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Aston Martin brings ice driving program to America [w/video]

With between four and six hundred horsepower channeled to the rear wheels from a V8 or V12 engine mounted up front, an Aston Martin – any Aston Martin, really – might not seem like the smartest choice for driving on ice and snow. But that can also make it the most fun, and the most enlightening to experience. That's the point behind the Aston Martin On Ice program: allowing customers to drive the latest Gaydon has to offer on slippery, wintery surfaces. But whereas the On Ice program has been established for years in St. Moritz, Switzerland and in the Swedish Lapland, this year it arrived in America for the first time. A series of custom tracks – including a braking/cornering loop, slalom, skid pad and a full circuit – were carved into the snow in Crested Butte, CO, where expert driving instructors taught customers a thing or two about how to handle a powerful twelve-cylinder GT car like a DB9, Vanquish or V12 Vantage. The program has concluded for the season, returning next February, but in the meantime Aston will use the Colorado base camp as the center of its driving experience through the Rockies. Check out the video footage and the details in the press release below. ASTON MARTIN... ON ICE - New US ice driving program launches in Crested Butte, Colorado - Affords customers the opportunity to drive full Aston Martin range in extreme winter conditions - Utilises custom-built Aston Martin facility Irvine, CA, 17 March, 2014 – Aston Martin has launched the company's first ice driving program in North America, hosted at Crested Butte, Colorado providing customers with the ultimate driving experience against a stunning mountainous backdrop. Offering customers the opportunity to experience the full potential of the Aston Martin range and hone their driving skills, the new On Ice program took place in the heart of the Colorado Rocky Mountains in a unique setting, with an ice track custom built for the occasion as illustrated in a new film from the event, released today. Comprising a braking/cornering exercise loop, slalom, skid pad and full circuit, the bespoke Aston Martin track was especially constructed for the occasion over the last four months. Under expert tuition, participants were guided through the facility, embarking upon a series of braking, cornering and handling exercises before putting their skills to the test on a mile-long frozen road course.

Aston Martin Vantage GTE race car revealed

Though Aston Martin had more than enough news in revealing the new V8 Vantage, it decided it needed to show one more thing: the Vantage GTE race car. Obviously the body work is based on the road car, but it's more aggressive. It has an even bigger version of the V8 Vantage's massive grille. The hood gets extra vents. The exhaust now exits out the front fenders. And, of course, it gets a huge wing and equally monster diffuser. The interior is quite a bit different, though, with the comfy seats and leather trim gone in favor of a roll cage and bare carbon fiber components. Under the skin, there are some similarities to the regular V8 Vantage. The main connection is the Vantage GTE's engine, which is a version of the same 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged AMG V8 found in the road car. It makes more power than the street version with at least 530 horsepower. Torque is roughly the same, though. Instead of an eight-speed automatic, the Vantage GTE uses a six-speed sequential manual transmission. Both cars use double-wishbone suspension front and rear, but the GTE gets adjustable anti-roll bars and Ohlins adjustable shocks. The brakes are also upgraded to six-piston front calipers and four-piston rear calipers from Alcon. It will start racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2018. Related Video:

Editors' Picks April 2021 | Honda Accord, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and more

The month of April saw us award Editors' Picks status to a couple mega-luxury vehicles and a couple long-time standbys that recently went through mid-cycle refreshes. We drove plenty of other cars that didn't quite reach the bar for Editors' Picks status — BMW 4 Series, Infiniti QX55 and the Mitsubishi Outlander among others — but the four you'll see below stood out as the best this month. In case you missed our previous couple Editors' Picks posts, hereÂ’s a quick refresher on whatÂ’s going on here. We rate all the new cars we drive with a 1-10 score. Cars that are exemplary in their respective segments get EditorsÂ’ Pick status. Those are the ones weÂ’d recommend to our friends, family and anybody whoÂ’s curious and asks the question. The list that youÂ’ll find below consists of every car we rated in April that earned the honor of being an EditorsÂ’ Pick. 2021 Aston Martin DBX 2021 Aston Martin DBX View 16 Photos Quick take: With attractive styling and a gorgeous yet functional interior, the V8-powered DBX is a legitimate crossover worthy of the Aston badge. Score: 8 What it competes with: Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus, Rolls-Royce Cullinan, Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 Pros: Mega style, fantastic driving dynamics, a true and faithful Aston Martin Cons: Very expensive, only average infotainment From the editors: Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore — “The DBX captures the spirit of Aston Martin in a modern crossover. That's not an easy thing to do. I expected the DBX might look the part, but lack functionality. Or it would be a decent crossover, but fall short of my idea of an Aston. The DBX did neither. It exceeded my expectations and is an entertaining vehicle to drive. The styling is interesting and evocative, and the AMG-sourced powertrain delivers proper performance. I also loaded it up with groceries and a carseat fits pretty well. Mission accomplished for Aston." In-depth analysis: 2021 Aston Martin DBX First Drive Review | A crossover that makes you forget itÂ’s a crossover   2021 Bentley Flying Spur 2021 Bentley Flying Spur V8 View 20 Photos Quick take: There are technically competitors to the Flying Spur, but nothing matches it stride-for-stride in every category. ItÂ’s the Bentley flagship product now, and it flies the brandÂ’s flag with both gusto and excellence. You can't go wrong whether you spec the W12 or V8 either.