Aston Martin expands into Mexico from 2014.

• First representation for brand in Mexican market to open in 2014
• Expands Aston Martin presence across the Americas to 41 retail sites
• New dedicated six-car showroom in Polanco, Mexico City

Aston Martin is set to add to the company’s dealership reach across the Americas by opening a new dedicated showroom in Mexico City, marking the British brand’s first foray in the country.

Opening for business in quarter one 2014, Aston Martin Mexico City will launch with a new 4,500 sq.ft showroom capable of housing six Aston Martin sports cars. In addition to a customer reception area and new car gallery - all finished in distinctive corporate identity - the new dealership partner will also cater for the servicing needs of Aston Martin owners throughout the country.

Julian Jenkins, Regional Director, Aston Martin The Americas said: “In the continued development of our retail network across the Americas, we have carefully considered the right locations and appropriate partners to support our growth plans.

“Consequently I am delighted that in this new appointment we have found the fitting partners who share our passion for the Aston Martin brand and are well placed to help us grow our presence in the emerging Mexican market.”

The new dealership will be led by entrepreneurs and experienced automotive specialists, Martin Josephi and Fernando Macias. Located in the upscale Polanco area of northwest Mexico City, the new showroom is perfectly situated to help grow Aston Martin’s presence in the region.

Aston Martin Mexico City Dealer Principal, Martin Josephi commented: “We are extremely proud to bring to Mexico one of the most iconic and sought after automotive brands in the world.

“We are confident that Aston Martin will be very well received by the sophisticated luxury automobile clients in our market; customers that will truly appreciate the power, beauty and soul of each Aston Martin.”

The new Aston Martin Mexico City appointment brings the company’s total dealerships to 41 across the Americas and is the first retail site in Mexico.

Aston Martin is a modern, exclusive sports car brand with a unique heritage instantly recognised around the world. In distinctively fusing the latest technology, time-honoured craftsmanship and graceful styling to produce a range of critically acclaimed performance sports cars, Aston Martin has been elevated to a position as one of the world’s most revered brands.

In 2013 Aston Martin has been marking its first 100 years with a series of international celebrations highlighting the unique success of the brand worldwide. The globally-renowned British luxury sports car maker currently offers its strongest product line-up, with the introductions of three new cars in 2013 – the Vanquish Volante, V12 Vantage S and four-door Rapide S as well as the stunning CC100 Speedster Concept.

Aston Martin Mexico City will launch in quarter one 2014 with details of the official opening to follow in the coming weeks.

Aston martin celebrates a successful role in the Lord mayors Show, if a little damp.

Luxury British sports car maker Aston Martin is celebrating a successful role in one of the world’s most famous parades as six of the company’s models took to the streets of London on Saturday (9 November) for the historic pageant that is the Lord Mayor’s Show.

Adding more than a dash of glamour to proceedings, the stunning selection of sought-after sports cars joined the three-and-a-half-mile-long cavalcade at the invitation of The Worshipful Company of Coachmakers and Coach Harness Makers of London which selected the marque to participate in this, the firm’s centenary year.

The Aston Martins, which included a Vanquish Coupe dressed in the unmistakable Union Jack-inspired livery of the UK Government’s GREAT Britain campaign, made their way through the capital’s packed streets at a decidedly stately three miles per hour as an estimated half million spectators looked on.

Aston Martin is proudly partnering with the GREAT Britain campaign, the biggest ever initiative to showcase the very best of what Britain has to offer, driving investment, students and tourism to the UK.

Joining the uniquely eye-catching Vanquish Coupe in London was the new Vanquish Volante convertible – launched to eager buyers worldwide just a few weeks ago.

Sharing the limelight in the capital were examples of Aston Martin’s four-door sports car, the luxurious Rapide S, and elegantly timeless GT, the DB9.

Aston Martin Global Brand Communications Director, Janette Green, said: “To see our sports cars taking part in such an historic and famous event as The Lord Mayor’s Show is a special occasion for everyone associated with Aston Martin.

“I would like to thank the Worshipful Company for their kind invitation, and hope all those who saw the cars felt a little of the pride that I know we at Gaydon share in being part of this remarkable event.”

For almost 800 years, since, the time of medieval King John, every newly-elected Lord Mayor of London has to leave the safety of the City of London and travel up the Thames to Westminster to swear loyalty to the Crown.

Over the centuries the Mayor's journey has become one of London's favourite rituals, and around it grew the splendid festival that we know today as the Lord Mayor's Show.

The modern procession fills the space between Bank and Aldwych over a three- to four-hour period, cheered by a crowd of around half a million people and watched live on the BBC by millions more.

The focus on Aston Martin in this year’s event continues the brand’s year-long centenary party that began in London back in January with the unveiling of a plaque in Chelsea’s Henniker Mews – original home of the company that went on to become Aston Martin Lagonda.

Alfa Romeo 1900 C52 ‘Disco Volante’, Touring Superleggera, a stunningly beautiful car

To mark the 60th birthday of the legendary Alfa Romeo 1900 C52 ‘Disco Volante’, Touring Superleggera, a prestigious Milanese coachbuilding firm which has been designing and building vehicle bodywork since 1926, has created the 2013 edition of the Disco Volante with the official endorsement of Alfa Romeo.

The Disco Volante is a two-seater Gran Turismo with a completely bespoke, hand-made carbon fibre and aluminium body underpinned by the stunning Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione coupé with its front-central mounted 4.7-litre V8 engine and transaxle rear drive with unmodified specifications.

With the Touring Superleggera treatment the Alfa Disco Volante reaches a top speed of 180mph and accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in just 4.2 seconds.

Ultra-exclusive, the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante is a very limited production vehicle built only to demand with each model requiring 4,000 hours of painstaking craftsmanship to complete.

ALFA ROMEO DISCO VOLANTE: IN DETAIL

THE LEGEND

When it was revealed in 1952, the lightweight and ultra-aerodynamic Alfa Romeo C52 'Disco Volante' was considered a design icon almost right from the start. The unique basic design was even registered as ‘design patent’.

Based on the Alfa Romeo 1900 C, the car received a new tubular chassis and a lightweight, striking and aerodynamically-efficient aluminium body. The briefing at Carrozzeria Touring mentioned the need for a shape that was ‘insensitive to wind’.

Initially aimed at sports car racing, the C52 Disco Volante is one of the best illustrations of the credo of Touring’s founder Felice Bianchi Anderloni “Il peso è il nemico, la resistenza dell'aria è l'ostacolo" (Weight is the enemy, air resistance the obstacle).

DESIGN

The Alfa Romeo Disco Volante by Touring celebrates the myth of the 1952 style icon. The new design blends innovation, emotion and aerodynamic properties into a timeless and essential shape.

While some elements are inspired by the original dramatic form and proportions, the new body also quite futuristic with its unusually wide front wings covering the wheels, and the thin rear end encapsulated in powerful shoulders.

Inside, the 2013 Disco Volante continues the car’s design philosophy with a ‘science fiction’ feel including red LED interior light profiles. Aeronautical-inspired touches also feature on the dashboard, instruments and controls as exemplified by the seat adjustment lever.

The bespoke leather hides for the upholstery were manufactured to match the exterior body shade and these are matched with black AlcantaraTM. Naturally, buyers can personalise the interior design to meet their preferences.

DYNAMICS

The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione chassis forms the basis for the coach-built bodywork of the Disco Volante, integrally conserving the rolling chassis and drive train.

Chosen for its light and rigid structure and outstanding dynamic properties, the Alfa 8C’s steel space-frame and other structural elements were retained to guarantee torsional stiffness, high performance and the highest possible quality standards.

The frame members and the central carbon cell remained unchanged. Elements of the underpinning and the body, such as the engine bay and firewall, the windscreen and cowl, the A-pillar and the locks and hinges have been retained too, along with the dashboard, instruments, pedals and steering wheel. Certain parts, such as the doorframes, roof frame and C-pillar have been modified to match with the new shape.

The front-central mounted engine, transaxle transmission and rear-wheel drive layout offers optimal weight distribution of 49:51 front to rear. To ensure excellent handling the front and rear double-wishbone suspension is combined with forged aluminium hub carriers and additional trailing arms for the rear suspension.

The lightweight and compact 4.7 litre V8 engine delivers 450HP and 480Nm peak torque and is coupled with a six-speed, sequential transaxle gearbox with electronic control and paddle-shift gear selection. Together with a limited-slip differential and a state-of-the-art braking system with large diameter, ventilated discs, a precise, dynamic and exciting drive is assured.

ENGINEERING

All new and modified components of the Disco Volante have been CAD designed, using the most advanced IT tools and simulation techniques to cover feasibility, safety, homologation, aerodynamics and structural analysis.

To ensure torsional stiffness and noise reduction, special attention was paid to the under-body structure and its elements, such as the tubular frames supporting the rear wings and bumper, and the roll bar joining the C-pillars. Other complex design issues include the tailgate hinges, the 3D-cambered door window, and the front wheel covers.

A CFD aerodynamic study enhanced the airflow and ensured optimal downforce in the rear section. FEM calculations were then run to assess resistance and rigidity of all parts subject to homologation.

PRODUCTION

To ensure lightweight bodywork for the Disco Volante, a combination of aluminium and carbon fibre was used for the optimal balance of weight, resistance, precision, finish and quality, as well as ease of repair in case of damage.

The carbon fibre is used for specific components like the front bumper and grille, the bonnet, the side skirts, the boot lid and the integrated rear-window frame. The bonnet and boot lid are sandwich-built with Nomex filler to obtain a superior stiffness/weight ratio and to dampen vibration and noise.

The aluminium panels are hand-formed using an epoxy mould. Since the inner frames of most parts of the bodywork are made of carbon fibre, this requires the gluing of aluminium to carbon fibre. This technique adds to the rigidity as the glue itself also possesses structural properties.

The body panels are pre-assembled on a laser measurement platform using a jig. This ensures that the strict tolerance required is respected. After adjustment, the panels are either welded or glued. The body-in-white is then used to preassemble and fit all trim components, brightware and moulding.

To ensure constant and repeatable quality, the entire production process is documented and digitally logged. Like in series production, there is a quantified manufacturing cycle and a Bill of Materials. Tolerances, measurements and other quality standards are all quantified.

QUALITY ASSURANCE

The quality control process includes static as well as dynamic test runs before the car is signed off. The static-test protocol requires compliance to high standards in interstice and surface alignment, paint and coating quality, interior trim and assembly.

A functionality test is run in a climatic chamber. The dynamic test takes place on the proving ground and includes high-speed runs, cornering and other handling tests on several types of surfaces. Beside routine checks for creaks, rattles or other noise, it concentrates on handling, braking and all other functionalities.

TYPE APPROVAL

The Disco Volante has received EU type-approval under the EU-Directive 2007/46 EC for small series.

PRICES & AVAILABILITY

The price of the Disco Volante is on demand and all sales enquiries can be addressed to the factory in Milan.

Touring Superleggera delivers the complete car in six months after the Alfa Romeo 8C is made available.

All Touring-produced or modified parts have a two-yea, unlimited-mileage warranty, subject to the usual industry terms. Alfa Romeo dealers are qualified for maintenance and service of the technical components, while Touring supplies them repair instructions and parts for the Touring-designed components and systems.

TECHNICAL DATA

PERFORMANCE
Top speed (est) 292kph / 181mph
Acceleration (est) 0-100kph (0-62mph) in 4.2seconds
 
DIMENSIONS
Length 4,620mm
Width   2,032mm
Height 1,309mm
Wheelbase 2,640mm
Track front/back   1,591mm/1,589mm
Boot volume   142-litres
Fuel tank capacity 88-litres
 
ENGINE
Cylinders / type 8 / V  90°
Cubic capacity 4,691cm³
Nominal output 331kw/450HP@7,000rpm
Max torque 480Nm@4750rpm
Emission level Euro 5
 
ECONOMY
Urban 23.6l/100km (12mpg)    
Extra-Urban   11.4l/100km (24.8mpg)  
Combined   15.8l/100km (17.9mpg)  
CO2 emissions 377g/km (combined)
 
DRIVELINE
Rear wheel drive
6-speed, electroactuated sequential gearbox with paddle-shift control and automatic mode
Limited slip differential
 
WHEELS
Tyres Pirelli PZero Rosso, front 245/35 ZR20, rear 285/35 ZR20
Wheel type   Aluminium forged wheels

FRANKFURT - Aston Martin

Aston Martin is showing a vibrant, exciting and dynamic future at the 65th Frankfurt International Motor Show.

2013 is a global celebration for the luxury British sports car maker – which is marking its centenary – as it reflects on 100 years of iconic sports car manufacture with landmark events across the globe.

And while the centenary festivities continue in Germany with show-goers being offered a glimpse of the rarest of all new Aston Martin models – the CC100 Speedster Concept created to mark the brand’s first century as well as hint at its future design direction – centre stage at the IAA Cars event goes to a brace of the brand’s forthcoming sports cars.

In Frankfurt are the luxury British brand’s two newest production models: the extreme V12 Vantage S and luxurious Vanquish Volante – Aston Martin’s ultimate convertible.

Welcoming the bold showing Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez said: “Our centenary celebrations highlight the rich history of this exceptional sports car company.

“Centenary events in Dubai, Shanghai, the Far East, Pebble Beach in the US, the UK and right across Western Europe – including the Nürburgring here in Germany – have celebrated the remarkable Aston Martin story so far.    

“Now, we are looking to the strong and exciting future of the brand with cars that clearly show our engineering and design capabilities.

“The Vanquish Volante is automotive art and exhilarating GT luxury combined, while the V12 Vantage S shows the sporting heart of the brand beats more powerfully than ever.”

V12 Vantage S

The V12 Vantage S, which arrives in showrooms around the world over the next few weeks, is the brand’s fastest accelerating production car to date – with the exception of the sold-out One-77 hypercar.

Taking just 3.7 seconds to sprint from 0-60 mph (3.9 seconds 0-100 km/h) the sports car underlines its position as not only the brand’s fastest accelerating production car, but also the most potent Vantage in Aston Martin’s 100-year history.

Equipped with the new 573 PS AM28 6.0-litre V12 engine, featuring latest generation engine management from Bosch, the car is capable of reaching 205 mph making it, also, the fastest sports car to wear the iconic Aston Martin wings – One-77 excepted.

With 620 Nm of torque available at 5,750 rpm the V12 Vantage S is as flexible as it is powerful. Low rev torque – measured at just 1,000 rpm – stands at 510 Nm and, driving the rear wheels through the new Sportshift™III AMT (automated manual transmission) ensures the car boasts true sporting driveability.

Race car technology runs right through the DNA of the V12 Vantage S with, for instance, CNC machined combustion chambers and hollow cam shafts just two examples of track technology feeding through to the road.

Another clear example is the new gearbox. The Sportshift™III AMT (automated manual transmission) is a major development of the automated manual gearbox that appears in the current V8 Vantage S.

Designed and engineered to exploit the full sporting potential of the V12 engine, the new Sportshift™III hydraulically actuated automated manual transmission provides motorsport-style paddle shift changes for optimum performance delivery and efficiency. The unit is also appreciably lighter than the outgoing six-speed manual gearbox – saving 25 kg.

This race-derived and motorsport proven technology – used routinely in Aston Martin Racing’s race-winning Vantage GT4, GT3 and GTE competition cars – provides for great driver control with only milliseconds of torque interruption and delivers precise and swift gear changes.

Meanwhile the debut of three-stage adaptive damping – another ‘first’ for the Vantage family – allows the driver to more precisely tailor the car’s dynamic character. ‘Normal’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Track’ modes provide a broad swathe of dynamic performance that can be tuned to better suit the driver’s requirements. The system also governs the level of power steering assistance offered.

Working alongside the extended adaptive damping system is a ‘Sport’ mode, controlled via a button on the centre console that alters throttle response, gearshift speed and timing, and exhaust note to, once again, tune the character of the car to the driver’s requirements.

A new exhaust system – derived from that of the One-77 hypercar – is lighter, smaller and even more spine-tingling than that of the outgoing car.

The ZF Servotronic power assisted steering is new, too. With a quicker 15:1 ratio it is linked to the adaptive damping button and offers two-mode steering assistance designed to best match the ‘Sport’ or ‘Normal’ settings generated by the Adaptive Damping System.

Dr Bez said: “V12 Vantage S may be our most extreme new sports car, but it is also a tribute to our engineering excellence. To master such formidable power, to make it usable and controllable, these are skills that are not commonly available. The engineering team at Gaydon have executed the installation of our most powerful engine in our smallest sports car with real skill.

“We have created an extreme sports car, for sure; but we have ensured that it stays true to the luxurious ethos of the brand.”

Vanquish Volante

Aston Martin’s other newcomer at Frankfurt is the Vanquish Volante – a stunning new luxury sports car that brings the thrill of open top motoring to the super GT class.

Alongside its coupe sibling the Vanquish Volante sits at the pinnacle of the luxury British car maker’s sports car line-up. It, too, will be arriving in Aston Martin showrooms around the globe over the coming weeks, with customers in the UK and Europe set to receive the first cars before the year’s end.

Benefiting from all of the technical, engineering and design advances present in the Vanquish coupe, the new Volante enhances the driving experience still further.

Vanquish Volante boasts the same new AM11 6.0-litre V12 engine as the coupe and the same blistering performance figures, meaning the 0-60 mph sprint is despatched in just 4.1 seconds (0-62 mph in 4.3 seconds) while the top speed stands at 183 mph.

It is the first fully carbon fibre-skinned Volante in the brand’s 100-year history, while also being the stiffest Volante body structure yet created by the engineering team at Gaydon in Warwickshire, England.

Welcoming the car’s Frankfurt appearance Dr Ulrich Bez said: “This car is what luxury super GT driving is all about. Great performance, fantastic style and exhilarating Volante motoring in one superb package.

“Maintaining the super GT performance for which Vanquish Coupe is renowned, while also ensuring we exceed our previous best in terms of luxury, refinement and driving composure has been the designers’ challenge. With this car, they have excelled at their task.”

The design of Vanquish Volante represents the latest take on Aston Martin’s iconic visual language. Styling cues such as the elegant waist, elongated side strakes and LED rear light blades are derived from the One-77 supercar while the folding fabric roof sits beneath a tonneau and decklid that have been aerodynamically tuned for optimum performance.

The Vanquish Volante’s ‘suit’ of carbon fibre panels cloaks a cabin that is both sophisticated and comfortable. The 2+2 cabin is elegantly attired in authentic and luxurious materials: full grain Luxmil leather with optional quilting, metal controls and satin chrome trim underscore the car’s well-appointed nature.

Each body panel on the car is constructed from carbon fibre not just because of its high strength-to-weight ratio, but also for its flexibility of form.

As practical as it is well-dressed, the Vanquish Volante boasts a boot that’s fully 50% larger than that of the previous DBS Volante. It measures 279 litres – roof up or down – and makes the new Aston Martin the perfect choice for continent-crossing grand tours as well as daily drives.

Perhaps one of the most striking interior design elements is the centre stack with refinements providing a more elegant form that is also more intuitive and accessible for both driver and front seat passenger.

A direct descendent of the One-77 centre stack, the Vanquish and Vanquish Volante’s set-up retains familiar elements such as the ECU engine start button and glass gear selection buttons while featuring a new infotainment system and a significantly more user-friendly design.

Aston Martin Design Director Marek Reichman explained: “Vanquish Volante is a sports car, of course, but more even than that it is the ultimate Volante. A car which follows a long line of elegant Aston Martin convertibles, this super GT is sculpted to convey sophistication as much as raw power.

“The aerodynamically shaped tonneau, the proportions of the folding fabric roof, the luxurious nature of the cabin – these elements have been pored over by the Design team, working with our Engineering colleagues, to ensure we deliver the aesthetic appeal for which Aston Martin is renowned around the world.”

Q by Aston Martin

‘Q by Aston Martin’ is a bespoke personalisation service that goes far beyond the options list to offer demanding clients the very broadest choice and, as such, truly bespoke sports cars.

Q allows customers to enhance and personalise their cars with meticulous attention to detail. The service can be extended to interior and exterior styling, offering almost endless opportunity for expression.

In Frankfurt the company is showing a Vanquish Volante that has received unique Q personalisation to demonstrate more powerfully than ever the tailored nature of the service.

Additions to this already exclusive sports car include a unique Red Ember paint finish; bronze metallic leather; Gulf Orange painted front and rear splitters and gloss black waist rail finisher.

Aston Martin Director of Design Marek Reichman said of the car on show in Germany: “The beauty of Q by Aston Martin is the service’s near-infinite flexibility. I believe the Vanquish Volante we are showing here can demonstrate better than ever just how flexible we can be as we strive to create bespoke new cars.”