One question about the Aston Martin Red Bull Hypercar....

...where do you put your legs?

@AxisOfOversteer A car so exclusive you have to amputate your legs to buy one!

— David Beck (@David_Beck_Atty) July 5, 2016

The Aston Martin RB001 is still just a styling model with a projected delivery date of 2018 but the the promise is a for a seriously "next level" car.

Priced at "if you have to ask" tthe Adrian Newey design will be available both in  road legal and  "Track Day World Championship" toy  versions, like the Aston Vulcan.    

The RB001 is to be powered by a normally aspirated V12  and have a 1:1 power to weight ratio though which, in of itself, is a reason to celebrate.



In the mean time,  if you want a hyper exclusive hyper car that does not require amputation to drive, you might ring you friendly Ferrari dealer...




...

Aston DB10 and Jaguar C-X75 Bond filming a chase scene in Rome.

James Bond's Aston Martin DB10 filming in Rome

Spectre, the next James Bond film will include a chase scene on the banks of the Tiber.  The latest Bond car, the Aston Marting DB10 was photographed there along with the Jaguar C-X75 and a more "pedestrian" V12 Vantage.

Presumably,  the magic of editing will make the chase scene look a bit more exciting than it did on home video but, last time the Bond production was playing with cars in Italy,  an Aston Martin DBS did end up in Lake Garda!

Safety boats are probably a good idea.

Aston Martin at the N24

V12 Vantage GT3 in flight.

Aston Martin clip from their 2014 ADAC 24Hr Race effort this past June.

Engineers racing what they work on is always a good thing in our book. And that other guy,... he looks vaguely familiar.

"The balance between the fear of god and a lovely time" 

a perfect description for the Nürburgring.

Aston Attacks America!

Aston Martin is launching a major push into the North American racing market with a new partnership with Kevin Buckler and TRG Racing.

The aim is to provide customer cars for Grand-Am, ALMS, Pirelli Challenge as well as a for a new single make series.

The Aston Martin Vantage will run in GTE trim for ALMS, GT3 trim in Grand-Am and Pirelli World Challenge with the GT4 version ready for Continental Challenge and a  new single make series launching  in the fall of 2013.

The Aston GT4, as an alternative to Porsche and Ferrari in single make series or even as a track day car, offers some significant advantages.  It is more forgiving to drive,  is less expensive (under $200K) and crucially has wider service intervals.    Like the 458 Challenge but unlike the Porsche GT3 Cup, it has ABS meaning no flat spots.  Like the Ferrari it has an available paddle shifter eliminating the danger of expensive over-revs and even comes with a mind boggling  11 different traction control settings and air-con options.

TRG and Aston are betting "if they build it, they will come" but will they make a dent in Porsche's leadership?  I kind of hope so and I hope it encourages BMW to jump in,  the more competition, the better.

Press release after the jump and after this clip of a Vantage GT4 lapping Laguna Seca along with brochures and more info than you can shake a stick at.
Any further inquiries, email Kevin Buckler President of AMR/TRG.

Is this the best sounding car in the world?

I don't know about that but certainly has to be in the top handful of amazing engine sounds. Makes Merc 6.3's sound kind of tame.  
Another cool Kidston clip for us to enjoy. How about those spring loaded twin gas tank fillers?

Of course this Aston Marting V8 Vantage 6.3 is a car from an era before 700HP became "the new 400HP" and it was, at the time, a 0-60 in 5.3 seconds "supercar" something a stock BMW 1 series could easily top now.  Ah but the sound...the leather...the popping on the overrun...The six speed!

Wonder if Swiss cops were moved into not giving these guys a ticket like they do everyone else!



Too much music in that clip?  check out the raw sound after the jump

1957 Aston Martin DBR1 by Dave Rook

2012 Nurburgring 24 Hours, the inside line.

Axis brings you racing from the inside.   Our Bolognese friend Sergio Negroni is a veteran of the ADAC 24 Hour Rennen at the Nürburgring, Italian GT racing, VLN and is the current Blancpain Endurance Series GT3 Champion but really, just another tracktard like you and I.   
Delighted he agreed to share the story of his sixth Green Hell 24 hour challenge with us and carry the Axis colors on the car.  (All photos by Jochen Van Cauwenberge/Frozenspeed courtesy of Sergio Negroni)

The 2012 edition of the ADAC 24H Rennen was my sixth time at the Nürburgring classic.
The original plan for this year was to field my own 2011 Porsche GT3 Cup, but last minute logistical issues let us to a last minute change to an Aston Martin Vantage GT4.  The Vantage was impeccably prepared by Hamburg's Team HRT.  HRT is an official Aston Martin Racing team with vast experience in endurance races like the N24 and the Dubai 24.

HRT entered three Vantage GT4.  In number 55 along with me, my VLN and 2011 24H mate Jochen Hudelmeier,  Gerrman Carrera Cup driver  Dieter Speves and Porsche Supercup and Megane Euro Championship's Oliver Freymuth.    We all had prepared in VLN with 911's so some quick recalibration was needed.  We all agreed the Aston was fast, easy to drive, direct and most important, reliable.

Axis of Nürburgring 24

The international Axis of Awesome strikes again as our longtime favorite Italian tracktard (and GT racer) Sergio "Sergini" Negroni will be carrying the Axis colors at the 2012 ADAC 24h Rennen at the Nürburgring.

The original plan was for Sergio to drive his own Porsche GT3 Cup but last minute issues made it so he had to find another ride. He worked out a deal to drive an Aston Martin Vantage GT4 from team HRT competing in the SP10 GT4 class.

Sergio is a long time Porsche driver and I was was just teasing him asking if he still remembers how to drive a car with and engine in front. He said the Aston's engine is fantastic but the car has very little feel and communication compared to a 911. "Feels like the Playstation".

As I write Night qualifying is starting. Live timing and scoring can be found HERE along with a live video (for the race) feed with RadioLeMans.com commentary sponsored by Simraceway.

Sergio promised to send pictures during the event but, I know how these things go so if you find any shots of the car in action, send them to us!

Clear the 'Ring

The 2012 Nürburgring 24 is this week end, BMW Team Schuberth is among the 145 or so teams ready to do battle in the Eiffel.

Keep an eye on the HRT Aston Martin in SP10/GT4. Sergio Negroni will be "our man at the N24" and share his driving insights, pictures and video clips after the race. Go Sergini!

(clip by StereoScreen/Tim Hahne.)

Meanwhile in London...

(photos by Luke Alexander Gilbertson)

...there's a financial crisis.

Smile!

photo by Ed Callow.

Aston Martin Cygnet for real!

Just when I thought it was all a bad joke made up by the auto press...parked right outside my hotel was this rebadged Toyota IQ Aston Martin Cygnet...all tarted up too with blue accent wheels and all. Comical.

BUt as RobZ points out in the comments it's a limited edition of a limited edition... guess it's either the prototype or they delivered early ...Check HERE


.

8 minutes of great FIA GT1 action

Maserati vs Aston Martin vs Ford, sounds like a classic matchup from the glory years of sports car racing. This was, I'm sure you recognized, at Interlagos. The drivers: Yann Clairay (Aston Martin) , Michael Bartels (Maserati), Thomas Mutsch (FordGT) and Alex Muller (Maserati 33). For a play by play check out Chequeredflag.co.uk

Turn it WAY up!




.

(NYF7 by Julien Mahiels).

One Seven Seven at the Ring

Interesting about the lockups, maybe they are testing ABS calibrations?

(Auto Motor und Sport)

end of post

FIA GT1: Manufacturer's World Championship

Seems hard to believe now but there was a time when sports car racing was more advanced and more popular than Formula 1. In the late 60s, early 70s, at the time of prototype racing, it was the epic war between Ferrari, Porsche and Ford that kept people riveted. Inevitably with the growing importance of television, endurance racing did not fit the bill and faded away.

Back to the future, for 2010 the FIA has recognized the GT1 series as a "world" championship and the format has been changed from endurance to sprints, albeit with a mandatory driver and tire change. Ford, Maserati, Nissan, Aston Martin, Lamborghini and GM will each field four cars in GT1. GT2 and GT3 will remain as "local" European championships with BMW, Porsche, Ferrari, Ascari, Audi continuing to slug it out there.

Here is the video from the official launch in Paris, I recognize Tiff Needell there, but was that Eric Clapton at the beginning?

At the end of the clip you can see the cars in action, testing at Paul Ricard.

end of post

Meanwhile, at Sebring...

It looks like Darth Vader's Bathroom

I had to laugh, a German car show, "Grip", compared ten extreme road cars, you know you got your Enzo, your Veyron, your Gumpert, the weakest of these cars has 500hp. The winner? A viking TransAm with 1400HP, claiming to be the most powerful road legal car in the world and good for 256mph (412km/h).

The Turbo Kitt apparently cannot be driven more than a few miles without shredding its tires, now you know why the Veyron's tires cost $34000 a set. This TransAm had made the rounds on the internet a year or two ago but amazingly, Mr. Polly has managed to keep it alive, possibly by only driving it to David Hasselhoff conventions where he must recite these immortal lines:

Michael: What do you say we play a little 'hooky'?
KITT: 'Hooky?' I'm not familiar with that term.
Michael: Then allow me to educate you in one of life's finer pleasures!
KITT: Oh, that does feel good!
Michael : How 'bout a little turbo boost?
KITT: Dare we? Without sufficient reason?
Michael: Without sufficient reason' is the definition of hooky! Shall we, as they say, 'go for it?
KITT: Let's!

The clips are, of course, in german but you'll figure it out. (More after the jump)

Top Gear Moment of Zen: Season 14, Episode 1

(Top Gear)


More TGMZ on Axis

Road's a Tease

Our friends at ROAD Magazine. ... that sound...



(Road)



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