Aston Martin with the new Cygnets into the fifth annual Eco-Rally

Aston Martin enters two new Cygnets into the fifth annual Bridgestone Eco-Rally this weekend. In the marque’s debut appearance at the event, the Cygnets will cement their place as the ultimate city cars, a tailor-fit solution for urban driving.

The Bridgestone Eco-Rally will allow spectators and enthusiasts a chance to see the Cygnets as they pass from the heart of Oxford to central London. The rally showcases the world’s best eco-friendly vehicles in association with ‘Start’, an initiative inspired by HRH The Prince of Wales to celebrate eco-friendly living.

Hand-crafted for the city with the highest quality materials and attention to detail, Cygnet is bespoke, exclusive, and offers a degree of choice not previously available in a small package, coupled with carbon emissions of just 116 g/km and fuel economy of 56.5 mpg.



One of the Cygnets entering the event will be dressed in Seychelles Blue, the paint colour of the Aston Martin DB6 Mark II Volante recently driven by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their wedding day. Aside from the two formal entries, a third Cygnet will also be supporting the event in eye-catching ‘Flouro Orange’, the hallmark of London-based designer Tom Dixon.

Driven by Aston Martin Racing regular, Darren Turner and David King, Aston Martin’s Director of Special Projects and Motorsport, the two Cygnets will be on the extended route from Exeter College, Oxford to The Mall, London.

Darren Turner is looking forward to the prospect of driving the Cygnet at the weekend: “I have been a fan of Cygnet from the start. It’s a great city car, easy to manoeuvreand park and a lot of fun to drive.”


David King said: “To drive Cygnet in a busy city is to experience a car ideally suited to its environment. Cygnet is tiny, with impressively low emissions but with all the style and craftsmanship of the finest luxury cars.”

“I’m looking forward to demonstrating Cygnet on the Bridgestone Eco-Rally, maybe it’s my one and only chance to beat Darren Turner!”

The rally begins on Broad Street, Oxford at 10:00 and concludes at 14:30 on the 31st July.



| Aston Martin

Sir Stirling Moss and his newly purchased Aston Martin Cygnet

At the prestigious Royal Automobile Club last night, international motorsport legend, Sir Stirling Moss took delivery of his newly purchased Aston Martin Cygnet; a surprise birthday present for wife, Lady Moss.

One of the closest teams in motorsport for many years, Sir Stirling and Lady Moss planned a private celebratory dinner on the eve of her birthday at the Royal Automobile Club in its clubhouse the century old, ‘palace on Pall Mall’ in London. On arrival they were met with the sight of the new Aston Martin Cygnet on display in the magnificent central rotunda – the culmination of six months planning and ‘secret’ correspondence between Sir Stirling and Aston Martin to plan a surprise birthday present for Lady Moss.



Sir Stirling Moss said: “My greatest partner in everything that I do, Susie is an amazing person and frankly the best wife a man could have. Since seeing a pre-production Cygnet in January I knew that it was the perfect car for Susie; a proper little piece of British luxury and perfect for our life in town.”

Hand-crafted at Aston Martin’s headquarters in Gaydon, taking 150 hours to complete, the Aston Martin Cygnet shares much in terms of design and craftsmanship with the company’s sports cars. Elegant and distinctive, individual and practical, the Aston Martin Cygnet is the ultimate Tailor-Fit solution for city living. Launched in May 2011 with first customer orders arriving at European dealers now, Cygnet is hand-crafted for the city and like every Aston Martin it can be uniquely personalised to suit individual taste and style, bringing a new level of luxury and bespoke capability to city cars.


Specifications for Lady Moss’s car include Sir Stirling’s choice of Aston Martin Racing Green, harking back to the company’s sports cars that Sir Stirling raced in the 1950s, as the paint colour. This iconic exterior has been complemented by a simple and elegant interior hand crafted in Obsidian Black leather with a contrasting coarse silver stitch, forming a typically understated combination.

Adding to the occasion and its ongoing theme of long standing relationships with the marque, the Cygnet has been supplied through HWM Aston Martin, based in Walton-on- Thames, who were appointed as an official Aston Martin dealer in 1951. The longest serving of the company’s global network of 134 dealers, HWM Aston Martin was started 60 years ago by fellow Aston Martin Works Driver George Abecassis who actually gave Sir Stirling his first Grand Prix drives in 1951/52 in HWM-built cars.

Sir Stirling’s own driving career with Aston Martin saw him drive a number of the company’s racing cars including the famous DB3S and DBR1 models with great success. This culminated in being part of the factory team that in 1959 secured the company the World Sportscar Championship following victories in the DBR1 at such prestigious races as the Le Mans 24-hour.




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Aston Martin V12 Zagato, to production

Aston Martin confirms production of a strictly limited number of the new V12 Zagato following its successful unveilings. After winning the award for Design in the Concepts and Prototypes class at the prestigious Villa D’ Este Concours and then going on to prove its durability with the successful completion of the gruelling 39th ADAC Nürburgring 24 Hour race, Aston Martin confirms that there is overwhelmingly encouraging interest from customers to confirm production of the V12 Zagato.

Based on the acclaimed V12 Vantage and sporting a beautifully handcrafted aluminium and carbon fibre body, the V12 Zagato will be produced in very limited numbers for discerning customers. Orders are now being taken on a strictly first come first served basis and production is expected to commence during summer 2012 at Aston Martin’s global headquarters at Gaydon, Warwickshire.

Gallery: Aston Martin Zagato V12

Of the V12 Zagato, Aston Martin’s Chief Executive Dr. Ulrich Bez, said: “Such style, exclusivity and fastidious craftsmanship ensures it will be one of the most highly coveted models in Aston Martin’s 98-year history. A fabulous celebration of the iconic DB4GT Zagato, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, the V12 Zagato is the perfect inspiration for the next 50 years of Aston Martin.”

In honour of the performance and racing heritage of previous collaborations, the first two V12 Zagatos were developed as endurance race cars from the start and went into their track debut just a week after being shown to the public for the first time on the shores of Lake Como, Italy at the Villa D’Este Concours.

Entering the new V12 Zagatos in this year’s Nürburgring 24 Hour on 25th/26th June extended the company’s racing philosophy at the famous circuit. For five years Aston Martin has signed-off its new products by entering a car which is as close to the road car as possible and subjecting it to the toughest 24 hour test on what best simulates the extremities of public roads. This year went a step further by testing two cars at their prototype stage; combining forces to successfully cover more than 230 laps and over 3,700 miles in the 24 hour race at what Sir Jackie Stewart famously called ‘The Green Hell’.

Since opening in 2003, 13 new major production car Aston Martins have been developed and successfully brought to production at Gaydon, demonstrating the company’s ability to engineer and bring to reality cars in a shortened period of time. Design work on the V12 Zagato began in mid-2010 with initial engineering following in January 2011.

True to both Aston Martin and Zagato, the V12 Zagato is the pinnacle of a special and exclusive offering which matches its long standing heritage with the technology and craftsmanship of today.

Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s Director of Design said: "The V12 Zagato is an elegant yet brutal design which reflects the great balance between race performance and pure Aston Martin style.

“The original DB4GT Zagato was a true icon, powerful and graceful; the new design is a true representation of the spirit of DB4GT Zagato. The muscular organic forms define the thoroughbred nature of the car’s racing credentials."

Featuring a handcrafted aluminium and carbon fibre body, the V12 Zagato delivers a beautiful and muscular design not possible using pre-formed panel techniques. Using the influences and skill of nearly 100 years of heritage in the craft, every aluminium panel was formed using an English wheel and traditionally crafted body bucks. Iconic Zagato design cues include the double bubble roof created in this case from five separate pieces illustrating further the intensity of craftsmanship involved in the construction of the V12 Zagato.

Designed for the focused driver, the V12 Zagato has been honed with pure driving enjoyment in mind. The V12 Zagato combines Aston Martin’s most dynamic bonded aluminium platform with the power of the 6.0-litre V12 engine producing 510 bhp (380 kW / 517 PS), and 570 Nm (420 lb ft) of torque.

The strictly limited Aston Martin V12 Zagato is on sale now, priced at £330,000 GBP (exc. local taxes) with first deliveries expected from the second half of 2012.

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El jefe de Aston Martin subastará su Rapide por Japón

Aston Martin Chief Executive Dr. Ulrich Bez is to auction his company Rapide at this year’s annual Bonhams auction at Newport Pagnell, with all proceeds to go to charities providing aid to victims of the recent earthquakes and Tsunami in Japan. In support of the initiative, Bonhams has also committed to waiver its commission on this lot.

Dr Ulrich Bez said: ”Nobody could have failed to be moved by the recent events in Japan and we at Aston Martin are no exception. After many years presence in the market and closer ties being forged with the Japanese automotive business in recent projects, we have many friends in the region and we wanted to do something to help.


“The Bonhams Aston Martin Auction seems the perfect platform to encourage the extended Aston Martin family to support this cause, so we have decided to auction my Rapide which I have used in my role as Chief Executive to represent Aston Martin at numerous events in both UK and Europe. I hope this superb car will raise a substantial amount to help make a difference.”

Since it’s unveiling in production form at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2009 the Aston Martin Rapide has been widely acclaimed as the world’s most elegant four-door sports car. Functional yet luxurious it provides space for up to four adults but with the engaging driving experience synonymous with all Aston Martins. Quickly established as a firm favourite with customers and critics alike, the Aston Martin Rapide, recently affirmed its position as one of the most beautiful cars on sale today after being voted 2011 World Car Design of the Year at the New York International Auto Show by a jury of 66 international journalists.

Chassis number ‘F00039’ is a UK specification, right hand drive Aston Martin Rapide built in late 2009 for the exclusive business use of Dr Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin's Chief Executive Officer since 2000. This luxuriously specified car is finished in Concours Blue Paint, with an Obsidian Black leather interior stitched in Falcon Grey, and black carpets. The fascia is trimmed in walnut veneer. The Rapide also has heated and cooled front and rear seats, an integrated garage door opener and the rear seat entertainment system incorporating a twin-screen DVD system and infrared headphones.

The 2011 Bonhams Aston Martin Auction opens from 9am on Saturday 21st May at Aston Martin Works Service in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire.

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