- Aston Martin's lightweight Speedster appears from this just-released sketch to have no windscreen or roof.
- The new V12 Speedster was inspired by the CC100 concept and the 1950s DBR1 race car.
- Pricing is unconfirmed but will be more than $1 million, with only 88 buyers to get one and deliveries expected in early 2021.
Do the ultrawealthy hate windshields? Or do they particularly enjoy the taste of raw insects, delivered at high velocities? It's not a supposition we would have considered beyond growing evidence from the world's priciest carmakers that there is just such a demand. Aston Martin has just revealed a sketch of a forthcoming Speedster model that appears to carry no weather protection. Add that to Ferrari's introduction last year of the equally naked Monza, and McLaren's announcement late last year of the similarly stripped Elva, and it makes one wonder.
The Aston will be rarer than either of the alternatives: the British sports-car maker says it plans to build just 88 examples of the V12 Speedster, compared to 399 Elvas and up to 499 of the Monza SP1 and SP2. But buyers will still need to be extremely rich—we're told to expect a seven figure price tag—and be willing to wear helmets or goggles while driving their car unless they want to risk injury from flying road debris.
Although it is launching its production car last, Aston actually beat both McLaren and Ferrari with the initial idea, as demonstrated by the CC100 Speedster concept that was shown back in 2013 to celebrate the company's 100th anniversary. The sketch of the V12 Speedster shows substantial differences, including a more aggressive nose and an upward rake to the rear bodywork, but the connection is acknowledged in the official press release, which also cites as inspiration the 1959 DBR1, which won both the 1959 Le Mans 24 Hours and Nürburgring 1000 Kilometers.
Only limited technical details have been released at this point. We're told that the V12 Speedster will use the twin-turbocharged 5.2-liter V-12 that is fitted to the DB11 and DBS Superleggera and which will have power and torque peaks of around 690 horsepower and 516 lb-ft. This will use the same rear-mounted eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox as seen in its roof-wearing relatives.
The official announcement promises "advanced materials" but gives no more details. It's a safe bet that the V12 Speedster's chassis will use the same bonded aluminum construction as Aston's other models, and given the price point, we imagine it will use carbon-fiber bodywork, as the CC100 did. The sketch isn't detailed enough to show whether the Speedster will have conventional doors or will offer a similar lifting top-bar arrangement to that was fitted to the earlier show car.
Deliveries to customers will begin in the first quarter of 2021. Just make sure to arrange delivery to whichever one of your many houses enjoys the best weather.