Aston Martin Enthusiasts - Miscellaneous
Discussion
That`s just a poor lead in by the editor or whoever. As you elude to, everyone says they want to be world champs.
They would have been better to start with something like;
“Aston Martin F1 owner Lawrence Stroll acknowledges that it takes years to be successful, and the target of being world champions will not be an overnight thing.”
They would have been better to start with something like;
“Aston Martin F1 owner Lawrence Stroll acknowledges that it takes years to be successful, and the target of being world champions will not be an overnight thing.”
If you have finished playing in the snow, perhaps some motoring entertainment is now appropriate.
Here is a treat. Not Aston Martin F1 related this time, but sports cars.
At the 24 Hours of Spa 2018, the Aston Martin V12 GT3 had difficulty during qualifying and had to start the race from the back of the grid.
That did not deter Nicki Thiim though. Count how many cars the Vantage overtook on just the first lap !
The overtaking continued during the early laps, but of course became increasingly difficult moving further up the field.
Hold tight and enjoy the onboard ride. Interesting how the same tactics are repeated at certain corners.
(Race begins using a rolling start)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BG7dI7V7Jo
Edited by Jon39 on Sunday 24th January 14:36
What are the views of Aston Martin enthusiasts on this?
We seem to have been shocked by (i) M-B engines in every AM; (ii) the possibility of having Aston Martin bodies on M-B platforms.
For those of a 'certain age', the sudden onslaught by Japanese motor bikes on the UK market will be remembered.
Are we about to see a similar dramatic upheaval, this time by low cost Chinese electric cars?
How would Aston Martin react, if that occurred?
Jon....have you seen the quality of what comes out of China 
Joking aside, I think it comes down to what buyers want (stating the obvious there). Some just want to shout "look how rich I am", so invariably by a Ferrari, some want to just fit in but want quality, they buy a Porsche, and others want that handmade bespoke option, accepting that at times you won't get German engineering quality, but you'll get a sense of individuality and craftsmanship every time you use it.......they will buy Astons and Morgans etc.
I don't think the target market for Aston is the same group of people who would buy a Chinese robot built car, I certainly wouldn't.
Will they be able to build something very fast and capable for less money than Aston, Ferrari and Porsche.......yes, but you can't build heritage and the story behind it, that takes decades or achievement and endeavour to create, there are no shortcuts.
The price of everything yet the value of nothing springs to mind.
Happy Friday everyone
Joking aside, I think it comes down to what buyers want (stating the obvious there). Some just want to shout "look how rich I am", so invariably by a Ferrari, some want to just fit in but want quality, they buy a Porsche, and others want that handmade bespoke option, accepting that at times you won't get German engineering quality, but you'll get a sense of individuality and craftsmanship every time you use it.......they will buy Astons and Morgans etc.
I don't think the target market for Aston is the same group of people who would buy a Chinese robot built car, I certainly wouldn't.
Will they be able to build something very fast and capable for less money than Aston, Ferrari and Porsche.......yes, but you can't build heritage and the story behind it, that takes decades or achievement and endeavour to create, there are no shortcuts.
The price of everything yet the value of nothing springs to mind.
Happy Friday everyone
The long queue of sponsors, eager to give money to LS's F1 team (and be associated with Aston Martin) is slowly inching forward.
A measured release of the next sponsor every few days.
The latest is a watch manufacturer. They describe their great love of the 1950s Aston Martins, with such beautiful designs and the distinctive side air vent. However, they will be shocked when they discover, that the historic air vent shape, has recently been binned.
The sponsor's comments.
'It was styled in-house by a highly talented designer, Frank Feeley, and represents what is unquestionably his ‘finest hour’ – indeed the shape of the DBR1 remains one of the most beautiful and graceful of all time. Moreover, the design incorporates a key functional attribute – the side air vent – which debuted on this car and remains a key functional and visual characteristic of Aston Martin’s road-going sports cars to this day. This functional element has become a key aesthetic detail that imbues the marque’s models with their distinctive personalities. In fact, one glance at an Aston Martin car immediately reveals the identity of its maker.'
I'm struggling to work out where Aston have removed the "key functional attribute – the side air vent". It's still there - it's still functional and it's still on the side of the cars. AM haven't removed it or tossed it away. They have re-designed it, as they did after DBR1. Just because a feature is iconic doesn't mean it has to be incorporated into every single subsequent design in its same form. A DBR1 or a DB4/5 style air-vent would look completely out of place on say a DB11, just as wire-spoked wheels and snap-on hubcaps would on a VH Vantage.
Besides, judging by the official Girard-Perregaux photos featuring a DBX when announcing their sponsorship deal, I think G-P may have already noticed that the air-vents displayed on a DBR1 and later models have already been superseded, and in fact, won't be shocked in the slightest. No sleep will have been lost, and no eyebrows will have been raised at G-P HQ.
Regarding the partnership deal, the G-P CEO, Patrick Pruniaux, stated that "both brands have been building bridges to the future without forgetting the past and their heritage." He goes on to say...
"Craftsmanship, technical mastery, design and an obsession with materials… For me, it is such a natural fit. The blend of mechanical expertise and design is very interesting. Technical expertise is at the heart of Girard-Perregaux but the quest for beauty and perfect shapes matters a lot. The same goes for Aston Martin. When you see the last Aston Martin SUV, the DBX, you clearly see a very strong DNA but also the way it is expressed is very contemporary. This is also how we envision design at Girard-Perregaux."
Besides, judging by the official Girard-Perregaux photos featuring a DBX when announcing their sponsorship deal, I think G-P may have already noticed that the air-vents displayed on a DBR1 and later models have already been superseded, and in fact, won't be shocked in the slightest. No sleep will have been lost, and no eyebrows will have been raised at G-P HQ.
Regarding the partnership deal, the G-P CEO, Patrick Pruniaux, stated that "both brands have been building bridges to the future without forgetting the past and their heritage." He goes on to say...
"Craftsmanship, technical mastery, design and an obsession with materials… For me, it is such a natural fit. The blend of mechanical expertise and design is very interesting. Technical expertise is at the heart of Girard-Perregaux but the quest for beauty and perfect shapes matters a lot. The same goes for Aston Martin. When you see the last Aston Martin SUV, the DBX, you clearly see a very strong DNA but also the way it is expressed is very contemporary. This is also how we envision design at Girard-Perregaux."
Octavarium said:
I'm struggling to work out where Aston have removed the "key functional attribute – the side air vent". It's still there - ......
I think you might be taking this all too literally Octavarium.
I was just making two points.
Now being associated with Aston Martin, makes it much easier for LS to obtain many new sponsors for his F1 team.
Do you think he might even receive more money back from sponsors, than he originally invested into Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings Plc?
All very clever.
Ref. my quoted extract from the watch maker. In their particular paragraph, they were clearly describing the historic vent design, which was used largely unaltered for over 50 years, until it was recently changed into the curlique dirt ejector.
Interestingly, I had always thought they were functional, but recently a PHer who had carried out work in the vicinity of the side strakes, said at least one of them on the Vantage is blocked by equipment. I learn something every day.
The watchmakers quote which you have highlighted, just seems like good marketing words for their product. Nothing wrong with that.
How are things going in the historic (presumably mostly) Swiss watch industry? I just wondered whether everyone carrying a phone now, which always shows the accurate time, has made any difference.
Edited by Jon39 on Tuesday 9th March 18:08
A reminder of why we use this topic with an odd title.
General chat about Aston Martin, including AM F1.
My original AM racing car topic had only just begun, before it was taken away to Gen Gassing, where of course it quickly died.
The Pre-Season Test Days are not always a very good indicator, of which teams are going to perform well during the season.
Testing has now ended, so you might be interested to see the results for the 3 days.
Obviously only bare figures, and we don't know any background eg. high/low fuel, hard/soft tyres etc.
Sebastian Vettel lost some time yesterday, due to a gearbox change.
Both Aston Martins were at the bottom today, but don't know why. They achieved competitive times on day 1 and 2.
So, the engine AM is using is Mercedes, but which one? The last season one?
Sorry for the maybe dumb question, but last time I watched F1, Senna and Mansell were there...
Those AM shenanigans however might bring me (slightly) back in and watch a couple of races, at least to see the Vantage and DBX pace/safety cars.
Sorry for the maybe dumb question, but last time I watched F1, Senna and Mansell were there...
Those AM shenanigans however might bring me (slightly) back in and watch a couple of races, at least to see the Vantage and DBX pace/safety cars.
EVR said:
So, the engine AM is using is Mercedes, but which one? The last season one?
The suspician always remains, about manufacturer engines and their customer engines.
In the days of teams buying engines from Cosworth, then taking them away in the back of a Ford Transit, at least they were all almost identical.
I have no idea about track conditions or car set ups, but LS's team achieved good times on Day 1 and
Day 2. Expect they were pleased with that.
Jon39 said:
I felt sorry for Sebastian Vettel today.
His best lap time in Qualifying Session 1, was only 0.89 second slower than Lance Stroll.
So close are the lap times these days, it resulted in the difference between position 18 and 10.
Vettel ought to be a second ahead of that sort of driver in qualifying, not a second behind. Did he get unlucky with traffic (I didn’t watch qualifying).
Jon39 said:
I felt sorry for Sebastian Vettel today.
His best lap time in Qualifying Session 1, was only 0.89 second slower than Lance Stroll.
So close are the lap times these days, it resulted in the difference between position 18 and 10.
Seb had his lap written off by two yellow flags. If they don't show a sizeable lift, the lap gets deleted, and with the midfield being so close now, it was game over before he ever got to turn 1.
Then with Sainz having a cutout at turn 8, that was curtains. A shame because each lap under his belt builds the foundation of understanding what's under him.
I wouldn't write Seb off, once he's got some seat time it'll come to him. The same goes for Lance. Whether or not he got his seat in F1 initially (at Williams) because of money, he's kept it because he's talented. Look at Turkey last year or most of his Baku races, he's quick and he's maturing at a good rate. He's far more talented than he's given credit for.
If you want to see what a bought seat with no talent looks like, Mazespin (his new nickname) is your man. The vile cretin deserves all the ridicule he gets.
Anyway, it's a long season, the longest ever. Points are handed out on Sundays, and the Aston car's DNA has always been about building a strong racecar rather than a one lap missile.
Then with Sainz having a cutout at turn 8, that was curtains. A shame because each lap under his belt builds the foundation of understanding what's under him.
I wouldn't write Seb off, once he's got some seat time it'll come to him. The same goes for Lance. Whether or not he got his seat in F1 initially (at Williams) because of money, he's kept it because he's talented. Look at Turkey last year or most of his Baku races, he's quick and he's maturing at a good rate. He's far more talented than he's given credit for.
If you want to see what a bought seat with no talent looks like, Mazespin (his new nickname) is your man. The vile cretin deserves all the ridicule he gets.
Anyway, it's a long season, the longest ever. Points are handed out on Sundays, and the Aston car's DNA has always been about building a strong racecar rather than a one lap missile.
NFC 85 Vette said:
Seb had his lap written off by two yellow flags. If they don't show a sizeable lift, the lap gets deleted, and with the midfield being so close now, it was game over before he ever got to turn 1.
Then with Sainz having a cutout at turn 8, that was curtains. A shame because each lap under his belt builds the foundation of understanding what's under him.
I wouldn't write Seb off, once he's got some seat time it'll come to him. The same goes for Lance. Whether or not he got his seat in F1 initially (at Williams) because of money, he's kept it because he's talented. Look at Turkey last year or most of his Baku races, he's quick and he's maturing at a good rate. He's far more talented than he's given credit for.
If you want to see what a bought seat with no talent looks like, Mazespin (his new nickname) is your man. The vile cretin deserves all the ridicule he gets.
Anyway, it's a long season, the longest ever. Points are handed out on Sundays, and the Aston car's DNA has always been about building a strong racecar rather than a one lap missile.
Our views aren't always shared Jon but today we are in complete agreement Then with Sainz having a cutout at turn 8, that was curtains. A shame because each lap under his belt builds the foundation of understanding what's under him.
I wouldn't write Seb off, once he's got some seat time it'll come to him. The same goes for Lance. Whether or not he got his seat in F1 initially (at Williams) because of money, he's kept it because he's talented. Look at Turkey last year or most of his Baku races, he's quick and he's maturing at a good rate. He's far more talented than he's given credit for.
If you want to see what a bought seat with no talent looks like, Mazespin (his new nickname) is your man. The vile cretin deserves all the ridicule he gets.
Anyway, it's a long season, the longest ever. Points are handed out on Sundays, and the Aston car's DNA has always been about building a strong racecar rather than a one lap missile.
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