Aston Martin’s V12 Speedster Prototype Is Here!

2020 might have been dull and gloomy for many of us but that isn’t the case with Aston Martin. The British luxury automobile manufacturer revealed the first working prototype of the $950,000 V12 Speedster after numerous sneak peeks and teasers since earlier this year. The British marque announced the V12 Speedster in January 2020 when they shared the first glimpse of the open-cockpit driver-oriented sports car. “The V12 Speedster we’re proud to confirm today once again showcases not only this great British brand’s ambition and ingenuity, but also celebrates our rich and unrivalled heritage,” said Dr Andy Palmer, Aston Martin Lagonda President and Group CEO. Within the next two months, the fleshed-out car design was launched at the Aston Martin Headquarters in Gaydon. The car will now make its global debut later this year while the deliveries start in the first quarter of 2021 – but with the uncertainty of COVID-19, only time will tell!

Photo Credit: Photo by Max Earey, courtesy of Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings plc.

The V12 Speedster isn’t the first open-cockpit sports car. Ferrari was the first company leading the way with the Monza in 2018, followed by McLaren in later 2019 with similarly minimalist Elva. After Aston Martin’s inclusion in the type of sports car, Bentley joined the bandwagon by announcing the forthcoming Bacalar but the design includes windscreens.

Photo Credit: Photo by Max Earey, courtesy of Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings plc.

The two-seater V12 Speedster will be restricted to only 88 examples worldwide. Created by in-house bespoke service ‘Q by Aston Martin’, this is truly a racer’s car with an elegant combination of an authentic, driver-oriented sports car using cutting-edge motorsport and aviation technology and the enthralling experience of luxury.  Its forward-looking features are shaped from the same advanced materials and expert engineering used throughout Aston Martin’s contemporary sports car range.

The car clearly nods to DBR1 and the DBS Superleggera. where the former helps the brand win both Aston Martin’s legendary 1000km of Nürburgring race in 1953 and the 1959 Le Mans 24 hours. The marque also pays homage to the Centenary CC100 Speedster Concept shown in 2013 to celebrate Aston Martin’s 100th Anniversary.

Photo Credit: Photo by Max Earey, courtesy of Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings plc.

The new car’s design, while modern and dynamic, also has a powerful heart with a high-performance variant of Aston Martin’s now iconic, 5.2-litre V12 Twin-Turbo engine, capable of generating an output of around 700 hp and 700 Nm.  Its competition, on the other hand, Ferrari’s Monza SP2 makes 800 hp while McLaren is at a shy 804 hp. Offering a compelling breadth of performance, superb response and thrilling V12 soundtrack, the engine is coupled to a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission mounted towards the rear of the car. V12 Speedster takes 3.5 seconds to tout zero to 62 mph.

Photo Credit: Photo by Max Earey, courtesy of Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings plc.

The Aston Martin V12 Speedster has an abundance of character, with the engine note and sound quality playing an important part in the undeniably invigorating driving experience.