2007 Aston Martin Vantage on 2040-cars

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Aston Martin reveals the open-air Vantage Roadster

Aston Martin has tweeted the first official image of its Vantage Roadster in prototype form, following a promise made earlier this year to unveil a convertible version by year's end of the all-new coupe that was unveiled almost two years ago. As is clearly illustrated on the door, you’ll be able to buy the droptop next spring. ThatÂ’s about the extent of information on offer from the company, but, well, look at the thing! ItÂ’s presented in matte black paint, which suits it well and shows off the side gills, sculpted sidelines and the ducktail rear spoiler with the arching, full-length LED taillight. It may also be instructive to look at the DB11 Volante, the convertible version of AstonÂ’s higher-slotting sports car, for clues. It required tweaks to stiffen the chassis and redistribute the added weight as a result of chopping off the top. That droptop is also more expensive than the DB11 coupe, something we can also expect from the Vantage Roadster (the Vantage coupe starts at $149,995 and weighs in at 3,373 pounds). The Vantage features an AMG-sourced 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that makes 503 horsepower and 505 pound-feet of torque and sends that to the rear wheels via a rear-mounted ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. In the coupe version, that setup helps produce a 0-to-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds and top out at 195 mph, though of course weÂ’ll have to wait for more from Aston closer to the soft topÂ’s launch. But before that, of course, weÂ’re likely to see the DBX sport-utility vehicle, which is set for a December reveal.

2017 Aston Martin DB11 Prototype First Drive

Flashback: Geneva. The 2017 Aston Martin DB11 debuts, its artfully sculpted body signaling a departure from the brand's luscious yet familiar design language. But this time, the car in question is more than just a pretty face. Beneath the gently arced bonnet is the first turbocharged engine in the Aston's 103 year-old history. Gone is the so-called Vertical Horizontal architecture, replaced with a bonded aluminum chassis that's so new that it has yet to be graced with a catchy marketing name. Sumptuous interior? Check. Slick multimedia system? Finally. The quickest, fastest, and most powerful DB to date? Hell yes. With radical changes coming in hot from Gaydon, the DB11 isn't just an all-new car; it's nothing short of golden opportunity to reinvent the brand. There's so much new stuff in this DB9 replacement that the double integer leap in nomenclature seems justified (the DB10 was already taken by a certain spy from Blighty). In the grand scope of the Aston Martin lineup, the DB11 inherits the DB9's role as the archetypal grand touring car—elegant but quick, thirsty for miles. But as our wheel time revealed, it takes some time to comprehend the depth of the DB11 story. When you settle into the $211,995 Aston Martin DB11 there's a lot to take in, especially since our tester is a "verification prototype" that's two stages away from final production. Hence, the data logging equipment and big red fire suppression button. The engine has shrunk from 6.0-liters to 5.2, but now churns out 600 horsepower and a whopping 516 lb-ft of torque at only 1,500 rpm thanks to those turbos. Aston claims 0 to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 200 mph. The rear double wishbone suspension has been replaced with a multilink setup for greater compliance, and the DB11 also gets Aston's first-ever torque vectoring (via brakes) and electronic power steering system. The prototype car is a visual paradox, with its camouflaged exterior contrasting with the delightfully gaudy baby blue leather interior (made from extra trimmings of hide). In terms of development, the car is about "85 percent there" according to Aston brass. Disclaimer: this car's traction control system is only about 70 percent complete, and the torque-vectoring feature isn't active on this particular car. The big V12 fires up with a full-sounding rush of exhaust, though the tone isn't quite as naughty or shrill as the old naturally aspirated mill.

2020 Virtual Geneva Motor Show Editors' Picks

There may not have been an actual Geneva Motor Show this year, but there were still loads of car reveals that happened the week that the show would have happened. So we still wanted to highlight what our favorites of the would-be show. Our list of cars seemed to match the theme of the reveals, too, highlighting over-the-top supercars and forward thinking electric vehicles. Scroll down to see our favorites. Fifth Place: Aston Martin V12 Speedster - 21 points Managing Editor, Greg Rasa: Astons are works of art, and this one's ready for the Louvre. The design nods to Aston history are nifty. It looks like a jet fighter, except those have canopies. Not sure what 186 mph would be like in this, but don't try it in summer when there are bugs. Contributing Editor, Joe Lorio: Admittedly, this one is a little silly. A $950,000 sports car with no roof? A 700-hp two-seater with no windshield? But the offerings at the Geneva auto show have always tilted toward absurdity, and Aston’s V12 Speedster is endearingly outrageous as a fighter plane for the street. Third Place (Tie): Volkswagen ID.4 - 26 points Senior Producer, Chris McGraw: I don't have much to say about this other than I am a huge fan of more EVs coming to the market, which is why two-thirds of my picks are electric, including the ID.4. Producer, Alex Malberg: Any new fully-electric crossover is a vote for me. The fact it doesn't look terrible and VW will be including AWD later are bonuses.  Third Place (Tie): Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio GTA - 26 points Road Test Editor, Zac Palmer: Hard to argue with the logic of this one. The Giulia Quadrifoglio is already the best driver in this class of hot sedans, so why not extend the lead with a special model. That wing is Type R levels of high, and I completely approve. Associate Editor, Byron Hurd: Love this car. Love it, love it, love it. It's beautiful, aggressive and fast. I'd take it over an M3 or C63 any day. As cool as the GTAm is, though, I'd rather stick to the four-seat GTA. Something about a four-door car with two seats just doesn't really work for me. I haven't alienated ALL of my friends quite yet. Second Place: Hyundai Prophecy - 35 points Senior Editor, Green, John Snyder: I get whiffs of the Genesis Coupe from this sleek concept. I like the focus on form, with interesting details to discover if you look for them. West Coast Editor, James Riswick: Does it look like a Porsche? Sure, but Porsches look neat.