At the Geneva motor show Aston Martin revealed its latest offering, the Vulcan. This is an 800 BHP supercar which defies all reason. You can use it at the track – but you can’t drive it there. Yes, that is correct – you cannot road-register this exclusive car. It is an expensive toy for rich boys. Very rich boys.
Uniquely for Aston Martin the new supercar – limited to just 24 examples worldwide – will allow owners the opportunity to precisely tailor their track day experience through a graduating scale of detailed power and dynamic performance adjustments.
Aston Martin Vulcan.
CEO, Dr Andy Palmer, said, “Aston Martin Vulcan is, by its very nature, a rare and thrilling supercar. Designed and engineered to deliver a genuinely bespoke driving experience that draws on our rich heritage, this car tailors its power and handling to both the capabilities of the driver and the characteristics of the track.
“A sports car for true sports car lovers, I believe the Aston Martin Vulcan – and the unique ownership program that sits behind it – sets a whole new standard in the ultra-high luxury supercar class.”
Styled entirely in-house by the Aston Martin design team led by Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman, and with a design language hinting at the next generation of Aston Martin sports cars, this supercar is powered by the most potent iteration yet of the company’s naturally-aspirated, 7.0 liter V12 petrol engine.
Utilising the techniques of world-class motorsport engineering, the supercar sees its power-to-weight ratio exceed those of the GTE cars which compete in the FIA’s annual World Endurance Championship.
Comprising cutting edge engineering including that sourced from the brand’s successful GT racing campaign, the car features a carbon fibre monocoque and body constructed by Aston Martin’s long-term specialist body engineering and manufacturing partner Multimatic, integral limited-slip differential, magnesium torque tube with carbon fiber propeller shaft and Brembo racing calipers acting on carbon ceramic racing disc brakes which measure 380mm in diameter at the front and 360mm at the rear.
Drive is channeled to the 345/30 x19 rear wheels and Michelin race specification tyres through a race-bred rear mid-mounted Xtrac six-speed sequential shift gearbox.
Track-derived pushrod suspension with anti-dive geometry is complemented by Multimatic’s Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve (DSSV) adjustable dampers and anti-roll bars front and rear, driver-adjustable anti-lock braking, and variable traction control.
This new track car will comply with all relevant FIA race safety requirements.
Aston Martin’s Director of Special Projects and Motorsport, David King, said: “Taking the extensive learning from our various successful racing programs and applying it to this exceptional track car for customers has been an exciting and sometimes challenging task for the team here at Gaydon.
“Our deep and broad motorsport experience, allied to our renowned road car expertise, has allowed us to make the Aston Martin Vulcan the absolutely compelling proposition it is today.”
Prior to taking delivery of their cars, the 24 new owners will be offered the opportunity to take part in an extensive and detailed program of intensive track driver training.
Experienced racers including Aston Martin Racing’s Le Mans-winning Darren Turner will support owners on their learning journey, offering them the chance to refine their track driving technique and increase their ability through a carefully-constructed series of practical and theoretical driver training events.
Using a number of exciting high performance Aston Martins including the V12 Vantage S and One-77 road cars and the Vantage GT4 race car, customers will gradually build experience and develop their track technique, before beginning their thrilling personal journeys into the immense performance potential of their Aston Martin Vulcan.
David King said, “We will be running a series of exclusive track day events commencing in 2016 that will offer the opportunity for these customers to explore their driving capabilities, and the car’s performance potential, on some of the world’s most famous and glamorous race circuits.”
There will also be the option of time in the virtual race car world of Darren Turner’s Base Performance Simulators, where buyers will have ample opportunity to further refine their driving style in the safety of the digital race track.
No longer the exclusive preserve of Formula 1, it is widely acknowledged that using a simulator can help prepare a driver for any race; improving technique and consistency as well as, ultimately, lap times.
Almost infinitely flexible in terms of color and trim options, the exclusive new sports car will be offered to buyers through Aston Martin’s VIP sales program, using the expertise and luxury customer service that is now a hallmark of the brand’s ‘Q by Aston Martin’ bespoke personalization service.
Dr Palmer added, “We have already received strong interest from the customers we have spoken to about Aston Martin Vulcan.
“The cars will blend our traditional Aston Martin values of Power, Beauty and Soul with an unrivalled ownership experience; a unique combination that will guarantee their place in the brand’s rich and charismatic history.”
Performance data, together with further technical details about the ultra-exclusive track-only supercar, will be released closer to its track debut later this year.
So when you look at this whole thing dispassionately, it is obvious that this is a marketing exercise to appeal to the very rich. A car to have to say, “Look at me.” A car that most of the 24 owners will not be able to drive properly, and at least one will end up deserted in a desert somewhere.
There is nothing “pure” about this car. Aston Martin and all the DB models are being cheapened by this car they have called the Vulcan. And a car, despite Dr. Palmers assertion that it has “traditional Aston Martin values of Power, Beauty and Soul”, I would beg to differ. It is an example of failure of reason. It has no soul.
