So Aston Martin, the car of choice for James Bond, has hired away a former Tesla executive to oversee global sales. Does that mean that Aston is in trouble, or that Tesla is finally becoming a serious player to be reckoned with in the automotive world? This is not to imply that Aston Martin IS in trouble, it’s just that in economic times like these, a car company like Aston Martin (or any other high end luxury brand) has to really watch its step. Either way, Aston has announced that Michael van der Sande has been appointed to the company’s newly created position of “Chief Commercial Officer”. Van der Sande, in addition to being on Aston Martin’s board of management will also report directly to CEO Dr Ulrich Bez.

The hiring move will, according to Bez, “will help us to further develop Aston Martin’s presence around the world.” Hmmm, then why hire a guy from Tesla, were there no other high profile automotive success stories out there?

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By Alex Kramer

Not content with simply having some of the finest luxury sports cars on the planet, Aston Martin has upped the ante in open-air motoring with its new DBS Volante convertible. Like the DBS Coupe (featured in the recent James Bond movie, “Quantum of Solace”) on which it is based, the DBS Volante is a statement in automotive design, combining supercar performance, sculpted elegance, and unbridled luxury.

We were fortunate enough to be invited to test the DBS Volante on a nice late-summer day, perfect for some top-down driving. Although we could only spend a short amount of time behind the wheel, a brief spin in the hills outside of Los Gatos, CA, confirmed that this is truly one of the finest automobiles on the road today.

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The Aston Martin Rapide 4 door has had one of the longest gestation periods of any car in recent memory. It first came upon the scene almost four years after its concept debuted at the 2006 Detroit Auto Show. The initial reaction of everyone who saw it was a simple “Build it now!!!”

And finally, Aston has gotten off the dime and finally revealed a production version in Frankfurt. Due to hit the streets in early in 2010, this will be Aston Martin’s first series production four-door. AM didn’t mention prices just yet, but did say that detailed pricing expected to be announced later in the year. The Rapide will be come equipped with Aston Martin’s hand built 6.0-liter V12 engine that puts out 477HP at 6,000 rpm and 443 lbft of peak torque at 5000 rpm.

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Top Gear, everyone’s favorite den of auto gadgetry (other than this site of course) has announced their top list of the best supercars of 2008. Yes SUPERcars—cars that go behind the mere mortal cars that we peasants drive, to become, well, super. Their favs include insanely fast and expensive vehicles that are not just all flash, but also all muscle. Here’re a few from the past 12 months that stood head and shoulders above all others:

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Looks like Aston Martin really wants to beat the bow-tie boy’s Corvette, doesn’t it?

Just to get you up to speed, for a while now, Aston Martin, under the guise of a ProDrive propped & managed Vantage GT4 have been duking it out with Chevy’s Corvette in the FIA’s GT series, most notably at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. And when I say ‘duking it out’, I ain’t kidding. Last June’s 24 Hours was a total slug fest, with the lead swapping multiple times a lap, it seemed.

The boys from Gaydon want more, hence they just rolled out the upcoming GT4 Vantage.

A 4.7 liter V8 replaces the old 4.3 mill. There’s a new free flow exhaust system and air filters (more air in and out) and you get your choice of either a six speed manual, or a Sportshift transmission with paddle controls. Both boxes have a Valeo twin-plate cerametallic racing clutch mated to a lightweight flywheel. It tips the scales at 2,932 pounds, which is 660 pounds lighter than the street Vantage V8 (no C & C features on the track boys). Of course there’s all the standards racing gear; roll cage, fire suppression system, 6-point harness, etc.

The suspension is only mildly tweaked from the original road car. Larger diameter front and rear anti-roll bars, adjustable ride height aluminum shocks, as well as single rate, flat ground springs with separate helper springs. You can dial in extra camber and castor via a modified front subframe and there are bespoke cast magnesium front and rear wheels wrapped in high performance Yokohama A048-R tires. The brakes are uprated with Pagid RS 29 pads.

Oh, and they’re selling them. Price? a mere $143,000 US.

Source: CarScoop

Aston Martin has released a snapshot of the stunning new One-77; the ultimate creative interpretation of the renowned British marque.

One-77 fuses advanced technology with stunning Aston Martin design to create possibly the world’s most desirable automotive art form. Based on a sophisticated carbon fibre chassis with a handcrafted aluminum body, this 7.0 liter V12 super car will deliver exhilarating performance for a strictly limited number of discerning customers.

A few sparse details about the car released by the British automaker are:

• An all aluminum body, with handcrafted panels.
• Chassis made of carbon fiber.
• Engine is a 7.0-liter V12.