Bond's Ride: Aston Martin DBS Debuts

Competes with: Maserati Gran Turismo, Ferrari 599 GTB
Looks like: An Aston
Drivetrain: 510-hp, 6.0-liter V-12 with six-speed manual; rear-wheel drive
Hits dealerships: Early 2008

It’s Friday and we’re dressed casually, tying up everything that needs doing before heading home for the weekend. It’s the time of week where you can afford to spend a few minutes checking out a car as gloriously over-the-top as the all-new Aston Martin DBS.

You might recognize the DBS from the movie “Casino Royale” where a blond Bond staved off a heart attack using a gadget in the glove box. This DBS, however, is no movie prop — this is a production version set to go on sale in early 2008. It hits 62 mph in a scant 4.3 seconds and has a top speed of 191 mph, plus it’s damn sexy.

We don’t have prices yet — they’ll be revealed next month at the Frankfurt Motor Show — but we do have some more images below.

First Look: 2008 Infiniti EX35 Compact SUV

• Competes with: BMW X3, Acura RDX
• Looks like: A lifted G35 sedan
• Drivetrain: 290-hp, 3.5-liter V-6, with five-speed automatic; all-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Winter 2007

The luxury compact SUV market is a small one and Infiniti is entering the fray with a bang. The all-new EX35 will sport the same engine as the new G35 sedan but with less horsepower, an estimated “290-plus” hp. That’s quite a bit of power for a small utility vehicle, but having a power advantage over the Acura RDX and the BMW X3 immediately gives shoppers a reason to wait for the EX35 to arrive at dealers.

The list of features on the EX35 is long but a few of the niftiest toys is a “scratch shield” paint that is self healing and can repair light scratches over time. There’s also an optional Around View Monitor system that shows the driver a 360 degree representation of the vehicle and surrounding obstacles. A lane departure warning system will also be optional.

We’ll have more information, prices and photos on the EX35 as more information becomes available. You can find a few more photos, including one of the interior, below.   

Porsche's New Exclusive Pair

We realize not everyone out there can afford a new Porsche — including us — but that doesn’t mean we don’t love them just the same. But for those out there who are in the Porsche club, now there are two more reasons to finally pull the trigger on a new Cayman S or Boxster.

There are 777 people out there — only 250 in North America — who will be able to own an exclusive new Cayman S Porsche Design Edition 1. What is that? Basically a custom version of the regular Cayman S with special black exterior paint, black matte stripes, black leather and alcantara interior, and other black touches along with 911 Turbo-inspired wheels. If you like black this is the Cayman S for you, at $69,900. That’s an $11,000 premium over a standard Cayman S, but a metallic paint job for the Cayman S is a $3,000-plus option. Did we mention the custom briefcase that comes with the Design Edition 1? We guess having your co-workers envious of your Porsche at a meeting is important.

If black is just too subtle for you, there’s the bright-orange limited edition Boxster and Boxster S.

An Early Look at the Next Mazda6

Many people may not realize how significant the current Mazda6 sedan is. The midsize sedan doesn’t sell at the same clip as the Toyota Camry or Honda Accord, but its sporty driving feel is so impressive that Ford based three of its best-selling new models on it, including the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ.

The thing is, the Mazda6 is ready for a redesign, and the company has picked September’s Frankfurt Motor Show as the place to reveal all the details. For now, we have this single image above. The most we can glean from the image is that the front fenders get a much more aggressive look, reminiscent of the company’s trio of concepts from last year: the Nagare, Ryuga and Hakaze. The new Mazda6 will most likely be a 2009 model and go on sale in mid-2008.

What do you think? Will the next Mazda6 be as impressive as the current model?

2007 Frankfurt Motor Show: Mitsubishi Concept-cX

It’s never too early to start talking about auto show season. First up on the 2007-08 calendar is the Frankfurt Motor Show in mid-September. Mitsubishi will be there with a new compact SUV concept called the Concept-cX, shown in the sketch above. It’s supposed to be a fuel-efficient small SUV with a split tailgate, twin clutch, diesel engine and low emissions.

Environmental/green technologies may be a huge trend at auto shows this year. The Concept-cX features what Mitsubishi calls “Green Plastic,” made from bamboo and other plant resins. The Concept-cX is just 164 inches long, 18 inches shorter than the new Mitsubishi Outlander.

We’d guess this concept would be for global use, or the company may increase the size of the Outlander to position the Concept-cX below it in the lineup. Or it could just be a wild concept that never sees the light of day. We’ll look for more information in September. A sketch of the rear of the Concept-cX is below.

Ford Kuga: A Stylish Compact SUV for the Rest of the World

We keep telling anyone who will listen that the auto show season is just like the NFL’s: it never ends. The first of the major international auto shows is still two months off, but word of a significant debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show just came across the wires. Ford will unveil the Kuga, a compact SUV based on the well-received Iosis X concept that debuted at last year’s Paris Motor Show.

All we know now is what we can glean from the sketch above, and that the Kuga will be a 4x4 crossover. The Kuga will go on sale in the spring of 2008 and will be sold across Europe. Perhaps new Ford CEO Alan Mulally will like it enough to bring it to the U.S. Unlike GM, though, Ford has been slow to share its global lineup.

Source: Ford