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Xcar weighs in on the five best-sounding modern cars

Getting behind the wheel of a well-balanced vehicle can be a wonderfully visceral experience, thanks to the combined feeling of things like the weight of the steering, the bite of the brakes, and, of course, the roar of the engine. Unfortunately, many of the sensations of driving require actually being in the driver's seat to understand them, but thankfully the intoxicating noise of a beautifully tuned internal combustion engine can be shared with everyone. In a new video, Xcar shares their opinion on the five best-sounding modern performance cars. The list is a symphony of horsepower. As opposed to keeping all of the vehicles brand new, Xcar actually picks a few that are recently off the market. They're all definitely champs, though. While the list itself is well stocked, you might be able to argue with the specific order, and it would be nice to hear a few participants from outside of Europe for a collection like this one, too. No matter. Every listener is sure to find something they like in the bunch, though. Turn up the volume and enjoy.

Aston Martin will race the Valkyrie hypercar at Le Mans in 2021

Aston Martin will challenge for outright victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours race in 2021 with its Valkyrie hypercar, the British luxury sportscar maker announced on Friday after race organizers rewrote the rules. The governing FIA, who oversee the World Endurance Championship, and race organizers Automobile Club de L'Ouest, revealed earlier that hypercar derivatives would replace prototypes as the top category starting in the 2020-21 season. Aston Martin will field two works Valkyries, powered by V12 normally-aspirated engines, as part of a multi-year commitment to a championship currently dominated by Japanese manufacturer Toyota. The announcement comes 60 years after Aston Martin's sole overall triumph at Le Mans in 1959 with Britain's Roy Salvadori and American Carroll Shelby. Le Mans winner Toyota, meanwhile, has committed to staying in the WEC after 2020 subsequent to the hypercar rules. The Japanese manufacturer said in a statement before this weekend's race at Le Mans' Sarthe circuit that it would continue in 2021 with a hybrid-powered prototype based on the GR Super Sport road car. Track testing of the new car will begin next year. Defending champions Toyota will start on pole position on Saturday after sweeping the front row in qualifying for the third year in succession. "This new era of competition is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate our credentials not only as a race team against some of the best in the business, but also as a sportscar manufacturer," said Toyota Gazoo president Shigeki Tomoyama. The 2021 Le Mans will also be the 100th anniversary of Aston's first entry at the Circuit de la Sarthe. "I think you'd say from the brand's point of view, there's a little bit of unfinished business to be done," Group Chief Executive Andy Palmer told Reuters. Top Formula One designer Adrian Newey, who has won championships with Williams, McLaren and Red Bull, helped create the Valkyrie. The limited edition road legal version costs in the region of 2.5 million pounds ($3.17 million). "We don't under-estimate the difficulty of an outright win at Le Mans and you never under-estimate the tenacity and resources of Toyota," said Palmer. "On the other hand, we're not coming just to make up the numbers. We're coming here to give it a bloody good shot." Palmer said the new regulations would significantly reduce the costs of competing, without giving details about the likely budget, and hoped commercial rivals McLaren and Ferrari would take up the challenge.

Tom Brady, Aston Martin team up for special-edition Vanquish S

If we were to ask you what person comes to mind when we say the words "Aston Martin," who would it be? James Bond? No, are you crazy? New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is the person synonymous with Aston! Ok, no, not really, but the man has been involved with the company for a little while, having partnered for some sort of content series and a custom Vanquish S. Now that custom car, called the Tom Brady Signature Edition and built by Aston Martin's specialty vehicle division Q, has been revealed, and it's a seriously exclusive car with just 12 units being produced. For those who don't follow football, the production run of 12 cars isn't random. Brady's number on the field is 12, thus the number of cars produced. It also makes an appearance in a "TB12" logo found in badges on the exterior, and embossed on the seats. And of course, Brady's signature is found on the car, too, in the form of door sill plates. The badges aren't the only special touches added by Aston Martin's Q branch. The car features an array of carbon fiber body parts such as the grille, front splitter and rear diffuser. The whole car is painted a dark blue called Ultramarine Black, and it's complemented by a black leather interior. The interior also has a bit of blue lighting. It should be noted though that most of these cosmetic changes are also available on the regular Vanquish S models. These cosmetic additions and the exclusivity will cost you quite a bit of cash. According to ESPN, the car runs $359,950. Considering that a standard Vanquish S Volante starts at $311,650 before destination, and it can be customized however you'd like, even to look like a Tom Brady edition car, we would go that route. You could save even more money going with a coupe, which starts at $293,650 before destination. We also wonder if Brady will buy one of his special-edition cars, since ESPN reports he doesn't get one as part of his Aston Martin partnership. Related Video: Featured Gallery Aston Martin Vanquish S Tom Brady Signature Edition by Q News Source: Aston Martin, ESPN.comImage Credit: Aston Martin Celebrities Aston Martin Convertible Luxury Performance aston martin vanquish q by aston martin tom brady