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Next Aston Vantage will be the only way to get an AMG V8 with a stick

With only a few exceptions, most of them factory customs, AMG hasn't built cars with manual transmissions. It just isn't the way things are done in Affalterbach. But now that Mercedes's in-house speed shop will be supplying engines to Aston Martin, the world will be treated to cars with three pedals and overengineered German V8s wrapped in a pretty British package. We're into it. The news comes from Car and Driver, which spoke to Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer about the new Vantage among other things. Palmer confirms to C/D that the Vantage will continue to offer manual and automatic transmissions when the next-gen car arrives featuring the AMG 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. In its most potent form, the eight-cylinder makes 503 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque in the AMG GT S. Figure on a little more from the Aston-ized version, just for fun. The current V8 Vantage GT makes 430 hp and 361 lb-ft from its naturally aspirated 4.7-liter. While some may lament the new engine's forced induction, that added power and the thoroughly modern behavior of the AMG engine should be welcome. While the AMG V8 is currently only planned to go into Aston's entry-level car, C/D does mention a possibility of it (and perhaps its three-pedal transmission) making its way into other cars as an economy option for certain markets. If a V8 DB11 were to be offered, don't expect it to show up here, though. There's also no word on who will supply the manual for the AMG-Aston mashup, but it likely will be a transaxle like the current Vantage. Ex-factory manual AMGs aren't totally unprecedented. Pagani has built some three-pedal cars with its massaged AMG V12s. Compared to those, however, these manual Vantages can be considered mass-production cars. And really, any increase in the number of sticks mated to AMG engines can only be a good thing. Related Video: News Source: Car and Driver Aston Martin Mercedes-Benz Coupe Performance mercedes-amg confirmed aston martin v8 vantage aston martin vantage

Aston Martin trademarks DB10 through DB14

What comes after DB9? That's the big question currently surrounding Aston Martin as the British purveyor of luxury GTs prepares to replace its long-serving core model. And now we may have a clue at what the answer will be. Reports coming in from the UK indicate that Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd. has applied for trademarks on a succession of model names, starting with DB10 and extending all the way up to DB14. That doesn't mean that the DB9's successor will necessarily adopt one of those, however, as word has it that some elements within the company would rather stick with the name DB9 rather than move forward, as the company has traditionally done over the years. Whatever it's ultimately called, the DB9's replacement is expected to be built on Aston's upcoming new platform that will replace the aging VH architecture. We're anticipating that it will also pack the new AMG-sourced turbo V8, and if it does, it could end up replacing both the DB9 and the V8 Vantage. The old DB7 that put the brand back on the map in 1994 and lasted until 2004 was offered with both a 3.2-liter inline-six and the brand's ubiquitous 6.0-liter V12.

Aston Martin announces Rapide E as its first all-electric model

Aston Martin has announced official specifications for its first battery-electric model, which will be the Rapide E. Developed together with Williams Advanced Engineering, the 2019 Rapide E will have two electric motors good for a total of 610 horsepower and 700 pound-feet of torque. The Rapide E four-door, which will be produced in a limited run of 155 units, will be good for 155 mph. Its WLTP range target is said to be over 200 miles, and an hour of charging is good for 185 miles, using a regular 400-volt 50kW charger. Aston says the car's 800V battery system can also be charged with a 100kW+ charger at a rate of over 5 miles per minute. The electric powertrain is where the Rapide S's six-liter V12, gearbox and fuel tank would normally reside, to keep weight distribution in check; using composite materials and lightweight alloys, Aston has been able to meet the Rapide E's weight targets. To beat the aerodynamics of the Rapide S and to make it as silent as possible, both the car's exterior and underbody have been given a makeover from an EV development viewpoint and the low-rolling-resistance Pirelli P-Zero tires even feature noise-canceling foam inside them. As Aston is still in the business of making sports cars, the Rapide E's performance must be up to par: It reaches 60 mph in less than 4 seconds, and the 50-70 mph overtaking time is just 1.5 seconds. Aston says these figures can also be reached with a battery that is less than fully charged – the target is for "maximum performance on-demand throughout majority of the battery state of charge window," to put it succinctly. Aston's benchmark is that the Rapide E is capable of a full Nurburgring lap without any derating of the battery, with the electric version able to give a hassle-free performance expected of an internal combustion car. Perhaps that is a veiled reference to Teslas that have experienced overheating problems in track use. Aston Martin also states that it has strived to keep the Rapide E feeling like an Aston Martin, especially compared to the V12-engined Rapide S sibling. For Aston, this has meant chassis and electric powertrain tuning to retain the Rapide S's handling characteristics and "feel," including using a limited-slip differential through which the twin electric motors deliver their power — and keeping an eye on the springs, dampers and software integration to keep the car from feeling ponderous or clunky.