It’s taken us a while to prepare, but here’s your first instalment in our 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed image gallery. We’ve got more than 260 images in all which will be spread out over three galleries.
Presented in alphabetical order, this selection of photos starts with Alfa Romeo and ends with Lotus. And doesn’t that Alfa Romeo 4C just look sensational!
Stay tuned over the next two days for the remaining galleries to be posted.
It’s with a heavy heart that we emerge from our week away to mention the death of Allan Simonsen at the 24 Hours of Le Mans over the weekend.
Allan raced in GT endurance events all over the world, notably V8 Supercars, Le Mans and at the Nürburgring 24 Hour Race. Simonsen also attracted attention in Australia when he piloted a Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 to a then outright Bathurst lap record during the 2012 Bathurst 12 Hour.
Fellow Dane Tom Kristensen dedicated his ninth Le Mans victory to Simonsen last night during a sombre post-race ceremony.
Simonsen was driving a V8 Vantage for Aston Martin Racing in the GTE Am category and crashed on the fourth lap. His car left the road at the Tetre Rouge corner, hitting an armco barrier. He was extracted from the car and rushed to the trackside medical centre, where he died shortly after. It’s the first in competition fatality at the 24 Hours of Le Mans since Jo Gartner in 1986.
An official statement on Simonsen’s passing from race organisers can be read here.
At the request of Simonsen’s family Aston Martin Racing continued to participate in the race, who had strong representation in the GTE Pro and Am categories.
Selected comments from Allan’s team and fellow competitors are listed below:
“It’s been an emotional weekend. No one could have ever thought it would start as it did. Our thoughts are with Allan, his family and all the mates he made around the world during his racing career.â€
Darren Turner, Aston Martin V8 Vantage GTE #97
“The tragedy in the opening hours of the race overshadowed the great performance of the Aston Martin Racing team. I am proud of everybody for demonstrating great speed, professionalism and competitiveness right up to the end of 24th hour. This achievement is a truly fitting tribute to Allan Simonsen.â€
Dr Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin CEO
“He [Allan] was a very modest and nice person. That’s why I’m experiencing highs and lows this time. With respect to my ninth victory: I’m driving with determination and the ambition my father inspired in me. He died in March. Before his death, he told me that I’d win Le Mans this year with my team-mates. I’m hoping that one day I’ll be able to celebrate another victory with Loïc and Allan that I can dedicate to my father. Because this Le Mans success I’m dedicating to Allan Simonsen.”
Tom Kristensen, Audi R18 e-tron quattro #2
“Our joy, however, is also mixed with sadness and shock at the death of Allan Simonsen. We have not only lost a passionate racer, but also a good friend of the Porsche motorsport family. He contested his first Le Mans 24 Hours in 2007 with a Porsche. With our works driver Marc Lieb in 2005, he contested two races of the Le Mans Endurance Series in a Porsche as well. Our deepest sympathy goes out to his family as well as the Aston Martin squad and his teammates at this difficult time.”
Dr Wolfgang Porsche, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Porsche AG
Simonsen was 34-years-old and leaves behind a wife and young daughter.
Aston Martin continues to squeeze more blood from the Vantage stone, this time in the form of a V12 Vantage S. We can’t blame them really, the Vantage is still one of the nicest looking sportscars money can buy and if they want to give it more power we won’t find cause to object.
The key figures from the car’s 6.0 litre V12 are 573PS (421kW) and 620Nm. That represents increases of 41kW and 50Nm on the standard V12 Vantage.
While we may bemoan yet another car has lost its manual gearbox in favour of a self-shifter—in this case a Sportshift III AM—at least the new box is 25kg lighter. And it has been tested, Aston says, in a variety of motorsport categories, as seen in the Vantage GT4, GT3 and GTE.
The exhaust has been adapted from the One-77 and along with forged alloy wheels helps deliver further weight reductions.
It does look fantastic and it sounds great as well. We’re just not so sure about the yellow and black bumble bee colour scheme. What do you think?
If you didn’t follow the 2013 Nürburgring 24 hour race over at AUSringers on Monday here’s your chance to catch up, pictorially at least. After the break you’ll find a huge gallery of photos with thanks to Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche.
In the end, thanks to heavy rain and fog during the night session the race was red flagged. Around nine hours were lost in total, and while that was a shame, the race still provided all the drama and excitement you would expect from a 24 hour race around the Green Hell.
For the record the #9 Black Falcon Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 won the race. At the wheel was Bernd Schneider, Jeroen Bleekemolen, Sean Edwards and Nicki Thiim. Amazingly it was the first ever Nürburgring 24 hour race win for Mercedes-Benz and Bernd Schneider. Indeed, after several attempts it was the first time that Schneider had finished the race.
Aston Martin is racing a very unique version of its four-door Rapide at the Nürburgring 24 hour race. It’s based on the Rapide S, due to debut very soon, and is powered by a hybrid hydrogen drivetrain. It’s the first racecar of its kind in the world.
The hybrid system comprises a twin turbo 6.0 litre V12 and four ultra-high strength carbon fibre tanks storing a combined total of 3.5kg of hydrogen at a pressure of 350bar. Two tanks are placed near the driver and two are placed in the boot.
During qualifying CEO Dr Ulrich Bez became the first person to complete a zero emissions lap under competitive conditions.
“We exceeded our already very ambitious target of completing a full lap of the Nürburgring and went on to cover 40 km in race conditions—nearly two laps—before the car automatically and smoothly switched to gasoline power,†commented Bez.
At the time of writing the Hydrogen Rapide S, wearing number 100 in honour of Aston Matrin’s centenary year, is placed 146th outright having completed 21 laps with a best time of 10:02.574.
How good does this look! This is the Aston Martin CC100 Speedster Concept, a birthday present to itself to celebrate the marque’s 100th birthday.
It’s powered by a 6.0 V12 and has been inspired by Aston’s past racing cars, including the Le Mans winning DBR1. Befitting of Aston Martin’s recent pedigree at the Nürburgring 24 hour race the CC100 Speedsteer made its debut today ahead of the 41st running of the endurance epic.
Dr Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin CEO, said: “This car is more, even, than a simple ‘birthday present’ to ourselves: it shows that the soul of Aston Martin—the thing that differentiates us from all the other car makers out there—is as powerful as ever and I very much hope that everyone who catches a glimpse of it at the Nürburgring today enjoys seeing it.â€
If we were there Dr Bez we’d very much enjoy seeing the CC100. As it is seeing these pics is a great start. Happy birthday!
Dr Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin CEO, is expected to stand down at the end of this year to take on a less demanding ambassadorial role. The 70-year-old has driven the recent success of the company since taking charge in 2000.
Aston Martin hasn’t officially confirmed this rumour, but it is expected a replacement will be appointed in the coming months to allow for a suitable handover period.
Meanwhile, it’s also understood that Chris Porritt, one of the key men behind the development of the One-77 has left the company for a new role with Tesla.
We’ve often admired the way both men have stood behind their products on the racetrack, in particular at the Nürburgring 24 hour race, and wonder if we’ll still be seeing Aston Martin executives trading their tailored suits for racing suits.
[Source: Autocar]
The Geneva Motor Show is still underway over in Europe and while we’re sure almost all of our readers would love to be there we’re doing the best we can to bring you a little closer to the action. Here is the first installment of over 250 pictures from the show, from Alfa Romeo to Lamborghini, which includes some of the great and not so great models on display.
That Lamborghini’s not getting any prettier is it.
Aston Martin will celebrate its 100th birthday in 2013 and they’ve been kind enough to share some of their plans.
Celebrations will kick off on 15 January, which marks the date in 1913 when Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford started the company. A special lecture will be held where the oldest surviving Aston, the A3, and the new Vanquish will be on display (both pictured above).
In July a week of activities will take place at the company’s headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, culminating in a gala birthday bash in London on 21 July.
These parties will be complemented by a series of James Bond-inspired drives around Scotland and Wales. While the fun will continue in the United States with special events planned around the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Sounds like fun. If only we had a DB5 or V12 Vantage so we could tag along.
After hanging out 50% of its stock as bait, Aston Martin has selected Investindustrial as its newest bed fellow. The southern European investment specialists have handed over £150 million and will receive 37.5% of Aston Martin in return.
The Investment Dar company still retains a majority shareholding.
The input of fresh capital will allow Aston to continue its long-term growth ambitions. Aston Martin Chairman, David Richards explains: “Investindustrial’s new investment reflects and sustains the unique position of Aston Martin within the industry. With this partnership and the continued commitment of The Investment Dar, we look forward to working with our shareholders as we realise our vision and exciting future plans.â€
Andrea C Bonomi, Senior Principal at Investindustrial, comments: “We are delighted to form part of this iconic global, but quintessentially British brand. We are looking forward to working with the management and Investment Dar to achieve a similar transformation and rejuvenation that we achieved with Ducati, by expanding the model range and strengthening the dealership network, throughout the world.â€
Aston Martin is based in Gaydon, Warwickshire and employs 1600 people. It is the world’s only luxury sportscar brand not be underpinned by a major manufacturer. This independence allows it to forge unique model lines, but means it cannot share development costs among other platforms.
Aston Martin’s majority shareholder, Kuwait Investment Dar, is offering up 50% of the prestige manufacturer. This pleases the Italian conglomerate Investindustrial and the Indian manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra, who are fighting it out over boardroom tables.
It’s being reported Investindustrial is offering £250m to play with James Bond’s toys, while Mahindra & Mahindra are prepared to better that offer. However, Investindustrial’s ability to offer a technological partnership with Mercedes-Benz, possibly through their performance arm AMG, may be enough to win the deal.
A decision is expected in the coming days.
[Source: The Telegraph]
We hate the Aston Martin Cygnet. So much so we choose to refer to it as the Cynical. Our thoughts have been proved correct, too, with word Aston Martin is prepared to stuff a 6.0 litre V12 into its tiny bonnet if enough idiots are prepared to cough up the cash.
Remind us, what was the point of this car again?
[Source: Autocar]