Aston Martin's One-77. Radical.

Very nice:




One-77: Aston Martin's stunning halo car
Wheels
Published: March 08, 2009, 13:15

Timing wasn’t one of Aston Martin’s strengths. In 1976, on the verge of bankruptcy, instead of sticking to its reliable formula of a 2+2 sports coupé, it launched the new four-door Lagonda.

The car featured a host of new technology, such as computer management and digital instrumentation, but the Lagonda’s lofty price tag, rivalling the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, meant only 645 were sold over its 19-year production run.

So it makes sense that Aston has launched its most expensive car ever, just when the global economy has all but collapsed. The 700bhp One-77 will be the most extreme car from the Gaydon manufacturer — in price and performance.

These first pics, exclusive to wheels, reveal a car that’s unmistakably an Aston, but with stunning new design details.

It retains the familiar profile of the DB9, but is wider and more muscular. The blacked-out headlights are bifurcated by strakes that run along the sides of the front bumper, while the taillights are fused with the centre brake light.

At the rear is a massive carbon-fibre diffuser, which is almost as big as one on the DBR9 racecar.

And it has to be, because, underneath the gorgeous hand-beaten aluminium body, lies a monstrous V12 engine. Cradled in a lightweight carbon-fibre chassis, the 7.3-litre motor powers the One-77 to 100kph in 3.7seconds, eventually nudging the 350kph mark.

Even though the performance isn’t earth-shattering compared to the Bugatti Veyron, which the One-77 has dethroned as the most expensive car in the world, Aston is certain all 77 examples will be snapped up once the car goes on sale later this year. According to Aston officials, the level of customisation sets it apart from other über cars. To what extent is as yet unclear but every One-77 will be fully customisable to suit the owner’s driving style.

To spend north of Dh7m on something which doesn’t have wings or floats, entails über wealth. To Aston’s relief, several hundred people have already expressed interest. It looks like, this time around, time is on Aston’s side. Economics may not be, though.


(That's about ~1.9MM in USD)
BB