Aston Martin spotted testing striking Lagonda sedan

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Performance, Aston Martin, Luxury

Aston Martin may be known more for its two-door GTs and cabrios, but it has made a handful of four-door sedans. They've historically worn the Lagonda name as either a nameplate or marque, and that's just what we seem to have here.

Spied running along familiar test routes in the UK, this prototype is reportedly registered to Aston Martin and based on the current Rapide S, complete with the company's long-serving AM11 6.0-liter V12. Only whereas the Rapide packs everything in tight on a short wheelbase - albeit with more room in the back than the two-door DB9 or Vanquish - this prototype appears to be riding on a stretched wheelbase.

Over that lengthened frame, Aston's Q customization department has apparently draped custom bodywork with lines that seem to blend elements of the last Aston Martin Lagonda sedan that wedged its way in between 1976 and 1990 on the one hand, and Zagato's pair of Centennial concepts presented last summer on the other. One thing it clearly is not, however, is the Lagonda crossover concept which Aston revealed to mixed reviews at the Geneva Motor Show back in 2009.

The big question is where this sedan is heading (beyond its test route). We could be looking at a highly exclusive creation for a handful of wealthy clients, or at a production model to relaunch the Lagonda brand as has long been anticipated. We're hoping it's the latter, but we'll just have to wait to find out. Judging by how close it looks to completion, it shouldn't be too long.
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Aston Martin Rapide S adds an extra consonant worth 550 hp

Goodbye Aston Martin Rapide. Hello Aston Martin Rapide S. That's right, Aston Martin has unveiled an updated version of its famously beautiful four-door and given its name a new consonant to boot.

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Aston Martin V12 Zagato #2 in Paris

The V12 Zagato is the sort of car you only see on the internet or at concours events. With only 101 examples to be built, you have less of a chance of seeing this on the road than you do a two-headed chicken.

This rare beast is the customer car #2 of 101 to be built, featuring a beautiful teal / dark cyan color. It was recently spotted in the French capital of Paris by spotter Kevin Van Campenhout.

The Zagato is an exclusive coupe that's built entirely by hand by Zagato's skilled coachbuilders. It takes over 2000 man hours to finish, which translates into the exorbitant price of £330,000, not including any taxes.

Via Auto Gespot

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Aston Martin celebrates milestone with Centenary Vanquish

Aston Martin is marking its 100th anniversary with special edition versions of its V8 Vantage, DB9, Rapide and Vanquish. The automaker will only build 100 Centenary Edition versions of each car. The first of those is the Vanquish, which boasts a special graduated paint finish and sterling silver badges with a unique enamel inlay. Indoors, buyers can expect to find the same Deep Soft leather as used in the One-77, complete with contrast silver stitching and sterling silver sill plates bearing the car's individual number.

Those who pony up the cash for the Centenary models will also receive a box packed full of exclusive "gifts," including two glass keys, bespoke key pouches, silver cuff links, a silver Rollerball pen and a pair of Bang & Olufsen headphones. There's a silver polishing cloth in there as well. Near as we can tell, the Centenary Editions will remain mechanically identical to their non-bejeweled counterparts.

ASTON MARTIN DEBUTS EXCLUSIVE CENTENARY EDITION MODELS

Iconic British sports car brand Aston Martin is marking the start of its birthday celebrations today – 15 January – with the unveiling of a bespoke new Centenary Edition Vanquish.
The luxury brand's ultimate GT car showcases a painstakingly created Centenary Edition specification that will be available worldwide on just 100 examples of each of the car maker's model lines: V8 Vantage, DB9, Rapide and Vanquish.

 

Featuring a unique graduated paint finish, solid sterling silver Aston Martin wings badges with tailored 'trans flux' enamel inlay and a special Aston Martin hallmark, the exterior represents an exclusive new celebration of the company's 100-year history.

Aston Martin CEO, Dr Ulrich Bez, played a key role in the creation of the unique paint treatment, tasking Design Director Marek Reichman and his team with the development of a suitably exclusive and desirable specification.

Dr Bez explained: "Clearly, the centenary of Aston Martin is a great occasion for our business, our customers, and our fans around the world.

"It is only right, then, that we have developed these exceptional Centenary Edition models which will, I am sure, quickly become highly desirable and sought-after.
He added: "The chance to own and enjoy such a stunning piece of Aston Martin's heritage is made all the more rare by the fact that we are limiting numbers to just 100 of each model line. I am sure supporters and enthusiasts of the brand worldwide will be anxious to secure their chosen model quickly!"

A Centenary Edition Aston Martin is identified inside by its exclusive and luxurious treatment. Deep Soft black leather – previously featuring only in the One-77 hypercar – with contrasting silver stitching, a special silver thread embroidery of the Aston Martin wings in the head restraints and solid sterling silver sill plaques individually numbered with an Aston Martin hallmark are among the features unique to the car.

Each Centenary Edition model will also be supplied with a unique presentation box containing a number of exclusive gifts to mark the first 100 years of the company. These include two glass keys, two bespoke key pouches made from leather matching the car's interior trim, solid silver cufflinks featuring the Aston Martin script, solid silver Rollerball pen and high quality Bang & Olufsen headphones.

The gift box will also include a silver polishing cloth to help owners ensure the silver centenary wings badges and sill plaques on their car keep their lustre.
Some specification details will vary market by market around the world but all cars will, as ever, be painstakingly handcrafted at Aston Martin's global headquarters and state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at Gaydon, in Warwickshire.

The process of creating the unique Centenary Edition paint finish, for instance, clearly demonstrates the brand's commitment to bespoke luxury. Adding an average of 18 hours to a paint process that can already take more than 50 hours to complete, the unique graduated finish is meticulously built by adding special 'tinters' to create the darker inner colour. This custom-made mixture is then applied to each panel by hand, using a special mini-jet spray gun.

Aston Martin Design Director Marek Reichman explained: "The team has looked closely at the individual contour lines of each of the cars to determine not only the right colours and shades, but also to create a template by which the paint changes from dark to light and where the graduated effect sits."

Available to order now, prices for the Centenary Edition models are obtainable on application at Aston Martin's 146 dealers in 46 countries worldwide.

 

News Source: Aston Martin

 

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Aston Martin May Still Get AMG V12 Engine and Technology

Rumors have been flying about that Aston Martin may enter a technical partnership with Mercedes-Benz in-house tuners and engine builders AMG. Up until now, it had just been speculated and suggested, but now, things may just get serious, as Italian company Investindustrial is now in control of the famed British brand.

At the 2013 North American International Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz boss Dieter Zetsche confirmed that he was, in fact, open to the idea of collaborating with Aston, according to autocar.co.uk. Zetche said that no official talks had yet been started, but "Aston Martin is a great brand” and “Dr Ulrich Bez [Aston's CEO] is doing a great job with them.” - this does mean they are interested.

He goes on to say that "if a company that sells a few thousand vehicles wants to talk then we might do that, I am open to it. But it must not distract from our core business."

So we`ll leave at that until we get more official news, but if the deal does go through, then we shall finally wave goodbye to the old six-liter V12 engine, which is, at its core, and in a rudimentary way of explaining it, made up of two Mondeo ST 3.0-liter V6 engines bolted together, and it has been around for far too long.

AMG would inject some much-needed fresh technology into Aston Martin, a brand highly-reliant on their history, pedigree and image, and less on the actual technical prowess of their cars. Make no mistake about it, Aston Martins are highly-advanced cars, but they aren`t and have not been for a while among the very best.

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Spyshots: 2014 Aston Martin Rapide S Without Camouflage

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The current chassis will be modified to handle the added horsepower and aid in providing a more agile platform for the Aston engineers to work with. So far, no conrete pricing numbers have been leaked, but if prior pricing strategy is anything to go by, expect the Rapide S to cost quite a bit more than a comparably fast Panamera Turbo. Hey, it is an Aston after all.

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Airport Rats Chew $300,000 Aston Martin Vantage Electrical System

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Lock is now seeking $9,297 in compensation and court costs. This follows talks with the Aston Martin dealership where he had bought the car where mechanics told him of how the wiring had been tampered with and that rats’ droppings were found. A bitter Lock said:

I’m bemused, really, by the whole thing, no one else conducting business would go about things this way. The only reason I brought the claim, after three months of asking Qantas whether they’re accepting any responsibility for it, (is because) I haven’t received any word in writing from them.

As a Platinum One Frequent Flyer with Qantas, Lock has vowed to change to Virgin airways after that incident. Qantas have denied his claim.

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