Toyota’s motorsports partner Gazoo Racing had several machines to show off at the Tokyo Auto Salon, but none as impressive as this Lexus LFA. Prepped for race duty, the car has already seen competition, with an automotive CEO behind the wheel no less.

Akio Toyoda? Nope. Try Dr. Ulrich Bez, the man in charge of Aston Martin and a long time racer.

How exactly the CEO of a competing automaker wound up behind the wheel of the Lexus supercar is the result of a friendship that has grown between Dr. Bez and Mr. Toyoda – a friendship that started when the two shared garage space at the Nurbrgring 24 Hour endurance race a few years back.

The two automakers have volunteered to share space ever since and this past year even shared cars, with Bez getting behind the wheel of the LFA, while Akio Toyoda had the opportunity to pilot Aston Martin’s Zagato V12 race car.

GALLERY: Gazoo Racing Lexus LFA

No stranger to the Nurburgring, Aston Martin CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez has competed at the legendary racetrack since 2006, but this weekend’s event was different. That’s because Bez wasn’t behind the wheel of an Aston Martin, but a race-prepped Lexus LFA.

Bez and Toyota President Akio Toyoda swapped rides for the ninth round of the 2011 VLN series race, with Toyoda piloting Aston’s new V12 Zagato.

“Other company bosses meet on the golf course, we race together,” says Aston Martin CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez.

Rather than a PR stunt, both Bez and Toyota describe the ride swap as result of their friendship, which has developed over the years at the Nurburgring. With up to 200 cars competing on track and a limited number of pit stalls, teams at the Nurburgring are forced to share space with their competitors. Both Aston Martin and Toyota’s Gazoo Racing have done so several times in the past.

“As I learnt that our teams would share a garage once again I renewed my invitation to Akio Toyoda to drive an Aston Martin race car and I was delighted to accept his offer in return”, said Dr. Bez. “We have raced side by side regularly since the 2008 24 hour race here at the Nurburgring. Since then a personal friendship has developed into this decision to experience each other’s race cars.”

Competing in the SP8 class both executives started in their own cars and almost didn’t get the chance to make the switch when the #114 Aston Matin was struck by another car and forced to pit for significant repairs. Back on track before the end of the race, the LFA and V12 Zagato crossed the finish line side-by-side, with Bez in the Lexus and Toyoda in the Aston Martin.

“I’m not satisfied with Cygnet sales,” declared Aston Martin‘s Chairman Dr. Ulrich Bez recently, though it’s not for the usual reasons. Rather than lack of demand, Aston’s main problem with the pint-size city car is actually lack of supply.

That said, wait times for the £31,000 (approximately $48,680 U.S.) machine are now starting to put customers off actually buying one, especially since Bez views the car very much as an impulse buy. “It is the sort of product a customer sees and decides they want on the spot – they don’t want to have to wait for their car to be built, but to drive it away there and then,” he said.

Bez says that in order to get Cygnet sales to where they should be depends on two things, firstly availability, which should improve once the company opens its first Cygnet store in London’s swanky Park Lane district and secondly, by taking a more active approach towards promoting the car, which may take time, given Aston’s limited resources.

In addition, with Toyota scheduled to release an electric version of the iQ, on which the Cygnet is based, it’s very likely that a version of this will form the basis for Aston’s first EV.

Aston’s city car has been a controversial topic since day one, yet in response to those who believe the Cygnet is diluting the Aston Martin brand, Bez had this to say, “it [the Cygnet] is a luxury piece, a great car to go around town in. Why would you take a Vantage through London when you could have this?”  He’s got a point.

[Source: Autocar]

To celebrate 50 year since the first partnership between Aston Martin and Italian coachbuilder Zagato, the duo have now revealed the V12 Zagato which will go on display at the upcoming Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza.

Based on the V12 Vantage the the car uses the same 5.9-liter engine and makes 510-hp. The body has been entirely reworked by Zagato with all new aluminum body panels and plenty of trademark Zagato design cues.

“The task for us has been to create a concept that is a natural successor to those iconic cars that have gone before,” said Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez.  “Matching the technology of the age with the traditional skills vital to deliver such a bespoke and exclusive sports car will lead to a strictly limited run of road going V12 Zagatos.”

In addition to those few street cars, Aston Martin is also preparing a racing version of the ultra-rare exotic and will even compete with it in the Nurburgring 24 hour race on June 25th.

The V12 Zagato will get its first public showing at the Villa d’Este Concours on May 20th, alongside other rare one-offs like the Ferrari Superamerica 45.

GALLERY: Aston Martin V12 Zagato

To help Japan recover from the recent earthquake and tsunami many foreign companies have donated to relief charities. Aston Martin is the latest to contribute. It’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ulrich Bez is giving up his personal Rapide super-sedan at the Bonhams Auction at Newport Pagnell, with all proceeds going to Japan.

He said; “Nobody could have failed to be moved by the recent events in Japan and we at Aston Martin are no exception. After many years presence in the market and closer ties being forged with the Japanese automotive business in recent projects, we have many friends in the region and we wanted to do something to help. The Bonhams Aston Martin Auction seems the perfect platform to encourage the extended Aston Martin family to support this cause, so we have decided to auction my Rapide which I have used in my role as Chief Executive to represent Aston Martin at numerous events in both UK and Europe. I hope this superb car will raise a substantial amount to help make a difference.”

This well appointed, V12 luxury car will hit the auction stage on May 21. The new owner will get a great car and help a great cause at the same time.

Click here to read AutoGuide’s Aston Martin Rapide review

With the debut of the Virage, yet another V12-powered luxury exotic this week, it appears as though Aston Martin might actually be making plans for non-V12-powered cars.

And no, we’re not talking about V8s, like the Vantage, but a return to the straight-six.

According to PistonHeads.com, Dr. Ulrich Bez, the top man at Aston, commented that he’s interested in exploring the use of inline six-cylinder engines, even going so far as to quote a displacement of 2.5-liters, paired with turbocharging and direct-injection.

While a possible option for the V8-powered Vantage, the engine would fit in any of Aston’s cars, says Bez, as they are all based on the same architecture with V12s being offered in every model.

The last Aston Martin to be powered by one of the automaker’s straight-six engines was the DB7. Could that badge make a comeback?

[Source: PistonHeads]

Aston Martin introduced a new limited edition run of 40 cars celebrating Chief Executive Ulrich Bez’s tenth anniversary heading the luxury car manufacturer.

The DBS UB-2010 edition includes a run of 20 Coupes and 20 Volantes, each personally specified by Bez with a new Azurite Black paint finish with metallic bronze leather with woven seat inserts and Cryptic Titan facia finish. Each limited edition model features a UB-2010 sill plaque signed by Bez.

Gallery: Aston Martin DBS UB-2010 edition Volante

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Aston Martin has released a stunning piece of video that shows the company’s new sports sedan driving both the Nürburgring and the famous Stelvio Pass in the Alps.

Dubbed “the most elegant four-door sorts car in the world,” the Rapide is powered by a front-mounted 5.9-liter V12 engine. Power is rated at 470hp at 6000 rpm with 443 ft-lbs of torque coming on strong at 5000 rpm. And if we know Aston, it probably sounds like a wicked beast at about 4000 rpm.

The Rapide will be offered exclusively with a six-seed automatic transmission.

As for the design of the car, it’s all Aston up front and even the rear maintains Aston’s signature subtle duck-tail spoiler, which is integrated into the rear hatch. And of course, all four doors flip slightly upward, just like the rest of the Aston fleet. The cabin of the car seats four with 10.6 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats or 26.5 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down.

“Rapide is the culmination of the Aston Martin range of sports cars, a car that seals the revival of a truly admired marque,” said Aston CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez. “There is now an Aston Martin for every taste and for every use. With Rapide, the entire family can enjoy their Aston Martin together in unison, in an invigorating yet comfortable environment, sitting low, with plenty of visibility from every seat and with new levels of comfort, refinement and entertainment.”

GALLERY: Aston Martin Rapide

GALLERY: Aston Martin Rapide at the Frankfurt Auto Show

After first debuting a concept version at the North American International Auto Show back in 2007, Aston Martin chose the Frankfurt Auto Show to debut what it calls “the most elegant four-door sorts car in the world.”

The Rapide joins the Porsche Panamera and Maserati Quattroporte in an emerging segment of performance-oriented sedans.

The Rapide is powered by a front-mounted V12 engine, which Aston says is 6.0-liters, but it really closer to 5900ccs. Power is rated at 470hp at 6000 rpm with 443 ft-lbs of torque coming on strong at 5000 rpm. And if we know Aston, it probably sounds like a wicked beast at about 4000 rpm.

The Rapide will be offered exclusively with a six-seed automatic transmission.

As for the design of the car, it’s all Aston up front and even the rear maintains Aston’s signature subtle duck-tail spoiler, which is integrated into the rear hatch. And of course, all four doors flip slightly upward, just like the rest of the Aston fleet. The cabin of the car seats four with 10.6 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats or 26.5 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down.

“Rapide is the culmination of the Aston Martin range of sports cars, a car that seals the revival of a truly admired marque,” said Aston CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez. “There is now an Aston Martin for every taste and for every use. With Rapide, the entire family can enjoy their Aston Martin together in unison, in an invigorating yet comfortable environment, sitting low, with plenty of visibility from every seat and with new levels of comfort, refinement and entertainment.”

GALLERY: 2010 Aston Martin Rapide

GALLERY: Official Aston Martin Rapide Photos

Official:

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Aston Martin has just released details of an upcoming concept car the luxury British automaker is working on… and it’s not at all what you might expect. Rather than a high-powered exotic, this new machine, called the Cygnet, is a tiny commuter car.

The Cygnet is based on the Toyota iQ and while it sounds like an April Fool’s joke, the reality is that this mini-car has a lot of potential. For starters, Aston Martin is working on giving the Cygnet a unique Aston Martin look and a serious luxury interior. No doubt owners, particularly in large European urban centers, could use a vehicle like this and then take their $300,000 DBS out to the country on the weekend.

There is, however, an additional (and very strong)  reason the Cygnet may become a reality, and that is the increasingly restrictive fuel-economy regulations in both Europe and the United States. If Aston Martin builds a car like this with what will no doubt be a tiny fuel-efficient engine, it will offset the gas-sucking V8s and V12s that are used in the rest of the company’s lineup.

Currently the Toyota iQ is offered overseas with three engines, the most potent of which makes 99hp from a 1.33-liter gasoline engine.

“Now is the right time for Aston Martin to take this first bold step to embark on this special project – made possible with the support of an organization of Toyota’s stature and capability and the intelligent design and perfect city car package of the iQ,” said Aston Martin CEO, Dr Ulrich Bez. “Much work is still required, but I am confident that this project could become reality in the not too distant future. This concept – akin to an exclusive tender to a luxury yacht – will allow us to apply Aston Martin design language, craftsmanship and brand values to a completely new segment of the market.”

Dr. Bez even alluded to selling the Cygnet like an add-on package to compliment one of the company’s pricier models. “The offering of a ‘Cygnet’ with a DBS, DB9 or Vantage is a unique combination of opposites and a novel transport solution allowing intelligent and sensitive mobility on an exclusive and innovative level,” he said.

According to Automotive News, the Cygnet could be made available to current and prospective Aston Martin owners as early as next year with mass-market sales following the year after. The price of the Cygnet is expected to be around 23,000 Euros – or roughly $32,000.

[Source: Automotive News]

Official release after the jump:

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