If you thought the Aston Martin One-77 was a rare sight, the company has just dealt out another hard uppercut. Getting their centenary celebrations underway, Aston Martin has unveiled the new two-seater CC100 Speedster concept.
The car is, without a doubt, unlike any present-day Aston. Yes, it bears the unmistakable company DNA with the front end, flowing lines and creases, but yet, it manages to look so different, even radical. The long bonnet with the complete lack of a windscreen and roof-less design oozes the sense of speed and urgency.
Under that long bonnet is Aston Martin’s signature 6.0-litre naturally-aspirated V12 petrol engine, in its latest AM11 avatar. It is paired to the company’s six-speed, hydraulically actuated, automated-sequential manual transmission which is controlled via paddle shifters mounted on the steering column. It also weighs a good 400 kgs lesser than the Vantage. With this configuration, 0-100 km/h is dismissed in a little over 4 seconds, with a top speed of 290 km/h.
Dr Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin, drove the car which was viewed by thousands of spectators in Germany. He stated, “I have nicknamed it ‘DBR100’ because of its affinity to the great 1959 race-winning cars and, of course, our 100-year anniversary in 2013.” The CC100 made its world debut by completing a lap of the famous Nordschleife at Germany’s ADAC Zurich 24 Hours of Nürburgring race. It lapped the circuit together with the 1000-km race-winning 1959 DBR1 with British racing legend Sir Stirling Moss at the wheel.
It’s hard to believe that this car was designed and constructed in less than six months. Oh, by the way, it’s a one-off.
