Aston Martin One-77: Automotive Art

The One-77 is built around an immensely light, rigid and expensive hand- laid carbon fibre ‘tub’, just like an F1 car. Total weight will be under 1500kgs, impressive for such a big, powerful machine, and each car will take 1500 hours to assemble at Aston’s Gaydon HQ. The first deliveries start early next year.

The manic, 750bhp, 7.3-litre V12 engine is deafening, and has the bite to match the bark. Developed by F1 engine builder Cosworth from Aston’s standard V12, it will take the One-77 to 60mph in under 3.5 seconds and on to beyond 220mph. The One-77 will gulp cold air through the trademark Aston grille and the bold slashes cut into the side of its nose. In a revolutionary, weight-saving measure the air will be carried through the carbon chassis to be distributed to the engine and brakes, and a full underbody aero package will suck the One-77 to the road at high speed. The engine has been mounted low for a better centre of gravity, and well back in the chassis for better handling. Despite being front-engined, 51 per cent of the weight rests on the rear axle to help get all that power down cleanly. And to haul it back from beyond 220mph the One-77 gets very expensive, very light carbon-ceramic matrix brake discs. They offer utterly impassive stopping power and never have to be replaced; you wouldn’t want to have to pay for them twice.