2020 Aston Martin Vantage on 2040-cars

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Aston Martin Vantage Roadster goes fast, and so does its roof

Two years after the hardtop Aston Martin Vantage redefined the Vantage nameplate yet again, the coupe has dropped its top. Below the shoulder the Vantage Roadster holds true to nearly everything that compelled us to label the coupe "a significant milestone." Above the shoulder, a fabric top envelops an "ultra-compact" Z-frame that drops in 6.7 seconds and unfurls in 6.8. The carmaker says it's the fastest fully electronic mechanism out there, and operates at speeds of up to 31 miles per hour. Thanks to the frame's compact design, the car's lines don't differ much from the hardtop. Nor do the performance specs: The convertible gains 132 pounds over the fixed-roof, needs 3.5 seconds to hit 60 mph instead of 3.5, and maxes out at 190 mph, five miles per hour less than the coupe. Losing the rear hatch takes a bit out of luggage space, though, which declines from 12.4 cubic feet to seven. Aston Martin says the cubby will still swallow a full-sized golf bag and related paraphernalia. The Mercedes-AMG-sourced 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 delivers the full 503 horsepower and 505 pound-feet of torque. Engineers tuned the suspension, differential, driving aids, and driving modes specifically for the convertible. The carmaker has made its seven-speed manual transmission newly available on the coupe this year — it was offered previously only on the Vantage AMR — but the droptop is barred from the row-your-own party. The Vantage Roadster sticks with the ZF eight-speed automatic. Convertible buyers can avail themselves of other additional kit introduced this year to celebrate 70 years of the Vantage name, said first applied to a more powerful version of the 1951 DB2 called the DB2 Vantage. The potential extras include Aston Martin's historic vane grille as well as new wheel designs. Deliveries begin in Europe during Q2, U.S. shoppers can expect summer delivery. Pricing starts at $161,000, an $8,000 premium over the coupe. Related Video:    

Lagonda All-Terrain Concept previews electric SUV shaped by planetary forces

Coming soon to an ultra-wealthy desert oasis near you is Lagonda, the spinoff from Aston Martin that will be devoted to creating luxury cars rather than sports cars. They will be electric and have autonomous driving features, and although their final production guises are still to be revealed, the Lagonda All-Terrain Concept introduced in Geneva provides a second clue as to what a production Lagonda might be like. Whereas last year's Vision Concept was a road-going quasi-sedan that mostly centered on autonomous driving, the All-Terrain Concept is going for the Range Rover crowd. Taller and obviously a crossover, Aston Martin describes it as "an ultra-stylish, supremely luxurious, fully electric, emission-free vehicle that can transport its occupants to remote and spectacular locations." It certainly isn't bereft of adjectives. Like other EVs, the concept utilizes a skateboard-style vehicle platform that spreads the battery weight low throughout the floor, which not only raises that floor to provide a more SUV-like view out, but actually lowers the center of gravity for superior handling. It also makes the car very stiff, which allows for the All-Terrain Concept's rear-hinged coach doors and flip-up gullwing roof bits. "The Lagonda All-Terrain Concept adds a hugely exciting sense of adventure to the unique brand of luxury, emission-free vehicles that Lagonda is planning to produce," said Aston Martin Lagonda President Andy Palmer in the press release. "This is a car that would be at home whisking someone straight from a glamorous red carpet event to a remote scientific research lab." Remote scientific research lab? Good grief. Who does this guy thinks his customer is, James Bond? Oh wait. The Aston design team drew design inspiration from super yachts, which can mostly be seen in the rear-leaning tail and severely swept-back profile. The high ground clearance and chunky fenders imply a certain degree of ruggedness that's not entirely dissimilar to the Rivian R1S. In terms of other styling details, well, take it away press release. "The surfacing is incredibly futuristic, with forms and shapes that look like they have been created by the huge, planetary forces of gravity fields." Okey dokey. The rear hatch is described as having a clamshell design, and it houses a thin LED strip hidden beneath a lip. This allows the light to be beamed downward and reflected out, thereby concealing the actual LED elements from the viewer. Nifty.

Aston may build fewer than 100 Lagonda super saloons

Aston Martin has owned the Lagonda nameplate since the late '40s, but in the roughly 70 years since that acquisition, the use of the name has been kept largely exclusive for four-door models. The two most famous modern Lagondas are the angular, futuristic sedan built in the '70s and '80s and the infamously ugly SUV concept from the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. UK magazine Car claims that the classic name could make its return on a svelte four-door as soon as this summer, which makes sense considering our spy shooters recently caught what looked like a modernized incarnation of the 70s super saloon last month. Interestingly, while Aston Martins are rare birds as-is, Car says that the neo-Lagonda could be even more scarce – its sources suggest that the model could be limited to under 100 units. That's because Aston Martin's Q customization service is reportedly taking up construction duties for the project, and with its small team, that means production is going to be slow, limited and very expensive. Even covered in camo as spied above, there's something special about the new car. The squinting headlights and thin A-pillar echo the '80s model in a modern way and make this four-door look a lot sportier than the Bentley, Maserati and Rolls-Royce models that it will likely compete against. It's rumored to be using composite body panels to keep weight down. The powertrain is said to be an evolution of the Rapide, Aston's sole existing four-door model. The Lagonda would use Aston Martin's 5.9-liter V12 with power tuned to around 600 horsepower, backed by an eight-speed automatic replacing the Rapide's elderly six-speed unit. That would put power just short of an Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG, but the composite panels could lend it a weight advantage. The latest rumor only indicates the Lagonda's unveiling sometime later this summer, with no exact date or location. Still given the relative completeness of the test car, it doesn't look like it could be too far away. We can't wait to see it when the camo comes off.