase a replica open-face racing helmet and goggles, facsimiles of Carroll Shelby's racing gloves, and a period-correct blue race suit. Only 24 examples will be created, one to honor each hour of the race. They'll be available exclusively through Aston Martin Cambridge.

Aston Martin to keep V12 alongside new AMG V8

Aston Martin is embarking on a brave new future. After thirteen years basing the bulk of its lineup on the VH architecture, Aston is developing a new platform, and is partnering with Mercedes-AMG to develop a new V8 engine and electronic systems. But what will happen to the old platform and engines once the new ones arrive? You might think that they'd be retired, but that won't necessarily be the case. At least as far as the AM11 V12 engine goes. The 6.0-liter engine was developed by Cosworth, based on a Ford block, and first appeared on the DB7 Vantage way back in 1999, but still powers everything Aston offers, save the V8 Vantage. It's evolved heavily over the past decade and a half, rising in output from 420 horsepower to 565, but Aston is one of the only British automakers still offering a V12 these days (Jaguar no longer does, Bentley's is actually a W12 and while Rolls-Royce does, its vehicles are mostly of a decidedly more sedate nature), and will surely want to carry on that legacy. That's why Aston spokesman Matthew Clarke revealed in correspondence with Autoblog, "Our 6.0-liter V12 engine will remain, with ongoing development, at the heart of a number of our flagship models for the foreseeable future," long after the new engine being developed with Mercedes arrives. Just which models will receive the new eight-cylinder engine and which will keep the twelve remains to be seen, but we get the feeling Aston's eight-cylinder range will broaden to include more than just the Vantage. As for the VH architecture, you can expect it to sail off into the proverbial sunset once the new platform is ready, though we wouldn't be surprised to see it phased out more gradually than abruptly. A 13-year tradition doesn't end overnight, after all.