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What's better than a garage with a lift and a kitchen? Not much, UK owners say

Some folks look to change houses because they need more room, or perhaps their current home's basement floods. Others want a “perfect garage” with a hydraulic lift. In the United Kingdom — where priorities may be different from those in the United States — research from eBay indicates that nearly two-thirds of UK motorists (65 percent) would consider moving for the ideal garage, and theyÂ’d be prepared to pay about 5% over asking price to have one. Reporting the results of a survey among 2,000 car enthusiasts, eBay says the lift and custom toolboxes would satisfy the need to makes repairs to the Aston Martin DB5 or the Jaguar E-type (the cars respondents said theyÂ’Â’d most want installed in the garage). Certainly a built-in drain would be a nice touch for washing the vehicles, as well as proper ventilation for those paint touch-ups. A small kitchen in the garage and a jukebox would be lovely, also. Those polled were also asked to make a list of nifty additions to the garage space. Among the suggestions: a snooker table, decorative lighting, a La-Z-Boy recliner, and engine hoists. According to the research, more than 4-in-10 homeowners feel that their current garage stops them from fulfilling their passion for cars. More than half would be more likely to own a classic car if they had a garage to store it in. Said Oliver Bindloss of the Bindloss Dawes Architects firm that worked with eBay on the poll: “Garages are so much more than just a functional space for cars, they must be tough and work hard, but also be enjoyable spaces to relax in. For us as architects, the perfect garage has to start with the cars themselves.” Aston Martin Jaguar Car Buying Ownership Parts and Accessories Classics

Aston Martin not actively pursuing new investors as opens SUV plant

ST ATHAN, Wales — Aston Martin, which was reported this week to be the target of Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll, said it was not actively pursuing new investors on Friday as it opened a new factory to build its first sport utility vehicle. As some in the global car industry turn to partnerships, alliances or mergers to handle the challenge of electrification, new technology and tighter margins, Autocar magazine reported on Thursday that Stroll, the owner of Formula One team Racing Point, is preparing to buy a major stake in Aston. "You know what we would have to do if there was an official approach. Beyond that, I can't comment," Aston's chief executive Andy Palmer told Reuters at the factory opening, referring to rules governing publicly-listed companies. "We're certainly not actively soliciting any other participation. That's not to say it doesn't come," he said when asked whether Aston needed a new investor. The British automaker's new factory in south Wales holds the key to ending a poor performance this year from Aston, whose shares have tumbled 75% this year on weaker-than-expected sales. In August, Aston's biggest investor, Strategic European Investment Group, bought an extra 3% stake in the 106-year-old company, whose second largest shareholder is a Kuwaiti investor. Last month Aston, which floated in October 2018, launched its DBX model, hoping that more female buyers will help boost sales after posting a pre-tax loss of 92.3 million pounds ($118 million) for the first nine months. It hopes its new factory, in St Athan, near Cardiff, will help turn around its fortunes. The plant is its second alongside its historic one in Gaydon, central England. As the autos sector consolidates through deals such as the merge of Peugeot and Fiat, Aston has said it does not need to belong to a bigger automotive group, pointing to the success of stand-alone rival Ferrari. Palmer said the small stake held by Germany's Daimler allows Aston to have access to technology and benefit from the speed at which it can operate independently. "There is a perfectly rational route to success in our current state," he said. Reporting by Costas Pitas.

Lagonda electric crossover SUV coming in 2021

The folks at Aston Martin's ultra-luxury division Lagonda have been busy lately. The company showed a concept for a full-electric sedan at Geneva, with plans for production, and have now revealed a preview of a full-electric crossover SUV concept. It doesn't have a name yet, but, like the Lagonda Vision Concept, it's a look at a future production Lagonda. And although the Vision Concept was shown first, this crossover is planned to hit production two year's earlier in 2021. Aston Martin Lagonda only released one image of the crossover, and, well, it looks unique. We only get a look at the rear 3/4 angle, and the car above it is clearly the Vision Concept. Lagonda says the crossover is inspired by the Vision Concept, and looking at the photo, it does appear to pretty much be the Vision Concept but with a taller ride height and an extended roofline to create a hatchback. As for what we can expect from the crossover, we can extrapolate from the Vision Concept. Lagonda announced that it has plans for its production EVs to have a range of about 400 miles with solid-state batteries. Its vehicles will also be all-wheel drive. Only time will tell whether Aston Martin and Lagonda will be able to deliver on long-range, solid-state battery-powered cars within three years. Related Video: