2012 Aston Martin V12 Vantage Base Hatchback 2-door 6.0l on 2040-cars

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Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Roadster in the metal in Monterey

Even surrounded by glamorous people and a plethora of extremely exotic vehicles on the lawn of the Quail, the Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Roadster sticks out as something just a little bit more special. Under the Monterey sun all of the carbon fiber on the hood and in the air dam pops out from the shining ruby red paint. The aggressive looks are deserved though, because the latest roadster might be one of the most impressive droptop GTs ever to come out of Aston Martin. Under that louvered bonnet is a tuned version of Aston's long-lived 6.0-liter V12 – it's 44 pounds lighter, too. Plus, this engine is mated to the brand's latest Sportshift III seven-speed sequential gearbox to rocket it to 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 201 miles per hour. Features like adaptive dampers, two-stage ABS and carbon-ceramic brakes, make the new V12 Vantage Roadster an even more intriguing and capable package. Of course, this Vantage is a head-turner even without those 12 cylinders ready to make a very sweet noise at the press of the throttle. Check it out from all angles in the gallery.

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:

A high-performance Aston Martin DB11 is on the way

It was only a matter of time before Aston Martin prepped a hotter version of its DB11. The British Automaker did the same for the DB9 with the DBS, as well as the Vanquish, Rapide, and Vantage so a performance model Aston is as predictable as an AMG anything from Mercedes-Benz. And from the looks of it, this extra-potent DB11, which we'll call DB11 S, will follow the same formula of more power, and aggressive exterior upgrades. Most noticeable is the mega-sized maw at the front. There's a bit of white-painted mesh to break up the front grille, but it's still clear that the opening has expanded all the way down to the front spoiler. That spoiler has been changed as well, featuring points on each side instead of one big arch. Moving around to the side, the slender vent that extends from the wheel arch on the standard DB11 has been exchanged for something larger. It's shaped very differently as well, looking a bit like a shark's tooth or a Star Fleet badge from Star Trek. At the back is another significant change. The rear bumper now features a clearly functional diffuser for improved aerodynamics. Vents appear around the exhaust tips, too. However, the ducktail spoiler appears unchanged, as does the rest of the rear. There are a couple of interesting details inside as well. This prototype is fitted with Recaro race seats, which are pretty neat, but will likely be replaced with cushier, leather-wrapped seats developed by Aston. Just behind the seats is something even more fascinating. This DB11S has a roll cage. It's hard to say if this is just a one-off for the prototype, or if it will make it to production. Certainly other companies, such as Porsche, have offered roll cages in production cars. But in the case of Porsche, they've only been included on the most hardcore sports cars. However, we're not sure this Aston is the same type of track-focused car that Porsche's caged examples are. View 11 Photos As a bonus, we also have more photos of the upcoming DB11 Volante, due spring of next year. It's still sporting the '80s-grade shoulder pads to hide its haunches, but the rest of the car is pretty well exposed. Naturally, the little air scoop behind the rear quarter windows was lost with the switch to a soft top, but we expect everything under the fake steel panels will be very similar to the coupe, just like the rest of the car. Related Video: