There’s no doubt that Aston Martin give good limited edition. The only problem is that demand always outstrips supply, so we’re often left sighing wistfully at pictures of cars that we’ll probably never drive. The last couple of months are no exception, as they’ve brought out two stunning limited edition cars with production runs of just 99 vehicles each – and the waiting lists are already the size of the M1.
Let’s start with the most expensive first: the Aston Martin AM-RB 001. The unexciting name is so misleading as to almost be deliberate – the 001 is in fact a hypercar that will deliver more than 1000BHP and rival the likes of the 986-hp McLaren P1 LM and Bugatti’s 1500-hp Chiron.
Designed by Red Bull Racing F1’s Adrian Newey and Marek Reichman, who spearheaded the design of cars such as the 2003 Range Rover before moving to Aston Martin, the car is expected to retail for £3million. Rumour has it, however, that the world’s serious car collectors, who have already stocked up on hypercars, will be bidding frantically to get one – so expect the price to go seriously north of that estimate.
The other car is the (relatively) more affordable Vanquish Zagato Volante. Driven by unprecedented interest in the Vanquish Zagato Coupe, the Volante will be strictly built to a limited production run of 99 cars at Aston Martin’s headquarters in Gaydon, England. Sharing the Zagato’s design details, the car contains the same V12 powertrain that has been uprated to 592BHP, producing a 0-60MPH time of 3.7 seconds. The key stylistic difference, of course, is the twin cowls on the rear deck which blend into the leading edge of the luggage compartment, concealing a bespoke folding hood.
Due to be delivered to customers in 2017 – three years before the 001 – the car can be personalised by Aston Martin’s specialist ‘Q’ division to add further interior details, building on a cabin that’s finished with highly luxurious materials, including herringbone carbon-fibre, anodized bronze detailing and the finest Bridge of Weir leather. The trademark Zagato ‘Z’ is also embossed on the headrests and centre console.
Both these cars look set to be absolutely spectacular, and we congratulate those lucky car aficionados who have managed to secure one!