Photo: Nico Cancellaro on Behance
Remember when Aston Martin was riding on a wave of self-declared successes under the leadership of Andy Palmer? Those days are long gone, and the British automaker is now controlled by a consortium of investors led by Lawrence Stroll, the businessman who has also acquired Racing Point as the works outfit for Aston Martin from 2021 onward.
One of those so-called successes mentioned earlier is the Rapid E five-door liftback sedan, based on the DB9 and co-developed with Williams Advanced Engineering. We’ve been presented with the four-seat luxobarge in 2015, and at the beginning of 2020, the Gaydon-based automaker let it slip that production plans have been axed over troubles with money.
Former chief exec Andy Palmer described 2019 as “a very disappointing year” for the company, and who could blame him? Aston Martin went through money like a knife through butter, and upon breaking the news, Aston Martin Lagonda shares to below 4 pounds sterling.
Don’t, however, expect the know-how of the Rapid E to go to waste. Given the ever-stringent emissions and gas mileage regulations in the European Union and the United States of America, it’s only a matter of time until Aston Martin rolls out an all-electric powertrain.
A prime candidate for EV propulsion is a two-door coupe with GT influences like the DBE, a design study uploaded to Behance by Nico Cancellaro. Rendered as a road car as well as a racing car, the two-door pixel work features an enclosed grille for better aerodynamics and aero-focused wheels up front while the rears feature a sportier, 10-spoke design.
The road-going version appears to flaunt a retractable spoiler meant to help with downforce at high speed and under braking. As expected, the race-ready specification levels up to a higher, fixed rear wing and all the motorsport-like goodies you’d imagine such as fender extensions, a ginormous diffuser, and center-locking wheels at all corners.
Turning our attention back to the real world, luxury division Lagonda is going to spearhead EV technology for the British company despite the cancellation of the Rapide E. Lagonda's purpose has also been changed to an all-electric brand while Aston Martin makes baby steps toward electrification with the KERS-assisted Valkyrie and the Valhalla hypercars.
Former chief exec Andy Palmer described 2019 as “a very disappointing year” for the company, and who could blame him? Aston Martin went through money like a knife through butter, and upon breaking the news, Aston Martin Lagonda shares to below 4 pounds sterling.
Don’t, however, expect the know-how of the Rapid E to go to waste. Given the ever-stringent emissions and gas mileage regulations in the European Union and the United States of America, it’s only a matter of time until Aston Martin rolls out an all-electric powertrain.
A prime candidate for EV propulsion is a two-door coupe with GT influences like the DBE, a design study uploaded to Behance by Nico Cancellaro. Rendered as a road car as well as a racing car, the two-door pixel work features an enclosed grille for better aerodynamics and aero-focused wheels up front while the rears feature a sportier, 10-spoke design.
The road-going version appears to flaunt a retractable spoiler meant to help with downforce at high speed and under braking. As expected, the race-ready specification levels up to a higher, fixed rear wing and all the motorsport-like goodies you’d imagine such as fender extensions, a ginormous diffuser, and center-locking wheels at all corners.
Turning our attention back to the real world, luxury division Lagonda is going to spearhead EV technology for the British company despite the cancellation of the Rapide E. Lagonda's purpose has also been changed to an all-electric brand while Aston Martin makes baby steps toward electrification with the KERS-assisted Valkyrie and the Valhalla hypercars.
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