[car fanatics]

Autocar
Photo credit: Autocar
February 22, 2012
By: CF staff

Autocar, the world’s most respected car magazine, this week became the first publication in the world to sample the £1.4 million Aston One-77 on the road and track.

During the ride, Autocar’s editor-in-chief Steve Cropley hit 196mph on Aston’s test track while being driven by Aston’s chief development driver Chris Porritt. The One-77 is super light thanks to extensive use of aluminium and carbon fibre, and is powered by a 700bhp 7.3-litre V12 engine.

“The Aston One-77 is a complete surprise to me, for its sheer single mindedness and its raw driver appeal,” said Cropley. “It is a driving challenge, never a pushover. My respect for squillionaires – or at least for 77 of them – has just gone up and I kind of wish I was one.”

Just 77 Aston One-77s will be built – and so far 65 have been delivered and just one right-hand drive car remains. Aston company principal Ulrich Bez has decreed that only potential customers can drive the car until they have all sold out.

Steve Cropley recounts the full experience in Autocar magazine, on sale Wednesday, February 22, with an exclusive video and pictures available on http://www.autocar.co.uk

Background information

“To create a car closer to art than the automobile. That was the aim,” says Marek Reichman, Director of Design, Aston Martin.

“The One-77 is the culmination of this endeavour. A car sublime in every detail. Aston Martin has a rich heritage of craftsmanship; One-77 builds on this, seamlessly blending the highest calibre of contemporary engineering with the craft and beauty of the artisan’s work. It is the very essence of Aston Martin.

“One-77 fuses advanced technology with stunning design to create possibly the world’s most desirable automotive art form.”