2007 Aston Martin Db9 Base Coupe 2-door 6.0l on 2040-cars

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Aston Martin has a second mid-engined car coming

Aston Martin is expanding its exotic car horizons beyond GT cars into the realm of mid-engined sports cars. We're not talking about the upcoming Valkyrie hypercar, though. Instead, we're talking about a more mainstream mid-engined supercar designed to take on the Ferrari 488, Lamborghini Huracan, and McLaren 720S. Andy Palmer, CEO of Aston Martin, stated this specifically when discussing future product plans with Auto Express. According to Auto Express, Palmer said the car will be a competitor the 488, and will launch in 2020 as part of a plan to release a new model every year from now until 2023. Before the mid-engined car will be the rest of Aston's new GT line and the DBX crossover, and following the Ferrari fighter will be a pair of Lagonda models and the DB12. The 2020 launch date is a full year sooner than we were expecting for a sub-Valkyrie mid-engined car. Palmer cites a few reasons for going mid-engined. He explained that it's the segment standard, and that it's ideal for weight distribution. He also noted that going mid-engined will help bridge the gap between the top-tier Vanquish GT car and the Valkyrie. That's a gap with loads of room for another model, too, since the Vanquish will likely be comparable to the Ferrari F12berlinetta, which costs a bit over $300,000. The Valkyrie, on the other hand, will go for $3 million and have performance comparable to the LaFerrari and the Koenigsegg One:1. Related Video:

Aston Martin working on mid-engine Valkyrie ‘brother’ to rival McLaren P1

We know about the Aston Martin Valkyrie and the Valkyrie AMR Pro (pictured). And we know Aston Martin is planning a mid-engine rival for the Ferrari 488 and McLaren 720S. Now Autocar reports that the English luxury maker is working on yet another mid-engine model, a hypercar to outdo the McLaren P1 and Ferrari LaFerrari and stand up to the coming McLaren BP23. The newest addition to the small carmaker's grand plans is said to be known internally as "brother of the Valkyrie," and came about because of the sellout success of both the Valkyrie and Valkyrie AMR Pro. Both "brother of Valkyrie" and the 488 competitor are expected to use a carbon monococque with aluminum subframes. Both will use lessons from Aston Martin's tie-up with the Red Bull Formula 1 team, especially in packaging. Both are due to hit the market around 2021. And both will be products of the carmaker's Performance Design and Engineering Centre, a base of 130 engineers set up at Red Bull F1's Milton Keyes headquarters. However, the former car will fight in the GBP1M-plus price bracket ($1.4M-plus) where various manufacturers have made amazing hay with warp-speed daily drivers, and will be a limited edition "in order to add to its desirability." We remain in the dark on powertrains for both cars, but outsiders expect both to use a V8. When it comes to the "brother" car, Aston Martin's working relationship with Mercedes-AMG means it could tap the 4.0-liter V8 used by the DB11 and the Vantage. Apparently that engine can be wrung out to 800 horsepower with help from an ultimate EQ Boost setup. That still wouldn't be enough to compete in the segment, though, so the "brother" could become a demonstrator for Aston Martin's electric know-how — a rolling showcase that could turn its halo light on a potential electric sports car. Or perhaps there's another option that turns to Cosworth, the company helping develop the 1,000-hp 6.5-liter V12 in the Valkyrie. Aston Martin boss Andy Palmer wouldn't say much more about the junior supercar powertrain than, "In our portfolio today, we don't have an engine capable of giving us the output we require.

Win an Aston Martin Vantage and an L.A. dream house

Autoblog may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change. No donation or payment necessary to enter or win this sweepstakes. See official rules on Omaze. If you’re a fan of sunshine, beaches and luxury performance cars, this giveaway is for you. Omaze is giving away not only an Aston Martin Vantage, but a 5-bedroom, 6-bath modern farmhouse in the City of Angels. Win This $4.3 Million Los Angeles Dream House and an Aston Martin - Enter at Omaze HereÂ’s what we said about the Vantage when we last drove it: "Aston wrapped its aluminum-tubbed baby – its chassis 10% stiffer than the pricier DB11Â’s – with aluminum, steel and composite panels, for a svelte dry weight of 3,366 pounds. It goes down further with optional, weight-saving forged wheels and ceramic composite brakes.  "Combine that with a wicked-fast 13.1:1 steering ratio; an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission (with a carbon-fiber prop shaft); and Mercedes-AMGÂ’s superlative, 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with 509 horses and 505 pound-feet of torque, and youÂ’ve got a British-German missile that cracks 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, and reaches a 195-mph peak. The DB11 has adopted this optional V8 as well, which only improves its handling versus the V12, though the Vantage gains more off-the-line advantage with a shorter final-drive ratio of 2.93, versus 2.7 in the DB11. "Driving the Aston is easy peasy in contrast, but thereÂ’s still rewarding effort involved. The AstonÂ’s street-killing, track-worthy intent is underlined by a three-mode drive system – adjusting throttle map, transmission, stability control and that basso-profundo exhaust – with no “Comfort” mode, only “Sport,” “Sport Plus” and “Track.” The steering is bristling with feedback, the chassis supremely balanced. ItÂ’s the kind of sports car that likes to be grabbed by the scruff of the neck and flogged, and if things get out-of-sorts occasionally, all the better. IÂ’d been on some of these same roads a few weeks ago in a $240,000 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S, and itÂ’s just a different experience. It may be faster than the Aston, as youÂ’d expect from a 640-horsepower 911 with a Bugatti-like 2.6-second launch to 60 mph, but the Porsche is also a more-effortless, surreal traveler, as much spaceship as sports car. If you can afford either or both, the choice is up to you. "This being an Aston, there are other flaws and quirks.