Aston Martin V8 Vantage

Aston N400 Roadster

Rapid drop-top Brit celebrates racing success with a of host desirable tweaks.

What better way to prove your racing credentials than with a road car designed for the track? That’s exactly what Aston Martin’s V8 Vantage N400 Roadster has been made to do.Built to celebrate Aston’s success at the Nürburgring 24-Hour endurance race, the drop-top joins a coupé version in the line-up. And it’s at the forefront of the firm’s efforts to tempt enthusiasts away from models such as the Porsche 911 and Audi R8.The N400 gets styling tweaks, plus a more powerful engine and uprated suspension. An extra 20bhp has been squeezed from the 4.3-litre V8, which ups power to 400bhp, while torque jumps to 420Nm.Other changes include the ‘Karussel Orange’ paint – it also comes in black and silver – plus new 19-inch alloys, reprofiled side sills and a map of the Nürburgring on the boot badge. The cabin is a high class affair, although the circuit layout stitched on the centre armrest is an acquired taste.

Despite the added power, the N400 still has the regular Vantage’s refined road manners – until you start exploring the top end of the rev range, that is. It’s here that those extra horses can be felt. Where the standard car runs out of puff, the N400 keeps charging to the red line.Improvements to the suspension are equally subtle, but as the speed rises, the Vantage feels sure-footed and inspires confidence, while the steering has plenty of feedback. This is helped by a lack of flex in the chassis – in fact you’d be hard-pressed to tell the Roadster apart from the coupé in terms of driving dynamics. However, it’s the noise that really steals the show. Drop the top, and it’s a full-on assault on the senses. The exhaust note varies from booming at low revs to a savage shriek as you approach the limiter.At £102,000, the manual version is £9,000 more than the standard car, while it’s another £3,000 if you specify the Speedshift automated manual gearbox. But prospective buyers had better be quick – only 240 examples each of the Roadster and coupé are planned for production.Source

• Rating:

Honda’s mega two-seater goes off the scale!

Japanese giant create a 1:64 Scale model of wild 20-litre V10 racer.

This Hot Wheels tribute to the 20-litre V10 Honda Racer concept is tiny, but it captures the real car’s racing spirit perfectly! The design, first revealed at the SEMA modified car show in the US last year, was inspired by Honda’s famous H logo. The only restrictions before being transformed into a 1:64-scale replica for production were that it could fit the Hot Wheels track and do a ‘loop-the-loop’.Source

New Jazz SUV gets tough

News of Honda’s latest arrival should be music to the ears of Jazz fans. It has turned its supermini into a baby SUV!The soft-roader uses the front-wheel-drive platform of the Jazz as a starting point, but the body gets a chunky, off-road-style makeover. Performance promises to be strong, too, as under the bonnet is a 1.8-litre petrol engine. While the concept is a five-door, there are rumours Honda is working on a three-door. Buyers should get a wide choice of trims, while a range of exterior graphics will allow them to personalise their car.The model is the fresh face of Honda’s new youth brand, Li Nian, which it says means ‘subject’ or ‘idea’ in English.

Unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show in China, the marque is set to follow in the wheel tracks of Toyota’s Scion subsidiary, which has proved a hit with US drivers. Honda is reluctant to confirm whether the brand will still be called Li Nian when it goes on sale, though. There are rumours the name could be used only in the Chinese market, where it is due in showrooms in 2010. The SUV will be made at China’s Guangzhou Honda plant, which already builds the Jazz and Accord for export to Europe. This facility is also likely to produce the next Jazz, which goes on sale later this year in Japan – where it’s badged Fit – ahead of a UK launch in 2009. But there are no immediate plans to bring the Li Nian model here.Source

Tool sees in the dark

Working in your engine bay can be a frustrating experience as you squint into the darkness. So, this new range of LED-equipped wrenches from Sealey promises to make life that little bit easier. Light is beamed directly through the socket rather than from an angle elsewhere, and shines exactly where you want it. The output is more than sufficient to illuminate dark corners, and as you don’t have to hold a torch, you can work more effectively. There are compromises, though, as the batteries are held under a knurled cap, which doubles as the power switch. It’s all too easy to loosen this, and over-tightening makes the socket hard to turn.

That’s a shame, as the ratchet action is smooth, with plenty of teeth giving good control, allowing the tool to be used in tight spaces. It’s heavy, and the well finished chromed metal provides a quality feel. Unfortunately, this is not matched by the handle, which had too much hard plastic and not enough soft, grippy material. We found that even on the 3/8-inch tool it was too small for most hands.What’s more, we have doubts about the battery casing standing up to the rigours of prolonged use. So although the Sealey tool is a really good idea, it demands a number of compromises – perhaps one to get out only when the light is really poor.Source

Peugeot’s TT...!!!!

French company Peugeot this week revealed it will put its 308 RC Z coupé into production. The Audi TT rival is based on the same platform as the 308 hatch, but has a wider track. The showroom version will retain the twin bubbles on the carbon fibre top and the curvy rear screen seen on the concept. It will also keep the clamshell bonnet and milled aluminium hoops which support the roof.

Under the bonnet, the RC Z will be powered by the same 1.6-litre turbo engine as the MINI Cooper S – that means an output of around 170bhp. It will also be offered with a less pow-er-ful normally aspirated 1.6-litre unit. Top brass at Peugeot are hoping that introducing the 308 RC Z will help improve the firm’s image among young buyers, just as the 205 GTi did in the early Eighties.
The coupé concept was seen for the first time at last autumn’s Frankfurt Motor Show. A roadgoing model is likely to be unveiled at the same event next year, with an on-sale date in the UK of summer 2010. Prices are expected to start at around £17,500 – putting the Peugeot head-to-head with Volkswagen’s all-new Scirocco.Source