Celebrating the past with a look towards the future.
Aston Martin, along with a number of other automakers, cars, and companies, is celebrating a milestone birthday this year – they’re turning the big 1-0-0. The British automaker has enjoyed quite a century with incredible racing wins, stunning sports cars, and iconic models that put them on a pedestal in the automotive world. As they were blowing out all 100 of their candles at the ADAC Zurich 24 Hours of Nürburgring race, they unveiled the new Aston Martin CC100 Speedster Concept which pays homage to the beautiful styling of their past cars while previewing what the future holds for the British company.
The new Aston Martin CC100 Speedster Concept made its debut by driving a lap around the Nürburgring Nordschleife with CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez behind the wheel, alongside Sir Stirling Moss as he drove the 1000km race-winning 1959 DBR1.
“CC100 is the epitome of everything that is great about Aston Martin. It represents our fantastic sporting heritage, our exceptional design capability, our superb engineering know-how and, above all, our adventurous spirit! I have nicknamed it ‘DBR100’ because of its affinity to the great 1959 race-winning cars and, of course, our 100-year anniversary in 2013,” said Dr. Bez. “But this car is more, even, than a simple ‘birthday present’ to ourselves: it shows that the soul of Aston Martin – the thing that differentiates us from all the other car makers out there – is as powerful as ever and I very much hope that everyone who catches a glimpse of it at the Nürburgring today enjoys seeing it.”
The new Aston Martin CC100 Speedster was designed and built in less than six months in Gaydon, England, under the direction of Special Projects and Motorsport, Director David King, Design Director Marek Reichman, and Chief Exterior Designer Miles Nurnberger.
“The brief was very simple, yet enormously testing: create something that reflects the 100 years of Aston Martin heritage and signals the future of the brand,” said Miles. “The idea of an iconic speedster concept that nods to the Le Mans − and Nürburgring – winning cars of 1959 soon came, and we have had complete freedom to shape this car.”
The concept measures almost 4.5 meters long and just over 2.0 meters wide, while wearing the classic Aston Martin Vertical Horizontal engineering philosophy. A good portion of the design is borrowed from the classic 1959 Aston Martin DBR1. The entire body and interior is made from carbon fiber constructed by the specialists at Multimatic Inc. to keep weight to a minimum. Beneath the hood sits the latest-generation AM11 6.0-liter V-12 engine paired up with a six-speed, hydraulically-actuated automated sequential manual transmission that’s controlled by steering-wheel mounted shifters. The drivetrain allows the lightweight Aston Martin CC100 Speedster to accelerate from 0-62 mph in just over 4.0 seconds and reach a top speed of 180 mph (limited).
Inside, the two leather racing seats are separated by a partition on the body and the carbon fiber central tunnel wearing brown leather. Classic design elements such as leather door pull straps and racecar switches pay homage to the rich history of the brand.
The Aston Martin CC100 Speedster Concept isn’t likely to see production, but it’s probably the best birthday present from an automaker to itself this year.
Aston Martin CC100 Speedster Concept Specifications
Engine:
Type: AM11
Displacement: 6.0 liters
Number of Cylinders: V-12
Aspiration: Naturally Aspirated
Transmission:
Type: Six-speed hydraulically-actuated automated sequential manual with column shifters
Drive: Rear-wheel
Performance:
Acceleration 0-62 mph: Just over 4.0 seconds
Top Speed: 180 mph (limited)
Aston Martin CC100 Speedster Concept Gallery
[Source: Aston Martin]
Is the Aston Martin CC100 Speedster Concept the best automotive birthday present ever?
