1985 Aston Martin Other on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Aston Martin DB11 gets back to work at the Nurburgring

The Aston Martin DB9 has been around for over a decade now. Classic though its styling may be, that means it's ripe for replacement. Fortunately that's just what Aston Martin is working on, as you can see from these latest spy shots. Snapped undergoing development at the notoriously grueling Nurburgring, this prototype appears to have ditched the camouflage worn by the last one we saw in favor of the black body cladding from our earlier shots. That makes it tough to tell anything about its final design, but if precedent proves anything, it ought to be pretty striking once the production bodywork is put in place. The new DB11 (or whatever it's ultimately called) is being built on a new platform that's set to replace Aston's long-serving VH architecture that has adapted over the years but essentially dates back to the V12 Vanquish that debuted way back in 2011. Aston is expected to keep using its even longer-serving 6.0-liter V12 engine on certain models, but the new DB11 is more likely to get the new twin-turbo V8 being built for it by Mercedes-AMG.

Zagato receives a pair of 600-hp Aston Martin V12s for its private collection

Enthusiasts who missed their chance to buy the limited-edition Aston Martin V12 Zagato released in 2012 are in luck. British manufacturer R-Reforged received permission from both brands to build 38 more cars, split evenly between coupes and convertibles, and it has just completed the first prototypes in its Warwick, England, facility. Fittingly, the first pair was ordered by Andrea and Marella Zagato, and it's headed for the coachbuilder's private collection. The roadster is finished in a darker shade of gold, while the coupe is painted silver, and each color shows up again on the center console. Both cars ride on the same center-locking 19-inch wheels, and they receive a plaque in the engine bay that certifies they were built specifically for Mr. and Mrs. Zagato.  R-Reforged didn't settle for copying and pasting the original blueprints. It made small but significant changes to the cars, including giving the front end a new-look splitter and redesigned fenders. Zagato's signature double-bubble roof remains, but the rear end gains active aerodynamic components that keep the car planted on the ground at autobahn speeds without altering its lines. Carbon fiber body panels help offset the system's weight. Power still comes from a 5.9-liter V12, but it has been tuned to develop 600 horsepower, an 80-horse increase over the original V12 Zagato. Suspension and chassis modifications make the car lower and wider, too. Just 19 pairs will be built in the coming months, and pricing for the duo starts at $2.2 million. Twelve workers make each car by hand, so building one takes up to 16 weeks. R-Reforged told Autoblog there are still some build slots left, but the catch is that the coupe and the convertible are exclusively sold as a pair, which is good news for people who buy supercars like they buy flip-flops. From there, anything is possible. Buyers can request that both cars be built to the exact same specifications, or they can work with the design team to personalize each one.

James Bond cars heading to auction with other series costumes and props

Here's your chance to really drive what 007 drove. On Sept. 28, Christie's will be auctioning 60 pieces from the expansive EON Productions archives, including costumes, props, and since this is Autoblog, cars! Much of the Sixty Years of James Bond Collection up for auction are pieces used during the filming of "No Time to Die," but there are some other noteworthy items from earlier films. The 60 pieces coincide with the film franchise's 60th anniversary. Among the cars is one of seven Aston Martin DB5 replica stunt cars built specifically for the movie, complete with plenty of damage incurred during the pre-credits sequence. It would also seem to be one of the stunt cars fitted with Gatling gun props behind the headlights (you can read more about the team behind the stunts here). As it's a replica and a stunt car, it does not have a full DB5 interior. However, as it's a replica and a stunt car, it also has a 3.2-liter inline-six from an E46 BMW M3. Now that's a melding of my personal tastes if there ever was one. Its price estimate is between GBP1.5 million and GBP2 million, or about $1.84 million and $2.46 million. Proceeds from every lot will go to various charities.  The auction's other cars driven by 007 in the film include an Aston Martin DBS Superleggera and one that's particularly close to my heart, a 1981 Aston Martin V8. Although it appears to be the same car driven by Timothy Dalton in "The Living Daylights," it's in fact a different car, made obvious by the fact that its model year is from six years prior to Mr. Dalton's first go in the tux. Also included in the auction are stunt vehicles used by baddies (we really need to talk about the blood money on JLR's hands after doing all this business with Spectre), including a Range Rover Sport SVR, a Land Rover Defender 110 and Jaguar XF. There's also a Triumph Scrambler motorcycle used in the filming, plus a new special edition 007 60th Anniversary Land Rover Defender 110 V8 not used in the film.  The only vehicles being auctioned from earlier films include a Q Boat from "The World is Not Enough" (I'm guessing EON still has a couple of them), the cello case from "The Living Daylights" (yes that counts as a vehicle), and a Day of the Dead parade bike from "Spectre" (I could buy that, ride around Portland on it and no one would bat an eye).