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Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato set to dazzle Villa d'Este

Aston Martin and iconic Italian design house Zagato teamed up to create a striking carbon-fiber-bodied concept set to debut at a glitzy concours on the shores of Lake Como, Italy, this weekend. The Vanquish Zagato will be on display at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, marking the fifth time that Aston and Zagato have collaborated on a car over five decades, beginning with the DB4 GT Zagato in 1960. The Vanquish Zagato concept has taillights that use traditional Zagato styling, but also use the bladed LED technology from the Vulcan supercar. The rear styling evokes the DB11 and features a quad-exhaust system and retractable rear spoiler. A carbon-fiber sill runs around the body. The roof has a double-bubble profile that's a hallmark of Zagato design that dates to the 1950s. The cabin is loaded with more carbon fiber and leathers, and the seats have a Z quilted stitch pattern with more Zs in the headrests and the center console. Power comes from a naturally aspirated V12 uprated to 592 horsepower. "We pride ourselves on our strong partnership, and the creation of the Vanquish Zagato concept was a true shared experience," Zagato CEO Andrea Zagato said in a statement. "It represents the essence of an important design relationship that dates back over 50 years." Related Video: Featured Gallery Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato View 10 Photos Design/Style Aston Martin Coupe Performance Supercars aston martin vanquish concorso deleganza villa deste aston martin vanquish zagato

Aston Martin's Racing.Green. strategy lays out sustainability goals

Last year, Aston Martin co-owner Lawrence Stroll said the automaker had two electric vehicles in the pipeline, company CEO Tobias Moers saying the first electric model would show in 2024 or 2025. The English luxury sports car concern has outlined its plans in a new strategy called Racing.Green. — which we will write without the two periods from now on. The major goals of Racing Green are getting a hybrid vehicle to market in 2024, getting the first electric vehicle to market in 2025, phasing the last pure ICE cars out of the lineup in 2026, and offering a fully electrified portfolio by 2030.  Supporting the product goals, Aston Martin says its UK manufacturing facilities have utilized 100% renewable energy since 2019; Racing Green aims for net zero manufacturing emissions by 2030. The St. Athan facility in Wales will be fitted with 14,000 solar panels, enough to provide 20% of the plant's yearly energy use. When taking Aston Martin's entire supply chain into account, the initiative wants a 30% reduction in supply chain emissions relative to a 2020 baseline by 2030, and net zero supply chain emissions by 2039. On that subject, engineers are looking at using aluminum alloy created with 100% renewable energy. Even plastics and water are targeted, the company hoping to "eliminate all plastic packaging waste" within three years and reduce water use by 15%.    As to the product, that first PHEV is going to be the Valhalla and its English-tailored, AMG-sourced, 937-horsepower plug-in powertrain. We still don't know what the first electric model will be the following year, but the DBX makes an obvious candidate. And just a year after that, every model the firm sells will provide the option of an electrified powertrain, the pure ICE models phased out of the range. There will be more choice for interiors, too, in the form of leather-free vegan options. Those goals will occur within a company-wide sustainability, diversity, and inclusion overhaul with peer-reviewed chops. Aston Martin joined the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), which helps businesses reduce greenhouse gas emissions "in line with what the latest climate science deems necessary to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement." The automaker says Racing Green is also "aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals." In-house compliance with the strategy will be monitored by a board-level Sustainability Committee chaired by non-executive director Dr. Anne Stevens.

Spectre shreds $37 million in cars

Much as you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs, you apparently can't film a James Bond movie without trashing a few cars. And by "a few cars," we actually mean $37 million worth. That's how much the producers of the all-new 007 flick, Spectre, trashed in the process of filming. And yes, that's a record. "We set the record for smashing up cars on Spectre," stunt coordinator Gary Powell told The Daily Mail (with what we can only imagine was a very boastful grin). "In Rome, we wrecked millions of pounds worth. They were going into the Vatican at top speeds of 110 [miles per hour]. We shot one entire night for four seconds of film." But because this was Bond, producers didn't just destroy $37 million worth of budget hatchbacks. Instead, seven out of ten specially produced Aston Martin DB10s were sacrificed in the name of cinema, including a major crash sequence featuring Rome's Colosseum, River Tiber, and the Vatican. American filmgoers will be waiting until November 6 to see if the destruction of all those Aston Martins was worthwhile. Somehow, we don't think anyone is going to be disappointed. Related Video: News Source: Daily Mail via Vanity FairImage Credit: Angelo Carconi / AP TV/Movies Aston Martin Coupe Luxury Performance spectre aston martin db10