Himafagy

Motor Trend is disputing yesterday's published reports that Brit luxury/sports car manufacturer Aston Martin will be sold to Louis Vuitton. According to MT, which cites "well-placed" UK sources, Aston's bags are packed and ready to leave Ford, but they do not have that iconic "LV" logo on them. Apparently the buyer is a group of high-finance types we've never heard of. They're set to pony up around $1 billion for the storied automaker.

The sale is said to include the factory, and Ford is still expected to retain a stake in the company. Motor Trend can't resist needling Autobild and the blogosphere for (supposedly) getting the buyer wrong. (Market watch, the major outlet that ran the story yesterday, gets a pass.) Somewhat ironically, MT uses its own blog to get its version of the Aston saga out to the public.

[Source: Motor Trend]

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Did you get your bid in? Hope you didn't put it off to the last minute and let it slip by. After all, this IS one of the coolest car companies on the planet. Just think of yourself being able to say, "I liked the car so much, I bought the company!" And even better is the knowledge that it might not be losing as much money as you may have thought when you first considered your bid. The bidding for Aston Martin is just about to close and we will hopefully have the winning bidders name for you as soon as it is released.



The sale of Aston Martin initially attracted more than 30 bidders, but it is believed that the final contenders are the James Packer led consortium, another led by current Aston boss Ulrich Bez, and a bid led by Syrian-born billionaire Simon Halabi. According to Auto car, others in the running include equity groups from the UK and Magna, the Canadian component manufacturer. The investment bank handling the sale, UBS, had asked that all final bids be submitted by today.



[Source: Autocar]

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Every manufacturer present at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) has to draw attention to their booth by any means possible. In the case of Aston Martin, it's partnered withRené Staud, one of the most prolific automobile photographers of the last two decades, to cover the automaker's installation with shots that combine the natural beauty of Iceland and the new Vantage V8 Roadster.

If you've read any buff book over the past 25 years, you've probably seen Staud's work. He's widely recognized as one of the best in his field and has taken shots of a number of high end vehicles; from Alfas to Mercs, classic Bimmers to new Lamborghinis. The above pic is just one of several shots playing on the theme "Fire and Ice" that will adorn the Aston Martin's stand in Detroit. We read a lot of press releases each day, but this line: "...refined yet fiercely powerful, elegant with an undercurrent of raw seduction, hot but also ultra cool, " takes the cake for pretentious, PR-ified drivel. Thankfully, such nonsense doesn't take away from the talent of the man behind the lens.

[Source: Aston Martin]

PRESS RELEASE



Aston Martin Art Installation at the 2007 NAIAS

December 20, 2006: Visitors to the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit will discover a new edge to Aston Martin's ongoing reinvention. The company will be creating an art installation, a collaboration between world renowned automotive photographer René Staud and the eagerly awaited Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster.

Staud's dramatic imagery of two Vantage Roadsters, one Silver Ice and one Fire Red, set in amongst the stunning Icelandic landscape, forms a 100 square metre photographic backdrop for the stand. The two cars used in the shoot are staged in front of this image, placed on a field of black volcanic sand. The Fire and Ice theme forms the core of all Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster communications, including the dramatic and evocative imagery used in the official brochure and press material.

The enclosed stand will allow all visitors to the show an unobstructed view of the two cars, the contrasting colours bringing out the two characters of this dynamic and elegant sports car; refined yet fiercely powerful, elegant with an undercurrent of raw seduction, hot but also ultra cool. Dr Ulrich Bez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Aston Martin, said: "Like all Aston Martin sports cars, the V8 Vantage Roadster is simple, understated and beautiful, with elegant lines that hint at controlled aggression. It is a sports car with wonderful proportions and details, beautiful to the eye and great to drive. We wanted to give visitors to the NAIAS an uninhibited vision of the stand and the opportunity to see the car for what it is. A beautiful piece of art."

Iceland proved to be the perfect location to demonstrate these qualities. A landscape of ever-changing natural forms, endless horizons and strange, unfamiliar materials, steam pours out of fissures created from deep volcanic activity. The Vantage Roadsters contrast perfectly with this theatrical backdrop. The flanks of the Silver Ice car are juxtaposed with the cascading majesty of a glacier, while the Fire Red Roadster stands out as a bold slash of crimson against the dark volcanic sand.

The Vantage Roadster is a classic Aston Martin, a modern shape with a direct lineage to some of the great Aston Martins of the past. The Vantage Roadster is the latest in a long line of open-top models that began with the DB2 and includes iconic cars like the DB5, DB6, DB7 and, more recently, the DB9. The result is a pure sports car that heightens the sensations and provides a driving experience that is synonymous with Aston Martin, high performance and dynamically thrilling.

The ongoing collaboration between René Staud and Aston Martin is reflected in a series of seven new art prints depicting the most striking images from the Fire and Ice shoot. These prints together with a 2007 calendar featuring twelve Fire and Ice images are available directly from the company

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The Aston Martin V8 Vantage may well be the most desirable machine you can spend your hard-earned money on. Sure, you can find cars that are faster and more expensive, but none of them are the sex on wheels that the 8-cylinder Aston is. Did we just say that there are cars that perform better? Yep. But Prodrive, whoknows a thing or two about making fast Aston Martins, has come to the table with a range of performance upgrades that can be added to the "baby" Aston.

The company's new performance pack jacks power up from 380 horses to 425, and torque has been raised by 25 lb-ft to 325. This shaves .3 seconds of the car's 0-60 sprint (now 4.7 sec). Top speed is now 182 mph, but honestly, the Aston is probably as fun to drive at 18 miles per hour, since it's easier to observe the wagging tongues around you that way. Prodrive's upgraded exhaust incorporates an exhaust valve override that lets the driver choose 3 different exhaust modes: Quiet (valve is always closed), Auto (valve functions normally), and Sport (valve is always open).

They didn't stop with the engine and exhaust, either. Follow the jump for the rest of the details, as well as another photo and the official press release.

[Source: Prodrive]


Power and speed are worthless if you can't properly control the car, and Prodrive's new driver-adjustable suspension for the Vantage helps in that regard. A switch in the cabin now allows drivers to choose between normal and sport suspension settings. The subtle yet effective aero kit reduces lift by 45%, and consists only of a carbon fiber lip and trunk spoilers. The stellar new wheels are based on the design used for the rollers on the DBR9 racing car.

Prodrive will officially premiere the suite of upgrades next week at the Essen Motor Show, where the freshly modded Vantage will surely make people stop and stare.


GALLERY

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PRESS RELEASE:

V8 Vantage gets a performance advantage

Prodrive has launched a range of parts for the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, which improves the car's performance and enhances its driving dynamics. The range includes: a performance pack for the engine; new driver-adjustable suspension; unique forged wheels; and a discreet aero package.

Prodrive has tuned the 4.3 litre V8 engine to raise peak power from 283 kW
(380 bhp) to 317 kW (425 bhp), as well as increasing peak torque from 410 Nm (302 lbft) to 440 Nm (325 lbft). This reduces the car's 0-100 km/h time from 5.0 secs to 4.7 secs (est) and increases the top speed by 13 km/h to 293 km/h (est). A new throttle map, combined with the increase in torque, also make the engine more responsive throughout the rev range.

Prodrive has worked with suspension specialists, Bilstein and Eibach, to develop new driver-adjustable suspension. A switch in the cockpit allows the driver to choose between normal and sports mode. The normal mode has been designed to enhance the V8 Vantage's existing ride and handling characteristics, while the firmer sports mode delivers an even more focussed driving experience on the road or for track use.

The engine performance pack has a modified exhaust system with a low back pressure sports catalyst and a driver-controlled switch to manually override the V8 Vantage's exhaust valve. This gives the option of a quiet mode, where the valve is permanently closed; auto, where the valve operates as it does on the standard car; and sport mode, where the valve is permanently open (where conditions allow).

The V8 Vantage's aerodynamics have been analysed in the windtunnel to develop an aero package to reduce high speed lift. The result is discreet Prodrive designed and manufactured carbon composite front lip and trunk spoilers, which are in keeping with the Vantage's classic styling. Together, these reduce lift by 45 per cent, improving both high speed stability and grip.

Prodrive runs the Aston Martin Racing team in partnership with Aston Martin. It has used its experience of designing and developing DB9 and V8 Vantage-based race and rally cars to help create this range of performance enhancements for the road car. It has also carried through the unique design of the wheels used on the Aston Martin DBR9 GT1 racing car to special 14 spoke 19" forged wheels made by Prodrive Japan for the V8 Vantage. These come complete with Pirelli P-Zero tyres, which have been selected to match the new suspension and optimise the ride and handling.

"The V8 Vantage is already one of the world's best sports cars," said Roland Cherry, Prodrive performance products director. "Our aim was to develop a range of parts which enhanced the car's performance but, most importantly, did not compromise the inherent Aston Martin driving characteristics or styling. I think we have achieved this with a range of parts owners can specify as a package or individually."

The range of parts and prices will be available from early 2007.

Suspension partner, Eibach, has an Aston Martin V8 Vantage with the full range of parts fitted on display on its stand at the Essen Motor Show

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Each new James Bond film, in addition to being an event in and of itself, is a massive advertisement for every single branded item seen on the silver screen. Whether it's 007's Smirnoff vodka, Walther pistol, or Aston Martin automobile, each item's appearance on screen is indeed a Very Big Deal for the company behind it. And so, Ford is crowing about its involvement inCasino Royale in an article on its website (read it after the jump). The film represents the first time the general populace will see the new European-market Ford Mondeo and Aston Martin's DBS (shown), which will spawn a production model as well.

Ford's desire to promote its involvement is to be expected. After all, firms pay big bucks to get placed in high-profile films. A full read of the article, however, reveals a bit of gloating as FoMoCo has some fun with the fact that it, and not Toyota, is the supplier of James Bond's car. While we thank God that we weren't subjected to the sight of James Bond driving a Camry (a clear sign of the apocalypse), the reality is that Toyota offered up something significantly more upmarket. Apparently, they approached the filmmakers with enough dough to fill the bed of a Tundra and proposed having their upcoming supercar (presumably the production version of theLF-A concept) be Bond's ride of choice.

There's more after the jump, so read on!

[Source: Ford via Inside Line]



Of the offer, Ford Brand Entertainment's Al Uzielli said, "We're all in a business where we have to be extremely careful in where we take our brands. It just wouldn't seem right to have the consummate British agent drive a Japanese car. Regardless of what the money was, in the long run, it's 'where does that take your brand?'"
Really? I recall the consummate British agent driving German carsfrom 1995 to 1999 and no one losing sleep over it. Sure, there was a brief outcry prior toGoldenEye's arrival in 1995, but after that it was a non-issue. People other than the real die-hards generally have more pressing worries than what make of car is being driven by a fictional character in a movie.

Don't get me wrong. I'm thrilled that the filmmakers have had Bond back behind the wheel of an Aston the last few years. There's a decades-long history between James Bond and Aston Martin on film, and aside from all that, the DBS isridiculously cool. But calling out Toyota by name overthis is just silly and ill-advised. Aston Martin is, after all,for sale, and this likely marks the last appearance it'll make in a James Bond film as a member of Ford's product portfolio. Next time, someone else will bask in the perceived glory. Maybe that's why Ford's being as vocal about this as it is -- it knows there won't be a next time.

Still, it doesn't seem very wise, because while Ford does the "raise the roof" gesture over this product placement as if they just scored a touchdown, Toyota waves back from its perch labeled "#2 Worldwide" -- a spot it it took away from Ford in the first place -- while it plots its next move and points at the scoreboard. Whose position would

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