Don’t look now but Lamborghini is planning to invade the luxury car industry or as reports would have it. The funny thing is that I have always looked up to the Lambo as a luxury car in itself, though on a different level. And if the Italian car manufacturer’s intent is for real, expect the big leap to give Porsche and Aston Martin to be in for some good competition for their concept luxury cars.

What will the luxury Lambo have to offer? Well here are some of the things to watch out. The luxury model will be equipped with an all wheel-drive transmission and a V10 engine. It will come in a four-door sedan based on the Estoque concept. On whether the rumor is for real or not, the idea is not far-fetched.

(Source) Auto Spies

The Aston Martin Rapide made its debut at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show where attendees gasped at the car’s beautifully sleek and sexy, yet professional design. However, Aston Martin has evidently deemed the amount of hype surrounding the car insufficient and have gone ahead and released the above promotional video showing off the car’s development.

As you can see, the car was meticulously designed and tested before Aston Martin gave it to production go ahead. Unfortunately, due to its sure to be high price the chances of us ever getting a chance to drive this beauty remain slim to none.

It looks like Ferrari isn’t the only one opening a retail store at the Nurburgring circuit as Aston Martin too has announced a similar store.

That’s all fine and dandy but the real treat is that the first ever Aston Martin One-77 production model was put on display at the store. According to WorldCarFans it is the same car that Aston Martin has been using for testing for some time now.

For those who don’t know, the One-77 is said to have a top speed above 200MPH and the capability to go from 0-100km/h in less that 3.5 seconds.

Don’t look now but Aston Martin, the same company that brought to us the 6.0 litre DBS which we saw in the Quantum of Solace, is reportedly set to unveil a new eco-friendly Supermini in the car scene soon. The 1.0 hatchback which they are calling the Cygnet which accelerate from 0 to 60 seconds in 14.7 seconds. Whoa!

The car will be eligible for the cheapest tax band thanks to its low emissions. The car is based on Toyota’s IQ city car but is given the Aston Martin makeover with a sporty grille, alloy wheels, and luxury interior.

The Cygnet will cost a fraction of its high-powered siblings, such as the £160,000 DBS, by selling for around the £20,000 mark.

(Source) Telegraph

As far as car preference is concerned, one has to wonder which among the many vehicles launched in the market would make the grade. While there are different categories to which these will be determined, Edmunds.com reveals the most recognized cars as voted for in 15 categories.

“Car enthusiasts have very strong opinions and we’re glad to provide them with opportunities to express themselves by voting for Most Wanted, commenting on blogs and otherwise engaging in our community,” said Scott Oldham, Editor in Chief of Inside Line.

• Speed Under $30,000 – 2009 Nissan 370Z
• Speed Over $30,000 – 2009 Nissan GT-R
• Convertible Under $30,000 – 2009 Ford Mustang
• Convertible Over $30,000 – 2009 Aston Martin DB9 Volante
• Luxury Under $30,000 – 2009 BMW 128i
• Luxury Over $30,000 – 2009 Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG
• Hauling Under $30,000 – 2009 Ford F-150
• Hauling Over $30,000 – 2009 Toyota Tundra
• Commuting Under $30,000 – 2009 BMW 128i
• Commuting Over $30,000 – 2009 BMW 335d
• Family Under $30,000 – 2009 Honda Accord
• Family Over $30,000 – 2009 BMW X5
• Instant Classic Under $30,000 – 2009 Nissan 370Z
• Instant Classic Over $30,000 – 2009 Nissan GT-R
• Best Concept Car – Lamborghini Estoque

(Source) Press

Comic talent Jaime Kennedy has reportedly put his 2006 Aston Martin Vantage up for grabs at ClassyAuto.com. Mr. Kennedy’s 2006 Aston Martin Vantage is everything you expect from an exotic. With less than 11,000 miles the vehicle is absolutely flawless and has been meticulously maintained and garage kept.

It features Aston Martin’s hand assembled 4.3 Liter V8 with 380 bhp and has the optional Navigation system. Known for their fit and finish, Aston Martin delivers in spades with the sumptuous leather interior surrounded by light-weight alloys and aerospace technology.

This is a rare opportunity to purchase a true celebrity owned exotic car. The vehicle will be auctioned on eBay starting on April 23rd.

(Source) PR Web

While there are certain car manufacturers that tie up with various car stereo manufacturing companies, the Aston Martin has its own share of having an exclusive audio system. BeoSound is said to be perfectly matched to the DB9, both acoustically and physically, with an ‘inherent quality and understated beauty’ to match the car’s hand-crafted interior. Smoothly contoured, aluminium loudspeaker grilles integrate seamlessly into the fluid lines and curves of the cabin.

In total, there are 13 speakers in 10 locations around the car. Turn on the BeoSound DB9 and twin acoustic lens speakers emerge silently and swiftly from either side of the dashboard, adding, says Aston Martin, ‘a touch of theatre and technological panache’.

The two motorized tweeter units aim to offer 180° horizontal dispersion of high-frequency sounds, giving a true sense of space, staging and realism, wherever you sit in the car. There are also five mid-range speakers, three further tweeters and three woofers, including a powerful 200mm subwoofer mounted beneath the rear bench.

The system adapts automatically to changing road and noise conditions, and it has been developed to suit the different acoustic characteristics of the convertible, whether open or closed.

(Source) Classic Driver

News about the opening of the James Bond Museum may be something many people would want to check out, particularly the ones who have watched most, if not all of his films. And one thing you should note is that aside from gadgets and sultry scenes, it is the cars that James Bond uses for every film that draws attention.

Leading the pack are a Lotus car and a Mustang from the early films that Bond used. Other cars expected to be revealed at the James Bond Museum include:

• Alfa Romeo GTV6 and 159
• AMC Concord, Hornet and Matador
• Jeep Cherokee, CJ-7 and Wagoneer
• Aston Martin DB5
• Audi Bentley Mark II
• BMW Z3 and Z8
• Ford Fairlane, Scorpio and Thunderbird

The list goes on. If you have time (and the money) to visit, you are sure to spend a large chunk of your time enumerating the cars driven by the all-time great British spy.

(Source) BBC News

Texans can now get closer to owning an Aston Martin with this announcement that Aston Martin North America, in partnership with John Eagle Dealerships, is pleased to announce the appointment of an Aston Martin franchised dealership in Austin, Texas. The move signals the continued expansion of the independent luxury sports car brand in Texas and across North America.

Aston Martin of Austin will be the 36th Aston Martin dealership to open in North America. John Eagle Dealerships, who own and operate the award-winning Aston Martin of Dallas, has announced Sonny Morgan as Dealer Principal of the Austin franchise. Sonny previously held the position of President, Aston Martin of Dallas and has now relocated to Austin to oversee the development and operation of the latest Aston Martin dealership in Texas.

Sales will commence in April from a new state-of-the-art 10,000 sq. ft. showroom with dedicated service facility, located on Research Boulevard, to the North of the city. This new facility is nestled in the beautiful hill country, which is the perfect place to experience Aston Martin’s range of handcrafted high performance sports cars, including the flagship DBS, elegant DB9 and iconic V8 Vantage.

(Source) Press

It looks like Aston Martin will be losing a stakeholder as Investment Dar of Kuwait has reportedly in talks to sell its stake which may end up being under new management. Investment Dar paid Ford over $900 million for its majority stake in Aston Martin back in 2007, but the economic downturn has forced it to reconsider the position.

The group has received several expressions of interest in a stake in the famed marque as a part of the company’s plans to restructure its debt, sources tell the newspaper. Aston’s sales volume in the UK, which accounts for about a third of the worldwide total, fell 25% in the year through October, forcing the company to cut its workforce by one third. Plans for restructuring are expected to be finalized by March 16.

(Source) Financial Times

The ultimate car from Aston Martin was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show. The car in focus is the One-77. The 6.0L V12 found in more “pedestrian” Astons has been expanded out to 7.3L and the output is now in excess of 700 hp with a top speed in excess of 200 mph.

The One-77 is Aston Martin’s definitive sports car, one that epitomises everything Aston Martin from technology, the hand-craftsmanship of the hand rolled aluminium panels to the attention to detail. A culmination of all the marque’s know-how, the One-77 delivers effortless beauty guaranteed to stir the senses with performance potential eclipsing any previous Aston Martin.

With the performance and durability phase of the One-77’s intensive development programme soon to commence, the 79th Geneva Auto Salon provides the perfect stage on which to reveal the remarkable engineering, advanced technology and exotic materials that lie beneath the One-77’s extraordinary exterior.

(Source) Aston Martin

Missed the Lagonda from Aston Martin? Well miss no more as the company will bring a Lagonda concept over at the Geneva Motor Show. According to latest rumors the car will have four doors and it will be an evolution of Aston Martin’s past design. The Lagonda will probably be an ultra-luxurious type of sedan although nothing is sure until Aston Martin will show it off in Geneva. We’ll bring you more details in about two weeks and you can expect the concept to arrive “in stores” in 2012.

via AutoExpress

This early, there are rumors that two cars by Aston Martin are pegged to steal the show at the scheduled Geneva Auto Show. The two cars are the V12 Vantage and the DBS Roadster. Both cars offer an appealing and promising design and should they indeed come out at the Geneva Auto Show, expect a lot of people to catch a glimpse of these two hotshot models.

The drop-top DBS Roadster should warm the hearts, and chill the faces, of open-air motoring enthusiasts everywhere. Handsome from any angle, it is rumoured to be the love child of the DB9 Volante and the fixed-roof DBS.

The V12 Vantage RS will feature a 600hp engine as seen in the DBRS9 race car. In addition, improved aero components and acres of carbon fibre perfectly conveys what the RS is all about. Production is expected to be limited ensuring classic status.

(Source) TMR

Similar to other car companies that have been feeling the pinch of the economic downturn, Aston Martin is the latest casualty to give in to hard times as it has reduced factory operations to three days in a week.

The employees’ hours will be “banked” and claimed back by the firm later. The firm, which announced 600 redundancies in December, said it had consulted unions over the move. Three hundred employees have already left and it is in the final stages of consultation over the remaining 300.

The move comes as the government announced a potential £2.3bn tax payer bailout for the industry, which has been badly hit by the recession.

(Source) BBC

Here’s a picture you will remember. It’s an Aston Martin which should have been properly delivered to someone. But it clearly hasn’t don that. It’s an Aston Martin V8 Vantage after that truck’s loading equipment failed to keep the car where it should have been.

The car costs around $120,000 and it was probably insured and hopefully the transportation was also insured. Anyway someone will pay for this unusual jump.