Business conditions might not be ideal, but that has never stopped Aston Martin from turning out even more radical cars.
The British brand’s limited-edition vehicles show Aston Martin at its best, and its One-77 is a choice example. Now Aston’s inhouse customization department, Q, has made a single example of the exceeding rare One-77, completely unique.
Using the front-engined One-77 supercar platform, Q’s incredible creation is called Victor and it majors on having more design presence that even the most ardent Aston fan could imagine.
Designers and craftspeople at Q were given an unrestrained brief to create a modern version of the brand’s classic 1970s and early 1980s two-door performance cars. The result is magnificent, with round headlights, ridiculous side skirts, side exhausts and a ridiculously oversize tail section. It even has honeycomb spoke wheels.
If you are a dedicated follower of all things Aston Martin and knowledgeable of James Bond movie cars, this Victor's modernization of the period V8 Vantage theme will be heartening.
The Q department’s design nous is evident inside the cabin, too, with green leather and generous carbon-fibre panelling.
Beyond the monumental design upgrades, Q has also managed to give Victor enhanced performance and driving dynamics – not an easy feat, considering original One-77’s already stupendous level of engineering.
The massive 7.3-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine benefits from a full rebuild and Cosworth tuning upgrade, increasing peak power from 559- to 623 kW, with torque correspondingly up by 71 units to 821 Nm.
All that power is channelled to the rear wheels via a Graziano sourced six-speed manual transmission. Yes, a manual shifter for managing the torque output and rear-axle interaction of a 7.3-litre V12 powered car. This is truly Aston at its finest.
To ensure transmission durability the Victor features dual transmission coolers and a competition-grade clutch.
Like the original One-77 this Victor has inboard pushrod suspension, with upgraded Vulcan track car dampers, and at each wheel corner, there are six-piston carbon-ceramic brakes to control the car’s dynamic momentum.
Pricing for this custom One-77 is allegedly at a level not worth discussing for those who are not in the position, to make serious offers. Succinctly: it costs a lot.
And the name? Well, it is understood to pay homage to Victor Gauntlett, who was the boss of Aston Martin when it engineered and launched the original, and deeply iconic, V8 Vantage.
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