The Ferrari Monza SP was a fluke, the McLaren Elva made it a conversation, and Aston Martin’s V12 Speedster turns it into a trend. This trend of 7-figure supercars with no windshields or roofs prove that at least a marketable portion of rich people want to feel the wind in their hair and bugs in their teeth.
With around 700 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque from a twin-turbocharged V12 engine shuffled through an 8-speed automatic, the new roofless Aston will definitely be a very fast car to drive for the 88 people lucky enough to afford one and get on the buyer list. If you didn’t get on Ferrari’s list of 200, or McLaren’s 399 person deep bunch, or you’re looking for something a little more exclusive, Aston Martin is here for you, bud.
Aston Martin Lagonda President and Group CEO, Dr Andy Palmer said: “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.
“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.”
We have not yet seen the final design of the car, as the graphic above is the only representation Aston has as yet unveiled, but it is said to be inspired by the Caroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori-driven Le Mans-winning DBR1 of 1959 and the CC100 concept from 2013 [built to celebrate the brand’s centenary]. Based on the imagery used to promote the car it appears a good bit more aggressive than either of those former Astons, but should still be quite a looker.
I’ve got nothing against roofless and windshield-less speedsters like this. I’ve been known to tear those bits off of a variety of old British convertibles myself, and I’m currently in the process of doing the same to my Porsche Boxster. But you see, I’m not about to spend three commas worth of money for the inconvenience privilege.
Perhaps tearing the roof off is an appropriate way of adding “emotion” and “dynamism” to cars that are increasingly too fast and competent to really wring the most out of on public roads. By adding this element of wind to the driving experience are they attempting to artificially recreate an engaging feeling sports car of the good old days from an automatic supercar of the future?