2007 Aston Martin Db9 Sport on 2040-cars

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'Top Gear' takes us inside the Aston Martin Project 003

"Top Gear" magazine's Jack Rix might be the ideal lad to lock in a room with a cool car and a camera. After taking us on tours of the Mercedes-AMG One and Honda Urban EV concept, he's wandered into another anteroom with the Aston Martin Project 003 and Vanquish. When we saw the mid-engined coupes at the Geneva Motor Show, it looked like Aston Martin programmed the Valkyrie family's design language to "softer" on the RMB-003 and "softest" for the Vanquish. We wanted more details. Cue Mr. Rix. The deputy editor fills us in on trivia like the combined weight of the Project 003 headlights and taillights being less than the weight of a single DB11 headlight. He also shows us how the NASA-aided FlexFoil wing works, and where the potential rear-view cameras would be mounted. Then he gets inside an interior that's "a bit more civilized" than that on the Valkyrie for not putting hip level beneath knee level. However, notice that here, too, the seat is built into the carbon fiber tub — the end of the seat bolster is flush with the footwell. And check out those vents that triple as speakers and ambient lighting. Rix can only walk around the Vanquish, since that car's not due until 2022, a year after the Project 003. Nevertheless, there are plenty of Easter eggs to share, like how design elements from front-engined Aston Martins have been integrated throughout the mid-engined bodywork. As a bonus feature, Aston Martin has taken a separate look at Valkyrie development through the eyes of high-performance test driver Chris Goodwin. The racer explains how he's using the Red Bull Formula 1 team's simulator to tune the Valkyrie road car's handling, active suspension, and aerodynamic systems. Goodwin was McLaren Automotive's test driver and worked on the Speedtail, so it could mean something when he says of the Valkyrie, "It's going to be a substantial gap between this car and what's currently available on the market."

Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider loses roof, swaps doors, keeps the speed

The Aston Martin Valkyrie family has officially expanded to three models with the introduction of the Valkyrie Spider at Monterey Car Week. And as the name suggests, it's a convertible. The new roof required a few tweaks, but the car is still basically the same as the hardtop. The Valkyrie Spider's roof is a removable hardtop made of carbon fiber and featuring hinged polycarbonate windows on either side. This is to allow easier entry and exit with the roof in place. Also, because the roof is removable, the Spider couldn't have the gull-wing doors of the coupe. So Aston Martin reengineered it to have butterfly doors. A few other undisclosed aerodynamic changes were made, too. Though Aston Martin didn't say by how much, the company did say the Spider is a bit heavier than its closed counterpart. But owners are unlikely to really notice since they'll be working with the same 1,139 horsepower from the 6.5-liter V12. And really, even if the weight change were noticeable, it would probably be covered up by the fact that you'll be able to hear that engine much better. It's still extremely fast, capable of around 205 mph with the top off, and around 217 mph with the top in place. Aston will build 85 Valkyrie Spiders. No pricing or availability was given, and there's a distinct possibility all the examples have been sold already. The people who are lucky enough to get one should expect their cars to arrive in the second half of 2022. Related video:

Zagato receives a pair of 600-hp Aston Martin V12s for its private collection

Enthusiasts who missed their chance to buy the limited-edition Aston Martin V12 Zagato released in 2012 are in luck. British manufacturer R-Reforged received permission from both brands to build 38 more cars, split evenly between coupes and convertibles, and it has just completed the first prototypes in its Warwick, England, facility. Fittingly, the first pair was ordered by Andrea and Marella Zagato, and it's headed for the coachbuilder's private collection. The roadster is finished in a darker shade of gold, while the coupe is painted silver, and each color shows up again on the center console. Both cars ride on the same center-locking 19-inch wheels, and they receive a plaque in the engine bay that certifies they were built specifically for Mr. and Mrs. Zagato.  R-Reforged didn't settle for copying and pasting the original blueprints. It made small but significant changes to the cars, including giving the front end a new-look splitter and redesigned fenders. Zagato's signature double-bubble roof remains, but the rear end gains active aerodynamic components that keep the car planted on the ground at autobahn speeds without altering its lines. Carbon fiber body panels help offset the system's weight. Power still comes from a 5.9-liter V12, but it has been tuned to develop 600 horsepower, an 80-horse increase over the original V12 Zagato. Suspension and chassis modifications make the car lower and wider, too. Just 19 pairs will be built in the coming months, and pricing for the duo starts at $2.2 million. Twelve workers make each car by hand, so building one takes up to 16 weeks. R-Reforged told Autoblog there are still some build slots left, but the catch is that the coupe and the convertible are exclusively sold as a pair, which is good news for people who buy supercars like they buy flip-flops. From there, anything is possible. Buyers can request that both cars be built to the exact same specifications, or they can work with the design team to personalize each one.