Tag Archive for: SPEEDSTER

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THRILLING NEW OPTIONAL BESPOKE SPECIFICATION REVEALED FOR LIMITED EDITION ASTON MARTIN V12 SPEEDSTER  

THRILLING NEW OPTIONAL BESPOKE SPECIFICATION REVEALED FOR LIMITED EDITION ASTON MARTIN V12 SPEEDSTER

  • Historic DBR1 optional specification offered for visceral open cockpit sports car
  • Meticulously crafted details pay homage to 1959 Le Mans winning original   
  • 88 examples of the Aston Martin V12 Speedster to be built

28 April 2021, Gaydon, UK: Aston Martin is revealing today more details of its forthcoming V12 Speedster – the open cockpit celebration of the British luxury sports car brand’s proud past and exciting future.

Just 88 examples of the Aston Martin V12 Speedster are available to buyers worldwide and today the brand is unveiling details of a custom specification that is certain to underscore the cars’ instant collector’s item status.

The new car aligns gracefully with a heritage that features not only the exceptional DBR1, but also the breathtaking CC100 which was unveiled in 2013 as a stunning celebration of Aston Martin’s century of sports car excellence – reflecting the sporting heritage and exceptional design capability woven throughout well over 100 years of Aston Martin history.

The DBR1 is, to date, the most successful racing machine constructed by Aston Martin, having triumphed in the 1959 staging of both the 24 hours of Le Mans and the 1,000 km of Nürburgring, also winning the latter in 1957 and 1958.

After its debut in 1956 the DBR1 recorded a string of famous victories, including at the Spa Sportscar Race (1957, Tony Brooks); the Goodwood Tourist Trophy (1958, Sir Stirling Moss, Tony Brookes; 1959, Sir Stirling Moss, Carroll Shelby, Jack Fairman); and the 1000 Km at the Nurburgring (1959, Sir Stirling Moss and Jack Fairman) in the same year as that famous Le Mans triumph which culminated in Aston Martin taking the World Sportscar Championship.


Although a car made for competitive racing, the DBR1 was also a precursor for some of the marque’s most well-known heritage ‘DB’ road cars. It was styled in-house by a highly talented designer, Frank Feeley, and, working alongside Chief Racing Designer Ted Cutting, represents what is unquestionably his ‘finest hour’ – indeed the shape of the DBR1 remains one of the most beautiful and graceful of all time.

At the car’s heart from 1958 onwards lay a 2,992 cc straight six engine mated to a David Brown five-speed gearbox. It was capable of powering this c. 800 kg sports car to an estimated top speed in excess of 150 mph.

Produced as a pure racing model – not directly derived from a road car – just five examples of DBR1 were built: four used to such commanding effect by the Aston Martin Works’ team, and a single car for private use.

With such a rich and important history it’s no surprise, then, that the brand should choose to create a dedicated optional DBR1 specification for it’s new V12 Speedster.

Featuring cleverly integrated custom elements reminiscent of the Le Mans winning race car, the Aston Martin V12 Speedster DBR1 specification offers highlights such as the iconic Aston
Martin Racing Green paint finish, Clubsport White pinstripe and roundels, a Satin Silver anodised grille with Clubsport lipstick graphic, Conker saddle leather and Viridian Green technical textile/Caithness leather. All these features hint at the period attributes that made DBR1 the undisputed icon it remains today.

Unique Aston Martin Racing Green driver and passenger helmets sit under transparent ‘windows’, while solid silver ‘wings’ badges glint beneath transparent enamel. The finely judged application of gloss carbon fibre, Caithness Green leather and satin silver brushed aluminium switchgear in the V12 Speedster’s open cabin underline the tasteful homage to a true motoring great.

Satin black diamond turned 21-inch centre lock wheels are a feature of this specialist specification, which each Aston Martin V12 Speedster spending more than 50 hours in the painting process alone at the brand’s advanced paint facility.

Outlining the rationale behind this V12 Speedster tribute specification, Aston Martin Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman said: “Emotion and exclusivity are at the heart of this car. A rare and exceptional Aston Martin, It has  been engineered to offer a visceral driving experience that belies its elegant, artistic shape.
 
“Creating a bespoke specification that nods to the glory of the DBR1 has been a huge privilege for my team and I, and I very much look forward to seeing these cars being driven with the same enthusiasm that we have applied to their design.”

At the new car’s heart lies a high-performance variant of Aston Martin’s now iconic, 5.2-litre V12 Twin-Turbo engine, capable of generating an output of around 700 PS and 753 Nm. Offering a compelling breadth of performance, superb response and thrilling V12 soundtrack, the engine is mated to a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission mounted towards the rear of the car.

This translates into a 0-62 mph time in the order of 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 198 mph – no mean feat in a car devoid of roof or windscreen.

Orders are now being taken for the DBR1 custom V12 Speedsters, each being hand built at the company’s Gaydon headquarters, with deliveries expected to begin in mid 2021.

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ASTON MARTIN V12 SPEEDSTER: a puristic limited edition for the most demanding drivers

Wednesday 4 March, Gaydon: The Aston Martin V12 Speedster has made its global debut today, with just 88 examples of this puristic limited-edition model set to hit the road.

Created by luxury British marque’s bespoke customisation service ‘Q by Aston Martin’, the Aston Martin V12 Speedster is a truly visceral driver’s car that draws inspiration from both the brand’s rich racing history and aeronautical design. Today’s example is showcased in a conceptual F/A-18 livery, also curated by the same artisans.

ASTON MARTIN V12 SPEEDSTER: a puristic limited edition for the most demanding drivers

Aston Martin Lagonda President and Group CEO, Dr Andy Palmer said: “It makes me enormously proud to reveal Aston Martin’s latest, most exciting special model today. The V12 Speedster is an incredible demonstration of the breadth of capability and determination from the ‘Q by Aston Martin’ team, who have worked tirelessly to create this stunning, two-seat sports car aimed at our most demanding and enthusiastic customers.”


Conceived a little over 12 months ago, the V12 Speedster has undergone an intensive development programme, going from drawing board to production reality within that short period. Demonstrating the skills and meticulous planning of ‘Q by Aston Martin’ and Aston Martin Design, the V12 Speedster is a living show car, underlining the company’s commitment to deliver customers a stunning driver’s car, using the engineering ingenuity and advanced materials evident throughout the entire Aston Martin range.


Utilising Aston Martin’s latest bonded aluminium architecture, the V12 Speedster utilises elements from both the DBS Superleggera and Vantage model lines to create its own unique platform. With independent double wishbone front, and multi-link rear suspension with coil springs and adaptive damping offering Sport, Sport+ and Track modes, the V12 Speedster also benefits from standard 21-inch forged centre lock alloy wheels. Carbon Ceramic Brakes of 410mm on the front axle and 360mm at the rear are also standard equipment.


Over the V12 Speedster’s unique chassis is a bespoke body constructed almost entirely from carbon fibre. Miles Nurnberger, Director of Design, Aston Martin Lagonda, said: “With the V12 Speedster we do go back a step and look into our past for inspiration. Since the DB11 launch, everything has been focused and very forward looking. Here though, we find a different tempo. There’s clear lineage from the 1959 Le Mans winning DBR1 to our Centenary celebratory CC100 Speedster Concept in 2013. There is also a bit of 1953 DB3S in the mid-section, so it really is our latest incarnation of the Speedster concept. It’s also inspired by fighter jets as much as it is by our history, and it has been created to deliver an incredibly visceral experience, hence why it is a V12, rather than a V8. With the V12 Speedster we are amplifying all the emotional strings that we can to the absolute maximum.”

Nurnberger adds: “No roof or screen, a big engine, low, with broad shoulders and exaggerated and emotional styling with twin humps and the spine separating the driver and passenger. The light, low, rear end contrasts with the bold, enlarged grille, unique headlights and bonnet nostril at the front. The bonnet nostril we haven’t done in a very long time, but we’ve brought them back. It’s a neat trick visually to allow us to win some space for the V12. It creates this iconic looking vent.”

The interior specification pushes new boundaries, using a mix of traditional and modern materials. Structural satin carbon fibre, contrasts with traditional hand-crafted Saddle Leather, chrome, aluminium and even 3D printed rubber. Visually and physically the interior reduces mass, for a leaner, efficient style, but one that retains all the emotion and craftsmanship Aston Martins are renowned for. In front of the passenger is a removable leather bag in place of a traditional glove box, while there’s additional storage space under the rear bumps for luggage.

Unveiled here today at Aston Martin’s Gaydon HQ, the V12 Speedster has been shown in a conceptual specification that is inspired by the legendary F/A-18 and will be available for customers to order. Born from an exciting new collaboration with Boeing and created by the brand’s bespoke customisation service ‘Q by Aston Martin’, this striking livery takes the legendary fighter jet for inspiration and is finished in Skyfall Silver, with contrasting satin black on the exhaust tips, vent grilles and vanes. The dark theme is carried through to the interior, with satin dark chrome, machined aluminium, black leather, black technical textile, black carpets and vivid red Aston Martin scripted door pulls, creating a purposeful look for this conceptual styling.


Powering the V12 Speedster is Aston Martin’s scintillating 5.2-litre, Twin-Turbo V12 engine, with a peak output of 700hp1 and 753Nm1 of torque. Front mid-mounted, the all alloy, quad cam 48-valve engine is mated to a ZF 8-Speed automatic transmission with a limited-slip differential driving the rear wheels. The V12 Speedster is able to accelerate to 62mph (100km/h) in 3.5 seconds on the way to a limited top speed of 186mph (300km/h)1.


The iconic V12 engine promises scintillating performance, but further underlining the V12 Speedster’s abundant character and unparalleled commitment to a thrilling drive is an even more invigorating aural signature. To create this Aston Martin’s engineers have created a bespoke stainless-steel exhaust system exiting centrally into the diffuser surface at the rear of the car for an even more rousing, characterful sound from the drivetrain. With the V12 Speedster, every element of the drive is experiential, most obviously the removal of the windscreen adding to the visceral engagement, heightening the driving experience to new levels.

Matt Becker, Aston Martin Chief Engineer, said: “for raw, driving thrills the V12 Speedster is unparalleled, the fully open element of the car adding a new dimension to the experience. It engages on every level, delivering a precise, involving driving experience, with agility and poise backed by abundant power from Aston Martin’s twin-turbo 5.2-litre V12. Driving doesn’t get any purer than this.


 
Aston Martin Lagonda President and Group CEO, Dr Andy Palmer said: “nothing demonstrates Aston Martin’s commitment to providing unique, special models to its customers more than the V12 Speedster. The 88 hand-built cars will be sought after by driving enthusiasts and collectors alike all around the world. I’m excited not just about what they offer drivers, but of what it represents. The V12 Speedster not just showcases our incredible engineering capability and ambition, but also celebrating Aston Martin’s rich heritage.”

Orders are now being taken for the V12 Speedster, with pricing starting at £765,000 including VAT and deliveries expected to begin in the first quarter of 2021.

www.astonmartin.com

 

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