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Aston Martin debuts its first F1 race car in 61 years — green is for go

LONDON — James Bond said he was thrilled, and seven-times Super Bowl champion Tom Brady threw in support from afar as Aston Martin showed off its first Formula One car in 61 years on Wednesday. The launch, presented online by "Quantum of Solace" actress Gemma Arterton, played up the 108-year-old marque's connection to the fictional British secret agent as the Silverstone-based team started a new era. "I just want to send a massive congratulations to all at Aston Martin for getting back onto the F1 grid for the first time since 1960," Bond actor Daniel Craig said in a video message. "It is an incredible thrill for me, and I'm sure all F1 fans, to see Aston Martin racing again in their iconic Aston Martin Racing Green. "Go take it to them. I'll see you on the grid." The new James Bond film "No Time to Die," due for release in September, features four Aston Martins — the agent's car of choice. Four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel, freshly arrived from Ferrari, and Canadian Lance Stroll will be the ones with the license to thrill and both liked the look of the sleek green AMR21 car that marks Aston's return as a constructor. Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Brady offered his support in a video message for a team that last year, as Racing Point, finished fourth overall but won a race and were often third fastest. "Hey Lance and Seb, looks like your ride is finally here and it looks amazing," he said. "I'll be cheering you guys every step of the way...good luck and kick some ass." Lawrence Stroll, team owner and father of Lance, is also the executive chairman of Aston Martin and has big plans for expanding the brand and taking his team to the top. "I have dreamed about this day for a very long time," he said. "My first dream was to own a Formula One team. My second dream was to acquire a significant shareholding in Aston Martin Lagonda. Today is about the merging of those two dreams. "This is just the beginning. The team is pushing forward, and our ambitions are limitless. We now have the pieces in place, the people and the partners, to make real progress."  Related Video:

UK car output falls 14% in March, may get worse with no-deal Brexit

LONDON — British car output fell for the 10th month in a row in March, hit by a slowdown in key foreign markets, and the sector stands to suffer a lot more if the country leaves the European Union without a deal, an industry body said on Tuesday. Output tumbled by an annual 14.4 percent to 126,195 cars in March, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said. Exports, which account for nearly four out of every five cars made in Britain, were down by 13.4 percent. The SMMT said analysis it had commissioned predicted output would fall this year to 1.36 million units from 1.52 million in 2018, assuming London can secure a transition deal with the EU. If Britain has to rely instead on World Trade Organization rules for its trade with the bloc, which include import tariffs, output is forecast to fall by around 30 percent to 1.07 million units in 2021, returning to mid-1980s levels, the SMMT said. The forecasts were produced for SMMT by AutoAnalysis, a consultancy. Prime Minister Theresa May has secured a delay to the Brexit deadline until Oct. 31, giving her more time to try to break an impasse in parliament over the terms of Britain's departure from the EU. Foreign minister Jeremy Hunt traveled to Japan earlier this month to try to persuade the Japanese government and Toyota, which has a big presence in Britain, that London was determined to avoid a no-deal Brexit. "Just a few years ago, industry was on track to produce 2 million cars by 2020 — a target now impossible with Britain's reputation as stable and attractive business environment undermined," SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said. "All parties must find a compromise urgently so we can set about repairing the damage and diverting energy and investment to the technological challenges that will define the future of the global industry." (Reporting by William Schomberg, editing by David Milliken)

Q by Aston Martin makes a 430-hp V8-powered Cygnet

A V8-powered Aston Martin Cygnet with 430 horsepower and 361 pound-feet of torque could be the best definition of "Didn't see that coming" we've had all year. A customer requested the carmaker's customization arm, Q by Aston Martin — Commission, insert a 4.7-liter V8 from the last-gen Vantage S into the Cygnet's engine bay. The grafting job, dressed in Buckinghamshire Green, weighs 1,375 kilograms or 3,025 pounds with fluids, and posts a power-to-weight ratio of 284 hp-per-ton in U.S. parlance, 313 bhp/tonne in UK units. Aston Martin engineers shortened the intake system to keep the Cygnet's standard hood unmolested. The motor blows out the other end through a twin, centrally-mounted exhaust at the end of very short pipes. Other components carried over from the Vantage S include the front and rear subframes, suspension, most of the braking system, and seven-speed Sportshift II transmission. Torque steer isn't an issue, because the rears do the driving via a "miniature" torque tube that runs underneath a custom tunnel. Carbon wheel arches shield 19-inch wheels shod in 275/35 Bridgestone rubber, with six-piston monoblock calipers in front, four-piston monoblocks in back. In spite of Aston Martin calling this "The Ultimate City Car," additional modifications would indicate the owner has ultimate track plans for the V8 Cygnet. The Q department welded in a roll cage, occupants sit in fixed Recaro buckets with four-point harnesses, the driver grips a removable, Alcantara-covered steering wheel, there are leather pull straps on carbon door panels, a steel fuel tank fills the cargo area, and an FIA-compliant fire extinguisher system keeps things cool if the temperature gets too hot. Should the V8 Cygnet pretend to its city car origins, there's a Vantage instrument cluster, air conditioning, and two USB ports. Goodwood Festival of Speed visitors will get to see how she runs up the hill. The original Cygnet, based on the Scion iQ and out of production since 2013, got from 0-60 miles per hour in about 11 seconds. The V8 Cygnet does that in 4.2, and taps out at 170 mph — 60 mph past the standard Cygnet's top speed. Aston Martin says the original Cygnet "looks set to become a future classic." That could be optimistic. The V8 Cygnet, however, just might have the chops. Related Video: Featured Gallery Aston Martin V8 Cygnet View 12 Photos Aston Martin Hatchback Luxury Racing Vehicles Special and Limited Editions aston martin cygnet q by aston martin