Photo: Aston Martin
When Aston Martin started teasing the AM-RB 001 hypercar, the first thought to cross my mind was that the board of directors has forced the British automaker into doing it. Now, though, it’s pretty clear that Aston Martin won’t stop at that.
We’ve first heard that the AM-RB 001 hypercar developed by Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing will inspire a mid-engine supercar from Marek Reichman. The chief creative officer at Aston Martin is now backed up by Dr. Andy Palmer, the head honcho of this bunch. He told Motor Trend that the AM-RB 001 is “the start of a bloodline,” a choice of words which suggest that a mid-engine supercar is in the pipeline. Ferrari should better watch out.
Adrian Newey, the F1 engineer and chief technical officer of Red Bull Racing, adds more fuel to the fire: “I’d be interested [when AM-RB 001 is] done in developing beyond that into something that’s slightly more mainstream that could be driven by more people.” To my ears and in my mind, a mid-engine supercar from Aston Martin isn’t merely a question of “if” but of “when.”
The cited story also hints that the British manufacturer plans to bring seven models to market in the seven years. The DB11 is the first of those, while the AM-RB 001 is the second. The remaining five are the DBX Concept-inspired crossover, the supercar as mentioned earlier, the next-generation V8/V12 Vantage, the next-generation Vanquish, and not one but two Lagonda-badged sedans. Oh, wait, that’s eight models in total, not seven, isn’t it?
The backbone of this ambitious plan for the future rests on the DBX Concept-inspired crossover. According to Palmer, this model could do the same thing to Aston Martin as the Cayenne did to Porsche. With a projected sales volume of 7,000 units per year, the DBX is a make-or-break bet for the Gaydon-based manufacturer. On that note, here’s Palmer again: “To me, hybridization is as inevitable as death and taxes, and it makes sense in the SUVs and sedans.”
If I were a purist, I’d start hyperventilating now. Fortunately, I’m not one of those guys who can't let go of the past and their tweed jackets.
Adrian Newey, the F1 engineer and chief technical officer of Red Bull Racing, adds more fuel to the fire: “I’d be interested [when AM-RB 001 is] done in developing beyond that into something that’s slightly more mainstream that could be driven by more people.” To my ears and in my mind, a mid-engine supercar from Aston Martin isn’t merely a question of “if” but of “when.”
The cited story also hints that the British manufacturer plans to bring seven models to market in the seven years. The DB11 is the first of those, while the AM-RB 001 is the second. The remaining five are the DBX Concept-inspired crossover, the supercar as mentioned earlier, the next-generation V8/V12 Vantage, the next-generation Vanquish, and not one but two Lagonda-badged sedans. Oh, wait, that’s eight models in total, not seven, isn’t it?
The backbone of this ambitious plan for the future rests on the DBX Concept-inspired crossover. According to Palmer, this model could do the same thing to Aston Martin as the Cayenne did to Porsche. With a projected sales volume of 7,000 units per year, the DBX is a make-or-break bet for the Gaydon-based manufacturer. On that note, here’s Palmer again: “To me, hybridization is as inevitable as death and taxes, and it makes sense in the SUVs and sedans.”
If I were a purist, I’d start hyperventilating now. Fortunately, I’m not one of those guys who can't let go of the past and their tweed jackets.
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