2014 Aston Martin V8 Vantage on 2040-cars

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Aston Martin Vantage GTE race car revealed

Though Aston Martin had more than enough news in revealing the new V8 Vantage, it decided it needed to show one more thing: the Vantage GTE race car. Obviously the body work is based on the road car, but it's more aggressive. It has an even bigger version of the V8 Vantage's massive grille. The hood gets extra vents. The exhaust now exits out the front fenders. And, of course, it gets a huge wing and equally monster diffuser. The interior is quite a bit different, though, with the comfy seats and leather trim gone in favor of a roll cage and bare carbon fiber components. Under the skin, there are some similarities to the regular V8 Vantage. The main connection is the Vantage GTE's engine, which is a version of the same 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged AMG V8 found in the road car. It makes more power than the street version with at least 530 horsepower. Torque is roughly the same, though. Instead of an eight-speed automatic, the Vantage GTE uses a six-speed sequential manual transmission. Both cars use double-wishbone suspension front and rear, but the GTE gets adjustable anti-roll bars and Ohlins adjustable shocks. The brakes are also upgraded to six-piston front calipers and four-piston rear calipers from Alcon. It will start racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2018. Related Video:

Aston Martin names new CFO

Aston Martin is on the verge of a resurgence, instituting (among a great many other things) new top leadership, and that includes a new chief financial officer. Mark Wilson comes to Gaydon with a wealth of experience at British sports car manufacturers, having previously worked for Lotus and McLaren. His most recent posting, however, was as CFO and COO at renewable energy insurer G-Cube Underwriting. He'll take up his new job as Chief Financial Officer (and his place on the executive board) at Aston Martin on June 8, reporting directly to Andy Palmer, who in turn took up his job as CEO just this past September. Considering Aston was recently injected with an influx of cash, hiring a new money man was probably prudent. But hiring new top personnel, of course, isn't the only change Aston is making. It's got a new platform in the works, a new engine under development with Mercedes-AMG and a raft of new projects in the pipeline. That includes the replacement of every one of its models by the end of the decade and the addition of as many as three new model lines – particularly the DBX crossover that could be the first new Aston built in America. ASTON MARTIN NAMES MARK WILSON AS NEW CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER 14 May 2015, Gaydon: Aston Martin today announces the appointment of Mark Wilson as Chief Financial Officer. Joining the business on Monday 8 June, Wilson, will report directly to Aston Martin CEO Dr Andy Palmer and take a place on the Executive Board at the company's global HQ in Gaydon, Warwickshire. With a strong track record of senior automotive experience already accrued with McLaren Automotive and Lotus Cars Ltd, Wilson joins the luxury British sports car maker from renewable energy insurer G-Cube Underwriting where he held the post of Chief Financial and Operating Officer. Welcoming Wilson to the team, Dr Palmer said: "Mark joins us at what is, undeniably, an extremely exciting time for Aston Martin. We are currently implementing the largest investment plan in our history which will see a total remake of our product portfolio. By the end of the decade, not only will our current line-up have been replaced entirely, we will have added up to three extra model lines and entered new market segments.

Saudi wealth fund to become Aston Martin's second-largest shareholder

Aston Martin's shares jumped 20% on Friday after the British luxury carmaker announced an capital raising that will see Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) become its second-largest shareholder with an almost 17% stake. PIF's 78 million pound investment, together with a 575 million pound rights issue, will allow the 109-year-old company lower its debt and invest in new models. PIF will own a 16.7% stake in Aston Martin and will be entitled to two board seats, behind the 18.3% holding Chairman Lawrence Stroll's Yew Tree will have after the rights issue. The sovereign wealth fund, which owns stakes in electric carmaker Lucid Motors and British supercar group McLaren has been diversifying its oil-rich investment portfolio. For Aston Martin, the preferred ride of fictional secret agent James Bond which has gone bankrupt seven times in its history, the investment means it can secure its long-term future. Its current second-largest shareholder, German carmaker Mercedes-Benz AG will own about 9.7% after the capital raising. Debt-Ridden Inheritance "In 2020, I inherited a business in deep trouble that needed to be reset," Stroll told reporters. COVID-19 lockdowns and the disruption to global supply chains has slowed the company's recovery, he added. Half of the new capital will be used to repay debt that stood at 957 million pounds at the end of March. The company also pushed back the date at which it will start producing cash from 2023 to 2024. The carmaker said former owner Italian investment group Investindustrial and China's Geely had proposed up to 1.3 billion pounds in funds last week, which the board rejected. The pair would have injected 203 million pounds for a stake, making them the largest shareholder. Stroll said the proposal would have been highly dilutive to shareholders and believed it was a takeover offer in disguise. ($1 = 0.8446 pounds) (Reporting by Eva Mathews in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur, Tomasz Janowski and Louise Heavens) Earnings/Financials Aston Martin