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Aston Martin will call the AM-RB 003 the Valhalla

Aston Martin has announced the proper name of its upcoming "AM-RB 003" hypercar: It will be called the Valhalla. The name continues the tradition of Aston Martin model names beginning with the letter V, and it ties neatly into Norse mythology. As Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer said: "In following the Valkyrie, we knew the Aston Martin Valhalla needed to make a strong statement of its own, yet also offer continuity and a clear connection. Norse mythology contains such powerful language and rich storytelling, it felt only right that the AM-RB 003 should follow the Valkyrie's theme." Witness, then, the available specs of the Valkyrie's upcoming relative. There will be a 500-car production run, and the Valhalla will feature a turbocharged V6 with a hybrid system. The car is all carbon fiber, and it will have an advanced, Vulcan-style sealed oil system that enables quick changes and reuse of the engine oil. The variable airfoil on the rear wing benefits from NASA-level FlexFoil technology, with the ability to adjust the car's downforce without changing the airfoil's angle. No power figures or more specific information has yet been announced. Valhalla production is slated to begin in late 2021. Regarding the Valkyrie, Aston Martin has announced it will race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2021. The year coincides with the 100th anniversary of Aston Martin first racing at the Circuit de la Sarthe.

Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato previewed in renderings

Last fall, Aston Martin and Zagato announced that they would be building special continuation versions of the DB4 GT Zagato to celebrate the Italian design house's 100th anniversary. But the two companies wouldn't stop there, as each DB4 would come with an yet-to-be-revealed DBS variant. Now the companies have released detailed renderings and information about what is officially called the Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato. The car will be based on the hottest DB11 model, the DBS Superleggera. That means it should have a twin-turbo V12 making at least 715 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque with all of that going to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic. Outside of the bones, the DBS GT Zagato will have a thoroughly revised exterior. As shown in the photos, the front grille is one piece and is more reminiscent of what's found on the smaller Aston Martin Vantage. An exaggerated double-bubble roof is a highlight, and it stretches out to the pointy tip of the tail. The hood echoes the double bubble in its center. The taillights have an afterburner shape that Zagato has favored lately. Neither Aston nor Zagato has said when we'll see the actual car, but we expect it will be shown sometime this year. Buyers will start getting their DBS GT Zagatos at the end of 2020, a year after their DB4 GT Zagato continuation cars are delivered. As a reminder, the price for each of the 19 pairs of cars is 6 million pounds, or $7.93 million at current exchange rates and before taxes.

Aston Martin teases the DBX again ahead of December debut

Aston Martin began the teaser campaign for the DBX two months ago with a 37-second video of the coming crossover on a romp over dirt roads, carousing and drifting through a magenta landscape. The next month brought a dynamic tease, the DBX running up the hill at Goodwood. Now another teaser is out, this one called The Grille, focused on that trademark Aston Martin component. The dreamy vid, laid out like an opening credit sequence for a Bond film, is captioned, "Aston Martin’s first SUV features the iconic DB grille." In case that's not enough to make the connection, the DB11 opens the 41-second clip before eventually transitioning into the DBX. The DBX is built on the same Second Century Architecture supporting the DB11, the SCA also planned to carry the Lagonda's future lineup of electric vehicles. Power will come from the same Mercedes-AMG-sourced 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 found in the DB11 and the Vantage. If the horsepower rumors come true, we can expect 503 ponies from the charge, same as found in the 2020 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S Coupe, and something like 516 pound-feet of torque. The engine being hooked up to a Mercedes electrical architecture helps explain the surfeit of Mercedes-looking switchgear inside the DBX cabin, including what looks like a heavily MBUX-inspired infotainment system. Without stating a figure, Aston Martin makes note of DBX towing capability; the GLC 63 can manage 3,500 pounds, enough for the DBX to pull the required barrow of champagne to Royal Ascot 2020. The reveal is scheduled for December, deliveries to come in 2020 after units roll off the carmaker's new factory in St. Athan, Wales. Production numbers are penciled in for 5,000 units per year. The order book opened over the weekend at Pebble Beach; selling the planned annual production would nearly double the company's annual sales.