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Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato goes into limited production

Thanks to "unprecedented customer interest," Aston Martin has confirmed plans to build a limited production run of Vanquish Zagato coupes. Just 99 wealthy owners will get the privilege to park one of these beauties in their garage, and each will be built to order. Deliveries are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2017, so there may still be time to put in a request, should you have the means and the desire. The Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato debuted in concept form at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este at Lake Como, Italy in May 2016. We loved it then, and we still love it now. The entire body is hewn from carbon fiber, with a 6.0-liter V12 delivering 576 horsepower to the rear wheels. That's good enough for a 0-60 run of 3.5 seconds, though this Grand Touring car won't really be about racing any stopwatches. Aston says the Zagato's suspension will be specially tuned for "a unique GT experience," which we assume means more long-distance comfort than race track dominance. This is the fifth time Aston Martin has teamed up with Zagato, starting with the DB4 GT racecar in 1960. The last time the partnership bore vehicular fruit was in 2011, when the V12 Vantage Zagato was unveiled. Check out the high-resolution image gallery at the top to see the new Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato in all its bright-red glory. Related Video: Featured Gallery Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato View 19 Photos Design/Style Aston Martin Coupe Luxury Performance Supercars zagato aston martin vanquish aston martin vanquish zagato

Aston Martin Vulcan being converted to road-going spec

The Aston Martin Vulcan wasn't designed as a road-going vehicle, but the two dozen buyers who've plonked down the $2.3 million to buy one may soon be able to drive on public roadways. According to Autocar, British motorsports engineering company RML is preparing a road conversion option for the Vulcan, apparently with Aston's blessing. The process will reportedly involve testing the engine for emissions, mounting some new lights, and running simulated crash tests. The ride height will likely need to be raised and the gear ratios altered, but nothing will be done to compromise the vehicle's trackability (such as removing any part of the roll cage). The undertaking is expected to cost six figures, which buy another road-going Aston but is hardly a drop in the bucket relative to the Vulcan's purchase price. Certification on a single vehicle type basis might not be feasible in all markets, particularly here in the United States, where two out of the 24 being made are said to reside. "When we went to market, there was hesitation from a few prospective owners because it didn't have a road pack... but RML said they had the ability to do it," Aston Martin chief Andy Palmer told Autocar. "It has taken a bit of time to work out what's possible from an engineering perspective, but we expect four or five owners will take advantage of this. We have the sales of the last two cars currently under negotiation and it looks like the road conversion could be the closer on those deals." The Vulcan is Aston's take on the likes of the Ferrari FXX K and McLaren P1 GTR: a seven-figure supercar designed neither for the road nor for racing, but just for their owners' enjoyment. Like its rivals, Aston Martin organizes special track days for Vulcan owners as part of a complete program, but unlike those mid-engined hybrids, the Vulcan is naturally aspirated, with its engine up front. Lanzante previously announced a similar road conversion option for the McLaren. RML's expertise lies principally in constructing racing cars – particularly touring cars. It previously collaborated with Aston Martin on the AMR1 Group C racer from 1989 (not to be confused with the later LMP1 prototype). It has also undertaken a number of road-car projects, particularly for Nissan (where Palmer used to work), developing such unique concepts as the Micra R, Juke-R and Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge. Related Video:

2013 Quail Motorsports Gathering wows with modern masterpieces

Pebble Beach is an outstanding event if you're interested in pre-war classics, but outside of the parking lots, it's a bit light on more modern stuff. The Quail, now in its eleventh year, leans far more towards the present day, and has become one of the must-attend events of the Monterey car week.
Like Pebble, though, it's a highly exclusive affair, with triple-digit ticket prices that usually sell out at the same rate as a Justin Bieber concert. If you're one of the lucky few to hold a pass, though, you'll be rubbing elbows with a who's who of the auto world. One of the highlights of this year's event was the appearance of one Michael Schumacher, who showed up alongside one of his Formula 1 cars. A retrospective was also held on Lamborghini's 50 years of production, as well as another celebration of Aston Martin's centennial. There was also a tribute to the late Martin Swig, one of the co-founders of the California Mille, who passed away last year.
The cars, not surprisingly, were epic. Lamborghini, Pagani, Spyker, Rolls-Royce, BMW, McLaren, Bugatti and Galpin Ford all showed new models to the public for the first time, while there were also appearances by Jim Glickenhaus and his Ferrari P4/5 and P4/5 Competizione, marking the first time the coach-built masterpiece and its racing offspring were shown together. Finally, the Petersen Museum showed off its wears, including the late Steve McQueen's gorgeous Jaguar XK-SS.