RE: HBH Bulldog GT: The Mid-Engined Aston(ish)
Discussion
It's OK. Nothing more.
It is too close to the current Aston design narrative. If you asked anyone to draw a DB9 as if it was mid engined rather than front , this is what you would end up with.
The side windows are too derivative, as is the rear view. Both elements look just like current Astons.
It does not move the Aston design forward one iota.
Lazy. Dull. Not good enough.
It is too close to the current Aston design narrative. If you asked anyone to draw a DB9 as if it was mid engined rather than front , this is what you would end up with.
The side windows are too derivative, as is the rear view. Both elements look just like current Astons.
It does not move the Aston design forward one iota.
Lazy. Dull. Not good enough.
It looks Sensational, but seriously, 300KPH? With 666BHP?!
And the rest. It's Seriously starting to annoy me now: Marques have a pathological fear of announcing a car's true top speed. Whether its for taxes, polar bears or whatever, I don't really care, but I do wish they would stop Lying to the public. How many Ferraris have a claimed top speed of "195MPH" or "199MPH"... Utter bks.
And the rest. It's Seriously starting to annoy me now: Marques have a pathological fear of announcing a car's true top speed. Whether its for taxes, polar bears or whatever, I don't really care, but I do wish they would stop Lying to the public. How many Ferraris have a claimed top speed of "195MPH" or "199MPH"... Utter bks.
Holy st that thing looks insane. In a good way!
The current run of Astons are very good looking but have become very predictable and they seem unwilling to take any risks with the styling of new models (except that 77 thing that looked like it was styled by Max Power, maybe this is why?!).
The current run of Astons are very good looking but have become very predictable and they seem unwilling to take any risks with the styling of new models (except that 77 thing that looked like it was styled by Max Power, maybe this is why?!).
George H said:
Alfa159Ti said:
The current run of Astons are very good looking but have become very predictable and they seem unwilling to take any risks with the styling of new models
If it aint broke, don't fix it. 70's, 80's and 90's Astons have all been brutish and with the DB7 a nod to beauty was made...but only with the Fisker aided designs have they hit this zenith IMO....I realise it'll have to stop soon, but in the future 'they' will look back and see the stylistic change for what it is.... a steak in the ground (like the DB4, 5 and 6) a marker for what Astons should look like.... (all IMO natch).
This mid engine'd experiment compliments them, no game changer, just an interesting slant like Zagato does...
I wish we were living in an alternate universe. One where this story read as follows:
Aston Martin facelifts the mighty DBS.
It doesn’t seem like nearly 5 years since Aston Martin released their all conquering DBS model.
At the time it was a sensation when Aston Martin unveiled their then flagship model to the worlds press at Geneava in 2005.
With its rear/mid mounted V12, all new platform and exotic lightweight bodywork. It was hailed as one of the motoring worlds best kept secrets, as most were expecting a car based on the VH platform, and probably looking somewhat like a beefed up DB9 with garish bodywork.
Luckily though Aston Martin decided to radically move from another lazy design exercise (the, then recently released V8 Vantage looking like a smaller version of the DB9) and whispers of a 4 door car that would also no doubt turn out to look like an extended wheelbase DB9…… Which as we all now know it did!
But the cabin forward, mid engine, 2 seater DBS luckily was a radical break from the other Aston Martin clone range.
It was also, to much relief and unanimous praise. A razor sharp, hardcore, weapon (all of course wrapped up in finest leather, piano black veneered, metallic painted exquisiteness)
At the time the DBS was aimed squarely at the Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo and 911 Turbo. With the V8 Vantage duelling with the lesser 911’s and plans to facelift the DB9 and re-badge it Vantage, raise its game dramatically and place it against Ferrari’s V12 599.
As we all know the DBS proved itself to be the slayer of the mighty F430, and in Works Weight Reduction trim, the DBS-WWR proved itself even more glorious than the F430 Scuderia and Lamborghini’s Gallardo Superleggera.
Time has moved on however, and now with the Ferrari 458 the DBS needed to up its game, and whilst these new press photos from Aston Martin show off the cars new lighter wheels and minor tweaking of the bodywork. Most of the revamp is under the skin, with a reduction in overall weight, an increase in power to 600BHP and raised torque throughout the rev range (including the new rev limit of 8500RPM) the figures point to the DBS being even more of a serious supercar contender.
But it doesn’t stop there….. Aston have announced their new twin clutch gearbox (based on that used in the Ferrari and Mercedes SLR) but with their own software updates. And of course the WWR version is still available for anyone looking for maximum attack mode.
We, here at Pistonheads cant wait to get our dirty little mitts all over the 2012 facelift DBS (preferably in WWR spec please…….?)
Aston Martin facelifts the mighty DBS.
It doesn’t seem like nearly 5 years since Aston Martin released their all conquering DBS model.
At the time it was a sensation when Aston Martin unveiled their then flagship model to the worlds press at Geneava in 2005.
With its rear/mid mounted V12, all new platform and exotic lightweight bodywork. It was hailed as one of the motoring worlds best kept secrets, as most were expecting a car based on the VH platform, and probably looking somewhat like a beefed up DB9 with garish bodywork.
Luckily though Aston Martin decided to radically move from another lazy design exercise (the, then recently released V8 Vantage looking like a smaller version of the DB9) and whispers of a 4 door car that would also no doubt turn out to look like an extended wheelbase DB9…… Which as we all now know it did!
But the cabin forward, mid engine, 2 seater DBS luckily was a radical break from the other Aston Martin clone range.
It was also, to much relief and unanimous praise. A razor sharp, hardcore, weapon (all of course wrapped up in finest leather, piano black veneered, metallic painted exquisiteness)
At the time the DBS was aimed squarely at the Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo and 911 Turbo. With the V8 Vantage duelling with the lesser 911’s and plans to facelift the DB9 and re-badge it Vantage, raise its game dramatically and place it against Ferrari’s V12 599.
As we all know the DBS proved itself to be the slayer of the mighty F430, and in Works Weight Reduction trim, the DBS-WWR proved itself even more glorious than the F430 Scuderia and Lamborghini’s Gallardo Superleggera.
Time has moved on however, and now with the Ferrari 458 the DBS needed to up its game, and whilst these new press photos from Aston Martin show off the cars new lighter wheels and minor tweaking of the bodywork. Most of the revamp is under the skin, with a reduction in overall weight, an increase in power to 600BHP and raised torque throughout the rev range (including the new rev limit of 8500RPM) the figures point to the DBS being even more of a serious supercar contender.
But it doesn’t stop there….. Aston have announced their new twin clutch gearbox (based on that used in the Ferrari and Mercedes SLR) but with their own software updates. And of course the WWR version is still available for anyone looking for maximum attack mode.
We, here at Pistonheads cant wait to get our dirty little mitts all over the 2012 facelift DBS (preferably in WWR spec please…….?)
I think this is an interesting idea for a one-off and may give Aston some hints for a future direction - albeit with the conventional front engine/rear drive range still featuring prominently. It starts to open up more competition for the Ferrari/Lamborghini/McLaren buyers and if they got CPP to do a limited run to kick things off, they could see how things progressed and gauge the market.
I'm not sure how much re-configuration must go into making a front engine/rear drive a mid-engine vehicle, but surely HBH must be getting a shed load of components and engineering expertise off Aston to be doing this single vehicle? I can't believe Aston Martin would let them use their engine/chassis etc without having some input - or do HBH intend to take a finished car and take an angle grinder to it?
My guess is Aston Martin will be watching this very carefully.
I'm not sure how much re-configuration must go into making a front engine/rear drive a mid-engine vehicle, but surely HBH must be getting a shed load of components and engineering expertise off Aston to be doing this single vehicle? I can't believe Aston Martin would let them use their engine/chassis etc without having some input - or do HBH intend to take a finished car and take an angle grinder to it?
My guess is Aston Martin will be watching this very carefully.
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