Almost two months ago, McLaren unveiled the Elva — its open-top roadster homage to Bruce McLaren's Elva race car from the 1960s. Now, it looks like the Elva has company.
Aston Martin has shown off the first artist impression of its next new project; the Speedster. Like the Elva it sports a long nose, a svelte silhouette, and multiple references to race cars from a bygone era. In particular, the new Aston honours the British marque's 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans–winning DBR1, as well as the brand's handsome CC100 Speedster centenary concept from 2013 [pictured below].
The 2013 Aston Martin CC100 Speedster centenary concept. Photo / supplied
While the McLaren Elva is set to revolve around the brand's familiar 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, the Aston Martin Speedster is set to stick with 12 cylinders. Its 5.2-litre V12 will also feature a pair of turbochargers, and is set to make 515kW of power and 700Nm of torque (a touch less than the McLaren's 600kW/800Nm).
Supporting the V12 is an 8-speed automatic transmissions sourced from ZF, as well as the promise of “the same advanced materials and expert engineering used throughout Aston martin's contemporary sports car range” according to the manufacturer's press release.
“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 unrivalled heritage,” says Aston Martin CEO Dr Andy Palmer.
“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 new piece of Aston Martin history.”
Just 88 Speedsters are set to be produced with global availability. Deliveries of the hand built, yet-to-be-seen supercars are scheduled for the first quarter of 2021.
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