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Aston Martin leaks topless DB11 images

22 September, 2016

 

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“Aston Martin has teased images for a 2018 Volante D11, and we’re excited”

In August just gone, we made our way to the Aston Martin DB11 unveil. A NZ$365K, plus on-road costs, was justified by its technology, beauty, and power. Knowing that it’s powered by a newly designed 5.2-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine, it’s sure to be the most powerful ever, with 600hp and a stump pulling (not that you would) 700Nm of torque. This equates to a gorgeous tourer that will top out at 322kph and jet to 100kph from a standstill in just 3.9 seconds. After 103 years in the automotive game, it’s safe to assume that they know a thing or two by now. 

Just recently, Aston Martin dropped three images onto their Facebook page — three images of a DB11 with a soft-top. Printed on the side of the vehicle was ‘Opening Spring 2018’.

Aesthetically, the DB11 Volante looks to feature the same DB11 rear end we’ve already seen, but they didn’t photograph the front of the vehicle, leading us to speculate there might be a few subtle changes. 

The Volante will no doubt be a little slower than the coupe DB11, and a little more expensive, too. We’re expecting Aston Martin to release official images in the coming months, so we’ll keep you posted. 

“Gotcha!’’ The continuing tale of a Nissan/Datsun tragic – part two

8 May, 2026

In 1996, I was on a mission to buy a suitable pavement scorcher and visited the now-defunct Manukau City Car Fair. Unbelievably, among the sea of four-door utilitarian Japanese compacts was the absolute jewel in the crown, my automobile wet dream — a 1985 two-door R30 RS Nissan Skyline FJ20 Turbo five-speed manual in nice condition. The owner wanted $10,000 — a great deal.
But what did I do? I bailed out, paralysed by indecision. The money would have been a stretch, but it was the worst automotive choice I ever made. Instead, I went for a rusty Toyota Sprinter 8 Valve Twin Cam Coupé, which was pretty terminal from the get-go. I know. We’ve all done it, but there was really no excuse for passing up the Skyline, and I was haunted by that for years.

Last Tango in the Fast Lane

30 April, 2026

In the mid ’80s, I locked into a serious Nissan/Datsun performance obsession. It could have kicked off with my ’82 Datsun Sunny, though this would have been a bit of a stretch of the imagination, given its normally aspirated 1.2-litre motor — not the sort of thing to unleash radical road warrior dreams. But it did plant a seed, and it was a sweet little machine and surprisingly quick, in contrast to all the diabolical English offerings I had endured.
I was living in South Auckland at the time and was an unrepentant petrolhead. Motor racing was my drug of choice, and I followed the scene slavishly. Saloon car racing, with the arrival of the international Group A formula, was having a serious renaissance here and in Australia and Europe. There was suddenly an exotic air in local racing that had been absent for 15 years.
I was transfixed by this new frontier of motor racing that had hit our tracks in 1985–87 and the new array of machinery on display. In 1986, the Nissan Skyline RS DR30 made a blinding impression on me. The Australian Fred Gibson-run, Peter Jackson-sponsored team of George Fury and Glenn Seton were the fastest crew of the 1986 Australian Touring Car Championship. But Kiwi legend Robbie Francevic snuck through to win the Aussie Championship in his Volvo 240T after a strong start and consistent finishes.