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Spy Shots: Facelifted 2011 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster

On April 21, 2010, in AutoBlog, by PowerBeautySoul

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Performance, Europe, Aston Martin

Or is that a V12 Vantage? Looking at the pics of this Aston Martin test car snapped by our crack team of spies, it’s tough to say if we’re looking at a refreshed V8-powered Vantage Roadster, or what might in fact be a V12 Vantage Roadster. Either way, we dig the new wheels.

If you tiptoe through the gallery, you’re sure to notice what’s new. Namely, and aside from the gray carbon-look wheels, a carbon fiber front splitter and a rear carbon fiber diffuser. Whatever the engine, the Aston Martin Vantage has been one of the flat out sexiest cars available since it debuted in 2005 – but that doesn’t mean it’s not getting long in the tooth. So Aston very well might be performing a mild mid-cycle refresh of their baby coupe and convertible by grafting on the ground effects from the 510 horsepower V12 Vantage.

Or, alternatively, and hey-why-not, this could in fact be an all new V12 Vantage Roadster. All that’s missing from the V12 coupe is the wildly louvered/scalloped hood. We already know how good the 4.7-liter V8 sounds when the Vantage’s top is dropped. We can hardly imagine how breathtaking the big 6.0-liter V12 would sound crammed into the Vantage’s teeny engine bay while the wind whistles through our hair. Whatever this test mule turns out to be, we’ll keep you posted.

Gallery: Spy Shots: 2011 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster

Spy Shots: Facelifted 2011 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Aston Martin considering custom vehicle program for customers

On March 11, 2010, in AutoBlog, by PowerBeautySoul

Filed under: Europe, Aston Martin, Design/Style

Aston Martin Rapide Silver Blonde – click above image for high-res image gallery

To many of us here gathered around Autoblog’s virtual water cooler, the star of the Geneva Motor Show wasn’t the electrified Porsche 918 Spyder, but rather the Touring Superleggera Flying Star, better known as the Bentley Continental Shooting Brake. Disagree? We say to each their own.

And according to the UK’s AutoExpress, that’s what Aston Martin’s saying, too. The legendary British car maker will be offering a custom vehicle program to those with the right mixture of imagination and American Express Black Card. According to the article, Aston Martin has gained so much experience building the One-77 as a stationary object (as opposed to on an assembly line) that building whatever it is on earth a customer wants is no problem. Says design director Marek Reichman, “This means that if we need to, we can swap shapes, interiors, engines or wheels without destroying the production process. It offers us infinite possibilities.”

To that we say, “Yes!” We also say, to steal a line, “Mommy, why were we born good looking instead of just rich?” Because we could certainly come up with a hot Aston or two. Like how about a 1978 V8 Vantage Oscar India body riding atop the DBS chassis and internals? That would work rather well, we think. Alternatively, a Lagonda wagon body atop the Rapide would work, too. Oooh! What about a Hayabusa-engined Cygnet? That last one might just be the way to ~~save face~~ go. Unless they build us a fully-operational DB5 from Goldfinger. Sigh…

Gallery: Aston Martin Rapide – Silver Blonde