Photo: Aston Martin
World War Two was where a lot of vehicles of that era gained their legendary status. Strangely enough, perhaps the most easily recognizable come from the losing side - just think of the Tiger, the BMW sidecar motorcycle or the Messerschmidt - but the Allies have plenty to show for themselves.
Ask any British about it and I can guarantee that not even one will mention the Cromwell, the Churchill or the Matilda tanks - or any other terrestrial vehicle for that matter. Nope, they will all smile widely and say "Spitfire." The Supermarine Spitfire single-seat interceptor is the definitive British iconic vehicle, no question about it.
But how about cars? Well, Aston Martin may not be just as unequivocally accepted as the quintessence of the British motoring industry, but it is at least up there with other brands. Here, coming up with a clear winner would most definitely be a lot trickier as names such as Morgan, Bentley or Jaguar would come into play.
Well, the association between the Spitfire name and Aston Martin may not seem like a match made in heaven then, but it definitely isn't a bad one. Besides, any remaining doubts will be quickly cleared once you get to see the actual car. The Vantage design isn't new, but just like the Spitfire's, it has aged gracefully, giving the Aston Martin the look of a classic car in the making.
2016 is when we celebrate 80 years since the first flight of the Spitfire, and Aston Martin decided to mark the occasion with a very rare special edition dedicated to that superb piece of machinery. The first striking detail is the Duxford green paint job, identical to the one covering the fuselage of the WWII plane. Other details specific to the special edition include rainbow ‘bloom’ tailpipe tips reminiscent of the Spitfire's exhausts or an aluminum bar inside the cabin reminding of the plane's rear strut brace.
Future owners also have the option of having a Spitfire serial number painted onto the car, with further connections to be found on the headrests where a special Spitfire logo has been embroidered. All buyers will also get a Spitfire 80 Irvin jacket and a set of a flying helmet and goggles, as well as the chance to pick up their cars at the AirSpace exhibition at Imperial War Museum Duxford.
By this time, you're probably saying to yourself that all this must come at a price, and you'd be absolutely right. Costing £180,000 (about $240,000), the Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Spitfire is over $50,000 more expensive than the regular model, which many would argue that is overpriced to begin with. It's also extremely rare since only eight cars will be built, so there's a very strong exclusivity factor involved not to mention the all-encompassing British pride, so we doubt they'll be left on the market for too long.
But how about cars? Well, Aston Martin may not be just as unequivocally accepted as the quintessence of the British motoring industry, but it is at least up there with other brands. Here, coming up with a clear winner would most definitely be a lot trickier as names such as Morgan, Bentley or Jaguar would come into play.
Well, the association between the Spitfire name and Aston Martin may not seem like a match made in heaven then, but it definitely isn't a bad one. Besides, any remaining doubts will be quickly cleared once you get to see the actual car. The Vantage design isn't new, but just like the Spitfire's, it has aged gracefully, giving the Aston Martin the look of a classic car in the making.
2016 is when we celebrate 80 years since the first flight of the Spitfire, and Aston Martin decided to mark the occasion with a very rare special edition dedicated to that superb piece of machinery. The first striking detail is the Duxford green paint job, identical to the one covering the fuselage of the WWII plane. Other details specific to the special edition include rainbow ‘bloom’ tailpipe tips reminiscent of the Spitfire's exhausts or an aluminum bar inside the cabin reminding of the plane's rear strut brace.
Future owners also have the option of having a Spitfire serial number painted onto the car, with further connections to be found on the headrests where a special Spitfire logo has been embroidered. All buyers will also get a Spitfire 80 Irvin jacket and a set of a flying helmet and goggles, as well as the chance to pick up their cars at the AirSpace exhibition at Imperial War Museum Duxford.
By this time, you're probably saying to yourself that all this must come at a price, and you'd be absolutely right. Costing £180,000 (about $240,000), the Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Spitfire is over $50,000 more expensive than the regular model, which many would argue that is overpriced to begin with. It's also extremely rare since only eight cars will be built, so there's a very strong exclusivity factor involved not to mention the all-encompassing British pride, so we doubt they'll be left on the market for too long.
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