2009 Aston Martin Vantage on 2040-cars

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Nissan could have bought a stake in Aston Martin as early as 2012

Aston Martin has a very interesting future ahead of it. While the British brand appeared to be struggling with aging tech for a while, fresh investment from Daimler may have shown a light toward the future with the brand getting engines and electronics from them. Also, former Renault-Nissan top exec Andy Palmer has jumped ship from the French/Japanese automaker to become CEO of the much smaller sports car company. Interestingly, though, new reports from unnamed Nissan sources have indicated that Palmer has been pushing to work with AM for years.
Three unnamed company insiders told Reuters that Palmer made attempts to convince Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn in 2012 and 2013 to invest in Aston Martin, but his proposals were shot down both times for unspecified reasons, according to Automotive News. "We looked carefully at the proposal but we passed on it," said one of the sources.
You can easily see why Palmer was eying Aston Martin even back in 2012. It's no secret that the British sports car mavens were in need of extra funding, well before the Daimler investment. Building vehicles these days is only getting more expensive with stronger safety and emissions requirements. Just look at the brand's desperate hope to get a side-impact crash exemption to keep selling its models in the US as an example.

Aston Martin will call the AM-RB 003 the Valhalla

Aston Martin has announced the proper name of its upcoming "AM-RB 003" hypercar: It will be called the Valhalla. The name continues the tradition of Aston Martin model names beginning with the letter V, and it ties neatly into Norse mythology. As Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer said: "In following the Valkyrie, we knew the Aston Martin Valhalla needed to make a strong statement of its own, yet also offer continuity and a clear connection. Norse mythology contains such powerful language and rich storytelling, it felt only right that the AM-RB 003 should follow the Valkyrie's theme." Witness, then, the available specs of the Valkyrie's upcoming relative. There will be a 500-car production run, and the Valhalla will feature a turbocharged V6 with a hybrid system. The car is all carbon fiber, and it will have an advanced, Vulcan-style sealed oil system that enables quick changes and reuse of the engine oil. The variable airfoil on the rear wing benefits from NASA-level FlexFoil technology, with the ability to adjust the car's downforce without changing the airfoil's angle. No power figures or more specific information has yet been announced. Valhalla production is slated to begin in late 2021. Regarding the Valkyrie, Aston Martin has announced it will race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2021. The year coincides with the 100th anniversary of Aston Martin first racing at the Circuit de la Sarthe.

2020 Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato launches with 760 horsepower

The 2020 Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato has finally been revealed in real life, following renderings shown this summer. And with the reveal come additional details, such as the fact that it bears the most powerful version of Aston's twin-turbo 5.2-liter V12 at 760 horsepower. That's an increase of 45 horsepower over the DBS Superleggera. That engine is wrapped in some stunning Zagato-designed bodywork. The fluttering multi-piece grille and rear-windowless roof are the big attention getters, but the fine details impress, too. The front and rear Aston badges are made of 18-carat gold. The interior is unique to the Zagato, featuring a new dashboard and center console. The geometric parts shown in the console are 3D-printed and can be produced in carbon fiber, aluminum, or in the case of the Centenary Specification car above, stainless steel with a real gold coating. The seats also are finished in leather and dotted with Zagato Zs. If those special parts aren't special enough, Q by Aston Martin is willing to work with you to make further modifications. Only 19 DBS GT Zagatos will be built, and all of them have to be purchased as a pair with a DB4 Zagato continuation car. Each pair starts at $7.9 million. Everyone that orders up a pair will have the cars delivered by the end of the year.