The Aston Martin CC100 Speedster Concept is the brand's centenary birthday present to itself. This radical looking open top will today lead a parade of 100 Aston Martins around the Nurburgring with the DBR1 that inspired it alongside. And
PH will tuck in behind
Retro design cues inspired by DBR1 racer
Part of a long-running programme of special events and cars celebrating
100 years of Aston Martin
, the CC100 takes the brand's existing VH architecture and AM11 6.0-litre V12 engine - as featured in
the Vanquish
Rapide S
- to new extremes. Aston isn't confirming any figures at this stage, beyond that it'll hit 62mph in less than four seconds and its top speed is limited to 180mph. But you'd have to hope with that minimalist carbon bodywork and suitably spartan cabin there's a significant weight saving over the surprisingly portly 1,739kg Vanquish.
In the Vanquish the AM11 delivers 573hp and drives through a six-speed auto but the CC100's racier ethos means a return to the punchier style of lighter paddle-controlled 'robotised' manuals seen in earlier Astons. "It represents our fantastic sporting heritage, our exceptional design capability, our superb engineering know-how and, above all, our adventurous spirit," said boss Ulrich Bez in a typically bombastic press release ahead of driving the car on its parade lap of the 'ring.
Livery and lines both inspired by racing Astons
Aston Martin's ability to spin yet more retro-inspired designs off its aluminium VH system (
don't call it a platform
- Bez will get cross with you) is a source of both wonder and a fair bit of controversy but few would deny them the chance to have a bit of fun with the endlessly flexible building blocks if the result is something like this. The official blurb also hints that the CC100 "signals the future of the brand" - and if that means the odd lightweight minimalist speedster then that's just fine by us.
Visual references to the stunning DBR1 that won Le Mans in 1959 and triumphed at the Nurburgring 1000km for three straight years from 1957 onwards are plentiful, the mix of exposed carbon fibre and traditional leather straps and trim handled with Pagani-like aplomb. Chrome-ringed controls and a line of traditional toggle switches complete the tasteful homage to glories past.
Probably cheaper than one of these, you'd hope
Looking not entirely unlike a rather more elegant take on the
Mercedes SLR Stirling Moss
, the DBR1's historic link with the same through that 'ring victory and others at Goodwood and beyond haven't been ignored either. Whether Aston Martin intends to follow Mercedes' lead and produce a limited run of cars to 'special' customers is yet to be confirmed. 75 Stirling Moss edition SLRs were built, selling for close to a million a piece and restricted to existing SLR owners only. With genuine DBR1s in the £20m league you can be sure if/when Aston does decide to build some they'll be snapped up. Let's just hope we get to have a go before they are.
And just to get you fired up here's a little vid too.