Discussion
My own review and random thoughts on St Athan yesterday
I thought it was a great day (apart from some of the queue times to get on site, which I think was worse for the later arrivals than for me) and I may be wrong but I suspect everyone was caught out by just how many Astons attended
I got there at about 9am, by which stage all the AMOC concours entry cars had arrived (I'm going to guess 50-60 cars ?) that included a really good mix, from a GT8 and GT12, to some very early Lagondas, a lagonda wedge, a good range of earlier DB cars and a very healthy mix of Gaydon cars
Aston themselves put on the most impressive display of their own cars that I've ever seen them organise: Vulcan, ONE 77, Valkyrie, DBX (geneva prototype from a couple of years ago), Vanquish Zagato, V12 Vantage Zagato, current GTE, Lola LMP1 closed cockpit car, DB10, DB11, CC100, a good few ex Bond cars - nothing I've not personally seen before but a number that many other people won't ever have seen and certainly, incredibly rare if not unheard of for them all to be shown by the factory at the same time
It was the third time I've seen valkyrie - the first was in the design studio at Gaydon and the second was at Geneva. What really struck home more yesterday, partly as it was parked next to DBX, is just how small it is. I mean seriously tiny. As I say I've got up close to it twice now before but seeing it in the huge hangar next to lots of other Astons, that was the thing that stuck out the most
There were numerous aircraft on display including in the section where Cambridge Aston had a Blade edition, about 6 of the Spitfire cars (which looked really good in the flesh - the satin finish to the exterior CF aero worked particularly well, as did the painted bonnet vents) and of course, the unveiling of the new one
Works had their own display including some cars for sale/recently sold. The V600 looked stunning. They had a Cygnet there too...........there was also a customer Cygnet parked up with the numberplate ONE77s
You then had the Aston parking inside the hangars, which was for AMOC members but also, I'm guessing all the dealer convoy drives. There were hundreds of those cars and at 1ish when I left, I must have passed well over another 100 Astons driving towards St Athan. It really was an impressive sight driving home when for at least the first 10 miles, it seemed like every second or third car travelling in the opposite direction was an Aston
Plenty of older stuff amongst the customer attendees from every era but not surprisingly, dominated by Gaydon cars. A few things hit home. I know it shouldn't be a surprise, but the sheer dominance of grey/silver/black cars was one thing that really stood out. Another, with reference to a recent thread on here, is that DB11 stood out hugely as being from a different generation to the other cars in terms of modernity. However it is incredibly colour sensitive - cinebar orange, frosted glass blue, all black, silver.....they really do bring out quite different looks in the car. I guess there were just so many Gaydon cars and with Gaydon cars looking in relative terms so similar, DB11s could be spotted a mile away in amongst the other cars
The locals (there were 1,000s) seemed really excited about the impact on the local economy there and everyone seemed to mix pretty well - I didn't bother going upstairs to the AMOC hospitality part as I didn't really see the point but downstairs, I know I was far from alone in letting people look at and sit in my Aston which seemed to go down well
The PH Sunday service, which also had a smattering of Astons in it, went somewhat un noticed, which was a slight shame - I was particularly taken with a very clean Peugeot 205 Ralleye
Anyway, bottom line is there were a serious number of Astons in attendance and it felt like a good day to be an Aston owner
I thought it was a great day (apart from some of the queue times to get on site, which I think was worse for the later arrivals than for me) and I may be wrong but I suspect everyone was caught out by just how many Astons attended
I got there at about 9am, by which stage all the AMOC concours entry cars had arrived (I'm going to guess 50-60 cars ?) that included a really good mix, from a GT8 and GT12, to some very early Lagondas, a lagonda wedge, a good range of earlier DB cars and a very healthy mix of Gaydon cars
Aston themselves put on the most impressive display of their own cars that I've ever seen them organise: Vulcan, ONE 77, Valkyrie, DBX (geneva prototype from a couple of years ago), Vanquish Zagato, V12 Vantage Zagato, current GTE, Lola LMP1 closed cockpit car, DB10, DB11, CC100, a good few ex Bond cars - nothing I've not personally seen before but a number that many other people won't ever have seen and certainly, incredibly rare if not unheard of for them all to be shown by the factory at the same time
It was the third time I've seen valkyrie - the first was in the design studio at Gaydon and the second was at Geneva. What really struck home more yesterday, partly as it was parked next to DBX, is just how small it is. I mean seriously tiny. As I say I've got up close to it twice now before but seeing it in the huge hangar next to lots of other Astons, that was the thing that stuck out the most
There were numerous aircraft on display including in the section where Cambridge Aston had a Blade edition, about 6 of the Spitfire cars (which looked really good in the flesh - the satin finish to the exterior CF aero worked particularly well, as did the painted bonnet vents) and of course, the unveiling of the new one
Works had their own display including some cars for sale/recently sold. The V600 looked stunning. They had a Cygnet there too...........there was also a customer Cygnet parked up with the numberplate ONE77s
You then had the Aston parking inside the hangars, which was for AMOC members but also, I'm guessing all the dealer convoy drives. There were hundreds of those cars and at 1ish when I left, I must have passed well over another 100 Astons driving towards St Athan. It really was an impressive sight driving home when for at least the first 10 miles, it seemed like every second or third car travelling in the opposite direction was an Aston
Plenty of older stuff amongst the customer attendees from every era but not surprisingly, dominated by Gaydon cars. A few things hit home. I know it shouldn't be a surprise, but the sheer dominance of grey/silver/black cars was one thing that really stood out. Another, with reference to a recent thread on here, is that DB11 stood out hugely as being from a different generation to the other cars in terms of modernity. However it is incredibly colour sensitive - cinebar orange, frosted glass blue, all black, silver.....they really do bring out quite different looks in the car. I guess there were just so many Gaydon cars and with Gaydon cars looking in relative terms so similar, DB11s could be spotted a mile away in amongst the other cars
The locals (there were 1,000s) seemed really excited about the impact on the local economy there and everyone seemed to mix pretty well - I didn't bother going upstairs to the AMOC hospitality part as I didn't really see the point but downstairs, I know I was far from alone in letting people look at and sit in my Aston which seemed to go down well
The PH Sunday service, which also had a smattering of Astons in it, went somewhat un noticed, which was a slight shame - I was particularly taken with a very clean Peugeot 205 Ralleye
Anyway, bottom line is there were a serious number of Astons in attendance and it felt like a good day to be an Aston owner
Edited by jonby on Monday 10th April 09:55
jonby said:
Plenty of older stuff amongst the customer attendees from every era but not surprisingly, dominated by Gaydon cars. A few things hit home. I know it shouldn't be a surprise, but the sheer dominance of grey/silver/black cars was one thing that really stood out. Another, with reference to a recent thread on here, is that DB11 stood out hugely as being from a different generation to the other cars in terms of modernity. However it is incredibly colour sensitive - cinebar orange, frosted glass blue, all black, silver.....they really do bring out quite different looks in the car. I guess there were just so many Gaydon cars and with Gaydon cars looking in relative terms so similar, DB11s could be spotted a mile away in amongst the other cars
Couldn't go as had a family birthday party and had been out last Sunday to Beaulieu.Edited by jonby on Monday 10th April 09:55
Apart from age the Gaydon production numbers (shown in latest Autocar mag with 2 AM features) 55,000 v 13,000 at NP and 7,091 Bloxham show underlying numbers. Seeing all the silver/grey coupes at the Bugatti circuit at LM Classic the last two times so no surprise on a Gaydon dominance when travelling further afield.
Had heard about a Cambridge/Lancaster version assume they have just car there? Prefer the Vanquish S over DB11, invisible spoiler doesn't look as good.
RL17 said:
Apart from age the Gaydon production numbers (shown in latest Autocar mag with 2 AM features) 55,000 v 13,000 at NP and 7,091 Bloxham show underlying numbers. Seeing all the silver/grey coupes at the Bugatti circuit at LM Classic the last two times so no surprise on a Gaydon dominance when travelling further afield.
Had heard about a Cambridge/Lancaster version assume they have just car there? Prefer the Vanquish S over DB11, invisible spoiler doesn't look as good.
Yep as you say, no surprise (production numbers or colours) but just hit home given the huge number in attendance - apart from the centenary celebrations in London, not sure I've ever seen that many Astons in one place - I did the 100 car centenary parade at Le Mans (not the classic) but this was another levelHad heard about a Cambridge/Lancaster version assume they have just car there? Prefer the Vanquish S over DB11, invisible spoiler doesn't look as good.
Cambridge brought out the red arrows vanquish s - in most of the car mags online today - they unveiled it at Noon, precededb y talks by several RAF ppl
jonby said:
Yep as you say, no surprise (production numbers or colours) but just hit home given the huge number in attendance - apart from the centenary celebrations in London, not sure I've ever seen that many Astons in one place - I did the 100 car centenary parade at Le Mans (not the classic) but this was another level
Cambridge brought out the red arrows vanquish s - in most of the car mags online today - they unveiled it at Noon, precededb y talks by several RAF ppl
Ah, Jonby. You must not have been to Ed's Burghley House event. Just the odd 600 there at last years event - now that brings back some good memories. Thanks again Ed!!Cambridge brought out the red arrows vanquish s - in most of the car mags online today - they unveiled it at Noon, precededb y talks by several RAF ppl
Good description of the day Jonby.
I will try to post some photos later.
You left quite early.
Does anyone know the name of the young (to me) man who was drawing, on the design department stand?
Marek Reichman told me, this is the person who has done the exterior design for the Vantage replacement.
I resisted asking any trick questions, but he did mention the reverse slope grille used on the DB10. I think opinion was divided about the looks of that.
Valkyrie - Yes so small. Said to be room inside for Andy Palmer and Marek Reichman, together!
When viewing forwards under the door, much fresh air can be seen. I wonder where the occupants legs go.
Several local people told me stories about the hangers. A government project, built not very long ago at considerable cost, but little used, if at all. Appear to be just right for AMLs use though.
Edited by Dewi 1 on Monday 10th April 14:00
IanV12VR said:
jonby said:
Yep as you say, no surprise (production numbers or colours) but just hit home given the huge number in attendance - apart from the centenary celebrations in London, not sure I've ever seen that many Astons in one place - I did the 100 car centenary parade at Le Mans (not the classic) but this was another level
Cambridge brought out the red arrows vanquish s - in most of the car mags online today - they unveiled it at Noon, precededb y talks by several RAF ppl
Ah, Jonby. You must not have been to Ed's Burghley House event. Just the odd 600 there at last years event - now that brings back some good memories. Thanks again Ed!!Cambridge brought out the red arrows vanquish s - in most of the car mags online today - they unveiled it at Noon, precededb y talks by several RAF ppl
there must have been 300-400 Astons there when I left and at least 100-200 more to arrive, but obviously not quite all there at the same time
phil 5 aston said:
Other than the awful traffic management to and from did anyone else think it was rather a disappointing day at St Athan?
Traffic marshaling and a few other things (crossing a runway 
) was clearly a learning curve being a first for them but far quicker in and out than any b Silverstone etc! Thoroughly enjoyed the day and all at zero cost. Launching the new Vantage would have been a nice bonus
but caught up with some great people and had a nice bumble about the cars and learnt loads about my favourite marque. Nothing to grumble about here 
Thought it was a fab thing to do to make the marque even more special - where else would you get to natter to the MD!
Confirmed I worryingly still have huge soft spot for the still futuristic Towns Lagonda which is a ridiculous idea!
phil 5 aston said:
Other than the awful traffic management to and from did anyone else think it was rather a disappointing day at St Athan?
Have you read the previous comments? I'd say overall, despite the inevitable and unavoidable delays in marshaling 700-ish cars, it appears to have been a roaring success. What would you have done differently? phil 5 aston said:
Other than the awful traffic management to and from did anyone else think it was rather a disappointing day at St Athan?
No. I think a lot of thought and effort had been put into the event. I would love to know how many people and how many cars attended as it seemed very well managed - especially when you consider that, apparently, AM only got the keys to their huge new pad last Thursday!There were a lot of happy locals milling about and being impressed and the AMOC were all busy with their polishing so I guess they were happy too
What did you expect from a free event for hundreds of people?
Nice to see the boss walking around and responding to questions too. I was one of many people who were pleased to stop and shake his hand and congratulate him on AM's new facility although I don't think he had to stop too many times as so few people seemed to recognise him
MollyGT3 said:
There were a lot of happy locals milling about and being impressed and the AMOC were all busy with their polishing so I guess they were happy too
So true Molly - we bumped into an ultimate top brass 'policeman' mate there and good to see he was a huge Aston fan and loving it all Positively influencing attitudes to cars and motoring is really important given the plethora of opposite minded lobbyists - I think AM achieved that to all our benefit Gassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff