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Bathurst 12-hour gallery is GT3 heaven [w/video]

The 2015 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour race was run this weekend at the Mt. Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, Australia. Race photographer Joel Strickland sent us a huge batch of photos, all of which make us salivate for the switch to GT3 rules in the United SportsCar Championship; the top seven finishers at Bathurst were of seven different makes: Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3, Audi R8-LMS Ultra, Aston Martin Vantage GT3, Bentley Continental GT3, Mercedes SLS AMG GT3, Ferrari F458 Italia and Lamborghini Gallardo. It was a sweet victory for the No. 35 car driven by the NISMO Athlete Global Team after it crashed in Saturday qualifying, and then was only in third place on the penultimate lap. The three-man driving team included two GT Academy winners, one of whom, Florian Strauss, has only been a professional race car driver for 18 months. It's the first time the GT-R has won at Panorama since the original R32 "Godzilla" took back-to-back wins in 1991 and 1992. Second place went to the No. 15 Phoenix Racing Audi R8-LMS Ultra, 2.4 seconds behind the winners, third to the Craft Bamboo Racing Aston Martin Vantage not even half a second behind the Audi. The Bentley Motorsport team, in its first Bathurst 12-Hour with two cars, had its No. 10 Continental GT3 in the lead until the penultimate lap and in second place until the final corner, but crossed the line in fourth after some rubbin'-is-racin' action from chasers. And if pictures aren't enough, as of writing you can still watch the live stream of the entire race at the Bathurst 12-Hour site. Or, if you don't have the time, at least be sure to check out the last five minutes, below. Enjoy. Featured Gallery 2015 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour View 118 Photos Image Credit: Copyright 2015 Joel Strickland / AOL Motorsports Aston Martin Audi Bentley Nissan Coupe Racing Vehicles Videos aston martin vantage gt3

Aston Martin is ready with your submarine, Mr. Bond

Aston Martin and Triton Submarines have teamed to build probably the world's most stylish and luxurious way to dive beneath the waves. Called Project Neptune, this two-passenger mini submarine looks like something designed and developed by Q Branch for James Bond. Though to be fair, the evildoers at Spectre might also appreciate a submersible that works a little Aston flair into its design. First announced last September, the Project Neptune submarine has now been revealed in its final production format. Looking equal parts speedboat and lunar rover, the design is dominated by a clear bubble pressure hull that permits an expansive view of the watery world around you. There is seating for three, with room for a pilot and two passengers. The pilot seat is in the middle, positioned slightly behind the two front passenger seats. Capable of diving to depths of 500 meters, the submarine has a top speed of 5 knots — or not quite 6 miles per hour, for all you non-nautical types. While that's not exactly DB11 territory, Florida-based Triton says the the Project Neptune sub has roughly four times the acceleration of the company's flagship model, the 3300/3 submersible. Triton builds a wide range of subs, ranging from pure utilitarian models that can dive to the deepest depths of the ocean floor, to posh creations that cater to super-wealthy clientele with a spirit of adventure. It goes without saying which customer base Project Neptune is meant to entice. If there is any doubt, simply peek inside. Forget any images you might have had of vinyl seats and a maze of pipes and knobs peppering the cabin. The seats are leather-trimmed with Aston Martin logos on the backrests, while the rest of the interior is finished in lightweight carbon fiber. "The interior is quintessentially Aston Martin," says John Ramsay, chief technical officer at Triton Submarines. "The prototypes look incredible, being simultaneously functional and beautiful." Because you don't want to have the exact same mini-sub as your neighbors — perish the thought — there will be three Designer Specifications available. These have been created by the British automaker's own design team, while further customization can be handled by Aston's bespoke service, fittingly called Q by Aston Martin. With the least expensive Aston Martin costing about $150,000, how much will it take to pair your 2019 Vantage with your own Aston mini-sub?

Tesla loses top communicator Simon Sproule to Aston Martin

Looking for a new job? Have experience working in a frenetic environment, promoting cutting-edge mobility products for a demanding boss determined to change the way we travel on this planet, as well as how we trek to others? We hear Tesla Motors just might have an opening for such a person. Again. Simon Sproule, the electric automaker's vice-president of communications and marketing is vacating his cubicle after a mere six months in order to become the chief marketing officer (CMO) over at Aston Martin. That position had gone begging for a year until this appointment. Once he's settled into his new digs, Sproule will again be breaking rock with former Nissan associate Andy Palmer who himself recently took the top spot at the British luxury marque. The move comes at what seems like an inopportune time for Tesla. It has a big D product announcement – suspected to be an all-wheel-drive update of the Model S – scheduled just two days from now and the reveal of its "mass market" Model ? early next year. The company declined our offer to comment on the situation. Aston Martin, on the other hand, should be happy to finally have someone at the marketing helm, what with the recent dropping of the veil from its Lagonda sedan and what's likely to be a bevy of new product built on its forthcoming platform. News Source: PR WeekImage Credit: Haruyoshi Yamaguchi / Bloomberg via Getty Images Green Marketing/Advertising Aston Martin Tesla simon sproule