Latest news with #AdrianHallmark
Motor 1
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Motor 1
2026 Aston Martin Vantage S Revealed: More Power, But Softer Suspension
When new CEO Adrian Hallmark joined Aston Martin, he said he'd be pushing the brand to come out with more model variants. That brief led to the DBX S, and now this, the Vantage S, a hotter version of Aston's entry-level sports car, arriving about 18 months after the standard version. The headline is more oomph from its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8, 671 horsepower and 590 pound-feet, plus lots of detail changes throughout. Aston Martin says the Vantage S benefits from much calibration work. There are lots of suspension tweaks, with revisions to both the damper hardware and software for a bit more grip at the front and a softer rear. The rear subframe is now rigidly mounted to the body, but the mounts for the rear transaxle are 10% softer. Aston also tweaked camber, caster, and toe settings to compensate. The sum, the automaker says, is a car with more agility and steering feel, better low-speed ride, and more straight-line stability. Photo by: Aston Martin In standard form, the Vantage is an outrageously fast car. Aston Martin claimed 656 hp, but if you told this author the power figure actually started with a 7, he'd believe you. Naturally, Aston's increased the output from its AMG-built V-8, and claims a 0.1-second reduction in 0-60 MPH time, now down to 3.3 seconds. The company also tweaked the throttle mapping for better "feel and precision." There are a number of aerodynamic tweaks, most prominently a larger spoiler on the trunk lid. Aston Martin says the Vantage S develops 245 pounds of downforce at its 202-mph top speed. Other than the spoiler, there aren't a ton of major exterior changes to the Vantage S. Really, the only clue is the red "S" badge on the fenders and the blades in the hood vents. There's also a unique 21-inch forged wheel option, which features red accents. Photo by: Aston Martin Inside, there's all sorts of "S" stuff, standard carbon-fiber and Alcantara trim, "S" badges on the seats, and an optional package that brings with it more red accents. This being an Aston Martin, the interior is totally customizable, so you can choose how much you want to let your passengers know you got the special version. Aston Martin hasn't announced pricing yet, but you can presume it'll be a decent bit more money than the around $200,000 MSRP for the regular Vantage coupe. It's only showing the coupe for now, but the Vantage S is available in Roadster form. If you want one, you can order it now, and Aston is aiming for first deliveries in the last quarter of 2025. More on Aston Martin How Aston Martin's CEO Plans to Transform the Legendary Brand We Tested Apple CarPlay Ultra. It's Great—But There's a Catch Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Gallery: 2026 Aston Martin Vantage S 18 Source: Aston Martin Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Auto Express
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Aston Martin's Vantage gets more power for a modest price increase
Earlier this year, Aston Martin CEO Adrian Hallmark told Auto Express the firm needed to 'focus its attention on customer retention and giving buyers reason to upgrade their cars'. First came the uprated DBX S – the company's most powerful SUV – and now it has launched its hardest, most focused sports car to date: the Aston Martin Vantage S. Advertisement - Article continues below Following in the footsteps of the previous-generation V8 and V12 Vantage S models launched in 2011 and 2013 respectively, the new Vantage S is based on the recently updated second-generation car. It gains a modest uplift in power from 656bhp to 671bhp, but torque is unchanged at 800Nm. The model gets a new throttle map, which Aston claims 'further enhances driver engagement and performance feel', plus there are additional changes to the powertrain calibration, with an optimised launch control system said to cut the 0-62mph sprint to 3.4 seconds – one-tenth faster than before. New suspension hardware also features, alongside revised engine mounts and control software to bring what Aston claims to be 'greater agility along with improvements in feel, driver engagement and composure'. The rear subframe is now mounted directly to the body, instead of via rubber bushes, for claimed gains in 'directness and steering connection'. The suspension's camber, toe and caster settings are also said to sharpen responses and improve front-end grip. Aston says the Vantage S 'has a thrilling appetite for corners backed up by steadfast stability'. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below But while the firm's engineers wanted the S to display greater agility, they weren't prepared to sacrifice compliance or refinement. As such, you'll find reduced rear-spring stiffness for improved low-speed ride, plus a 10 per cent reduction in the stiffness of the transmission mounts. Advertisement - Article continues below There's a handful of visual changes for Vantage S buyers to enjoy, too. At the front, there are new centrally-mounted bonnet vents available in gloss black or carbon fibre, designed to extract hot air from the engine. There are specific, hand-made S badges on the front wings, too, made from red glass enamel and either dark or bright chrome. Extra red detailing is also seen on the bespoke 21-inch Y-spoke wheels, hiding a set of contrasting bronze brake calipers. To the rear, there's a full-width spoiler, which not only changes the car's look, but adds 44kg of downforce at top speed. Further updates underneath the car, including a new front airdam and venturi vanes, add an additional 67kg of downforce. Inside, there's unique Alcantara and leather upholstery, with embroidered S logos comprising 2,500 individual stitches and over 16m of thread. The car also features carbon fibre trim inlays – a feature Aston claims offers 'a modest weight saving' while perfectly capturing 'the essence of S'. On top of this, owners can specify a new, unique interior option package, bringing a choice of red or silver finishes to the knurled metal drive-mode controller, matching the dial to the car's seatbelts and stitching. A Sport interior package is also available, with different materials in both monotone and duotone colourways. Despite apparently being available to order now, Aston has so far only offered an indicative on-the-road price of around £170,000 – around £5,000 more than the standard car. The Vantage S will make its global debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this week, with first deliveries expected before the end of the year. Buy a car with Auto Express. Our nationwide dealer network has some fantastic cars on offer right now with new, used and leasing deals to choose from... View Vantage View Vantage View Vantage Find a car with the experts Ford Escort Mexico gets new lease of life with MST Sports Ford Escort Mexico gets new lease of life with MST Sports While not officially Fords, the MST Mk1 and Mk2 Sports should drive as sharply as they look New Volvo XC60 2025 facelift review: big-selling SUV gets a new lease of life New Volvo XC60 2025 facelift review: big-selling SUV gets a new lease of life This refreshed Swedish SUV focuses on familiar areas of strength to take on BMW and Audi Car Deal of the Day: MG ZS gives a big SUV feel for a miniscule £194 a month Car Deal of the Day: MG ZS gives a big SUV feel for a miniscule £194 a month The MG ZS is an easy car to like and live with. It's our Deal of the Day for 3 July
Motor 1
01-07-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
How Aston Martin's CEO Plans to Transform the Legendary Brand
Adrian Hallmark made waves when he jumped from Bentley to Aston Martin in 2024. The two companies, though similar on the surface, couldn't have been in more different places. One overseen by a German monolith, the other… has been in the news a fair bit. During the 2025 Le Mans race, Hallmark sat down with a group of journalists to talk about how he plans to make the company profitable, why being independent is a blessing, manual gearboxes, and much more. "My mission was to do it in half the time it took to fix Bentley. Bentley took three years. We've got to do it in 18 months… which we're on track to do," Hallmark says of reinvigorating Aston Martin's fortunes. Part of that, he says, involves taking a long, hard look at how the business works. "We've got great cars, but if you don't have a business that's efficient, if you don't look into every screw, every bolt… every panel on the vehicle, and make sure you're doing it competitively it just wastes money in the rush to try and make it work," he adds. Adrian Hallmark is a gloriously candid CEO; he's delightfully open about what's going on within the company because, it seems, he wants to show that there's a hugely profitable business in Gaydon waiting to bloom. Photo by: Aston Martin On looking into various ways to slim down production costs and up profitability, Hallmark brings up a single piece of metal used in the dashboard of a number of the company's vehicles. It costs £1,250 to make—machining it down from solid aluminium to sheet metal, then laser cutting it is an expensive process, perhaps needlessly so. He says that starting from sheet metal in the first place, the same piece would cost 'about £80.' The quality would be the same, but the process would be more streamlined and more cost-efficient. Hallmark notes dozens of other examples of overly complex processes because, in the past, the job was simply to get cars built. Costly processes weren't helped by overheads skyrocketing over the past four years, with revenues, says Hallmark, remaining the same. Going through each car, finding the cost sinks, and streamlining processes can only help. With processes like that, Hallmark reckons Aston Martin can make a net profit this year, "for the first time in, I think, 19 [years]." You'd expect Aston Martin's independence, far away from the sort of VW Group-shaped safety net Hallmark had at Bentley, would inflate costs—developing your own parts is notoriously costly, and having the likes of Porsche , Audi, and Lamborghini at your back to share the load is a good thing, right? Perhaps not… Photo by: Aston Martin 'My mission was to do it in half the time it took to fix Bentley. Bentley took three years. We've got to do it in 18 months… which we're on track to do.' "I wish I could give you the numbers," Hallmark smirks, "for us to develop a car is less than a third of the cost of the synergies." The big group, he said, has lots of cost built in—staffing in Germany costs much more than in the UK and Italy, says Hallmark, and there are German suppliers which are also "about three times more expensive." And finally: "You've got rules of how they allocate cost across different brands, and you pay your share." The downside of not being part of a big group, said Hallmark, is that you're on your own. The upside, he says, is also… that you're on your own. "Instead of being locked into the system, you've got freedom to choose, and a lot of people want to do business," which Hallmark says is wonderful. But, with the caveat that it's good so long as suppliers stay in business—something that's become an issue thanks to, well gestures wildly at the wider world. 2026 Aston Martin DBX S Photo by: Aston Martin There's another problem to be addressed at Aston: Range. Not the cars themselves, but where customers go once they've bought into the brand. "If you look at the success of the other luxury brands, what they do, effectively, is every two years, every model's got the reason to change," explained Hallmark. He asked the table what someone who's bought a DBX707 would do next. Do they get another in a different colour? Would they go elsewhere? There needs to be another Aston to put them in. The DBX S may have come out of nowhere, but the reason for it is clear: It's where you go when you tire of 707 horsepower in your SUV. Expect more 'S' cars to appear as time goes on. There'll be more dealers offering more cars, too, and hopefully more people will buy them. Photo by: Aston Martin 'If you look at the success of the other luxury brands, what they do, effectively, is every two years, every model's got the reason to change.' Hallmark continued: "It's a fairly conventional place, people, and quality of experience upgrade that we're doing together with those incremental products, and then within that three to five year period, we replace every car that we've got today with a completely new model, completely new technology." How much of that future product will be electric? Perhaps not too much: "There are very few countries declaring they'll ban engines in 2035. Ninety percent of our volume in 2040 could still be engines at the moment, except for the UK [though a small manufacturer exception will help that along, too - ed]." While electrification might not be at the top of the business plan, manual gearboxes are. Sort of. It's not the work of simply choosing a 'box, dropping it in the car, and calling it a day—software gets in the way. Cars run on the stuff, and they legally need to do certain things (market-dependent). Lobbing in an imprecise, human-controlled stick messes with that process. Aston Martin DB12 Volante "Making the connections between all of these legally required systems and a missed gear," noted Hallmark, "is very difficult. It can be done. We are planning to do it, but the cost of it is hard compared with linking it to a double clutch." With Valhalla imminent and a proven front-engined platform, more specials like the Valour and Valiant are on the way. Though not, stressed Hallmark, all with slightly different bodies at silly volumes. They'll be different, collectible, and desirable to the right people. The plan is simple when it's coming from the boss's mouth in a hospitality suite in the paddock at Le Mans, but Hallmark is confident it can be done. His goal doesn't appear to be making Aston Martin a profitable company in the short term, but sustainably so, and to leave something of a legacy in the process. Hallmark will be doing so on a time limit: "I don't really want to work for more than five years. I don't want to be doing a full-time CEO job at 67 years of age. I might say something different when I'm 66, but now I don't want to be doing this forever." The challenge has been laid out, the time limit set. Watching Adrian Hallmark change Aston Martin is going to be fascinating. More Interviews The Man Behind Hyundai's Design Revolution: Interview With SangYup Lee How to Design a Timeless Hypercar: Interview With Horacio Pagani Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
The Guardian
30-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Guardian
Shiploads of cars ready to set sail for US from UK as trade deal kicks in
Shiploads of Minis, Aston Martins and Range Rovers will set sail for the US on Monday as the UK-US trade deal kicks in, but British farmers say they have been used as collateral to save the car industry. Auto shipments across the Atlantic were down more than half in May after Donald Trump's imposition of a 25% tariff on 3 April on top of an existing 2.5% levy. However, as of one minute past midnight US time on Monday – 5am in the UK – that has been reduced to 10% for cars, and UK manufacturers expect pent-up demand to be unleashed. Aston Martin's chief executive, Adrian Hallmark, said the luxury carmaker had stopped shipping between April and June, something he said had been 'not catastrophic, but slightly uncomfortable'. The outline of the trade deal was agreed between Trump and Keir Starmer in early May, the first such bilateral pact to mitigate the president's import taxes. However, delays in agreeing the fine print meant the higher tariff had continued to apply, pushing the cost of British cars up by more than a quarter for US importers. Hallmark told a British car industry conference last week that he was 'planning to invoice three months' worth of sales in a 24-hour period', with stocks in the US down by 50% due to the pause. Aston Martin exports 90% of its cars, but its customers are wealthy and were willing to wait. 'The demand has been strong and will be in good shape when we start to invoice cars like fury on Monday next week,' he said. On the eve of the trade deal coming into force, the business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, received reassurances from the sportscar maker Lotus that it had no plans to close its UK factory, in Hethel, Norfolk. Reynolds contacted Lotus bosses after it emerged that the carmaker was considering shifting production to the US – a move that would jeopardise 1,300 jobs. A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said Reynolds met Lotus and its owner, Geely, on Sunday to clarify the company's situation, and 'was reassured by management that they are committed to their UK operations and have no plans to close their Hethel plant'. A decision to relocate manufacturing abroad by a prestige brand such as Lotus would be embarrassing for the UK government. Labour's industrial strategy, published last week, singled out automotive production as among the strategic sectors it wants to support. The car industry welcomed the US-UK trade deal when it was struck, with it preventing job losses at JLR, the maker of the Jaguar and Land Rover brands. Range Rovers are particularly popular in the US. However, the lower 10% duty only applies to a quota of 100,000 cars a year – slightly below last year's export numbers – leaving little room for growth. JLR alone exported 84,000 cars in the year up to April 2025. The initial trade deal also included a promise of zero tariffs on steel but this has been held up by negotiations over the origin of some raw materials for smelting, particularly at Tata's plant at Port Talbot in south Wales. Concessions were won with new tariff-free quotas for British and US beef in each other's markets, as well the controversial removal of a 19% tariff on American ethanol imports, which the UK industry says leaves biofuel plants facing closure. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion The president of the National Farmers' Union, Tom Bradshaw, said the government must stop using agriculture as a bargaining chip in talks and urged Starmer to take the sector off the table in the talks on steel and remove the 10% baseline tariff Trump has applied to all imports. 'Agriculture has borne the responsibility of removing tariffs for other sectors. At some point they've got to stop relying on agriculture to take the burden,' Bradshaw said. 'Agriculture has nothing left to give.' On the upside for farmers, they can now sell 13,000 tonnes of British beef to the US, but again there is a catch. They will not be able to sell until January next year because beef is part of a wider tariff deal with other countries, and this year's quota has already been filled by Brazilians who stockpile beef in storage near the Mexican border. The UK steel industry has at least won a temporary exemption from the 50% tariff imposed by Trump at the start of this month until 9 July, but it still faces a 25% tariff on exports. It is waiting anxiously for delivery of the promised zero rate tariff. 'Time is running out to secure a UK-US steel deal and remove damaging tariffs,' said Gareth Stace, the director general of UK Steel. 'Every day of delay costs our steelmakers dearly. Contracts are being lost, investment decisions remain on hold, and uncertainty is paralysing business decisions. We urgently need a swift, positive resolution to these talks to protect jobs, unlock growth, and restore confidence in the sector.' Yet even in a zero-tariff deal, Port Talbot may still face issues. The UK operations of the Indian conglomerate are relying on imports of steel melted and poured in its sister plants in India and the Netherlands while they move from a polluting blast furnace to the greener electric arc furnace to smelt steel. However, UK Steel is hoping there can be an exception to the tariffs agreed for the Welsh operation along with the five other plants in the UK. UK trade officials are understood to be optimistic they can secure such an exemption.
The Guardian
30-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Guardian
Shiploads of cars ready to set sail for US from UK as trade deal kicks in
Shiploads of Minis, Aston Martins and Range Rovers will set sail for the US on Monday as the UK-US trade deal kicks in, but British farmers say they have been used as collateral to save the car industry. Auto shipments across the Atlantic were down more than half in May after Donald Trump's imposition of a 25% tariff on 3 April on top of an existing 2.5% levy. However, as of one minute past midnight US time on Monday – 5am in the UK – that has been reduced to 10% for cars, and UK manufacturers expect pent-up demand to be unleashed. Aston Martin's chief executive, Adrian Hallmark, said the luxury carmaker had stopped shipping between April and June, something he said had been 'not catastrophic, but slightly uncomfortable'. The outline of the trade deal was agreed between Trump and Keir Starmer in early May, the first such bilateral pact to mitigate the president's import taxes. However, delays in agreeing the fine print meant the higher tariff had continued to apply, pushing the cost of British cars up by more than a quarter for US importers. Hallmark told a British car industry conference last week that he was 'planning to invoice three months' worth of sales in a 24-hour period', with stocks in the US down by 50% due to the pause. Aston Martin exports 90% of its cars, but its customers are wealthy and were willing to wait. 'The demand has been strong and will be in good shape when we start to invoice cars like fury on Monday next week,' he said. On the eve of the trade deal coming into force, the business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, received reassurances from the sportscar maker Lotus that it had no plans to close its UK factory, in Hethel, Norfolk. Reynolds contacted Lotus bosses after it emerged that the carmaker was considering shifting production to the US – a move that would jeopardise 1,300 jobs. A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said Reynolds met Lotus and its owner, Geely, on Sunday to clarify the company's situation, and 'was reassured by management that they are committed to their UK operations and have no plans to close their Hethel plant'. A decision to relocate manufacturing abroad by a prestige brand such as Lotus would be embarrassing for the UK government. Labour's industrial strategy, published last week, singled out automotive production as among the strategic sectors it wants to support. The car industry welcomed the US-UK trade deal when it was struck, with it preventing job losses at JLR, the maker of the Jaguar and Land Rover brands. Range Rovers are particularly popular in the US. However, the lower 10% duty only applies to a quota of 100,000 cars a year – slightly below last year's export numbers – leaving little room for growth. JLR alone exported 84,000 cars in the year up to April 2025. The initial trade deal also included a promise of zero tariffs on steel but this has been held up by negotiations over the origin of some raw materials for smelting, particularly at Tata's plant at Port Talbot in south Wales. Concessions were won with new tariff-free quotas for British and US beef in each other's markets, as well the controversial removal of a 19% tariff on American ethanol imports, which the UK industry says leaves biofuel plants facing closure. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion The president of the National Farmers' Union, Tom Bradshaw, said the government must stop using agriculture as a bargaining chip in talks and urged Starmer to take the sector off the table in the talks on steel and remove the 10% baseline tariff Trump has applied to all imports. 'Agriculture has borne the responsibility of removing tariffs for other sectors. At some point they've got to stop relying on agriculture to take the burden,' Bradshaw said. 'Agriculture has nothing left to give.' On the upside for farmers, they can now sell 13,000 tonnes of British beef to the US, but again there is a catch. They will not be able to sell until January next year because beef is part of a wider tariff deal with other countries, and this year's quota has already been filled by Brazilians who stockpile beef in storage near the Mexican border. The UK steel industry has at least won a temporary exemption from the 50% tariff imposed by Trump at the start of this month until 9 July, but it still faces a 25% tariff on exports. It is waiting anxiously for delivery of the promised zero rate tariff. 'Time is running out to secure a UK-US steel deal and remove damaging tariffs,' said Gareth Stace, the director general of UK Steel. 'Every day of delay costs our steelmakers dearly. Contracts are being lost, investment decisions remain on hold, and uncertainty is paralysing business decisions. We urgently need a swift, positive resolution to these talks to protect jobs, unlock growth, and restore confidence in the sector.' Yet even in a zero-tariff deal, Port Talbot may still face issues. The UK operations of the Indian conglomerate are relying on imports of steel melted and poured in its sister plants in India and the Netherlands while they move from a polluting blast furnace to the greener electric arc furnace to smelt steel. However, UK Steel is hoping there can be an exception to the tariffs agreed for the Welsh operation along with the five other plants in the UK. UK trade officials are understood to be optimistic they can secure such an exemption.
