2007 Aston Martin Db9 Sport on 2040-cars

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Final Spectre trailer drops, still looks awesome

Well, here we are. After all the teasers, behind-the-scenes photos and videos, and wrecked Aston Martins, we have the final trailer for the newest James Bond flick, Spectre. Through all the leaks and other trailers, we've got a pretty good idea as to how many vehicular set pieces there will be when Spectre hits trailers. Obviously, the premiere spot will be the chase between 007's Aston Martin DB10 and the Jaguar C-X75 of baddy Mr. Hinx, while there looks to be a wintry exchange featuring a Range Rover Sport SVR, some Defenders, and a plane. This trailer also shows some kind of pickup truck – we're guessing it's a Toyota Hilux – t-boning an older Jaguar XJ, which we think is new footage. Of course, there's a lot more action beyond the automotive variety. There's a helicopter sequence, gunfights, a building collapse, and we get our very best look at the film's main villain, played by a Max von Sydow/Blofeld-channeling Christoph Waltz. Check out the trailer, available at the top of the page. Spectre hits US theaters on November 6.

Aston Martin Rapide E opens four doors to the company's electric future

At last, the production Aston Martin Rapide E is ready to dance. Developed in conjunction with Williams Advanced Engineering, the carmaker and the Formula One engineering firm did their best to make the most of an aged platform that was last combined with a 595-horsepower V12. In place of the 6.0-liter 12-cylinder, gearbox, and gas tank in the Rapide AMR, there now sits a 65-kWh battery sheathed in a carbon fiber and kevlar case. It powers two electric motors on the rear axle, the power figures a combined 604 hp and 700 pound-feet of torque. The juice powers the 4,387-pound fastback to a 4.2-second dash to 62 miles per hour. Range is said to be 200 miles on the WLTP cycle, which could mean anywhere from 140 to 180 miles in our numbers. The 800-volt electrical architecture permits charging rates of 300 range-miles per hour when hooked up to the proper outlet delivering 100 kW or more. On top of that, since Aston Martin only plans to build 155 examples of the Rapide E at the carmaker's new St. Athans, Wales, facility, the cries about range anxiety should be muted. The aluminum and carbon fiber bodywork has been submitted to a regime of aero efficiency and shedding superfluous ICE bits. Honeycomb fills the grille aperture and housings formerly used for fog lights, while less air is allowed to flow through the bodywork. A new underfloor hooks up to a larger rear carbon fiber diffuser. The 21-inch forged aero wheels wear low-rolling resistance Pirelli P Zeros. Three driving modes work with an adaptive suspension and limited-slip differential, in an attempt to keep the powertrain swap from eliminating the brand's trademark thrills. Inside, a 10-inch digital display supplants the horologically jeweled dash cluster Aston Martins are known for. A companion app conveys typical EV information remotely, and can also tell owners where the car is parked and provide walking directions to the spot. The Rapide E order book is open now, the price only disclosed "on application." Aston Martin's electric future begins now, and James Bond will be the first person to make the trip there.

Aston Martin DBX SUV spied up close towing, and we get interior shots

An Aston Martin SUV called the DBX is going to be revealed in the last quarter of 2019, and here's your newest batch of spy photos showing it out testing. There isn't much new to see on the outside, but our spy photographer managed to capture more detailed photos of the interior. Before you get too excited, know the interior is pretty much entirely unfinished. This particular DBX prototype seems to be a fairly early build, as everything on the inside looks cobbled together. If you peer through the rear windows you'll see what looks like some sort of rollcage and massive jugs meant to simulate the weight of passengers. Also, like before, there's a smattering of Mercedes parts in there. We see the Mercedes infotainment display, center console and center stack design, plus Mercedes seat controls. Curiously, those seat controls are on the tunnel separating the driver and passenger. Aston could get away with doing that, but with all the space an SUV offers, it seems somewhat unnecessary to package it thusly. We'll just assume nothing is final at this point, due to the state of confusion currently on display in the Aston's interior. We do have something interesting to look at on the exterior of the DBX, though. It's hauling something, and that something happens to be a Taylor dynamometer, according to the logo on the side. This kind of dyno is used to apply a measured load to the vehicle, in addition to simulating driving up and down slopes. This SUV is rumored to have AMG's 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 under the hood, so it could have some heady towing capability. Aston seems intent on making this SUV do SUV things, so a solid tow rating could be in the cards. The wait isn't long at this point for the DBX, but Aston hasn't uncovered anything more than it did last year. With the actual announcement nearing, we hope to see more of the large Aston Martin bruiser soon.