The Auto Trophy 2009 awards have been given by Auto Zeitung after reader surveys of about 105,000 participants. Obviously the local German cars were very successful, with Audi taking home a total of 40 percent of votes across all categories, but there have been a couple of surprises, too.

A special mention goes to the Opel Astra for its quality-price ratio, while the new BMW 1 Series won the best advertising campaign award. Across the categories, readers voted on 370 different models in total. In the small car category, the Volkswagen Polo won with 32.9 percent, while for imported small cars the Fiat 500 won with 20.6 percent. Among the mid-size range was the Volkswagen Golf 6, and for imported cars in this category, the Skoda Octavia won a divided contest, with 18.5 percent of votes.

The mid-size, top range cars featured some of the larger German models, with the Audi A5 Sportback winning with 27.2 percent of votes, and the Volvo V70 winning in the imported category. The luxury category was dominated by the Mercedes E-Class with 42.7 percent of votes, while the Jaguar XF took the title for imported vehicles. Among the flagship models, the Porsche Panamera won and the Aston Martin Rapide won in the imported category with 33.7 percent.

Continue reading: Auto Zeitung Auto Trophy: SLS AMG top supercar

Elite’s Aston Martin LMV/R (Le Mans Vantage Racer) is a supercar based on the V8 Vantage, with some elements of the Ferrari 430 Scuderia and Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera. The LMV/R is a superlight version of the Vantage coupé with extensive use of carbon fibre.

Additional modifications include touching up the braking system, suspension and chassis dimensions for a wider car. The special edition will be produced in just 30 models and it’s a pricey proposition: over 130,000 euros without even factoring in the cost of the Vantage to be used as a platform.

Continue reading: Elite Aston Martin LMV/R

The lucky guys over at CarAndDriver put to the test three of the most-wanted supercars currently on the market: the Aston Martin Vantage, the Audi R8 and the Porsche 911 turbo. The aim is to find out the best “everyday supercar” and the results are a little surprising. Check out the video and then, which would you choose…?

Continue reading: Video: Audi R8 vs Porsche 911 vs Aston Martin Vantage

This car has always been a collage of a sublime engine, and body-work of devine proportions - a car that was always going to be beautiful from the start of the production line. It would be near impossible to ruin a stylistic masterpiece like the Vantage, with its V12 6.0 engine, deriving from the DBS, although the RS name evokes a not-so-elegant and discreet competition.

Fortunately at Gaydon, they have decided to remain faithful to the initial spirit of the V12 RS concept, ensuring that fascination remains uncurtailed as does the British soul of the car. The V12 contained in the bonnet of the Road Sport has an output of about 550bhp, combined with a retractable rear spoiler - when you do a body-kit…

The British publication Car has another juicy rumour: Aston Martin could be working on a new V8, with 4 733cc, photographed on a Vantage doing the rounds of the Nurburgring. In short, beauty has been born.

Continue reading: Spy shots: Aston Martin V12 Vantage RS

Aston Martin will build a Roadster variant of the V8 Vantage N400, a special limited-edition based on the V8 Vantage shown at the latest Frankfurt auto show and dedicated to the legendary Nürburgringer Nordschleife.

Only 240 units will be produced, but for the Roadster version it will not be possible to order the roll bar that can be had as an optional for the N400 coupè. The N400 pack consists of a new, more powerful version of the 4.3-litre V8 engine of the Vantage, that on the N400 outputs 400 bhp and 420Nm. The suspension set-up is also different from the softer one of the normal Vantage Roadster.

We can imagine how gratifying will be hearing the ferocious sound of the V8 on this en-plein-air supercar…

Via | MotorAuthority

Continue reading: Aston Martin V8 Vantage N400 Roadster