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Gautam Sharma13 Mar 2014
NEWS

GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Aston Martin goes Carbon

British sportscar maker rolls out V8 Vantage N430 and Carbon editions of the DB9 at Geneva

Aston Martin used the Geneva motor show to unleash the track-honed V8 Vantage N430 – which follows in the wheeltracks of the N420 – along with Carbon Black and Carbon White editions of its DB9 grand tourer.

The N430 is pitched at buyers seeking a more hardcore package than the standard V8 Vantage, offering track-tuned suspension and an uprated engine sourced from the V8 Vantage S.

Available in Coupe or Roadster form, the N430’s front mid-mounted, 4.7-litre dry-sumped V8 engine ekes out 321kW at 7300rpm, enabling a top whack of 306km/h and a 0-100km/h split of 4.8sec.

According to Aston, the V8 is complemented by a “rousing sports exhaust”, aerodynamics honed through the company’s successful forays into GT racing and a competition-derived braking system.

Drive is relayed to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox; with the option of a close-ratio seven-speed Sportshift II single-clutch sequential ’box with short final-drive ratio for a more focused set-up.

The company says extensive testing at the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife has yielded a carefully calibrated sports suspension tune and quick-ratio steering rack that’s claimed to be better suited to spirited driving.

There’s also been an emphasis on weight saving, thanks to measures such as carbon-fibre and Kevlar seats and ten-spoke forged alloy wheels in a new graphite painted finish; these combine to reduce mass by 20kg.

Other visual clues to the N430’s identity come via a blacked-out front grille, headlamp bezels, exterior meshes, side window surrounds and textured tailpipe finishers.

Just to leave onlookers in no doubt, the car is offered with optional club sports graphics packs – inspired in part by the CC100 Speedster concept and the DBR1.

Interior tweaks include machined carbon sill plaques, N430 seat logos, black magnesium paddle-shifts or carbon fibre gearshift surround; contemporary driver instrument panel and black anodised rotary knobs.

There’s also a leather steering wheel with contrasting on-centre stitch feature (or Alcantara with matching stitch); seat and door inserts in technical Plissè Alcantara – indented leather on Roadster models – and unique seat trim patterns.

Additional complementary features from the Vantage range as standard include a carbonfibre facia trim, Piano Black interior trim, black anodised tread plates and black pedals.

Another optional feature available to N430 customers includes a state-of-the-art 1000-watt Bang & Olufsen BeoSound audio system with ICEpower technology.

UK pricing for the V8 Vantage N430 starts at £89,995 ($167k in our money, but you’d need to virtually double that to guesstimate Australian pricing), with first deliveries in its home market starting in September this year.

Also unveiled at Geneva were Carbon Black and Carbon White editions of the DB9, which gain carbonfibre side strakes and black window surrounds, along with greater use of carbonfibre in the interior.

As suggested by their monikers, the Carbon Black edition is distinguished by a dark theme, while the Carbon White special edition is all about contrast, with the carbonfibre and dark elements juxtaposed against the car’s Stratus White bodywork.

Inside, a strong black styling theme with a choice of accent colours showcases carbonfibre details, and also standard are bespoke sill plaques with the Carbon Black or Carbon White logo.

Pricing for the DB9 Carbon Black and Carbon White hasn’t been announced, but is available on request at any of Aston Martin’s dealerships.

News from Geneva motor show

Full photo gallery of 2014 Geneva Motor Show

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Written byGautam Sharma
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