Late last year, there were rumors circling about Aston Martin creating a new speedster with a two-seat, open top cockpit. Now, the rumors are proven true as the British carmaker has confirmed the V12 Speedster is heading for production.
The new Aston V12 Speedster is joining the ranks established by the Ferrari Monza SP1 and S2, the Porsche 911 Speedster, and McLaren Elva in the hyper-exotic, open-cockpit supercar niche.
The V12 Speedster pays homage to the iconic DBR1
The Aston Martin DBR1 race car is one of only three cars to win the World Sports Car Championship and Le Mans 24 Hours in the same year. The DBR1 is clearly the most high-profile racing car in Aston Martin’s racing history and managed to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Nurburgring 1,000km race in 1959.
But the overall design is clearly inspired by the CC100 Speedster Concept
The Aston Martin CC100 Speedster Concept was created in 2013 to honor the brand’s centenary. Unveiled at the 2013 Nurburgring 24-Hour race, the CC100 Speedster was equipped with a 6.0-liter V12 producing 565-horsepower.
With only two seats and devoid of a roof and a windshield, the CC100 Speedster has a top speed of 180 mph and accelerates from o to 60 mph in only four seconds.
And despite garnering a high level of interest from collectors and automotive connoisseurs, the CC100 Speedster never made it into production.
Nothing less than a V12 motor will do
If the Aston Martin CC100 Speedster Concept of 2013 sounds like a lot of fun, wait until you see what’s in store for the new V12 Speedster.
Powering Aston’s newest two-seat open cockpit racer is a twin-turbocharged 5.2-liter V12 engine producing 690-horsepower (700 PS) and 516 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels courtesy of a ZF-sourced and rear-mounted 8-speed automatic gearbox.
All we can say is with no roof and no windshield to spoil the fun, the new Aston Martin V12 Speedster expected be just as fun as McLaren’s Elva open-top roadster.
“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 unrivaled heritage,” said Dr. Andy Palmer, Aston Martin Lagonda President and Group CEO.
Aston is only making 88 examples of the V12 Speedster
Aston Martin is only making 88 units of the V12 Speedster, which each car to be strictly built by hand. “The 88 enthusiast drivers and collectors who secure the keys to these cars can be confident that in doing so, they are also securing an iconic piece of Aston Martin history,” continued Palmer.
However, we have no word yet on pricing. Will the new Aston Martin V12 Speedster cost as much as the $1.7-million McLaren Elva? We’re not sure, but we’re expecting full details to be revealed later this year. We also expect Aston to release more official images of the V12 Speedster later in the year.
Aston is currently accepting orders for the V12 Speedster. The first customer units are expected to arrive in early 2021.