2023 Aston Martin Vantage V12 Roadster on 2040-cars

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2020 Aston Martin DBX horsepower revealed — and here's how it sounds

We've seen the upcoming 2020 Aston Martin DBX crossover a number of times in camouflage, but now we're finally getting real details about it. Specifically, the company announced that it will make 542 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque from its AMG-sourced twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8. It's the most powerful version of the engine used in an Aston, with 39 more ponies than the Vantage and DB11, and 3 more pound-feet than the next torque-iest DB11. Aston Martin had a few more interesting, if not yet official numbers to share. The company revealed that in testing at the Nurburgring, the DBX has been setting lap times under eight minutes. That means it could eclipse the 7-minute, 49-second record time set by the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S. That Mercedes uses the same twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 as the Aston with the same amount of torque, but at 503 horsepower, it's down on power. Besides rough 'Ring times, Aston also noted that the DBX can go over 180 mph, though final top speed and acceleration numbers haven't been set yet. Besides the new numbers, Aston Martin also released an audio clip of the V8. It sounds very deep, but not especially loud. It's a smooth and polished sound, too. You can check it out in the video above. And stay tuned for further details when the DBX is fully revealed in December.  

Aston Martin renames Vantage GT3 after Porsche throws hissy fit

Porsche has a long history of using the name "GT3" for its hardcore, naturally aspirated 911 models, and that means it's certainly not going to share it with the likes of Aston Martin. See, it seems the arrival of the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show didn't sit well with Stuttgart, which opted to lawyer up. According to Goodwood Road and Racing, attorneys from both sides of the Channel have been in discussion for months over the issue, with Porsche arguing it's been using the GT3 name since 1999, and that makes it theirs. Aston, though, argues that the FIA GT3 racing series makes the name fair game for road cars. Moreover, the Brits point out that the alphanumeric was in use well before Porsche got its mitts on it – GRR rightly points out the Lotus Esprit GT3 hit the streets three years before the 996 GT3. And while we're on the subject, Bentley has its own GT3, but we're guessing its status as one of Porsche's siblings means its immune to this kind of squabbling. Rather than getting into a knock-down, drag-out courtroom brawl with one of the Volkswagen Group's prized brands, though, Aston has taken the high road. The company will rechristen both the road-going Vantage GT3 and Vantage racer as the GT12. While Porsche is no stranger to aggressively protecting what it views as its closely held vehicle names, we have to admit, it seems like Aston actually has something of a case. Do you think the Brits were right to settle and change the Vantage's name, or should they have taken the fight to Porsche? Have your say in Comments.

Major Aston Martin shareholder cuts stake in British carmaker

A top Aston Martin shareholder cut its stake in the British carmaker by nearly 5%, a regulatory filing showed on Monday. Italian private-equity firm Investindustrial Advisors Ltd disclosed a stake of 14.99% in Aston Martin as of May 29, compared with its previous stake of 19.92%. It was not immediately clear why the fund cut its stake.  Investindustrial is the company's second-biggest shareholder after Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll, according to Refinitiv Eikon data. The 107-year old luxury carmaker in May posted a deep first-quarter loss after sales dropped by almost a third due to the impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Aston Martin and the PE firm did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva) Related Video: