Aston Martin V12 Speedster

Aston Martin V12 Speedster at a glance

The V12 Speedster draws on Aston Martin's current sports cars - the Aston Martin Vantage and the DBS Superleggera - and on the brand's racing history. All models are listed in the Aston Martin catalogue.

Development

According to CompleteCar.ie, the project was conceived only a little over a year before its reveal in March 2020 and moved from the drawing board to production very quickly. It was developed and built by Q by Aston Martin, the department that handles customer commissions and limited editions. Orders opened at the reveal, and deliveries were planned from the first quarter of 2021.

Aston Martin's chief executive at the time, Andy Palmer, described it as the company's latest and most exciting special model for demanding enthusiasts. Chief engineer Matt Becker summed up the idea: "Driving doesn't get any purer than this."

Design and inspiration

The body is made of carbon fibre and has neither a roof nor a windscreen. Design director Miles Nurnberger said that the team looked both to Aston Martin's past and to fighter jets for inspiration. The historical references are the DBR1, which won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1959, and the CC100 Speedster concept of 2013. The influence of the DB3S of 1953 can be seen in the middle section of the body. Some details are taken from the DBS Superleggera.

The aviation theme was strongest in the launch car, finished in a conceptual F/A-18 livery that customers could also order. It combines Skyfall Silver paint and satin black details outside with dark chrome, machined aluminium, black leather and red door pulls with F/A-18 logos inside.

The cockpit is deliberately sparse to reduce visual and physical mass. It uses structural satin carbon fibre, saddle leather, chrome, aluminium and 3D-printed rubber. Two fairings behind the seats are sized to hold helmets, and instead of a glove box there is a removable leather bag in front of the passenger.

Chassis and engine

The chassis is Aston Martin's bonded aluminium architecture. Wikipedia explains that the car uses a version of the Vantage Roadster's chassis, with most of the front structure of the DBS Superleggera grafted on to make room for the V12. The suspension uses double wishbones at the front and a multi-link layout at the rear, with adaptive dampers offering Sport, Sport+ and Track modes. The 21-inch forged wheels have centre-lock fixings, and the carbon-ceramic brakes measure 410 mm at the front and 360 mm at the rear.

The all-alloy V12 is mounted behind the front axle and drives the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox and a limited-slip differential. A stainless-steel exhaust system exits in the centre of the rear diffuser. Nurnberger explained the choice of a V12 by the more visceral driving experience it offers.

Practicality

The interior was kept deliberately sparse, and the few practical features are integrated into the design.

A car without a roof or windscreen is not designed for practicality, but Aston Martin still found space for luggage under the humps behind the seats, and the removable leather bag in front of the passenger replaces the usual glove box. The adaptive dampers with Sport, Sport+ and Track modes allow the car to be set up either for the road or for a circuit day.

Price and rarity

CompleteCar.ie estimated the price in Ireland at about €1.41 million in 2020, including the highest rate of vehicle registration tax that applies to a car with this engine. With only 88 cars, the V12 Speedster is one of the rarest modern Aston Martins.

Legacy

The V12 Speedster turned the idea of the CC100 concept into a small production series. It shows how Q by Aston Martin uses existing platforms and engines to create small series of very individual cars. The history of the company is told in our Aston Martin history.

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