If the car doesn’t take your breath away, the price of Aston Martin’s V12 Speedster certainly will.
Just 88 examples of this incredible, puristic limited-edition model will be built, priced at around $1.5 mill Aussie dollars.
Conceived a little over 12 months ago, the V12 Speedster has undergone an intensive development program, going from drawing board to production reality within that short period.
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 522kW and 753Nm of torque.
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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 can accelerate to 100km/h in 3.5 seconds and has a top speed limited to 300km/h.
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.
Using Aston Martin’s latest bonded aluminium architecture, the V12 Speedster draws on 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.
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Over the V12 Speedster’s unique chassis is a bespoke body constructed almost entirely from carbon fibre.
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.
Aston Martin’s Chief Engineer, Matt Becker, 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,” he said. “Driving doesn’t get any purer than this.”
Orders are now being taken for the V12 Speedster, with deliveries expected to begin in the first quarter of 2021.
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