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Aston Martins voted 'best status symbol'

AN ASTON Martin is the car to be seen driving if you want people to believe you've 'made it', according to an offbeat new study. Research carried out by Auto Trader among 1,024 drivers showed that the British brand's cars are, perhaps unsurprisingly, the ones that most Brits think highest of, beating the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini and Bentley down the order. In fact, the top three positions in the survey were filled by British car makers, with Bentley and Rolls Royce second and third respectively.

Aston Martin may build Maybachs for Daimler, reports say

Aston Martin is in talks with Daimler AG over a potential partnership that would see the British luxury carmaker design and build a new Maybach ultraluxury sedan for the German automaker, Europe press reports said. Aston Martin may take engine technology from Daimler in exchange for building Daimler's Maybach cars, the Financial Times said on Wednesday, citing people close to the situation. German automotive magazine Auto Zeitung said Daimler has already commissioned a mock-up of a new Maybach limousine that would use know-how and parts from Aston Martin.

Bentley's new boss confirms SUV back to drawing board

Bentley's new chairman and CEO, Dr Wolfgang Schreiber, confirmed today that the EXP 9F - the controversial SUV shown at the 2012 Geneva motor show - would be heavily redesigned before going on sale. CAR greeted the EXP 9F with the headline 'I'm a Bentley designer, get me out of here' in our Geneva show issue. Ironically, head of design Dirk van Braeckel, has subsequently moved to a different department within the VW Group.