RE: Aston Martin: Frankfurt 2013
Tuesday 10th September 2013
Aston Martin will have headed to Frankfurt in buoyant mood on the back of its centenary celebrations and the recent announcement of its official collaboration with AMG. Whilst it's too early yet to expect anything from that relationship, the lack of anything significantly new on its Frankfurt stand implies some fresh ideas (and investment) are needed.
Q obviously had some Gulf orange paint left...Sure, the V12 Vantage S and Vanquish Volante making their debuts on the stand will undoubtedly be superb cars; a genuine 200mph Vantage and a drop-top Vanquish would have to be, right? But then you also remember the Vantage has been around since 2005 now and that 5.9-litre V12 for well over a decade. The great range of Aston sports cars need modernising.
Aston Martin: Frankfurt 2013
Plenty of V12 loveliness at Aston, but nothing yet from the AMG tie-up
Q obviously had some Gulf orange paint left...
In fact, the newest product at Aston's stand is the 'Q by Aston Martin' bespoke personalisation service. It's essentially an options list beyond the options list that allows huge scope for personalising your Aston Martin. To illustrate this fact, a Vanquish Volante has been sent to Q Branch prior to Frankfurt and had returned looking, err, unique. The Red Ember paint is beautiful, so why tarnish it with Gulf Orange splitters?
Whilst the Q service will be popular given the ever-increasing desire for customisation, the sense is Aston could do with something truly new to advance its desirable product range properly.
Discussion
A design classic for sure but one I'm bored of seeing from Aston now in their myriad of slightly different variants. It would be nice to see them designing a new car, so I can look forward to rediscovering and appreciating the DB9 as a classic in ten years or so.
Oh and that front splitter, hideous addition.
Oh and that front splitter, hideous addition.
JohnGoodridge said:
MycroftWard said:
Oh and that front splitter, hideous addition.
It's all part of the Mansoryfication of the high end of the auto industry.MycroftWard said:
It would be nice to see them designing a new car
I'll take one
Interesting comment on the Steve Sutcliffe Tesla S video - they use a Rapide S to demonstrate how much quicker an electric car "goes" than a petrol one (without directly comparing them) but he does say that the Tesla makes the Aston feel very old, boring and unspecial.
Problem is, I was in a DB9 last year and WAS old, boring and unspecial. Aside from the badge I saw nothing to really desire - yeah, it's pretty enough but the interior is trying too hard with all the glass/"emotion" and - well - I think that CC sportscar would wake them up a bit.
405dogvan said:
Problem is, I was in a DB9 last year and WAS old, boring and unspecial. Aside from the badge I saw nothing to really desire - yeah, it's pretty enough but the interior is trying too hard with all the glass/"emotion" and - well - I think that CC sportscar would wake them up a bit.
Yes, I'm starting to feel that way about them. There's quite a few about now, and when an early one can be had for under £30k they seem a lot less exclusive.MycroftWard said:
Yes, I'm starting to feel that way about them. There's quite a few about now, and when an early one can be had for under £30k they seem a lot less exclusive.
You don't have to do much - MB have it just about cornered, they change their cars JUST enough to make the older cars seem - well - older...You can buy a 4 year old "loaded" MB and you'll not really be missing much over a new model other than most of its price BUT it will be obvious to you and everyone else that you're not driving the new car (de-gingerfying isn't enough anymore either!)
405dogvan said:
Problem is, I was in a DB9 last year and WAS old, boring and unspecial. Aside from the badge I saw nothing to really desire - yeah, it's pretty enough but the interior is trying too hard with all the glass/"emotion" and - well - I think that CC sportscar would wake them up a bit.
I spent all last Sunday in one of the new ones, didn't seem like that to me. It was pretty rapid, got the thumbs up and smiles where ever it was. Great to experience that. Do people really think that the AMG connection means instant new cars? Instant new engines? Of course not. Yes, Aston could do with a DB10 but it won't happen overnight.
I'm pretty sure InvestIndustrial & AMG have a bit more of an idea than any speculation on here.
And AM seen to be shifting plenty of their cars at the moment. The new Vanquish Volante is gorgeous, the Vantage V12S is a hoot, and the RapideS is looking and sounding damn good. A lot of the critics who spout the 'boring' line will be the ones moaning that the new shape AM does not look like the current ones.
Edited by killingjoker on Wednesday 11th September 12:46
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