2010 Aston Martin Vantage -6-speed,sport Whls,cruise,sat Nav/ Radio,low Miles! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Here's what Top Gear thinks of the Aston Martin Vulcan

With a limited run of just 24 units, the Aston Martin Vulcan isn't an easy vehicle to get your hands on. Even if you find one, the next challenge is locating a suitable track to drive it because these rare beasts aren't street legal. Top Gear (the website, not the TV show) arranged both and reported on the amazing experience of driving this rare hypercar in must-read story. Top Gear lapped the Vulcan around the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix circuit and came away thoroughly impressed. The author admits that the McLaren P1 GTR has a greater output, but driving the Aston Martin is still an incredibly visceral experience. Downshifts judder through the chassis, flames shoot from the side pipes, and the 820-horsepower V12 screams. "Five laps and I'm spent – I start to get a headache, I need to drink, sweat gathers, ears ring," the writer says. The Vulcan trains its handful of wealthy owners to be racers, but the interior still cossets them in Aston Martin's traditional luxury. As they learn the car, drivers can turn the power up from 550 hp, 675 hp, and to the full 820 hp when they feel ready. The suspension is also fully adjustable. So there's a touch of understeer out of the box, but a person can mitigate that as they gain experience. Plus, the writer claims the cabin fit and finish is marvelous. Head over to Top Gear to get the full story, it's well worth a read. Related Video:

Aston Martin DBX flies on two wings in wild Mansory treatment

Subtlety, thy name is most definitely not Mansory. The German tuner has revealed its latest subject, an Aston Martin DBX outfitted with the company's signature gaudiness. If you can look past the visual assault, however, the car is notable for being the first tuned DBX. Mansory modified the Aston's AMG-built twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine with a new ECU, bigger turbos, and reworked exhaust. That transforms the already powerful DBX from a 542-horsepower 516-pound-foot SUV into an 800-horse, 738-pound-foot behemoth. A shield-shaped badge reads "Mansory P800 Performance" just in case you have any doubts about its output, but nowhere is this alphanumeric sequence mentioned in its press materials. Mansory claims a 0-62 time of 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 202 mph. Brakes and wheels are not discussed either. The firm also claims that many of the aerodynamic changes are necessary to keep the DBX grounded as it reaches supercar speeds. Those include a widebody kit with pronounced fender vents, a front fascia that offers more openings than the Washington Generals, and the rear diffuser gives customers the choice of two placements for the dual exhaust. One places the tailpipes on opposite sides of the rear fascia, and one puts them side by side in the center. Many of these bits, including the side skirts, are made of forged carbon. We know it's supposed to be lightweight, modern and expensive, but we can't help but think they end up looking like the basic granite countertop in a Zillow flipper. You also may have noticed that the Mansory DBX has not one, but two elaborate rear wings. Each is made of forged carbon, and each also looks like a Klingon ritual battle weapon. You can have the Mansory DBX in any color you want as long as it's black with lime green. While the DBX's exterior isn't overly saturated in textmarker grun, the same cannot be said for its cabin. There, a dizzying pattern of chartreuse AM grilles on the seats, door panels and center console give life to the nightmare scenario of being trapped inside a Magic Eye poster. If you really have a jones for a faster DBX, may we recommend that you wait for the upcoming V12, which will likely retain Aston Martin's traditionally elegant styling. The DBX may have saved Aston Martin from financial ruin, but let's not ruin the DBX.

Aston Martin to keep the faith with V12, manual transmission

Downsized engines and dual-clutch transmissions may be the way the industry is heading, but Aston Martin is more deeply rooted in the past than most. Which could explain – at least in part – why the British automaker is planning on sticking with V12 engines and manual transmissions for the foreseeable future. After speaking with Aston's new chief executive Andy Palmer at the Geneva Motor Show last week, Car and Driver reports that Gaydon is in no rush to get rid of the building blocks that have made it what it is today. And that means continuing to evolve its VH architecture, twelve-cylinder engine and six-speed manual gearbox. The company is working to develop a new platform and is collaborating on a new twin-turbo V8 with Mercedes-AMG. But those are still several years out, and Aston doesn't plan to wait that long before rolling out new models. Before the new AMG-powered Vantage is ready, C/D reports that Aston will introduce the replacement for the DB9 that will still be based on the VH platform and pack an evolution of the company's ubiquitous and long-serving 6.0-liter V12. "That platform was definitely far ahead of its time," Palmer told C/D. "It should have been described as a modular architecture, like [VW's] MQB or one of the other systems big manufacturers have adopted. We're always making excuses about it being an old platform, but if you were to compare the original VH platform to today's there's an enormous transformation. And it's a great way to build cars in the volumes that we do." The platform and the engine aren't the only old-school technologies Palmer is intent to keep. While Ferrari and Lamborghini do away with the manual altogether, and even Porsche goes PDK-only on the 911 GT3 and GT3 RS, Aston isn't giving up its clutch pedal any time soon. "I would love to be the last car manufacturer providing stick shifts in the U.S.," said Palmer. "That's my hope, we will keep the faith." Of course part of that could come down to Aston not having a dual-clutch transmission to offer, while its antiquated sequential gearbox lags behind the times. But it will likely gain access to Mercedes transmissions along with the engine deal.