Friday 20th February 2015

Aston Martin Vulcan (almost) revealed

Track-only limited run Aston Martin Vulcan confirmed for Geneva [UPDATED WITH NEW VID AND PICS]

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Drip-fed teaser info seems to be this year's thing ahead of Geneva, with no self-respecting supercar/hypercar/track-only special able to launch without at least half a dozen video clips or similar flashes of ankle ahead of the big day. Through gritted teeth we'll play ball though, Aston Martin piquing our attention for its track-only Vulcan by virtue of a) it having a really cool name and b) side exhausts via which suitably scary noise and flames erupt. The latter is, at least, one thing we can confirm from this second teaser vid. That and a suitably outrageous wing, bigger even than the one on the roadgoing Vantage GT3 also debuting at Geneva.

Vulcan or not, there is a market for hardcore Astons

We're promised the full intel before the car actually takes to the stage at Geneva but in the meantime have been left wondering have we actually already seen it in action? See, joining us on track at Silverstone before Christmas was this spectacularly sinister Aston Martin track car. Well-off privateers buying GT3-spec racers as extravagant track day toys aren't unheard of. And, comparing the pictures with those on Aston Martin Racing's homepage, we'd say this looks like a Vantage GT3 racer. The same site even lists cars for sale, should you wish to buy one off the peg. So it's not impossible this was a privately owned car out for a blast.

But thinking back the crew attending to it looked suspiciously professional and its pace around Silverstone - even in these conditions - suggested whomever was driving it knew what they were about. Which isn't to say folk who buy GT3 cars as track toys can't drive. But taking a car like that out on a public track day rather than a private test session or similar suggests either commendable determination or - just possibly - someone in need of racking up some test miles whatever the weather.

Whether it was the Vulcan or not, it suggests there is at least a market for super high-end, track-spec Aston Martins and people out there willing to drive them properly. Meaning finding homes for the maximum of 30 cars due to be built shouldn't be too difficult a job. More to follow next week...

Video here.

Track photo: Anthony Fraser

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Original story here:

Forget black swans, Aston Martin has chosen to preview another Geneva debut with little more than a black screen. In a curious email accompanying a link to this video we were told "there are no 'official' details on the car to support the video, however you could speculate on what it might be using the following..."

Is it still speculation if you're reporting what was offered up in an email from the manufacturer? Not sure, but the bullet-pointed info comprised the name Aston Martin Vulcan, says it will be a "track-only supercar", the most extreme vehicle in the firm's history, limited to fewer than 30 examples and inspired by Aston Martin's motorsport programmes. It's said to include a "unique 'experience programme'" too, which we'd guess alludes to a Ferrari FXX or McLaren P1 GTR style driver training programme to bring you up to a standard where you can appreciate the car's abilities.

So that's yet another super/hyper/track car launch to add to an already dizzying array of PH-worthy metal at Geneva, including Aston's own road-legal GT3 Vantage, the McLaren P1 GTR and 675LT, Porsche's 911 GT3 RS and Cayman GT4 and more besides. Looks like we've got a busy few weeks ahead...

More when we have it.

Video here (don't get your hopes up)

[blearyeyedboy]

Well... It's a nice name I suppose.

[deltashad]

Looks fabulous

[scubadude]

blearyeyedboy said:

Well... It's a nice name I suppose.

Ditto, got to be with £1million just because of the name :-)

I am assuming that it is not only aimed at the track but also Russian airfields and Argentinian invaders and carries a V12 tactical weapon, it will also have a swept wing.

[Dinoboy]

I wonder if it'll look exactly the same as all there other cars.

[Dinoboy]

I thought it was going to be Valerion?

[soad]

I cannot contain my contempt for fking teasers like this! Grrr.

[deltashad]

Looks fabulous

[anonymous-user]

I imagine this will be a limitd production run of last years concept rather than a multi million pount track only hypercar

[Blayney]

"Aston's own road-legal GT3 Vantage, the McLaren P1 GTR and 675LT, Porsche's 911 GT3 RS and Cayman GT4 and more besides"

As time goes on I am less and less interested in cars like the above. A GT3 Vantage?

Here's a list from Wikipedia of all the different versions...

3 Variants
3.1 Current Variants
3.2 Roadster
3.3 ESX Motorsports Super Vantage
3.4 Prodrive V8 Vantage
3.5 N400 (2007)
3.6 N420 (2010)
3.7 V8 Vantage S (2011)
3.8 N430 (2015)
3.9 GT (2015)
3.10 V12 Vantage
3.11 V12 Vantage S
3.12 V12 Zagato
3.13 Personalisation
4 Motorsport
4.1 N24
4.2 GT4
4.3 Rally GT
4.4 GT2
4.5 Grand Am
4.6 V12 Vantage GT3

And you can get roadster versions of most of the above.

I'm just not sure if I can be bothered with all these variations of cars.

I much prefer what Ferrari do. The 458s that you could buy were the Italia, Roadster and Speciale.

So the normal car, a spider version of it and right at the end of production a run out special.

In fact the replacement 488 GTB is about the only car I am interested in at this years Geneva from what I have seen so far.

I'm sure someone will be along to correct me soon...

[nicholasm]

Oohh, maybe we'll see it in the metal at the Sunday Service on the 22nd.

[PhantomPH]

That has to be one of the best car names in the last few decades.

1) "What do you drive?"

2) "An Aston Martin Vulcan"

1) "Ok....sorry to bother you sir, sorry sir....sorry...don't kill me..." *exits bowing and keeping low*

[unsprung]

Vulcan? Pffft. I'm holding out for Thunderbird 1.

[Hurricane52]

I hope there'll be plenty of sponsorship for the Vulcan to the Sky fund on the back of this.

[portzi]

It will be a refreshing change to see an aston with a different body shape.

[daytona365]

Deep down we all know it's going to be a, well not a disappointment as such, but not as good as those nice Italian jobs......Or German come to that............But I'm sure it will be very nice, if a tiny bit expensive for what it is !

[DP33]

Brilliant name, I just hope it's not writing a cheque that can't be cashed...

[ukaskew]

BAE Systems hold the trademark for Vulcan, but let's hope Vulcan to the Sky somehow benefit from this.

[xRIEx]

Hurricane52 said:

I hope there'll be plenty of sponsorship for the Vulcan to the Sky fund on the back of this.

Indeed, if we're lucky it will live long and prosper.

[gigglebug]

This just seems like another case of Aston cashing in on an already established market without bringing any innovation to it (but I hope I'm wrong!) I didn't like the One77 at all. Not because I thought it was a bad car but because it was just a cynical ploy to exploit a market already pioneered by other manufacturers and charge too much for a car. It should have been the new Vanquish and sold at a lot lower price point, roughly in line with an Aventador/F12 at between 250-300K. It brought nothing more technically than the Aventador and only had the outright performance of the F12. The only thing I can think of that it offers over and above either of these is the highly skilled to produce and very expensive aluminium body parts. They could have had a car that set the pace in it's class, a real halo car for the brand. As it is the only thing the current vanquish excel's at against it's rivals is it's looks and even they are only subjective. This Vulcan looks like it will be just more of the same. They'll come up with nothing new and will just exploit a market that has been forged by the hard work and imagination of other brands. Make your cars the best in their classes because they are the best cars in the class technically, not just because they look pretty. Other manufactures make sure that their mainstream models are the best they can be before they worry about largely irrelevant cars like these.

[Strawman]

I hope it comes with plumbed in fire extinguishers.