Aston Martin DB9 Volante Tricked Out by Wheelsandmore

Now here’s an elegant tuning proposal for the Aston Martin DB9 Volante, courtesy of the German firm, Wheelsandmore. The tuner’s program for the drop-top Aston Martin includes styling and performance upgrades both for the suspension and V12 powerhouse. On the outside, the DB9 Volante gains a tasteful and non-intrusive bodykit comprising of front and rear aprons, side skirts and a boot lid spoiler.

The convertible’s looks are complemented by a set of 20-inch Kahn RS-V alloy wheels shod in Dunlop Sport Maxx tires size 255/35 at the front and 285/30 at the back.

Under the bonnet, Wheelsandmore reprogrammed the 6.0-liter V12 engine’s ECU and installed a sportier stainless-steel exhaust system with electronically controlled flaps, thus raising output from 470HP and 600Nm, to 536HP and 650Nm

A H&R sport suspension system that lowers the car’s ride height by 25mm completes the package.

Rumor has it that… Louis Vuitton has bought Aston Martin from Ford

Well, not actually “rumours” but a report from the weekly German motor magazine Autobild, (without citing its sources though) that Louis Vuitton –yes, the French company that makes the renowned handbags, has acquired Aston Martin from Ford. Additionally, the report states that Ford has kept a 15% stake in Aston Martin, with Louis Vuitton acquiring the majority share. However, since nothing is official yet we’d better wait for a statement (either from Ford or Louis Vuitton) before we start commenting.

Aston Martin Vanquish S Ultimate Edition

While Aston Martins’ future under Ford’s PAG umbrella is a tad clouded, the British carmaker’s present beholds a new limited production version of the… astonishing Vanquish S. And when we’re talking limited in Aston’s dictionary, we mean it: a mere 40 examples of the Vanquish S Ultimate Edition will be handcrafted at the company’s Newport Pagnell production facility.

Apart from the sill plaques denoting the limited edition number, the Ultimate Edition will be painted in a unique ‘Ultimate Black’ exterior color with its cabin boasting semi-aniline leather, with coarse stitching, leather headlining and black chrome finish interior fittings. Not much I know, but what did you expect for 273.578 EUR /354.611 USD / 182.095 BP.

And oh yeah, existing Vanquish owners will now be able to order a transmission conversion from the car’s existing Auto Shift Manual (ASM) system, to a conventional stick-shift manual for about the price of a… Nissan 350Z in the US 25.800 USD – 19.900 EUR – 13.250 BP (+ VAT). -Continued: Click “Read More…” below to see the official press release.

PRESS RELEASE: Aston Martin has announced two exciting developments for both new and existing customers of the company’s flagship Vanquish S.

Just 40 examples of a new Vanquish S Ultimate Edition will be handcrafted at the company’s Newport Pagnell production facility in Buckinghamshire. The model represents a luxurious and unique limited edition befitting the Vanquish S’s status as the ultimate Aston Martin and also celebrates the skilled craftsmanship of the team working at Newport Pagnell.

The Ultimate Edition will be available by special request to customers wishing to celebrate the last of a significant car in Aston Martin’s history. Initial feedback suggests the whole allocation of this special edition will be sold within weeks of launch.

The Ultimate Edition centres on changes to the Vanquish S’s renowned colour and trim. On the exterior, these changes include a unique ‘Ultimate Black’ – a striking new colour which will only be available with this car. Inside, the Vanquish S cabin is trimmed in a semi-aniline leather, with coarse stitching, leather headlining and black chrome finish interior fittings. Each car will also be fitted with personalised sill plaques denoting the limited edition number.

The Vanquish S Ultimate Edition retains all performance capabilities of the standard Vanquish S – and accordingly its position as the fastest ever production Aston Martin, capable of a top speed in excess of 200mph (321km/h). No additional charge will be made for the Ultimate Edition, available only with the 2+2 seating arrangement, priced at £182,095.

For existing Vanquish customers, Aston Martin’s world renowned Works Service department are to offer a new transmission conversion for owners of the company’s flagship model, adding to their reputation for an unparalleled level of personalisation.

Serving as a further example of the depth of bespoke services available via Works Service, existing Vanquish owners will now be able to order a transmission conversion from the car’s existing Auto Shift Manual (ASM) system, to a conventional stick-shift manual.

Working in conjunction with the company’s Special Vehicles Operations team from Gaydon, Works Service has developed the system over the last 12 months, before previewing the conversion to selected Vanquish customers.

Kingsley Riding-Felce, Director, Customer Care and Works Service, said: “This project underlines our commitment to adapting to customer requests, whether they are for Aston Martins from the past or modern cars such as the Vanquish S.”

Since its launch in 2001, the Vanquish has been equipped with fingertip controlled, Formula 1-style paddles which enables almost imperceptible gear changes in under 250 milliseconds. Advanced electronics also permit the close ratio six speed manual transmission to be programmed to operate automatically.

Drivers with a preference for a conventional stick-shift transmission will now have the option of this new Works Service-only modification which is available to order immediately, with prices commencing from £13,250 (+ VAT).

Established as a modern classic, the Vanquish’s muscular 2+2 epitomises Aston Martin’s core values of power, beauty and soul. It is the ultimate sports car for the discerning owner. Since its launch, the Vanquish has proved to be a huge success for Aston Martin with over 2000 cars delivered to customers around the world. In 2002 the Vanquish graced the screens of millions, starring alongside 007 in the James Bond film ‘Die Another Day.’

Located at Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire, Aston Martin Works Service offers a factory-backed workshop with the experience necessary to care for any Aston Martin or Lagonda with unparalleled skill and attention to detail. With more than 40 years experience, the Works Service team offers accident repair, servicing, maintenance and even full restoration capabilities to Aston Martin and Lagonda owners. In 2006 more than 2000 customers called upon Works Service expertise, a number which is expected to be surpassed again in 2007.

Huh? JDM Honda Odyssey Tricked Out as a BMW

Needless to say, this Japanese domestic market Honda Odyssey isn’t your typical soccer-mom’s minivan. Besides the insane negative camber all around and the fact that in parking position, the Odyssey sits only about an inch or two away from the road, what makes this custom creation stand out from the crowd is that the designer managed to incorporate the front-end of an E92 BMW 3-Series Coupe. Oddly enough, the bimmer nose seems to work nice… More photos after the jump.

Minor facelift for the Renault Modus mini MPV

Renault’s mini MPV has been given a fresh look for the model year in an attempt to spice up the cars poor European sales. The subtle changes start with the exterior’s new clear ‘crystal’ indicator lenses for the front and rear lights and the wing mirror indicators, while on the inside each trim level gains new seat upholstery and higher quality interior materials for the dash and centre console. Of course, there’s no change concerning the main reason for which the car’s bad sales –the extremely small boot size (198 litres!) for a car that want’s to play the role of a compact family model for young Europeans.

The Modus engine range is also unchanged, offering a total of six engines, three diesels – 68, 86 and 106hp, and three petrols – 75, 98 and 111hp, all driven via five-speed manual gearboxes with the exception of the dCi 106 which is six-speed. Also there’s a semi-automatic gearbox (Quickshift5) which will continue to be available with the dCi 86 engine alongside an automatic gearbox for the 1.6 VVT 111 petrol.

Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart Version-R

A “mini” EVO? Well, not exactly as the new Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart Version-R is basically a tuned up Colt Turbo. Ralliart has given the Japanese compact hatch an aggressive look with a new body kit.

The mechanical changes –from what I can read from the translated kit, seem to be located in the stiffened suspension, the bigger brake discs (from the European Colt Turbo) and a new exhaust system that slightly improves the 1.5 Turbocharged engine (154PS/6000rpm, torque 21.4kg-m/3500rpm).The Ralliart Version-R kit is also available with Mitsubishi’s compact MPV edition of the Colt, Colt Plus.

If you still think that this hot hatch is underrated, Ralliart has the answer for you as Mitusbishi’s official tuner has a bag of tricks that upgrade the car’s appearance and –or- its dynamics.

Audi RS3 makes us hate winter less

If you live in Pittsburgh, you probably don’t need a dissertation on the evils of winter. The season is an expanse of cold darkness punctuated by spurts of insufferable weather and hamfisted drivers. Fortunately, the good people at Audi have been so kind as to provide the world with a reminder of all there is to love about the cooler months. The company has turned out another lengthy bout of footage of the delicious new RS3 Sportback as it dashes through the snow.

There’s plenty of sideways action as well as excellent car control, all shot from multiple angles. Audi even busted out a helicopter to take in the view from above. There’s over seven minutes of footage to enjoy without a whisper of music or a pesky voiceover to spoil the sound of the RS3 barking through the powder. Hit the jump to watch the full clip for yourself.

Cadillac CTS-V Coupe race car finishes first test at Sebring

The boys and girls at Cadillac have taken their newest toy out to play. The CTS-V Coupe race car got its first sampling of track time at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida earlier this week. Drivers Johnny O’Connell and Andy Pilgrim took time behind the tiller for the car’s first real shake down as the car and team prep for the first race of the Sports Car Club of America World Challenge GT. The series kicks off in St. Petersburg, Florida from March 25 to 27.

As you may recall, it’s been a good long while since the Crest last suited up to go fender-to-fender. The company last competed in the World Challenge GT series in 2007. At that time, Cadillac had campaigned a CTS-V sedan for three seasons. General Motors is hoping that taking to the track once again will help establish the CTS-V Coupe as a legitimate performance competitor capable of taking on the best that Germany has to offer. Hit the jump for the full press blast.

2012 Honda Civic coming in April, all variants to launch in quick succession

A Civic for everyone. That was Soichiro Honda’s motto when rolling out the original Civic, and it’s one to which his company intends to stick with the launch of the next-generation model. When the all-new 2012 Civic is launched in April, Honda will roll out a whole variety of body and propulsion configurations within mere weeks of each other, instead of letting months pass between the debut of one model to the next.

Among those variants, we can expect both a sedan and a coupe, with several conventional gasoline engines on offer – including natural gas and hybrid versions – as well as the sporty Civic Si.

The new Civic, previewed recently at the Detroit Auto Show, was slated to debut in 2009. But when the global economy started going south, Honda sent the design back to the drawing board for a nearly complete overhaul before it ever saw the light of day. The result is expected to be much roomier than the current model, though the exterior design hasn’t changed all that much.

Chrysler planning hybrid minivan for 2013

Chrysler, the automaker at the forefront of the minivan movement back in the 1980s, is seriously rethinking its family-hauler business. As we reported earlier, Chrysler will be scrapping one of its two minivan twins by 2013, making room for a smaller micro-van to launch within the next few years – a vehicle that will compete with the likes of the Ford C-Max and Mazda5. Now, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has reportedly confirmed that a hybrid version of the company’s next-generation minivan is on its way, scheduled to debut by 2013.

The powertrain slated for use in the hybrid minivan will use the same powertrain technology that we’ll be seeing in the gasoline-electric version of the Chrysler 300 sedan, also set to launch in 2013. The new van will be built at the automaker’s Windsor Assembly Plant in Canada – the factory where both the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan are built today.

2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe

Cadillac has never made anything like the CTS-V Coupe, a $63,000 monster that’s half hedonist and half hot-rod. Not only that, Cadillac’s never fought in this part of the market before. The brand had monster engines back in its early days, but they were always pulling monster barges that wallowed as much as, well, barges. Here we have a coupe promising to cut up the roads like one of those German knives, but we’ve heard that refrain so many times before. This time, however, it might be true.

BMW X1 U.S. debut delayed due to high demand in Europe

American buyers may have to wait a little bit longer before sinking their teeth into the upcoming BMW X1. According to Automotive News, the CUV has been more popular in Europe than the German automaker originally anticipated, and as such, BMW is experiencing a bit of a supply crunch. As a result, North American buyers won’t be seeing the X1 at the end of this year as originally expected. Instead, it’s beginning to look like the vehicle won’t show up here until early 2012 at the soonest. Automotive News reports that the X1 went on sale in Europe in November of 2009.

Since then, the high-riding hatch has sold out in every market it’s touched. BMW says that it fully expects the X1 to be a low-volume model here in the land of the free, with sales lodged somewhere in the same realm as what the current 1 Series Coupe and Convertible. Even so, the company says that it’s shooting for around 8,000 units per year. With the larger, more popular X3 just now hitting dealerships, the X1 will likely serve to fill a slot for buyers looking for a compact luxury crossover.

Infiniti debating anchoring line-up with both entry-level and halo models

It’s not uncommon for an automaker to be evaluating several potential products at the same time, but those models usually hover within the parameters of the company’s existing line-up. Not the case with Infiniti.Nissan’s luxury division is reportedly looking at going both up-market and down with a pair of new products to give it a much father reach than the current range.

First up is a halo model, and after looking at the competition, Infiniti has reportedly come to the conclusion that, in order to lure buyers into showrooms, they’ll need something attractive and high-end. And while a successor to the Q45 flagship sedan was once seen as a potential route, reports indicate that, if given the green light, a sportscar to rival the likes of the Audi R8, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and even the Lexus LFAwould be the way to go. The show-stopping Essence concept previewed that notion, but Infiniti is reportedly still mulling the idea over, and the presence of the Nissan GT-R surely isn’t helping focus the picture.

At the other end of the spectrum, Infiniti has long been considering the idea of an entry-level hatchback model to take on the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Volvo C30. Arch-rival Lexus became the first of the Japanese luxury brands to earnestly pursue the segment with the CT 200h, and if Infiniti is serious about getting a younger demographic, it could opt to follow suite in short order.

BMW X1 gets brand’s first 245-hp turbocharged four-cylinder

The BMW X1 may not arrive in the U.S. on schedule, but when it does show up, it will come packing a turbocharged four-cylinder. The all-aluminum 2.0-liter mill cranks out 245 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque thanks to direct-injection and a single twin-scroll turbo. European buyers will be able to bolt the engine to either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic and the company’s xDrive all-wheel drive system. BMW claims the manual-equipped X1 will do the 0-62 mph in around 6.1 seconds. while opting for the auto will tack another .3 seconds onto its sprint time.

The German automaker has bolted on a heap of fuel-saving technologies, including start-stop and regenerative braking systems as well as a shift indicator. All told, BMW is shooting for 35.7 mpg on the imperial scale, or just under 30 mpg by U.S. measure – not too shabby for a full-time all-wheel drive machine. The fuel economy marks an improvement of 16 percent compared to the old lump. Click past the jump for the full details.