Aston Martin’s DP-100 concept is one more reason we wish Gran Turismo were real

By Stephen Edelstein Published April 24, 2023

Aston Martin is the latest carmaker to unveil a Vision Gran Turismo concept car for Gran Turismo 6, and it just might be the most radical yet.

It’s called the DP-100, which stands for Design Prototype 100, it will be unveiled at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed. While the other Vision Gran Turismo cars unveiled so far have shown exaggerated versions of their makers’ signature styling themes, this one throws established looks out the window.

If Aston ever decides to build a mid-engined supercar, it could look something like the DP-100. Its sleek, hunkered-down shape is nothing like any Aston on the road now. It’s particularly shocking considering how strongly the company typically enforces its current styling theme.

Massive front fenders sweep up around either side of the cockpit, and the engine sits on display under glass behind he driver. That seems a bit more Maranello than Warwickshire.

A few details, including the grille and blade-like taillights, confirm that this virtual racer is in fact an Aston Martin and not just a generic expression of speed lust.

While the car itself wasn’t designed to be production-feasible, certain details may make it into future sports cars, Aston design director Marek Reichman said in a statement.

The DP-100 is powered by a twin-turbocharged V12 that produces up to 800 horsepower, and features active aerodynamics to help it stick to the virtual race track.

Of course, that’s not something any driver will get to experience for real. As with the other Vision Gran Turismo concepts from BMW, Mercedes-Benz AMG, Nissan, and Volkswagen, the DP-100 will remain a virtual car, but it will be available as downloadable content in Gran Turismo 6.

Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

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Cars

Toyota unveils 2026 bZ: A smarter, longer-range electric SUV

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Toyota is back in the electric SUV game with the 2026 bZ, a major refresh of its bZ4X that finally delivers on two of the biggest demands from EV drivers: more range and faster charging.
The headline news is the improved driving range. Toyota now estimates up to 314 miles on a single charge for the front-wheel-drive model with the larger 74.7-kWh battery—about 60 miles more than the outgoing bZ4X. All-wheel-drive variants also get a boost, with up to 288 miles of range depending on trim.
Charging speeds haven’t increased in terms of raw kilowatts (still capped at 150 kW for DC fast charging), but Toyota has significantly improved how long peak speeds are sustained. With preconditioning enabled—especially helpful in colder weather—the new bZ can charge from 10% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Also new: Plug and Charge support for automatic payment at compatible stations and full adoption of the North American Charging Standard (NACS), meaning access to Tesla Superchargers will be standard by 2026.
Under the hood, or rather the floor, Toyota has swapped in higher-performance silicon carbide components to improve efficiency and power delivery. The AWD version now produces up to 338 horsepower and sprints from 0–60 mph in a brisk 4.9 seconds.
Toyota didn’t stop at just the powertrain. The exterior has been cleaned up, with body-colored wheel arches replacing the black cladding, and a sleeker front fascia. Inside, a larger 14-inch touchscreen now houses climate controls, giving the dash a more refined and less cluttered appearance. There’s also more usable storage thanks to a redesigned center console.
With the 2026 bZ, Toyota seems to be responding directly to critiques of the bZ4X. It’s faster, more efficient, and more driver-friendly—finally bringing Toyota’s EV efforts up to speed.

Cars

Cheaper EVs ahead? GM and LG say new battery cells are the key

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General Motors and LG Energy Solution have announced a new phase in their ongoing partnership: developing a new battery cell chemistry that could significantly lower the cost of electric vehicles. The joint effort centers on lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) battery cells, a variation of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) that’s gaining popularity for being more affordable and less reliant on expensive materials like nickel and cobalt.

This is a big deal because battery costs are still the single largest expense in producing EVs. According to GM and industry experts, LMFP cells could help bring the cost of electric vehicles close to — or even on par with — gas-powered cars. The goal? Making EVs accessible to a broader range of drivers without sacrificing range or performance.

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Waymo’s autonomous-car technology has made great advances over the years to the point where it’s now allowed to offer paid robotaxi rides in select locations in the U.S.

But the development of the technology is ongoing, and the robotaxi rides continue to gather valuable data for Waymo engineers to pore over as they further refine the driverless system to make it as reliable and efficient as possible. Which is why glitches will sometimes occur.