Aston Martin Archives

Rio Ferdinard to better foundation with apprenticeship programme

Famous footballer Rio Ferdinand, has teamed up with Aston Martin to help inspire and develop future generations with the proper skill set. The Rio Ferdinand Foundation or (RFF) works to provide career opportunities to youth in the UK.

It focuses on inspiring young people and providing them with the required tools to tap into their natural talents and reach their potential. And this new partnership with Aston Martin will see one person from RFF join the Aston Martin Apprenticeship Programme each year over the next three years.

The automaker is proud of its programme, which has seen its apprentices rise to leading roles within the company. Andy Palmer, the current President and CEO of Aston Martin, started his own career as an apprentice. This speaks volume about how thorough the company is at imparting the proper knowledge and skills to its employees.

Apprentices are given a full grounding across a range of business areas including Manufacturing, CAD Engineering and Design. They are taught by some of the finest engineers and technicians that work with the company. Earlier this month, 30 new apprentices joined Aston Martin in the hopes of enjoying lucrative careers there.

Speaking of his foundation, Rio Ferdinand, said, “Since setting up the RFF in 2012, it has been a huge source of pleasure for me to see these young people make positive choices and create a good life for themselves and their families.”

In addition to the tie up, Aston Martin has made Rio Ferdinand its brand ambassador, which should help increase its appeal to a wider range of consumers. Ferdinad has been a customer and fan of the company for a long time and his newest appointment could signal more collaborative efforts between him and the supercar maker.

Aston Martin AMR Pro will have F1 rivaling performance

Aston Martin has announced a new track focused racer called the Valkyrie AMR Pro, which was designed and developed alongside the roadcar of its namesake. But unlike the roadcar, the AMR Pro doesn’t need to comply with the same regulations and requirements. As such, designers were given free reign to create the most efficient model possible.

And the result, is a car that features a more fluidic design, canards protruding from the door sections, lower and wider double decked rear wing and other aerodynamic upgrades. The windshield is made from polycarbonate to save weight and its tyres are smaller than the road car at 18-inches – to fit the required Michelin rubber.

The automaker gutted the car in the name of reducing weight and as such, the car forgoes the heater/de-mister blower and infotainment screens. Even the bodywork has been constructed out of carbon-fibre that’s lighter than the standard Valkyrie. Other such measures include new suspension uprights, carbon-fibre wishbones, molded race seats.

Stopping power comes from F1 inspired race-spec carbon-carbon brakes that is best suited for track use. Powering the car is the same 6.5-litre Cosworth-built V12 engine, but it develops more power and torque. This coupled with extremely aerodynamic bodywork enables the AMR Pro to hit a predicted top speed of 402km/h and possess exceptionally good cornering abilities.

According to the automaker, the car is expected to be such an amazing performance car, that its lap times should be able to rival that of current generation F1 or LMP1 cars. This feat which was once considered impossible for vehicles that weren’t professional race cars, has now been realised by incorporating revolutionary techniques.

The use of ultra lightweight components, removal of unnecessary electrics and luxury items as well as altering the overall silhouette for maximum efficiency have made the AMR Pro far superior to the standard Valkyrie. Like the road car, the AMR Pro’s Rimac Energy Recovery System remains unchanged, but its control systems will be re-programmed.

Dr Andy Palmer, Aston Martin President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “Valkyrie has always been about pushing the limits and redefining the possible. The road car will set new benchmarks for performance, engineering and technology – a hypercar in the truest sense – and with the track-only Valkyrie AMR Pro those limits will be pushed further still.”

The Valkyrie AMR Pro is the culmination of effort from Aston Martin, Red Bull Advanced Technologies and project partner AF Racing. The brainchild of Adrian Newey, only 25 of these cars will be produced in 2020, however, all of them are already spoken for.

Aston Martin Europe gets new boss

Aston Martin Europe has witnessed a shake up at the executive level. It has been announced that Ulrich Schäfer will succeed Mark Kenworthy as President of Aston Martin Europe. The incumbent leader will take on a new a role as Head of Global Dealer Network at the Aston Martin headquarters in Gaydon.

Schäfer is a veteran with more than 20 years of experience in the automotive and motorcycle industry. He has worked for a number of mainstream automakers that include BMW, Indian Motorcycles, Renault and KIA. During that time, he held several senior management positions in marketing and brand management, dealer development and sales.

Prior to his appointment at Aston Martin, he worked at Polaris as Managing Director for Germany and Austria. At Aston Martin, Schäfer will be responsible for the British automaker’s brand and sales activities in 19 Continental European markets.

He will be reporting to Christian Marti, Vice President and Chief Sales Officer, and will be based at Aston Martin’s regional head office in Frankfurt, Germany. Regarded as a learned man, Schäfer holds an MBA from Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany and studied International Economics at University of Sorbonne in Paris, France.

Commenting on his appointment, President and Chief Executive Officer Dr Andy Palmer, said, “I want to personally thank Mark Kenworthy for his support job in the region, under his direction, Aston Martin in Europe has doubled the total sales on a year-to-year basis, significantly extending our market share.”

“We are delighted to welcome Ulrich Schäfer to the Aston Martin team. He brings profound knowledge and a wealth of experience by serving more than 20 years in the automotive industry. We are looking forward to working with Ulrich in delivering the Second Century plan,” he added.

This news follows a whole string of changes at Aston Martin including the decision to use Mercedes-AMG sourced engines for a variety of its supercars. The UK based firm is probably hoping that the various restructuring moves and strategies pay off in the long run.

Aston Martin DB11 wins Golden Steering Wheel Award

Aston Martin’s DB11 has just been crowned ‘Most Beautiful car 2017’ by winning the prestigious Golden Steering Wheel award from Axel Springer. The car features cutting edge technology that has been wrapped into a silhouette that is worthy of praise. It’s smooth and elegantly designed contours make it look aggressive yet classy.

The jury of the Golden Steering award was made up of designers, engineers, racers, celebrities and journalists from across Europe. There were 20 entrants for the competition, all of which entered the car market this year. And the DB11 managed to standout enough to take home the prize.

Aston Martin President and CEO, Dr. Andy Palmer, received the award from Marion Horn (Editor in Chief BILD am Sonntag) and Tom Drechsler (Editor in Chief AUTO BILD) at the awards ceremony held at the Axel Springer SE headquarters in Berlin.

Speaking of the award, the delighted CEO of Aston Martin, said, “We aspire to make the most beautiful cars in the world and are incredibly proud of the Aston Martin DB11, a car that spearheads our Second Century plan. Exceptional design runs through the bloodline of the DB models and every part of the DB11 is crafted to create the most beautiful DB to date.”

Designed by Marek Richman, the DB11 is grand tourer that was built since last year and has effectively replaced the ever popular DB9. Available as either a 2-door Coupe or Convertible, the DB11 is offered with either a 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 or a Mercedes-AMG 4.0-litre V8 engine.

Both powerplants are mated with an 8-speed ZF automatic gearbox, which allow them to achieve their respective speeds. The V12 powered car has 600bhp and 700Nm of torque, which allow it to sprint from 0-100km/h in just 3.9 seconds. The V8 powered (503bhp and 675Nm of torque) car accomplishes the same feat in 4.0 seconds.

Aston Martin recently forged a partnership with Mercedes-Benz, allowing it access to a plethora of engine options and cutting edge technology. Utilizing these new tools, the British automaker might be able to reduce R&D costs but produce the same beautiful cars.

Largest Aston Martin centre opens for business in Japan

A new Aston Martin dealership has opened for business in Tokyo, Japan. The 1,000 square meter facility is said to be the largest Aston Martin dealership in the world and is part of the British luxury marque’s £500m (RM 2.8 billion) trade and investment programme in Japan.

Referred to as ‘The House of Aston Martin Aoyama’, this new dealership also serves as the company’s first global brand centre and a place to bring together the art and entertainment of Aston Martin. Located on the Aoyama Dori, this centre covers three floors and includes vehicle displays, a shop and space for relaxing and entertaining visitors.

Regarding the launch of the new facility, Dr. Andy Palmer, President & CEO Aston Martin said, “As the second largest luxury car market worldwide, Japan is key to Aston Martin’s future success. As we map out our global retail presence, we are confident that Aston Martin Tokyo will quickly become our largest dealer by volume in the world.”

Aston Martin hopes that this place not only functions as a place where customers can purchase cars, rather a hub for art, culture, shopping, luxury and ‘elegance’. It will be the go-to place for inspiration and to learn about Aston Martin’s design philosophies.

Sky Group, which already manages 26 other dealer facilities in Japan, is in-charge of operating Aston Martin’s dealership as well. This state-of-the-art facility will serve as the main source of attraction for those who appreciate fine art, cars and incredibly well designed architecture.

Aston Martin Tom Brady Edition to go on sale in 2018

Tom Brady, a star of USA’s National Football League or NFL, has teamed up with Aston Martin to create a special edition of the Vanquish S. Only 12 such cars will ever be produced, which is part of the Q by Aston Martin pservice.

This a service that welcomes customers, presumably those with deep pockets, to collaborate with the automaker and create custom vehicles that offer a sense of uniqueness that goes beyond the appeal of regular Aston Martins.

Brady’s version of the Vanquish S comes with an Ultramarine Black exterior that is complemented by an interior that makes use of a ‘Dark Knight’ themed leather upholstery. Carbon-fibre has been used extensively throughout the car.

California Poppy leather line the paddle shift tips of the One-77 colour-keyed steering wheel, which Aston Martin believes exemplifies Brady’s meticulous attention to detail. Also, each car will bear the NFL star’s signature on their sill plates and the ‘TB12’ logo on the fender badge, embossed on the headrests.

Regarding the car, Brady said, “It is an incredible car to drive and is truly a work of art. Going through the process of curating a unique Aston Martin has been fascinating. We started with a blank canvas and finished with this beautiful car. It’s been great to see it all come to fruition and I’m proud to share a name with it.”

The Vanquish S is a grand tourer that is powered by a 580bhp 6.0-litre V12 engine that is mated to a fast shifting transmission. Considered one of the best looking Aston Martins to date, the Vanquish S features a sleek silhouette and thoughtfully crafted contours.

The Aston Martin Tom Brady Signature Edition will be available for delivery to customers during the first quarter of 2018.

Aston Martin DB11 Volante finally unleashed

Aston Martin has unveiled the DB11 Volante , the convertible version of the DB11 Coupe that was launched last year. Engineered to be the best open-top supercar created by Aston Martin, it boasts a convertible fabric roof that has been designed to withstand close to 10 years of abuse without breaking a sweat.

Like its Coupe brethren, the Volante is constructed from an all-new bonded aluminum structure, which is 26% lighter and more rigid than is predecessor’s. Adding to that, it is said to offer better performance and handling abilities without sacrificing refinement and luxurious that are expected of a gran tourer.

Aston Martin has given the car the same single-piece aluminium bonnet and ‘Curlicue’ aerodynamic feature from the DB11 Coupe, which improves airflow and reduces weight. Then, there are also new wood/carbon fibre veneer panels on the seat backs, ultra-slim ‘light blade’ tail lights and newly designed forged alloy wheels.

Under the hood is the 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 engine that delivers close to 510bhp, which is coupled with a smooth shifting 8-speed automatic transmission. Drivers will be able to alter the Volante’s behaviour by adjusting its 3-stage powertrain and chassis modes.

These systems coupled with dynamic torque vectoring, allow drivers to adapt the vehicle’s behavior to the various roads and weather conditions. But, much to the dismay of purists, the DB11 Volante is fitted with an electric power steering as apposed to the tried and tested hydraulic setup.

That said, the stand out feature of the Volante has to be its sophisticated fabric roof. It is an all-new 8-layer design that is fitted with insulation materials that help reduce ambient noises especially tha of weather and wind. It only needs about 14 seconds to fully fold into the rear and a mere 16 seconds to come back up – all done with just the remote key.

Due to the construction method and the way that this fabric roof is able to fold neatly away, the the car has 20% more boot space in the rear compared to the outgoing DB9 Volante. This makes the new vehicle a more practical grand tourer, and one that can be used on a daily basis.

Aston Martin President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Andy Palmer, said, “For many of our customers, indeed many generations of Aston Martin customer, the Volante has always offered something very special: a unique combination of elegant style, innate sporting ability and sensory engagement that lifts it above other open-top cars.”

He then added that, “The new DB11 Volante captures those qualities perfectly and promises the kind of pleasure and enjoyment that can only come from driving an open-top Aston Martin.”

Aston Martin has announced that the first round of deliveries will take place towards the first quarter of 2018, which is still a long way off, but judging from the looks alone, we doubt Aston Martin will have any problems selling this particular car.

Aston Martin’s Project Neptune is a Bond-like submersible

Aston Martin has ventured out of its comfort zone by collaborating with Triton Submarines LLC to build its own version of a submersible vehicle. Code named Project Neptune, the vehicle is said to marry Triton’s diving and operational expertise with Aston Martin’s design, materials, and craftsmanship.

Resembling an ironing box, the sleek boat-like submersible that features dual pontoons and a bubble shaped cockpit, looks something that 007 would use for an underwater mission. Based on Triton’s Low Profile (LP) three-person platform, the vehicle has been built to comply with Aston Martin’s design language and specifications.

The entire project was overseen by Aston Martin Consulting, and should bring to fruition a submersible that is unique, exclusive and built in strictly limited numbers. This division of company offers core business services include providing design, engineering and manufacturing services to select industries, distilling the brand’s essence into new projects.

Speaking of the collaboration on Project Neptune, Aston Martin Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman, said, “Project Neptune is defined by its sleek, elegant exterior. We have used forms and proportions that express the same devotion to design, engineering and beauty that shape our cars, such as the Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar project.”

Triton has in-depth knowledge and experience when it comes to designing, manufacturing and operating submersibles for researchers, explorers and super yacht owners.Founded in Florida by L. Bruce Jones and Patrick Lahey, the team at Triton are committed to producing the safest and best performing, deep-diving submersibles in the world.

Speaking of the newly commission project, Patrick Lahey, President of Triton Submarines LLC said, “We have always admired Aston Martin. The marque represents a deeply held passion for technology, engineering and timeless, elegant design.”

“From our first interaction, it was apparent that Triton and Aston Martin were natural partners and our complimentary values will be realized in this truly exciting project,” he later added.

There seems to a major shift in focus at the company these past couple of years with the automaker choosing to use AMG engines for its upcoming road-going vehicles, entering Formula 1 as a title sponsor for Red Bull Racing and now, kick-starting Project Neptune – its most ambitious project to date.

If proven successful, James Bond will have a whole host of vehicles to show off in his next film, which for the first time will include an actual Aston Martin submarine.

Aston Martin has become title sponsor of Red Bull Racing team

Aston Martin has announced that it is now the title sponsor for the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team. Next year, the team will compete in the 2018 championship as Aston Martin Red Bull Racing. The move will allow for better brand presence for Aston Martin, and entice the automaker to become more involved in the sport.

Both companies will have a closer working relationship pertaining to the development of F1 and road car technology. In fact, the ostentatious Aston Martin Valkyrie, which was unveiled in 2016, was a collaborative effort between both parties. Deliveries of the supercar to customers should take place sometime next year, but I digress.

This new F1 partnership will see the creation for 110 new jobs including employees who will be responsible for the future development of sports cars of these companies. Red Bull Racing has admitted that more than 100 of Aston Martin staff will service the new Advanced performance centre in Milton Keynes, the location of its HQ.

Despite Aston Martin admitting that the collaboration will offer the supercar maker better brand awareness and opportunities, that is only the tip of the iceberg. In fact, Aston’s CEO, Andy Palmer has said that, if conditions become favorable to the automaker, it could entertain the possibility of becoming an engine supplier.

Aston Martin will only be willing to consider the idea if the FIA make certain changes that allow for better regulations on the costs and dynamometer hours. It isn’t willing to jump in the game as did Honda, until it feels that it can be reasonably competitive in the sport.

This news comes after Porsche admitted that it is mulling over the idea of becoming an engine supplier for Formula One teams in 2021. Thanks to certain regulation changes in the sport, mainstream automakers are beginning to see the benefits of getting involved in Formula One.

Source: F1.com

Aston Martin Zagato family of four introduced

Aston Martin has revealed the final two cars of its Zagato family. As the name emplys, all four have been designed by the world renowned design house, Zagato. They are based on the Vanquish S and feature unique styling that differ from that of the regular Aston Martin cars.

The Vanquish Zagato Coupe and Volante were introduced last year with a limited production run of 99 cars each. According to the automaker, the order books have already been filled and customers can expect to get their cars by 2018.

What many will find most intriging about this news however, is the introduction of the Zagato Speedster and Shooting Brake. The latter is rather unusual because it breaks convention and may have purists up in arms. Though it and the Speedster retain the same basic design of the Volante and Coupe models, their rear quarter sections are where things get interesting.

The Shooting Brake is still considered a two seater GT and is said to offer an airy experience thanks to the large rear hatch. The Roof’s lines flow smoothly from front to rear without distortion or disruption to the suave silhouette.

Since all four are based on the same car, the Speedster shares a similar design to the Volante and Coupe safe for the double bubble rear roof. Though this many not be to everyone’s taste but the subtlety of the design allows for a more uniformed finish.

Aston Martin has limited the production of the Speedster to 28 cars in total, which is significantly less than the 99 car limit for the other three. This makes it a rare Aston and one that will probably become a collector’s item.

Though each car has its own individual styling that make it unique when compared to the other three, all share certain similarities which include the Vulcan inspired ‘blade’ tail lights, 3D Cagato ‘Z’ motifs in the front grille and rear vent meshes.

Andrea Zagato, CEO of Zagato said of the enduring creative partnership: “Zagato’s relationship with Aston Martin began with my grandfather and the DB4 GT Zagato, almost sixty years ago. To have a creative ‘marriage‘ thrive for three generations is something as unique as the cars themselves.”

All four get the Vanquish S’ near 600bhp V12 engine, which is mated to a Touchtronic III transmission. Thanks to adaptive damping, rigid body structure and a balanced suspension setup, the cars will be able to offer a good amount of driving pleasure.

Check out the relatively large picture gallery below and let us know your thoughts on the newly introduced Zagato family of four.