Murray Motor Company
WELCOME
Welcome to Murray Motor Company Aston Martin, Edinburgh.
Murray Motor Company has an enviable reputation for quality,
commitment and customer satisfaction. Today we stand as one
of the longest serving Aston Martin authorised dealers in the
UK. Our comprehensive range of services and facilities can
accommodate all needs and requirements.
We are always striving to find new and exciting ways of making
the business of owning and running an Aston Martin more
rewarding. Murray Motor Company seeks to achieve the
same excellent standards through our commitment to
customer service.
Rodger Laing
General Manager
LOCATION
N
Gogar Station Road
South Gyle Cresent
Bankhead Drive
M8
M8
Cultins Road
Bankhead Terr
.
Bankhead Crossway N
Sighthill
Park
A71 - Calder Road
Bankhead Ave
A71
A71 - Calder Road
Murray Motor Company
Bankhead Drive
Sighthill
Edinburgh
EH11 4DJ
Tel: 0131 442 2800
Fax: 0131 468 7219
Opening times
Mon-Fri: 9.00 - 18.00
Sat: 9.00 - 17.00
Sun:
By appointment
www.murrayastonmartin.co.uk
murraymotorco@jmgroup.co.uk
OUR SALES DEPARTMENT
Our Aston Martin sales team encapsulates many years of knowledge and expertise with
Aston Martin. Whether you are looking for a new or pre-owned Aston Martin, we will be
delighted to arrange a test drive.
We are fully equipped to offer you very competitive finance quotations, and our Sales
Specialists are well qualified to advise you on the most efficient way of funding your
chosen Aston Martin. We welcome the opportunity to consider current vehicles for partexchange,
and aim to offer you the very best valuations.
In choosing your new Aston Martin you will have access to the specification room,
situated within Murray Motor Company’s purpose built showroom. You can take full
advantage of the facilities available, to ensure that your new Aston Martin is built to your
exact and unique specifications. Before you finalise your order, you will have the unique
opportunity to view the configuration on the state-of-the-art order screen.
Alternatively, if it is a pre-owned Aston Martin that you are looking for, you will find that
we have an excellent stock of high quality pre-owned models available to choose from.
ASTON MARTIN AFTERSALES
Our Aftersales Department has the facilities to provide you with an outstanding level of commitment and care. Our factory-trained vehicle
technicians ensure that we meet Aston Martin’s exacting standards in Service and Vehicle Care and Maintenance. To make servicing and
repairs as convenient as possible for you, we offer a collection and delivery service. We also offer a courtesy car facility for your use, subject
to availability. Before your Aston Martin is returned to you it will be treated to a complimentary valet.
Our experienced team look forward to hearing from you, and providing for all your Aston Martin aftersales requirements.
SERVICE DEPARTMENT
Murray Motor Company’s Service Department has the experience, passion and ability to care for any Aston Martin, with exquisite
skill and attention to detail. We know that our clients expect nothing less and, with Aston Martin trained technicians ready to deal
with any of your servicing needs, you can be happy that your Aston Martin will be in safe hands. We are here to provide you with
superb value and a personalised service.
As you would expect, we have extremely high standards at Murray Motor Company’s Service Department; standards which
encompass attention to detail, quality of work and engineering excellence.
Whatever your needs, we can help.
FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS
The John Martin Group, one of Scotland’s most prominent and
respected privately-owned motor businesses, takes its name
from the man who founded it, Chairman John Martin.
Having served his apprenticeship as a motor mechanic with
Rossleigh, John Martin established his own servicing business in
a lock-up in a lane in Edinburgh. The lock-up was the Group’s
real foundation, from which John Martin established his own
benchmark of always going the ‘extra mile’ for customers. He
went on from here to sell his very first new car in 1968, a Volvo
from a garage in Edinburgh which he had named ‘Belmont’ after
a rather imposing house in the same area.
After almost 40 years, the Belmont name continues to live on in
the Edinburgh dealership network, expanding from its humble
origins to a multi-franchise group with turnover in excess of
£160 million, and multiple sites across Scotland. The Group
is now one of Scotland’s top 200 businesses. The additional
trading names of Murray Motor Company and JM Accident
Repair Centres have joined the fold over the past four decades
and represent many franchises across the country, incorporating
some of the most prestigious names in our business. We are one
of the select few companies in the UK to have represented Aston
Martin for over 20 years.
Spanning the Central Belt of Scotland, the Borders and Grampian
region, the Group now employs over 600 staff who together
deliver over 16,000 new and used cars each year, and ensure
the maintenance and care of many more.
ASTON
MARTIN
COLLECTION
ASTON MARTIN COLLECTION
The pace of development across the company, and ultimately our cars, is
unparalleled to anything we have ever done before. We are now poised upon
the threshold of something that is truly special.
Inspired by this new direction, we have created the Collection – a diverse
and exclusive range of fashion accessories and merchandise.
Each piece has been carefully selected to ensure it embodies the qualities
of style and exclusivity synonymous with Aston Martin, whilst reflecting the
unique philosophies of design and craftsmanship for which Aston Martin is
renowned the world over.
The Collection includes timeless art pieces of stunning and innovative
photography, a children’s range of clothing, executive pen and pencil sets
and accessories. There are also beautiful and luxurious mens’, ladies’ and
unisex fashion items, all with the subtle Aston Martin stamp of excellence.
The Leather Collection includes wallets, purses, organisers, business
portfolios, journals and notepads - all encased in the highest quality leather,
most being embossed with the Aston Martin logo.
Individually handmade nubuck leather holdalls in a choice of four bright
colours, exclusively designed by Aston Martin, are a must for any trip -
business or pleasure - as are our custom-made range of travel items. For more
information on the pricing of any items, please take a look at our website.
HISTORY OF ASTON MARTIN
1913 Bamford & Martin Ltd founded in London
1914 Aston Martin is born, following success at Aston Hill Climb
1915 First Aston Martin is registered
1921 First Works competition car makes its appearance
1922 Aston Martin makes first appearance
overseas at French Grand Prix
1924 Charnwood family lend financial support
1925 Company forced to close
1926 Aston Martin Motors Ltd is formed & sets up in Feltham
1928 First entry at the Le Mans 24 hour race
1931 Bertelli temporarily ‘pawns’ his company to finance the
Works cars
1932 Sutherland family take over the company
1937 140 cars built – the highest pre-war production figure
1939 The Atom is built
1946 Company advertised for sale in The Times
1947 David Brown buys Aston Martin Motors Ltd & Lagonda
1948 The Spa Special wins the Spa 24 hour race.
Aston Martin 2 litre is built
1949 Two DB2 prototypes enter Le Mans &
one is placed in its class
1950 DB2 goes into production
1951 DB2 comes 1st, 2nd & 3rd in the 3 litre class at Le Mans
1953 DB2/4 goes into production – the first 2+2 seater
1954 David Brown buys Tickfords & moves
production to Newport Pagnell
1955 DB2/4 Mark II goes into production
1956 During this & the following three years,
four DBR1 race cars are built for competition
1957 DB Mark III goes into production
1958 DB4 goes into production
1959 Aston Martin wins World Sportscar Championship
in the DBR1 following wins at the 1000kms at the
Nurburgring, Le Mans & the RAC Tourist Trophy
1963 Roy Salvadori wins at Monza in a1963 DB4GT.
DB5 goes into production
1965 DB6 goes into production
1967 DBS goes into production
1969 DB6 Mark II & DBSV8 go into production
1972 David Brown forced to sell & Company
Developments takes over. Aston Martin Vantage
& Aston Martin V8 go into production
1975 Receivership declared & company rescued by
consortium led by Peter Sprague & George Minden.
Production hits an all time low of 21
1976 William Towns-designed Lagonda unveiled
1977 V8 Vantage goes into production
1978 V8 Volante goes into production
1980 Towns’ Lagonda goes into production
1981 Victor Gauntlett & Pace Petroleum take over
1983 Victor Gauntlett is backed financially
by the Livanos shipping family
1986 V8 Vantage Zagato goes into production
1987 V8 Volante Zagato goes into production.
Ford Motor Company takes a 75% shareholding
1989 Works supported AMR1 comes 6th in the World Championship
1990 Virage production starts
1991 Victor Gauntlett resigns & is replaced by Walter Hayes
1992 Virage Volante goes into production
1993 Vantage goes into production
1994 Ford Motor Company acquires 100% holding
in Aston Martin. DB7 goes into production
1996 DB7 Volante & V8 Coupé go into production
1997 V8 Volante goes into production
1998 First dedicated Aston Martin Showroom in UK
is opened by Stirling Moss & Bob Dover
at Lancaster Sevenoaks
1999 V8 Vantage Le Mans & DB7 Vantage go into production
2001 5,000th DB7 is built, V12 Vanquish goes into production
2002 After almost 15 years, Aston Martin renews its relationship
with legendary Italian coachbuilders Zagato to
produce the Ltd edition DB7 Zagato
2003 Aston Martin unveil the AMV8 Vantage
concept car at the Detroit Motor Show.
DB9 goes into production.
Gaydon manufacturing facility is officially opened,
it is the first purpose built factory for Aston Martin
2004 The new Aston Martin Engine Plant in Cologne
is officially opened. It is the first dedicated
engine production facility in Aston Martin’s history.
DB9 Volante goes into production.
Vanquish S launched at Paris Motorshow.
Aston Martin announces a return to
International Motorsport with DBR9
2005 Aston Martin wins GT1 class at 12 Hours of Sebring.
DBR9 wins the Tourist Trophy outright at Silverstone and
makes successful return to Le Mans 24 Hours with fourth
consecutive podium finish.
V8 Vantage goes into production
2006 Aston Martin unveils the Rapide Concept, the first
four door coupé. Aston Martin unveils the DBS which is
used by James Bond in Casino Royale
2007 Aston Martin claims historic victory at Le Mans, for the
first time since 1959.
A consortium led by David Richards,
founder and chairman of Prodrive, buy Aston Martin
ASTON MARTIN & JAMES BOND
James Bond is synonymous with power, style, excellence and an unmistakable British
sophistication. It is no surprise, therefore, that this British institution continually
chooses to put this infamous character behind the wheel of an Aston Martin.
The films have a special fondness for the DB5; it is best known for being the first and
most famous James Bond car, making its unforgettable debut as the gadget ridden
flagship car in Goldfinger with Sean Connery in 1964. The following year, the same
DB5 continued its partnership with Sean Connery’s James Bond in Thunderball.
During the 1970s and early 1980s there was a lull in the Aston Martin/James Bond
relationship, which was renewed for the 1987 film, The Living Daylights; allowing
007 to sample the Newport Pagnell V8.
Then, in 1995, the DB5 blasted back onto our screens with Pierce Brosnan as our
hero in Goldeneye. Each new Bond car had more and more impressive gadgets and
upgrades from the one before. Tomorrow Never Dies was the next Bond feature to
use the DB5, followed by The World Is Not Enough, where the appearance was brief,
in 1999. The Vanquish also made an unforgettable appearance during this period.
That brings us round to the stunning gadget-free DB5 in 2006’s Casino Royale, which
Bond wins from his enemy in a game of cards. This film was the prequel to all the
other Bond films, and so this displays to the audience how Bond was introduced to,
and began his relationship with, Aston Martin. It is in this feature that the stunning
new DBS made its debut with new Bond, Daniel Craig.
GAYDON HEADQUARTERS - THE FACTORY
The dynamic architecture of Aston Martin’s headquarters at Gaydon, in England’s historic Warwickshire, symbolises optimism
and confidence.
The building is the embodiment of Aston Martin and its cars, reflecting the power of the idea, the aesthetic and inner beauty of
technically advanced solutions, and the very soul that comes from the hands that create pure sports cars.
With ample space to manufacture up to 5000 cars a year, the Gaydon Factory is a quality investment for Aston Martin and the
people associated with the marque - employees and customers alike. The splendid building offers space for not only extreme
attention to detail and workmanship on each individual car, but the breathtaking entrance hall provides Aston Martin with the
opportunity to display heritage vehicles alongside vehicles straight from the factory.
What strikes a person when
approaching the Gaydon Headquarters
is the refreshingly unusual drawbridge
over the moat, and the staggeringly
impressive castle-like grandeur of the
building which goes with it. Designed
by the Weedon Partnership and clad
in sandstone and glass; the outside is
dramatic, majestic and exciting.
Once over the drawbridge and inside,
you enter the atrium, a vast and naturally
lit two-storey space decorated in
travertine marble.
Leading from the atrium is a double
height walkway that leads to the factory
floor, the walls here are decorated with
vast Aston Martin images.
V8 VANTAGE ROADSTER
The V8 Vantage Roadster represents the essence of pure driving
pleasure. It is a compact sports car that offers an astonishing
blend of performance and exhilaration, a vehicle with two distinct
personalities: open and invigorating, or closed, cosseting and
protective.
The key to any great sports car is the engine. This new V8 has been
specifically designed and developed for the Vantage Roadster and
Vantage Coupé. Hand assembled at Aston Martin’s purpose-built
engine facility in Cologne, Germany, it is a light, compact, all-alloy
unit – high performance yet ultra-responsive, even at the lower end
of the rev range. Its maximum torque is an impressive 410 Nm
(302 lb ft) @ 5000 rpm, 75 per cent of which is delivered at just
1500 rpm – barely more than idle – making the Roadster extremely
tractable and great fun to drive. Push harder, and that V8 engine
revs freely, delivering refined, exhilarating pace.
The Vantage Roadster is a unique and singular design statement
that has been styled and engineered to excel from every angle.
The fabric hood stows neatly beneath a metal tonneau cover, its
lines blending seamlessly into the muscular rear haunches of this
luxuriously powerful vehicle. Strong and smooth; the Vantage
Roadster’s unique stance and balance come from within. The car
uses Aston Martin’s unique VH architecture to provide its structural
backbone. Sophisticated materials such as lightweight alloys,
magnesium and advanced composites help to reduce weight and
create the Vantage Roadster’s class-leading rigidity.
Like all Aston Martins, the Vantage Roadster is hand-assembled
and hand-finished, allowing its designers freedom to produce an
impeccable formation, without the constraints and inflexibility of
mass production. Only craftsmen can deliver the design details
and level of finish that Aston Martin engineers and designers
demand. For instance, the bonnet of the Vantage Roadster has shut
lines that travel all the way to the front of the vehicle, without the
need for a separate nose cone, creating a cleaner, crisper design.
Furthermore, the Roadster uses metal mesh grilles and trims instead
of the typical plastic alternatives. Integrity is a cornerstone at
Aston Martin and we believe that everything has to be right.
The new Sportshift feature of Aston Martin, which is available
for both the Roadster and the Coupé, adds electro-hydraulic
control to the car’s 6-speed manual transmission. This means
there are improved shift times and the conventional manual
gear lever is now replaced with push button controls on the
centre console to select auto drive, reverse or neutral.
Manual gear changes are selected in Paddle Shift Mode - this
new ultra-quick system provides the driver with heightened
precision via fingertip control of gear changes using steering
column mounted paddles, forged from lightweight magnesium,
to progress smoothly and swiftly through the ratios.
Sportshift offers gear changes up to three times faster than
the standard manual transmission already available, with the
driving enthusiast able to access precision gearshifts in around
200m/s. To adapt to all driving conditions, an additional
‘Comfort’ mode offering a more relaxed gear change features,
which is selected via a single button on the centre console.
Sportshift functionality is also enhanced with a low speed
‘crawl’ feature, which acts as a manoeuvring aid, gently
engaging the clutch to move the car up to 4mph - allowing
the driver to focus on positioning, rather than throttle control,
when parking. Additionally, Sportshift includes a user-selected
‘Auto Drive’ mode which, when operated, will take full control
of the timing of all changes and select the appropriate gear for
all conditions.
Equipped with Sportshift, the Vantage Roadster retains its
low polar moment of inertia and excellent balance, with a
negligible increase in overall weight and minimal impact to
the Roadster’s optimal 49:51 weight distribution. Equally, top
end performance is unchanged, at 280 km/h (175 mph).
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49 BEDROOMS BAR & BISTRO ALFRESCO & PRIVATE DINING CIGAR SHACK
WEDDINGS EVENTS & MEETINGS FIELD SPORTS OUTSTANDING CELLAR
V8 VANTAGE
Aston Martin unveiled the production version of its eagerly
awaited V8 Vantage at the 2005 Geneva International Motor
Show. First shown as a concept car at the 2003 North American
International Auto Show in Detroit, the V8 Vantage immediately
caused a worldwide sensation.
The exterior of the V8 Vantage is beautiful and perfectly
proportioned from every angle, with a low purposeful stance.
Each carefully detailed feature provides graphic evidence of the
painstaking craftsmanship and quality which is synonymous with
the Aston Martin marque.
The long bonnet and two-seater cabin creates an instantly
recognisable stance, while minimal front and rear overhangs,
combined with a wide track, appear to push the rear wheels
out and enhance the extremities of the bodywork. At the rear,
a hatchback offers practicality not normally found in sports cars
of this type.
The V8 Vantage is a two-seater, with the rear environment offering
a large luggage shelf area accessed by a tailgate.
Inside, Aston Martin’s craftsmanship is matched by striking 21st
century style. The dials are made from aluminium and, together
with the switchgear, have a very distinct design and unique Aston
Martin look and feel.
The V8 Vantage has endured the most extensive testing and
development programme in the Company’s history, during which
78 Prototypes were vigorously tested over 1.5 million miles.
In Dubai, over 12,000 miles of testing was carried out where
ambient temperatures regularly hit 48 o c and the bodywork of the
vehicles reached 87 o c.
High speed testing was conducted at the Nardo test track in Italy,
and extensive testing carried out at Nürburgring’s Nordschleife in
Germany, besides cold weather testing at temperatures as low as
-30 o c in Sweden.
The V8 Vantage is the second model to use Aston Martin’s
unique VH (Vertical Horizontal) architecture. Constructed
from lightweight aluminium extrusions, precision castings and
pressings, the underframe is bonded with aerospace adhesives
and mechanically fixed with self-piercing rivets.
The frame is bonded with cold-cure adhesive, which has
exceptional damping properties that help soak up the vibrations.
The unique architecture provides an excellent backbone, while
the use of sophisticated materials such as lightweight alloys,
magnesium and advanced composites for the body further
contributes to the car’s low weight and class-leading rigidity.
The V8 Vantage is very much a pure sports car so, from the
outset, the priority of Aston Martin’s engineers was to focus on a
lightweight, compact size encapsulating agility and power.
At just 4.38 metres long it is compact and very nimble, and is the
smallest model in the Aston Martin range.
The new 380 bhp engine is a 4.3 litre, low emissions, allaluminium
alloy V8; unique to Aston Martin.
This new V8 uses the latest technology to deliver outstanding
performance in all environments.
The layout of the powertrain adopts a transaxle configuration,
whereby the front mid-mounted engine is connected to the
transmission at the rear of the vehicle via a cast aluminium torque
tube and carbon fibre prop-shaft. This configuration provides the
car with a 49:51 weight distribution, giving outstanding handling
characteristics and excellent all round capabilities.
A dry-sump lubrication system is employed in the V8 Vantage.
Often used in racing vehicles, this system allows the engine to sit
very low in the body, lowering the centre of gravity which in turn
helps to improve handling and the overall balance and stability
of the car. The system also helps to improve engine durability by
maintaining lubrication under conditions of extreme cornering
and braking.
The advanced quad-cam 32-valve engine is hand assembled by
skilled Aston Martin technicians at the Company’s new engine
production facility in Cologne, Germany, where every Aston
Martin engine, including the V12 units for Vanquish S and DB9,
is built.
DB9
The future of Aston Martin is epitomised by the DB9, a 2+2 seater sports car
that sets new standards in its class due to its astonishing combination of agility,
V12 power, smoothness, beautiful design and hand built craftsmanship.
Using a radical new aluminium-bonded body frame, the DB9 is one of the
most sophisticated and technically advanced sports cars in the world. It is
powered by the latest version of Aston Martin’s own designed and developed
6.0-litre V12, producing 450bhp and a top speed of 186mph. Yet the DB9 is
significantly well beyond being a class-leading sports car. It is the beginning
of a new era for Aston Martin. It is the first car to be hand-made at Aston
Martin’s new high technology facility in Gaydon, Warwickshire, where all
future Aston Martin models will be developed and built.
The body frame is one of the most structurally efficient in the world,
taking into account strength, torsional rigidity and weight. It has double
the rigidity of many rivals, as well as being lighter, resulting in superior
handling and agility.
All body panels are either aluminium or lightweight composites with
magnesium being used on the steering column and inner door frames. Even
the gear selector paddles are made from magnesium alloy. The total weight
is 1710kgs, extremely light for a V12-powered prestige 2+2 seater sports car
with every imaginable luxury feature. This has a hugely beneficial effect on
performance. Top speed of the manual is 186mph and 0-100 km/h (62mph)
acceleration takes just 4.9 seconds. Other technologically radical features
include a ZF ‘drive-by-wire’ six-speed automatic gearbox that dispenses
with a traditional gear lever. Instead, the drive, park, neutral and reverse
controls are selected by buttons.
Touchtronic manual mode enables the driver to change gear using paddles
mounted behind the steering wheel. The automatic gearchange has been
tuned to provide the perfect balance between superfast operation and
comfortably smooth shifts. A conventional six-speed manual transmission
is also offered.
The agility of the car is boosted by the perfect 50:50 weight distribution.
This has been achieved partly by putting the gearbox at the rear. A carbon
fibre drive shaft, running in a cast aluminium tube, delivers torque from
the engine to the gearbox. Handling is further improved by the light
aluminium wishbone suspension and aluminium bodied dampers. The
whole DB9 cabin is hand-finished in premium quality materials, giving it
a simple and functional feel. Aluminium is used in the interior, reflecting
the most commonly used material in the structure and body. Even details
such as the instrument dials are made from aluminium. Features include
full leather Bridge of Weir upholstery of the highest quality, and a stateof-the-art
music system specially developed for Aston Martin by British
audio specialists Linn.
Among the many technological firsts is the ‘message centre’ in the dashboard.
It is an organic electroluminescent display (OEL), as opposed to the more
common LCD. OELs have a higher resolution, better contrast, and are easier
to read, especially when viewed at an angle. Of course, no Aston Martin
would be a true Aston Martin without a beautiful body. The DB9 is modern
and clean but retains much of its heritage. It is a modern interpretation of
a traditional Aston Martin, the successor to benchmark designs such as the
DB4 and DB5. The aluminium bonnet is long and extends all the way to the
vehicle’s leading edge. There is a minimum number of ‘cut’ or ‘shut’ lines, to
aid styling simplicity and beauty.
The design of an Aston Martin is integral to its appeal. Taking styling cues
from the past, and reinterpreting them for the future, forms the central theme
of every new Aston Martin currently under development.
The DB9 manages to combine all facets of style, quality and usability of a
traditional Aston Martin without relying on retrospective detail or design. It
is a truly modern Aston Martin.
DBS
Truly great luxury sports cars are few and far between. In a world where
innovation is all too often hampered by compromise, pure performance is
a rarity available only to the genuinely discerning. Designed as the ultimate
driving experience, the Aston Martin DBS bridges the gap between road
and track – DB9 and DBR9. Equally at home on a twisting mountain
circuit as on the open road, the DBS is a true thoroughbred.
The Aston Martin DBS is a 6.0-litre V12 powered, race-bred, two-seater
shaped by the aerodynamic demands of high performance, with an
exquisite interior that marries beautifully hand-finished materials with
the very latest in performance technology. A combination of elegant
design, innovative manufacturing processes, race-derived materials and
components, and Aston Martin’s unrivalled hand-build expertise makes
the DBS a luxury sports car without equal.
Outstanding power with supreme control: the DBS represents the synthesis
of raw power, race-bred technology and design excellence. Powered by
a hand-built V12 engine producing 380 kW (510 bhp/517 PS), the DBS
delivers breathtaking power and performance. Beneath the flowing lines
of the lightweight bodywork, the DBS’s components have been honed to
create an exhilarating driving experience: taut, dynamic and monumentally
fast, but always highly controlled.
The DBS was developed as the ultimate expression of Aston Martin’s
engineering and technical ability. The need for high-performance
stability, handling ability and low kerb weight defined the car’s form
and construction. The DBS is the first production Aston Martin to make
extensive use of ultra-light carbon-fibre body panels. Its high level of
performance is delivered by the combination of inherent light weight,
near-perfect weight distribution, a supremely powerful and flexible V12
engine, and a performance-honed six speed transmission.
RAPIDE CONCEPT
The Aston Martin Rapide Concept is a four-door, high
performance coupé of remarkable grace and poise. Based on
Aston Martin’s unique VH (Vertical/Horizontal) architecture, the
Rapide combines the Company’s commitment to power, beauty
and soul with space and practicality for every eventuality. It
stands for stylistic excellence, market innovation and flexible
manufacturing. The Rapide is the epitome of Aston Martin’s
low-volume, high-technology approach, the synergy of modern
methods and materials with traditional skills to create a new
form of craftsmanship for the 21st century.
While the Rapide retains Aston Martin’s inherent design
characteristics, the additional length and extra doors build upon
the DB9’s taut, poised stance, generating a natural, even flow
and a dynamic sensation that’s conveyed even when the Rapide
is standing still. “In terms of elegance, the Rapide is adding value
to the DB9’s undisputed elegance and subtle understatement,”
says Dr Ulrich Bez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
Aston Martin. “Our cars must look beautiful from all angles, and
the four-door is very well balanced.” Practicality and power are
the Rapide’s signature qualities, but above all it is recognisably
an Aston Martin, a testament to the strength of the marque’s
design language. The Rapide’s four-door body provides greater
access to the extended architecture, making it a performance
vehicle for every occasion. “The proportions must be perfect,”
says Dr Bez, “If we couldn’t achieve this then we wouldn’t have
made the car.”
ASTON MARTIN RACING
Aston Martin returned to international motor sport in 2005 with
an exciting new programme focused on the DBR9 - a stunning
GT based entirely on the road going sister vehicle, the DB9.
The DBR9 was unveiled at Aston Martin’s state-of-the-art facility
at Gaydon, near Warwick on 4 November 2004, finished in
the same evocative shade of Aston Martin Racing Green as the
Works cars of the 1950’s.
Though billed as a ‘test and development year’, the DBR9
made an instant impact, taking class honours on its debut at 12
Hours of Sebring in March 2005 and then winning the famous
Tourist Trophy - today a round of the FIA GT Championship
- at Silverstone. Aston Martin’s eagerly-anticipated return to
Le Mans followed, and with it came further podium success
- the DBR9 shared by David Brabham, Stephane Sarrazin and
Darren Turner posting a top ten overall result on the vehicle’s
maiden appearance at the Sarthe circuit and finishing third
in its GT1 category.
Already the DBR9 is taking up where the DB3S and DBR1 left
off, by combining outstanding performance with the beauty and
integrity of a true, thoroughbred Aston Martin.
The DBRS9 race car was unveiled at Le Mans 2005, providing
a competition vehicle for club and national racing series, and
a bridge for teams and drivers looking towards international
GT racing.
The DBRS9 is based on the DB9 road car, but shares many design
features with the full GT1 specification DBR9. It uses the road
car’s aluminium bonded chassis with a DBR9-based roll cage.
Aston Martin’s Racing Engineers have tuned the standard 6.0
litre V12 engine to produce approximately 550bhp (an increase
of 20%) and reduced the overall weight by 480kg, to increase
the power to weight ratio to nearly 430 bhp/tonne.
HISTORIC VICTORY AT LE MANS
In June of 2007, for the first time since 1959, Aston Martin
triumphed at Le Mans. The winning Aston Martin Racing with
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts DBR9 – numbered 009 – was
driven to GT1 class victory and a remarkable fifth overall by
David Brabham, Rickard Rydell and Darren Turner after 24
hours of non-stop competition, characterised by changeable
conditions and several safety vehicle periods.
The bad weather was in evidence right from the start of the
first qualifying session, where the AMR Larbre Competition 008
DBR9 claimed pole position – before going on to finish third in
the actual race.
David Richards, Aston Martin’s Chairman, said: “To see Aston
Martin winning at Le Mans again, nearly 50 years after our last
famous victory, is a truly magnificent achievement for everybody
associated with Aston Martin across the world.”
Dr Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin’s Chief Executive, commented:
“Since our last victory here in 1959, Le Mans has been
dominated by several other great marques. But this year we had
more cars than any other manufacturer and they all finished: six
out of six, including the GT1 winner. It’s been a truly historic
day for Aston Martin and I am absolutely delighted.”
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