Touchtronic 2 Sandstorm Ivory Alarm Satellite Sport 2+2 10-spoke Silver Wheels on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Enterprise adds Aston Martin DB9, Rapide S to rental fleet

It'll cost you at least $100k to put your name on the title of a new Aston Martin, but if you just want one for the day Enterprise will soon be able to hook you up. The car rental company just announced a deal with the British automaker to bring its grand touring to locations across the US as part of its Exotic Car Collection. Enterprise will place the DB9 and Rapide S initially in select markets, including Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, SoCal, Miami, Naples, Orlando, Phoenix, Scottsdale and Las Vegas. So if you're anywhere above the Mason-Dixon line, you'll have to sit tight. While Enterprise has locations in Boston, Indianapolis, Seattle, Toronto, and DC (not to mention Nashville and Austin), those fleets aren't getting their Astons just yet. Enterprise can also hook you up with a variety of other exotic machinery, including an Audi R8, BMW i8, Bentley Continental GT, Chevy Corvette, Ferrari California, Jaguar F-Type, Maserati GranTurismo or Porsche 911. Prices vary, but they're not cheap. Related Video: Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Aston Martin Agreement Offers Exotic Car Collection Renters New High-End Vehicles ST. LOUIS, April 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ever dreamed of getting behind the wheel of an Aston Martin DB9 or Rapide S? Starting today, Enterprise Rent-A-Car can make that dream come true. The brand has announced an agreement with Aston Martin that brings the DB9 and Rapide S sports cars to the Exotic Car Collection by Enterprise, in select locations throughout the U.S. Through the agreement, Enterprise Holdings, the world's largest car rental company and which owns the Enterprise Rent-A-Car brand, will carry the largest fleet of Aston Martin vehicles available for rent compared to any other car rental company. The Exotic Car Collection was founded in 2006 to meet customer demand for luxury vehicle rentals. Today, there are more than 30 locations in cities throughout the country, and expansion into new markets throughout North America continues at a rapid pace. "We pride ourselves on providing high-end renters with access to some of the most sought-after vehicles on the planet, and our consistent growth continues to reinforce strong demand for these luxury rentals," said Brice Adamson, senior vice president, Enterprise Holdings. "This agreement with Aston Martin is a terrific addition to our Collection.

GM says second recalled ignition switch was made in China

The defective ignition switch that led General Motors to recall an additional 3.4 million large sedans earlier this month was manufactured in China, according to a report filed with safety regulators obtained by Reuters. The switches can be knocked out of the run position, much like those affecting the Chevrolet Cobalt and other GM small cars, turning off the engine and safety systems like the airbags. Unlike GM's previous ignition switch recall, though, this latest issue will see dealers simply modify the key rather than replace the ignition switch outright, despite the fact that the switches were "slightly" below torque specifications. If what GM is claiming about this switch's origin is true, it'd mark the second high-profile recall of a part manufactured in China, following Aston Martin's (relatively) huge recall due to faulty accelerator arms in over 75 percent of the cars it had built since 2007. For what it's worth, from our perspective, the link between the Aston plastics and this GM switch seems just a bit too tenuous for us to put a lot of stock in GM's problems stemming from the location of its parts supplier, especially when the related investigation into its corporate culture has resulted in so many other culpable actors. Featured Gallery 2008 Buick Lucerne CXL Special Edition News Source: Reuters Recalls Aston Martin GM Safety supplier gm ignition switch recall gm safety ignition switch

Aston Martin will make a profit for the first time since 2010

LONDON — Aston Martin is on course to post its first annual pre-tax profit since 2010 as strong demand for the luxury automaker's DB11 sports car boosts its performance. Pre-tax profit reached 22 million pounds ($29 million) in the first nine months of 2017, reversing a loss of 124 million pounds in the same period in 2016, Aston said on Wednesday. "Our strong financial performance and continued profitability reflect the growing appeal of our high-performance sports cars, with the new DB11 Volante and a new Vantage expected to stimulate further demand in the coming year," Chief Executive Andy Palmer said. Asked on Monday whether the firm would be in the black this year, Palmer told Reuters: "It's our intention to be." Aston Martin, which is mainly owned by Kuwaiti and Italian private equity firms, last posted a profit in 2010. Its losses then grew, partly due to lack of new models, a high-profile recall and an extended period without a chief executive. Since Palmer's appointment in 2014, the firm has pursued a turnaround plan designed to boost its model lineup, quadruple volumes and produce its first SUV at a new plant in Wales, setting up a possible stock market flotation. Volumes rose 65 percent to 3,330 cars in the first nine months of the year, prompting the firm to raise its full-year guidance to expect core earnings of at least 180 million pounds on revenue of over 840 million pounds. Third-quarter profit stood at 0.8 million pounds, reflecting a quieter period across the car sector when demand falls as people take holidays and some customers prefer to wait until after the vacation period to have their cars delivered. On Tuesday, the firm launched its new Vantage model, which will take its output to 7,000 sports cars in 2019, its highest level in a decade. Related Video: