This is the Motoramic Dash, a daily roundup of the most interesting news in the automotive world
Aston Martin's survival as an independent luxury sports car maker has never been an easy feat, given that it competes against Ferrari, Porsche and many others with a fraction of their capital, but the company has thrived over 99 years on continual updates and sheer beauty. This is its latest model, the $280,000 Vanquish, powered by a 565-hp V12. Please sir, may we have another?
Aston Martin says the Vanquish is faster than all previous cars it's built save for the One-77 limited edition supercar, with a top speed of 183 mph and the ability to reach 60 mph in a mere 4.1 seconds. The body panels are made from carbon fiber, over an aluminum frame to save weight, and the trunk grew 60 percent from the previous top-end Aston, the DBS. But when you spend this kind of money on a vehicle, performance is somewhat secondary; what Aston Martin owners want is to be seen in one of the most stunning vehicles on the road. From here, the Vanquish looks good enough to haul the company through its 100th year and beyond.
Other stories around the automotive world this morning:
Tesla Model S rated at 89 mpg-e, 265 miles of range: That's for the high-end version with an 85-kWh battery pack; range for the smaller versions are to be determined. (Electric Vehicle News)
Automakers didn't seek big paychecks: Monitor: During the years when the U.S. Treasury approved the pay of executives at bailed-out firms, the top three execs at Citigroup and Bank of America "were requesting more annual compensation than the combined pay packages of all 25 (top) individuals at GM or Chrysler." (Detroit News)
How I saved a coked-up Miles Davis after he crashed his Lamborghini: Alternative headline: "Always throw the coke away." (Jalopnik)
Next-generation BMW M5, M6 to offer no manual transmission: While many American enthusiasts wear the love of a stick shift as a badge of honor, other countries don't share the same feeling; even in Germany, the vast majority of Porsche 911s are sold with automatic transmissions. Given how good the new dual-clutch automatics are, this call won't lead to lesser-performing BMWs, which is kind of the point. (Inside Line)