The History and Evolution of the Aston Martin One-77
The Aston Martin One-77 is the British manufacturer’s flagship two seat sports car. The two door was first revealed in 2008, making its debut at thee 2008 Paris Motor Show. This was just a peek under the Savile Row tailored skirt, which kept the vehicle partly obscured until it was fully ready to make a full appearance that would come in 2009 at the Geneva Motor Show. It would be yet another two years before it deliveries commenced to fill orders for the dream car
Limited production
A total of 77 examples of this fine automobile were manufactured. The asking price was 1,150,000 in British pounds. The tracking of these special editions was so intense that when a May 2012 crash in Hong Kong claimed a member of this elite group, it was officially recorded, bringing the number in existence to 76.
One-77 inspirations
Aston Martin produced a naturally aspirated 7.3 litre V12 engine kicking out 750 hp of raw power. It was proclaimed the most powerful in its class at the time of the first deliveries of the One-77 series. The automaker gave it a beefed up version of the 6 speed automated manual transmission from the DB9. Pirelli P Zero tires were stock along with Carbon Ceramic Matrix brakes and a height adjustable push rod suspension and dynamic stability control. Merci Multimatic of Canada for the manufacture of thee carbon fiber chassis and suspension system. 2009 testing confirmed that this highly attractive beast scorched the track with an acceleration of zero to sixty in 3.5 seconds with a top speed of 220 mph.
Award winning progression
The Aston Martin One-77 is no stranger to the red carpet. A star in its own right, it has been the recipient of multiple accolades since its entrance into the world. The outstanding design earned it the Good Design award bestowed by the Museum of Architecture and Design in North America’s Chicago Athenauem, with yet another Best Design award from Auto Express, a UK motoring magazine. It also placed high in the competition for Concept Cars and Prototypes, winning an additional design award from the Concorso d’Eleganza, among many others.
Q Series limited edition
The One-77 was reaching the end of its intended production cycle when Aston Martin made the decision to personalize just seven special versions of the One-77 in the Q series. Although not officially confirmed, it is believed that the production of 7 examples designated as Q series intended to coincide with the liveries which were selected to appear on each of these special edition vehicles.
Vehicle liveries
- Black paint, black 10 spoke wheels with two tone interior in red and black with a front fascia red stripe and dark red wing mirrors
- Solid white paint, silver 12 spoke wheels, two tone red and black interior, double body stripe in red
- Solid white paint, silver 10 spoke wheels, interior in black front fascia red striping and black wing mirrors.
- Metallic gray paint, black 10 spoke wheels two tone interior in red and black and front fascia red stripe.
As for the rest of the specifications and figures for performance, they’re in line with the original One-77. The major difference between the editions is the price tag which in USD came out to around $2.9 million in 2012. With just 7 in existence, it seems like a bargain.
Was this Aston Martin’s most ambitious effort?
According to fans and critics, it was. The guided architecture received numerous awards as it embodies the attributes of a race car morphed into a touring car with stunning styling and indisputable class and elegance. This doesn’t yet touch on the powerhouse packed within its innards. Add customization on top of everything else and if you had the cash, you had the very best on the planet. A super car that performed flawlessly for a superb example of art in motion with form following function.
From a historical perspective, the One-77 conjured excitement when leaks of its plans hit the media. Just a peek at the 2008 Paris Motor Show fanned the sparks that were ignited by the rumors and even in its infancy, potential buyers were lining up to secure their interest in the limited edition super car. By the time the car was fully revealed in 2009, every car was spoken for and waiting two years didn’t seem a tragedy for the joy that was to come upon delivery. The Aston Martin One-77 was truly the car maker’s finest hour in the history of the company.
