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James Bond's next Aston Martin might be electric
James Bond movies tend to be a reflection of the cultural zeitgeist, and that might be reflected in his choice of whip next time around. The Sun sources have claimed that the director of the next Bond movie, Cary Joji Fukanaga, wants 007 to drive Aston Martin's electric Rapide E (above) instead of one of its gas-powered coupes. It may seem like blasphemy for Bond's flashiest vehicle to be a sedan, but Fukanaga, lead actor Daniel Craig and the producers reportedly believed "the time was right" for the secret agent to use an emissions-free ride.
Aston Martin's first electric sedan quietly rolls into view
Earlier this week, Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer tweeted out a very important moment for his company: the first time its Rapide E prototype drove off under its own power. It's the company's first electric car, designed under a mandate to "retain and enhance the feel, character and delivery of the V12-engined Rapide S." It will do that with a groundbreaking 800V battery system compatible with DC fast chargers, as well as twin electric motors driving all four wheels with the equivalent of 602HP to a projected top speed of 155 MPH. You can watch it slowly roll across the parking lot in a video below, giving a look at the car beyond design drawings, concept models and sneak peeks. You might miss the roar of a petrol-powered V12, but even then, at least there's a parking lot full of Aston Martins in view as well. Palmer also referred to "another piece of Aston Martin history" that was made on the 21st, but so far has not revealed what that is. The Rapide E is supposed to go on sale in the fourth quarter of this year, so we should see more of it in motion soon.
Aston Martin offers peek at all-electric Rapide E sedan
Aston Martin is nearly ready to unveil its first purely electric road car after years of work. The company has provided an early look at the Rapide E, an EV edition of its high-performance luxury sedan. It's not providing complete visuals (just the powertrain and a peek at one of the wheel areas), but it is promising a machine that's both speedy and practical. Its dual motors will deliver the equivalent of 602HP and 701ft/lb of torque, translating to a 155MPH top speed, a sub-4.0-second 0-60MPH time and a 50-70MPH time of 1.5 seconds -- quick given that the Rapide isn't exactly a diminutive car. Its 65kWh battery should deliver a range over 200 miles (on the WLTP testing standard), and its support for 100kW "or higher" charging should top you up in less than an hour.
Aston Martin is re-making James Bond's DB5, spy gadgets included
Aston Martin is creating a limited edition version of the definitive James Bond car, the 1964 Aston Martin DB5. In collaboration with James Bond film producer EON Productions, the automaker will build 25 "Goldfinger DB5s," with a straight-six, 282 horsepower, 3,995cc motor that will allow a top speed of 145 mph and 0 to 60 time of 7.1 seconds. It will even sport the famous revolving license plate and other gadgets, built by Oscar-winning James Bond effects supervisor Chris Corbould.
Aston Martin’s Volante Vision is a luxurious flying taxi
Aston Martin is the latest luxury car company to express interest in creating a personal aerial vehicle. Today, the company unveiled its plans for a "flying car," a three-seat aircraft called the Volante Vision Concept. The hypothetical concept craft's design will make its debut at the Farnborough Air Show this month.
Aston Martin's luxury EV concept comes with a concierge
The art of burning fuel seems like it would be infra dig, or beneath the upper-class folks who regularly tool around in an Aston Martin. That's why the maker turned up to the Geneva Motor Show with the Lagonda Vision, an emission-free electric concept car of the future.
Aston Martin will go EV and hybrid only in the mid-2020s
The car James Bond drives in the next 007 film might be a hybrid. Aston Martin, famous for supplying the spy's chosen vehicle, announced that its entire automotive lineup would be hybrids by the mid-2020s. By 2030, the automaker intends for a quarter of its sales to come from electric vehicles, the company's CEO told Financial Times.
Aston Martin is partnering with Faraday Future on electric cars
British luxury carmaker Aston Martin has signed a deal with Chinese tech company LeEco (formerly LeTV) and electric-car startup Faraday Future. As Reuters reports, the plan was revealed at a news conference in Frankfurt, Germany. Aston Martin is forming a joint venture that will work to develop an all-electric take on the Rapide S. That car was announced last year as an 800-horsepower saloon with a 200-mile range. With the tech giant's help, Aston Martin hopes to bring it to market in 2018.
ICYMI: A cold foam heart, fast oil change invention and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-524051{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-524051, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-524051{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-524051").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: Castrol invented an oil-storing apparatus that lets you change the oil and filter by swapping in a fresh container under two minutes. It's already inside an Aston Martin racing car but the company's goal is to get it into mainstream consumer cars within a few years. Meanwhile Cornell scientists invented a polymer that has pores and can pump fluids, allowing it to act as an artificial foam heart. And a Tokyo-based eyewear company will begin selling its smart glasses next month. The classically-styled eyeglasses can track movement and are definitely less nerd-defining than the telltale Google Glass version.
Chinese automaker shows off country's first EV sports car
It shouldn't be a surprise that China is looking to zero-emission vehicles to help tackle its air-quality issues. Beijing-based CH-Auto is looking to take advantage of that push with the country's first all-electric sports car dubbed the Event. The company used the recent Beijing Auto Show to show off its sleek two-seater EV. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Event packs a 48kWh battery and can sprint to 100KPH (62MPH) in less than five seconds. As for range, WSJ says we can expect about 155 miles on a charge, while recharging takes around six hours using a 220-volt source.
Aston Martin is developing a plug-in hybrid and an electric vehicle
If you've ever wanted to feel like a more eco-friendly Bond behind the wheel, then Aston Martin is about to make your dreams come true. The automaker has revealed at the New York Auto Show that it's working on both a plug-in and an electric vehicle. That plug-in is none other than the DBX crossover vehicle (pictured above) that we saw in early March as a full electric car. Unlike the concept showcased in Geneva, it will have four doors instead of two; plus, the automaker's still adjusting its overall dimensions to make it roomier inside. While it will debut as a plug-in, CEO Andy Palmer says that if the company proves electric works, then it "would be a nice place to go."
Aston Martin will use solar panels to keep race car drivers cool
What's a fairly low-powered solar panel going to get you on a 600 horsepower car? Plenty, according to Aston Martin, which is set to install one of the roof of a Vantage GTE race car for the World Endurance Championship. The luxury car company said it's not looking at thin-film solar "because it's a green option," but rather as a way to gain an edge over its competitors. Aston Martin will use it it to power the Vantage's air conditioning unit -- à la Toyota's Prius -- which is required by the rules to keep drivers from overheating. That'll take the burden off the car's engine, meaning it'll inhale slightly less gas and thus run longer. The system wasn't ready for the premier race in relatively cool LeMans, France, but will be set to go for the next one in Austin, Texas -- where it can get a tad hotter.
New Zealand man creating Aston Martin replica on desktop 3D printer
When we first got a desktop 3D printer at Engadget headquarters, we made a Weighted Companion Cube. And then a Mario figure. What can we say? We like to start small. Ivan Sentch, a programmer living in Auckland, is a bit more ambitious with his projects -- he sat down and started printing a replica of a 1961 series II Aston Martin DB4 on his second-generation Solidoodle, piece by piece. Sentch has been working on the project off-and-on since Christmas of last year, and is now finished with around 72 percent of the body. Once finished, he'll make a fiberglass mold of the print. Check Sentch's blog in the source link below for some insight into the process.
Aston Martin Hybrid Rapide S completes Nurburgring lap with much fanfare, zero emissions
Next month, Aston Martin's hydrogen-fueled Rapide S will attempt a new record at the 24 Hours Nurburgring race in Germany. The company's opted to get a head start on headline grabbing, though, taking a prototype vehicle on a zero-emissions lap around the course, with CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez behind the wheel. The test has gone off without a hitch, and Aston Martin appears to be confident that the vehicle will survive the grueling 24-hour marathon, which is set to run from May 19th through the 20th. The four-door sports car, which is based on the Rapide S model that's soon to make its way to consumers, will operate on a blend of hydrogen and gasoline with zero CO2 emissions. It'll be the first hydrogen-powered car to compete in such an event, according to the manufacturer. The lengthy race is an impressive feat for any motorist, and we're glad environmental concerns haven't taken a backseat to friendly (and exhausting) competition -- for this one entrant, at least.
Voxeljet 3D printer used to produce Skyfall's Aston Martin stunt double
Spoiler alert: a reoccurring cast member bids farewell in the latest James Bond flick. When the production of Skyfall called for the complete decimation of a classic 1960s era Aston Martin DB5, filmmakers opted for something a little more lifelike than computer graphics. The movie studio contracted the services of Augsburg-based 3D printing company Voxeljet to make replicas of the vintage ride. Skipping over the residential-friendly MakerBot Replicator, the company used a beastly industrial VX4000 3D printer to craft three 1:3 scale models of the car with a plot to blow them to smithereens. The 18 piece miniatures were shipped off to Propshop Modelmakers in London to be assembled, painted, chromed and outfitted with fake bullet holes. The final product was used in the film during a high-octane action sequence, which resulted in the meticulously crafted prop receiving a Wile E. Coyote-like sendoff. Now, rest easy knowing that no real Aston Martins were harmed during the making of this film. Head past the break to get a look at a completed model prior to its untimely demise.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: Eindhoven's Evoluon Center, folding compact cars and the best of 3D printing
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. As we enter mid-August, millions of people will load up the car and head out to the beach for summer vacation. But no matter how much energy you put into building a sandcastle, it's unlikely to be as impressive as the structures produced by Stone Spray, a solar-powered, robotic 3D printer that can create entire buildings out of sand. It's hard to deny that 3D printing has the ability to change the world -- especially after learning about a two-year-old girl who gained the use of her arms with the aid of a 3D-printed robotic exoskeleton (she calls them her "magic arms").
Aston Martin Experience could be the ultimate iPhone accessory, but you're gonna want the car
You probably wouldn't pay $6 for an iPhone app that lets you browse through car models and pump stereo exhaust sounds directly to your drums. But a $6 Aston Martin Experience app that also displays speed and Gs as you film your drive from behind the wheel of a 2011 Rapide? We might be in love. The British automaker's latest app can do all of the above, and also includes a list of "top roads" -- most of which are in Europe. Our friends at Autoblog paired the app with a loaner Rapide (and we thought playing with cell phones was cool), driving up California's Aston-approved Pacific Coast Highway. The reviewers may have spent more time focusing on the car than the app, but when you're driving a $200,000, 477 horsepower aluminum beast for the first time, the iPhone easily becomes an afterthought. Aston claims that the Experience can be had with any other car, but if you're looking to get the experience, be prepared to spend a little more than six bucks.
Bang & Olufsen announces BeoVision 10 North American Tour
You're probably a little too old to rock out like you used to, and besides your hearing isn't exactly what it was when you first saw Purple Fudge open for Hendrix at Cafe Wha? in the village. That's okay -- we found something for you and the missus now that the kids don't come around as much as they used to. Bang & Olufsen have announced that its BeoVision 10 -- the 40-inch behemoth currently available overseas -- will be making its way to showrooms stateside this spring. To commemorate, the company is taking the thing on tour, with dates including Chicago on March 18, New York on March 25, and LA on April 8. To keep up with your forever escalating tastes, guests who attend the events can check out a special edition Aston Martin DBS Carbon Black (with Bang & Olufsen BeoSound DBS audio system) and enter to win a bottle of Dom Perignon Vintage 2000 champagne. You've certainly come a long way from sipping Narragansett draft at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel, huh? Prices start at $6,248 and climb skyward rather quickly. PR after the break.
B&O teams up with Aston Martin -- but that's not why we're smiling
Aston Martin and Bang & Olufsen just announced a new "creative partnership." No details were provided but we can assume that it means the introduction of some B&O audio into future Aston Martin automobiles... and not the other way around. The result of which will be something you can neither afford nor differentiate from a Delco in the deep cacophony of rage known as mid-town Manhattan. Now hit that read link -- you'll appreciate the blast of over-exuberant, CEO blow-harding which fills your colon. We sure did.[Via Audio Junkies]
Keepin' it real fake, part XXVIII: Another Nokia 8800 imposter
Despite Nokia's best efforts, it looks like the 8800 has gotten the fake treatment once again. The latest knock-off, which some were speculating to be the 8800's successor, sports a shiny metal exterior and a 2 megapixel camera, but still doesn't slide. It's certainly not as slick as the high-priced genuine models, or the classy 8801, but for the $200 this thing is allegedly costs (presumably out of suitcases and car trunks) you get what you pay for.
