2021 Aston Martin Vantage on 2040-cars

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Wingsuits are somehow involved in new season of 'Top Gear'

It's a shame that Matt LeBlanc is leaving "Top Gear," but there's a bit of solace in the situation: There's still one more season of him as frontman. BBC just released the new trailer for series 26, and it shows LeBlanc, Chris Harris and Rory Reid getting into all sorts of shenanigans around the globe. "Top Gear" announced LeBlanc's imminent departure back in May 2018, but he still had to finish one more season before leaving. Thus, the upcoming series will be his last, and it looks like he'll go out in a whirlwind of dust, bent metal, water spray and burnt rubber. The trailer shows everything expected from a season of the storied automotive show (well, everything except Hammond, May, and Clarkson, if you're one of those people). There will be precision driving, dubious stunts, name-calling and gobs of stunning videography. In the short one-minute clip, there are flashes of numerous attention-piquing vehicles. The new Bentley Continental GT, a Bentley Le Mans racer, Porsches, Ferraris, the Aston Martin Vantage, and the Mercedes-AMG GT all make appearances. And for some random fun, the boys are seen in wingsuits (doubtful it's actually them), and playing polo in some three-wheel rickshaws (before wrecking said rickshaws). We'll update with more information as soon as we know when the show will start. Related Video: News Source: BBC Celebrities TV/Movies Aston Martin Bentley Ferrari Mercedes-Benz Porsche Videos Top Gear chris harris matt leblanc rory reid

Aston Martin DB9 successor makes one sexy mule

It's been a dozen years since Aston Martin first introduced the DB9 to the world, and while it has undergone numerous revisions and updates over the course of its lifetime, twelve years is a long time. Fortunately the British automaker is preparing to launch a new version, and that's just what our shooters in Eiffel have spotted running around the Nurburgring. Now it's hard to tell much from these spy shots, because the prototype they depict is mostly wearing the bodywork of the existing DB9. So all the interesting stuff is happening beneath the skin. But it does appear that the front end is wider, giving the next-generation model – whatever it will ultimately be called – a wider front track and more room in the engine bay. Those who've been following the news will know that Aston has signed a deal with Mercedes-AMG that will see the German automaker's performance division supply it with a new powerplant, but that's not expected to be ready for the DB9 successor's arrival. Look for it to pop up in production guise sometime next year, then, with an evolution of Gaydon's long-serving and ubiquitous 6.0-liter V12 engine that's already developing 592 horsepower in the Vantage GT3... excuse us, Porsche: "GT12." Related Video:

This Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake is a masterpiece in pink

Customizing the exterior colors and styling of a car can be boiled down to a general choice: Go with a low-key classic look or take an outlandish approach that makes the car more exclusive. At least one Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato owner went down the latter route and chose a bright pink paint job for their shooting brake. Brought to our attention by Jalopnik, the car popped up on President and Group CEO Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd Andy Palmer's Instagram. " My Friday factory walk (Gemba) and I came across this beautiful Zagato Shooting Brake about to be shipped," he said on the post. "It's certainly going to stand out for a lucky customer." Stand out, it will. The pink paint, with black wheels and gold accents, adds a new element of uniqueness to the car. As an Aston Martin, it was already a premium sports car. The Zagato treatment makes it even more rare, as does the gorgeous shooting brake bodywork. For some people, that's enough. For others, that the car alone doesn't fully display their character and personality. This is the second time the Vanquish Zagatos have come up in the news in the past week. A different owner chose the classic Villa d'Este paint scheme, but went all out and bought one of each of the Zagato styles. Regardless of which style you prefer, this pink Aston proves one thing: this Zagato looks good in any color. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Andy Palmer (@andyataston) on Dec 8, 2018 at 3:50am PST Related Video: