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Aston Martin DB9 successor spied, may be called DB11

This is by far our best look yet at the car that will replace the long-serving Aston Martin DB9. Previous photos of the grand tourer have consisted of mules based on the current car, but here we get our first taste of a model wearing its production skin. Despite the heavy camouflage, the DB9 successor looks to borrow its styling from the Aston Martin DB10, which will feature in the latest James Bond film. Considering this, it's not surprising that our spies report the new GT will wear the DB11 moniker. While the headlights look somewhat like the current Vantage, it's a fair bet that they'll bear more of a resemblance to the DB10 when the production model arrives. The grille sits lower than on current models, although, unlike 007's Aston, it does have an independent lower grille. It's hard to discern much from the rear of the car, though, owing to the fake taillights and heavy camouflaging on the rear hatch. That, thankfully, isn't an issue in the car's profile. Despite the heavy camo, we can see a suitably large set of haunches and the brand's trademark side grille. Expect Aston to continue using swan wing doors, judging by the shape of the units spied on this prototype, while we predict a larger greenhouse than seen here, owing to the camo over the quarter window. The partnership between Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG will bear production fruit with the so-called DB11, as our spies report the new Brit will be available with the same 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 being offered in the AMG GT. Don't fret purists – Aston's 6.0-liter V12 will also be on offer. We're fairly convinced Britain will sink into the ocean before Gaydon abandons the venerable 12-cylinder. Have a look at the latest round of spy photos and let us know what you think of Aston Martin's work so far. Related Video:

Aston Martin appears to be testing a V12 Vantage in these spy photos

For a few years now, the Aston Martin Vantage has been without V12 power. It's technically been without Aston Martin power, too, since its twin-turbo V8 comes from Mercedes-AMG. But that may change in the near future based on these spy photos from the Nurburgring. They show a Vantage, but one that's wider and with exhaust that suggest it may get a few more cylinders like its close cousin, the V12 Speedster. Staring us down is the prototype's enormous front grille, taller and wider than standard Vantage units. It's flanked by two smaller inlets and underlined by an aggressive front splitter. The whole front seems to be wider, as evidenced by the mismatch around the front fender and hood. Speaking of the hood, there's a big mesh "V" sitting on top to cover what are likely heat-extracting vents, which would probably be important for handling the heat from a twin-turbo 5.2-liter V12. Changes at the back are a bit more subtle, but only a bit. The rear fenders have large fender flares, suggesting the production car will also be wider at the back with correspondingly larger tires. There's a little gurney flap on the rear spoiler, so we may see a more aggressive spoiler in production. We also see a center exhaust instead of each of the dual pipes on the ends of the rear diffuser. This exhaust looks a lot like what Aston used on the V12 Speedster, itself based on the Vantage, but without the roof section. This is probably the strongest evidence that the car has the extra cylinders. With Aston clearly knowing how to shove a V12 into a Vantage chassis, and the high-end sports car market's never-satiated desire for more powerful and rarer items, a V12 Vantage seems like a slam-dunk product. The question will be, what output will it make. The V12 Speedster made 700 horsepower, but it was a limited-production special edition. The V12 Vantage could get the DB11's 630-horsepower variant to give the Speedster a bit of breathing room. And that would still be a nice power increase over the 503 horsepower of the regular Vantage. Based on these spy shots, we'd bet we have around a year before we see the production model, maybe a little less, maybe a little more. Related Video:

Bond stunt driver Jessica Hawkins joins Aston Martin as 'driver ambassador'

LONDON — James Bond movie stunt driver and W Series racer Jessica Hawkins has joined the Aston Martin Formula One team as 'driver ambassador'. The team of four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll said in a statement on Wednesday that she will work with partners and "across a variety of disciplines". If somewhat vague on detail, the new job could involve the 26-year-old Briton showing off some of the skills featured in the yet-to-be-released Bond movie 'No Time to Die'. "I enjoy sending cars sideways almost as much as I do racing," she told Reuters. Aston Martin, the fictional British secret agent's car of choice, has played up the Bond connection since returning to Formula One this season in a rebranding of Silverstone-based Racing Point. Their F1 car launch in March was presented online by "Quantum of Solace" actress Gemma Arterton, with Bond actor Daniel Craig delivering a message of support. Hawkins, a former British karting champion, also has racing credentials although far from the level required to obtain a Formula One super-license. The all-female W Series is supporting Formula One and Hawkins follows defending champion Jamie Chadwick, who has a development role with Williams, in forging a connection to an F1 team. Daughter of an air-conditioning fitter, her racing career stalled for lack of cash until the Formula Three-level W Series came along in 2019 with all costs paid. "When I was 10 or 11 I was named the female most likely to make it to Formula One and it never materialized," said Hawkins, who recalled once beating future Red Bull F1 driver Alexander Albon. "I may not have made it... but I'm certainly proud of where I am and the journey I've been on to get to where I am." Related video: F1 training, Ken Block and Pikes Peak | The Autoblog Show Ep 04