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2018 Aston Martin DB11 V8 First Drive | Longing for 4 more cylinders

Undeterred by implications of penance or irony, the Germans have emerged as stewards of the high-end British automotive industry. At the end of the 20th century, venerable brands such as Rolls-Royce and Bentley were producing stately, outmoded and haphazardly assembled vehicles in quantities more befitting a Paraguayan shipyard than a car company. Since their acquisition by BMW and Volkswagen, respectively, those storied marques have seen investment and product diversification that have transformed their offerings, their sales figures and their bottom lines. You may long for the anachronistic glory of a Silver Spur, but the new Phantom VIII makes it look like the condemned manor home of your black-sheep relations who subsist on cat food and family castoffs. Aston Martin is the latest manufacturer to reap the benefits of Teutonic largesse. Though Aston remains independent, with its major investor being an Italian private equity firm, Daimler, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, also owns about a 5 percent stake. While we witnessed the first tasty fruit of this union when the DB11 launched last year, it was mainly deep in the underpinnings, the Benzes having granted Aston the right to implement their electronic architecture. This resulted in surprisingly (for Aston) functional and legible dash, ventilation, safety and infotainment controls. Now, with the release of the DB11 V8, we are meeting the true Aston/Benz offspring. And we like this kid, though he may not win the title of favorite nephew. The heart of this baby is Mercedes-AMG's 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8, which, in this application, produces 503 hp and 513 lb-ft of torque. This is fiesty enough to rocket this DB to 62 mph in 4.0 seconds, barely discernible from the 3.9 seconds in which it's dispatched by the 600-hp V12. Continuing with the markdowns, the V8 deducts a $17,500 premium from the V12's list for a sub-$200,000 starting price. It also trims about 250 pounds from the DB's overall mass, which brings its fighting weight into the sub-two-ton category. Also changed are a few cosmetic features.

$1.3B worth of classic cars were auctioned in 2014

The collector auto market in the US just continues to expand with the values of vehicles seemingly only growing in the past years, especially if they have a prancing horse on the hood. This year was no different. According to data compiled by classic car insurance agency Hagerty, there were about $1.3 billion worth of vintage rides auctioned in North America in 2014, up just slightly from $1.2 billion crossing the block in 2013. If you want an idea of just how big a role the Monterey Car Week plays in the North American collector hobby, Hagerty's stats illustrate it perfectly. The company recorded $430 million in auction sales during the week – about a third of the entire market for the year. The event also hosted the biggest seller of 2014 when the hammer fell on a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO (pictured above) for $38.115 million at Bonhams. In fact, vintage Ferraris in general were among the top buys in the classic auto world in 2014. Eight of the ten most expensive vehicles sold at auction were Prancing Horses (the other two were Ford GT40s). Also, the insurance company's price index for these Italian stallions showed a 43-percent gain in value for the year. The market for another Italian supercar is exploding, as well. The Lamborghini Countach showed a staggering 175-percent growth in auction value in 2014. According to Hagerty, the average price when they crossed the block was $736,599. Judging by Hagerty's numbers, there were still some places to look for those hoping to spend a bit less money. The Aston Martin Lagonda showed a strong gain in value with a 32-percent increase in auction price, but they still averaged $47,078. In addition, the company's index for '50s American cars showed only one-percent growth for these classics. These huge leaps in collector car value might be winding down, according to Hagerty. It predicts growth in the market to slow to an estimated five percent gain in 2015. Maybe a few of these classics might actually become a bit more affordable to fans without such deep pockets sometime in the future. Featured Gallery Bonhams Maranello Rosso Collection: Monterey 2014 View 21 Photos News Source: HagertyImage Credit: Copyright 2014 Drew Phillips / AOL Aston Martin Ferrari Lamborghini Auctions Car Buying Performance Classics aston martin lagonda ferrari 250 gto Lamborghini Countach collector cars 1962 ferrari 250 gto auto auction

The Aston Martin Vulcan is bound for the Big Apple

Following its global debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, Aston Martin has announced that the Vulcan, its 800-horsepower track monster, will make its US debut at next week's New York Auto Show. According to Aston Martin, the Vulcan will lead what is for the brand, a huge display of seven cars, including the Vanquish Carbon Black, Vantage GT Roadster, Rapide S and DB9. "We are enormously encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive reaction we have received from customers and sports car fans around the world in response to the Aston Martin Vulcan," Aston boss Andy Palmer said in the attached statement. "I'm delighted that after a debut in Geneva we are able to bring the car to our North American audience, underlining the importance of this market to our business and its role in delivering our Second Century business plan." Be sure to check back next week for our exhaustive coverage from NYC. Until then, scroll down for the official press release from Aston Martin, and check out our full coverage of the Vulcan's original debut in Geneva. NEW ASTON MARTIN VULCAN SET FOR NORTH AMERICAN DEBUT IN NEW YORK • North American reveal at NYIAS for limited edition, track-only, 7.0-litre V12 supercar • The Aston Martin Vulcan fronts new seven-car Aston Martin display in New York 26 March, 2015, Irvine CA – Aston Martin's most intense and exhilarating creation to date will make its first appearance in North America at the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) next month. The Aston Martin Vulcan – a track only supercar producing some 800-plus bhp – joins the British luxury sports car maker's presence at NYIAS fresh from a global reveal at the Geneva International Motor Show earlier in March. Fronting a new seven-car display led by CEO Dr Andy Palmer, the Aston Martin Vulcan will be joined by examples from the current Aston Martin product range in North America including the new Vanquish Carbon, Rapide S, DB9, V12 Vantage S and the V8 Vantage GT Roadster. CEO, Dr Andy Palmer commented: "We are enormously encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive reaction we have received from customers and sports car fans around the world in response to the Aston Martin Vulcan.