Aston Martin Virage Volante

The Aston Martin Virage Volante is a luxury convertible that splits the price and power difference between the brand's DB9 Volante and DBS Volante droptops, though all three share a chassis, engine and various other mechanical items. It takes a practiced eye to tell the differences between the Virage Volante and the aforementioned cars, but the subtle nuances are indeed there if you know where to look for them.

The Virage Volante is distinguished from the DB9 Volante and DBS Volante by unique front and rear fascias, the former of which is inspired by the One-77 flagship. New fender-mounted side strakes that include six LEDs for the turn signal repeaters, upswept rocker panels and an aluminum grille complete the visual differentiations.

The Virage Volante eschews the hardtop design that is very much in vogue, instead opting for a traditional softtop setup. What the configuration gives away in year-round usability it gains back in trunk space and weight savings over a hardtop design.

Aston Martin’s hand-crafted 5.9-liter V12 rests under the car’s elongated hood, where it puts out 490 horsepower and 420 lb-ft. of torque (20 horsepower less than the DBS, but 20 more than the DB9). In keeping with the Virage Volante’s relaxed nature, no manual transmission is available; a six-speed Touchtronic II automatic transmission is mounted on the transaxle for 50:50 weight distribution. 60 miles per hour arrives about 4.6 seconds after the driver summons full thrust.

To put the power to the ground, a new Adaptive Damping System offers ten settings split between normal and sport modes to offer drivers touring or performance-oriented driving. A dashboard-mounted Sport button further sharpens throttle response and speeds up gear changes in addition to holding gears closer to redline.

The Virage Volante comes standard with Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brakes. Powerful, resistant to fade and much lighter than conventional cast-iron discs, the CCM brakes reduce overall vehicle weight and the weight savings at each wheel also means that a better balance between ride comfort and handling can be struck.

Aston Martin says that 70 man hours go into making each interior. As drivers and passengers open the signature swan wing doors, they are greeted by the aroma of seven hides of the finest Bridge of Weir leather expertly hand stitched by craftsmen. Walnut fascia trim and an Iridium Silver centre console also provide a tactile sense of luxury. Unlike the DB9 and DBS, the Virage Volante gets a more intuitive navigation system with a 6.5-inch high resolution display. Previous models have relied on rather outdated software dating back to Aston Martin’s former Fordownership. Other standard equipment includes cruise control, Bluetooth telephone preparation and the powerful 700 watt Aston Martin Premium Audio System with Dolby Pro Logic II and full iPod integration.

The options list has few major items. For those who desire an aggressively powerful stereo, a 1000 watt Bang & Olufsen unit is available, and there are several different wheel designs and interior trim finishes to choose from

Source: LeftLaneNews

Aston Martin Rapide

The Aston Martin Rapide is a four-door ultra-luxury sedan that borrows styling elements and mechanical components from the brand's elegant DB9 Coupe. Though many of its rivals serve up more space for the rear passengers, the Rapide does offer enough room for four adults to go along with its exotic looks.

Like Aston's other models, the Rapide is built on the company's VH (Vertical/Horizontal) architecture -- the same that underpins the DB9. The Rapide also shares its twelve-cylinder powerplant from the DBS, DB9 and Vantage models.

Built by hand, the 6.0-liter V12 engine produces 470 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 443 pound-feet of peak torque at 5,000 rpm. A specifically tuned six-speed Touchtronic 2 automatic transmission allows the driver to change gears automatically or manually via the steering column-mounted magnesium paddles.

As one can see, the production version is very similar to the concept car, but does swap out quad-air intakes for upper and lower grilles. The rear of the car has strong family ties to other Aston Martin models, and sports 'smoked' rear taillights.

Continuing its series of firsts and oddities for the brand, the Rapide is the first ever Aston Martin built outside of the United Kingdom, thanks to a partnership up with Magna Steyr. Given a strong interest in the Rapide, Aston Martin says it will build between 1,000 and 2,000 units per year, up from an original estimate of 500 or less.

Thanks in part to the modest bump in power from the engine's previous applications, the four-door Rapide can sprint from zero-to-60 mph in under five seconds on its way to a top speed of 180 mph.

Luxurious, High-Tech Interior
Continuing the successful brand partnership between Bang & Olufsen and Aston Martin, the Rapide is fitted standard with the 1000 watt BeoSound Rapide - a bespoke sound system tailored specifically to the Rapide. It includes 15 speakers that have been optimally located throughout the cabin to deliver the audiophile-level sound quality.

Passengers and the Driver alike will enjoy a full grain leather interior, accented with walnut trim, an iridium silver finish for the outer center console, and a graphite inner center console finish. Screens consist of Organic Electroluminescent displays, along with LED map and ambient lighting. Standard features also include heated memory seats and Aston Martin's Adaptive Damping Sytem.

Options include cooled front and rear seats, a DVD entertainment system complete with a 6-disc player and two LCD screens, along with a myriad of interior finishes, such as: Eye Maple, Olive Ash Burl, Double Apex Alloy and matching wood door trim. Various other interior and exterior components can be customized as well, ranging from wheels, to brake caliper finish to Magnum silver rear lamp infills.

Source: LeftLaneNews