Following the wave of momentum that Aston Martin achieved with the recently unveiled DBX SUV, the company is turning its attention back to its traditional car range, with the firm confirming that it is producing a limited production run of its Speedster roadster, with the company only unleashing 88 examples of the stylish drop top to select buyers around the world.
“The V12 Speedster, created by in-house bespoke service Q by Aston Martin working with the brand’s talented team of designers and engineers, elegantly combines an authentic, driver-oriented sports car with the use of cutting-edge motorsport and aviation technology to deliver a stunning, two-seat, enthusiast driving machine,” the company said in a news release.
For the moment, our only glimpse of the design is a lone teaser sketch that Aston Martin released with its press release, but it does appear to confirm that the Speedster could be based on the Vantage, with a design that supposedly meshes modern Aston Martin design cues, with influences from not only the company’s 1959 Le Mans winning DBR1 racer, but also select DNA from the company’s Centenary CC100 concept that was shown to the world back in 2013.
Performance for the model is slated to come from Aston’s 5.2 liter twin-turbocharged V12 which could produce “Around 700” horsepower and 520 lb-ft of torque. An eight speed automatic transmission sourced from ZF will help send all of this muscle to the rear wheels, with the transmission possibly having its programming tweaked for more aggressive upshifts, as well as smoother downshifts. We certainly know that the exhaust note has been refined, with the company claiming that it has engineered the sound to match the roofless experience.
The 88 enthusiast drivers and collectors who secure the keys to these cars can be confident that in doing so, they are also securing an iconic new piece of Aston Martin history,” said Aston Martin Lagonda president and chief executive Andy Palmer.
The automaker has also revealed that the V12 Speedster will come equipped with “cutting-edge motorsports and aviation technology” but the statement does not exactly specify what types of technology will be on hand. We suspect that this could translate to primarily weight saving materials and technology aimed at enhancing the model’s aerodynamic profile. Aston Martin’s recent collaboration with Airbus on the one-off ACH130 helicopter could serve as a thinly veiled preview into some of the technology that will be baked into the Speedster, as well as a possible partnership to help bring some of these innovations to the market.
Unlike other Aston models, the Speedster (as mentioned earlier) is a product of the firm’s Q personalization division. It has been awhile since we heard from Q, with the bespoke off-shoot typically creating one-off custom models, or even concepts in some extreme cases. Q also offers Aston Martin buyers exclusive custom touches inside and out though these touches do increase the amount of time it takes for the company to build a vehicle for a potential client. Q will be building all 88 examples by hand, with the first models expected to arrive in the international market during the first half of 2021. As for the U.S. market, other Aston Martin special editions have been barred in the past due to strict Federal safety regulations, and it will be interesting to see if the Speedster will make the trek to our side of the pond. If it does, it will be a welcome treat for eager U.S. fans, especially those in sunnier locales.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.