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Aston Martin Vantage Roadster limited edition gets 100-year-old styling cues

Aston Martin's oldest-known car is turning 100 years old in 2021, and the British firm is celebrating the occasion with a limited-edition Vantage Roadster built by its Q division. It was commissioned by the company's oldest dealer. Located in Walton-on-Thames in England, distributor Aston Martin HWM worked with Q to bring some of the 1921 A3's design cues into the 21st century. The process was easier said than done considering the A3 and the Vantage share little more than four wheels, and creating a completely new car from the ground up was seemingly not an option.  Instead, the commemorative car is a Vantage Roadster that wears a specific grille with a black mesh insert, a bright aluminum frame, and a replica of the emblem fitted to the A3. It also gains redesigned fender inserts painted in a shade of gray that echoes the A3's hood and fitted with black strap above a "No_3" emblem. Most of the Vantage's exterior trim is black, and bronze brake calipers visible behind 20-inch wheels add a finishing touch to the look. Obsidian Black leather dominates the cabin, though Chestnut Tan inserts and stitching ensure the Vantage isn't fully blacked-out. One of the coolest design features found in this limited-edition convertible is the use of brass for three of the dials found on the center stack. They create a visual link between the 2021 Vantage and the 1921 A3. Aston Martin made no retro changes under the hood, which is just as well considering the A3 used a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 11 horsepower. Power for the Vantage comes from a 4.0-liter V8 borrowed from Mercedes-AMG and twin-turbocharged to develop 503 horsepower and 505 pound-feet of torque. It spins the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. Aston Martin quotes a 3.6-second sprint from zero to 60 mph and a top speed of 190 mph. For context, the A3 made headlines in 1923 by lapping the Brooklands track at 84.5 mph. The 1920s-inspired Vantage is on sale now, though Aston Martin chose not to reveal how many units will be made, how much each one will cost, and whether any will be sold in America. We've contacted the firm for more details. As for the A3, it's not for sale, even if you ask nicely and bring a big wad of cash; it's owned by the Aston Martin Heritage Trust. It will be shown at the annual Concours of Elegance taking place in September 2021 near London. Related video: Aston Martin DBX crossover review

Last 9 Aston Martin DB9s roll off the line

It's been 13 long years since the Aston Martin DB9 debuted and the automaker just finished producing the last nine models. Aston tweeted "farewell to an icon" and posted pictures of the final DB9s. Farewell to an icon. The last nine Aston Martin DB9s are now ready for final inspection. pic.twitter.com/arpi2NPus7 — Aston Martin (@astonmartin) July 22, 2016 Just like the DB9 in 2003, the upcoming DB11 is expected to be a fresh start for Aston thanks to a new 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 and a modern platform. While the DB9's VH underpinnings will live on in the Rapide and Vanquish, the sports car was a huge success for Aston and arguably kept the company afloat during rough times. According to Left-Lane, Aston sold 8,701 DB9s from 2004 to 2015 in Europe alone. With its sales numbers and large following, it shouldn't come as a surprise to hear that Aston is hard at work ensuring the DB11 be a hit. Related Video: News Source: @astonmartin, Left-LaneImage Credit: Aston Martin/Twitter Auto News Plants/Manufacturing Aston Martin Coupe Luxury Performance aston martin db9

Aston Martin Valkyrie could beat that new Nurburgring record, Red Bull F1 boss says

During last weekend's Austrian Formula 1 Grand Prix, Race Fans asked Red Bull F1 team principal Christian Horner about the Aston Martin Valkyrie. The question was whether the coming hypercar, a collaboration between Red Bull and title sponsor Aston Martin, could beat the stunning lap record around the Nurburgring just set by the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo. Horner's answer: "I'm not sure a Formula 1 car could actually do it, but I think that the Valkyrie — certainly the track version of the Valkyrie — could be a contender." That's a qualified endorsement, but it still counts as support merely putting the Valkyrie AMR Pro in the conversation. Let's compare, shall we? The 919 Hybrid Evo is based on the 2017 World Endurance Championship-winning 919 Hybrid. Freed from motorsport regulations, Porsche Motorsport upgraded numerous performance bits. The 2.0-liter, turbocharged V-four-cylinder went from 500 hp to 720 hp. The two KERS units went from 400 hp to 440 hp. We don't have a figure for downforce, but items like active aero, a larger front diffuser, optimized turning vanes, and larger rear wing increased downforce by 53 percent over the WEC car, at the same time being 66 percent more aero efficient. It weighs 849 kg dry, or 1,868 pounds because Porsche threw out everything that didn't contribute to speed. The Valkyrie specs we know of so far state a weight of 1,000 kilograms, or 2,200 pounds. Powering that is a custom, naturally aspirated, 6.5-liter AMR Cosworth V12 with more than 900 horsepower, augmented by a kinetic energy recovery system contributing around 230 hp. According to Autocar's sources, the Valkyrie could generate up to 4,000 pounds of downforce at an aerodynamically-limited 225 miles per hour. That boggling number comes courtesy of Adrian Newey's prowess at making changes such as openings between the front wheel arches and the cockpit that work the front wing harder. The two-seater coupe's unrestricted top speed is 254 mph. Note, though, that the Valkyrie AMR Pro will be more powerful, lighter, and could have even more downforce. And since Aston Martin and Newey continue to work on the hypercar, specs could get even better before deliveries begin. Right now, Horner's suggestion doesn't seem all that outrageous. We'll also wait to see if the Mercedes-AMG Project One pokes its nose in the ring, too. Not long ago, AMG chief Tobias Moers said it's "reasonable to speculate" the F1-inspired hypercar could claim an absolute lap record around the 'Ring.