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James…Your Car is Ready

MotorDan — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:27:00 +0000

Ever been rendered speechless? Like when the hottest girl in school says she likes you?   Happened to me back in the 7th grade, no joke, hottest girl in school, an 8th grader, wanted to “go” with me. What did that consist of? Nothing, I think I spoke 3 words to her, danced with her at a school dance, was completely overwhelmed with confusing emotions, and then a week later, her friend called my house, and told me it was over. But the level of stoke that first evening…was immeasurable.   That brings us to yesterday morning.   I’m sitting at my kitchen table, knowing what is about to happen, but I was still giddy like a pre-schooler on Christmas morning. Then I hear it, the rumble, the power, the confused driver who can’t find my house. I glance out the window and BAM! Aston Martin DBS rolling past my window. No joke, I jumped in the air with a double fist pump. Sounds retarded, but its true, I had to tell myself audibly to keep it cool. I had only been in 2 Aston Martins prior to yesterday. I had a boss a couple years ago who owned a DB9 for while, and then a few weeks back, I got to drive a Vantage Roadster at the MPG track day. I was about to put a 3rd notch on my Aston Martin score card.
I think the allure of an Aston Martin hit me, like many others, as a kid via James Bond. No matter what the model, or who the actor was that played Bond, James has always been cool, and a lot of that was created by his car. I never realized how much the image of “cool” affects our desires to drive a car. I have no stats to back my idea, but it is nearly an accepted fact that the vast majority of super car buyers, buy them not to actually utilize their capabilities, but to score with the ladies, to impress their neighbors or co-workers, basically just to be cool. Where am I going with this? Well, super-cars have to carry it all. They must be the Michael Jordan of cars, they have to be cool, they have to roll with swagger, and they have to perform at unreachable levels. Its what we expect, anything less and we get bored and move on.
Ok, back to the car. The first thing I noticed when I climbed in the seat, was the speedometer. I think legally a driver can only use about 5 % of the entire dial, but it does go up to 220 if the conditions would allow. Unfortunately, I wasn’t be able to use much of the performance potential, but I definitely experienced the cars cool capabilities.
Starting the vehicle is special, the fob is more like a piece of jewelry than a key. As it slides into its slot, its something like a british superman crystal, bringing the world of Aston Matin to your fingertips as the V12 roars to life. I literally recorded the engine sound, so I can hear it again later this winter when I long for that throaty rumble. Not as intimidating as some super-cars, the DBS is actually surprisingly gentle in its embrace. But be warned, push it and it will bite. Before we went out on our shoot, I had about 45 minutes to burn…so with a $274,000 car in the driveway, and the key in my hand, what do you think I did? Exactly….. I was off.
Quickly turning off the music to hear the engine roar, I headed for the hills. Snugly wrapped in the DBS seats that look better than any seat should, I wound my way out of the city and into the hills above my house. Quietly rumbling down the road, with a joker smile on my face, I couldn’t help but wish I had my dad with me, or my mom, or my brother, or my wife…or a friend, hell anyone…I really wanted to be sharing this experience, but that would have to wait, this one was all mine.
I could spew specs, times, compression and torque numbers, but you can look that up. What you can’t look up is the experience. The absolute thrill it is to drive a machine like the DBS on a winding road through the hills. Its a mixture of Christmas morning, your first bicycle, your first kiss, and your wedding day…all mixed into one. Its a Chicyissedding.   I just created a new word. Unfortunately, it will probably be years until I can use it again.
As we drive our “normal” cars on a daily basis, we tend to forget about the dangers of the road, especially those from other drivers.   This heightened awareness makes it almost scary to drive a super-car. You feel like a target, your under the microscope, and always being watched. This is a feeling many embrace, or long for, but this scrutiny is a better match for the vanity of a Lambo driver who craves this attention. In the DBS, it is more sublte…but you still know its there, only most gawkers don’t know exactly what they are looking at (Is that a Maserati?).   They know the car is special, but they just don’t know HOW special it is. I also know that one step out of line, and the Five-O will be flashing their lights, even if its only to take a closer look at the car. This is a problem with any super car, and you know what they say, “more money, more problems” well, maybe so, but I could get definitely learn to deal with those issues if I could regularly drive an Aston Martin.
Let me say this, I thought I understood Aston Martin, I didn’t. I was heading in the right direction, but I had no idea how deep this went.   The DBS is fast, scary fast…massive torque, you could spin the tires easily at 30, 40 maybe even 60mph…I’ll have to wait until I can afford one to actually try it. The car is striking to look at. I would put this cars looks against anything on the road…it looks that good, and more. I knew the car was special. But it really is more than special. Its kind of like saying, yeah, skydiving is exciting, or combat is intense, you can’t really understand it, until you’ve experienced it.
So until I can afford a quarter million dollar car, I will have the last 24 hours to hold me over. To remind me that there are cars for work, cars for commuting, even cars for play, but then there are cars that are exotic luxuries…not “grandmas fancy vase in a room that you can’t go in” exotic luxury, but “half naked, supermodel girlfriend on a private yacht in the south pacific” kind of exotic luxury. I hope you can understand that.

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300k in a day

MotorDan — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:35:11 +0000

I would imagine, that back when transportation fantasies consisted of a healthy horse, and fertile hunting grounds…guys still stood around and said…”If you had 2 gold pieces and you had to spend it on horses, what would you get?”
Because, I’ve played that game since I was a kid, and I can’t imagine variations of the discussion ever not existing. Its kinda like space….its always been there in some form…and it will continue long after we are all dead and gone. So this morning, Chris and I had the conversation…and I just happen to have the transcript….

me: So, if you had 300g’s and you had to spend it all on cars. what would your first purchase be?
Christopher: it was given to me today?
me: yep. you get a check at lunch.
Christopher: FIRST
I’d go straight to the auto gallery and pay cash for that GT3RS
without thinking. it’d be a reflex
me: how much do that have that listed for? I think you could get them to come down some. its been sitting there a long time.
Christopher: yea,it’s been there forever and I’d be paying cash.
it was at 120 I believe
or maybe 140
anyway
I’d get em down to 110
guaranteed
cash speaks
so that leaves me 190
me: yes it does, it looks like the black one, with orange accents is listed for 159
Christopher: hmmm
yikes
well
maybe more realistic is 130
getting them to come down 30 would be a tough sell
but I bet I could get them to squeak it by
me: lets just say 135 then, so what next?
Christopher: hmmm
well…
I’d really want something to put together
something to play with
a project really
so, once the GT3RS is in the garage
I’d order one of these:
http://www.factoryfive.com/hotrodhome.html
the kit’s 20
there’s probably another 20 in bodywork
and then I’d max the drivetrain and powertrain for another 20 probably
doing all the work myself
me: nice, what motor would you put in it?
Christopher: I’d actually buy a wrecked last gen mustang GT
cobra
so
I’d get the supercharged 4.6
and 6 speed
manual
me: nice
my tally is 195 spent, 105 left to go
hmmm
me: right
Christopher: while I think about my last choice, why don’t I turn this back on you
what would you do?
me: well….I think i would start with a used 997S…i think i could get that taken care of for about 70
Christopher: yes
that sounds about right
me: so I’d have a cayenne, a 997, I think then….i’m not sure
Christopher: hahha
you’ve got 230 to go!
me: I think i might get down with a V8 vantage….
so scratch another 100, because I wouldn’t spend more than that on one
Christopher: good call
I like that
me: now is where it gets tricky
Christopher: yea
I know, I’m in the same boat
me: I think I might go off course here
I’ve got about 130 to spend
Christopher: that’s cool
right
me: I think i would go pure track car
Christopher: like what?
like a classic dedicated race car?
or build a track car?
me: well, like this
http://www.race-cars.com/carsales/porsche/1234918483/1234918483ss.htm
83k
Christopher: ahhhh
nice
me: I could spend the 83, and then still have nearly 50 left, and with that, i could buy a used tow vehicle and trailer
something like a tahoe
Christopher: yep
and a maxed out trailer
me: soooo….i would have a 997S, an Aston Martin, a dedicated GT3 cup car..a tahoe and a maxed out trailer
and my cayenne
i’d be pretty f-ing stoked!
Christopher: hahahaah
yea
that would pretty much be the dream
and I think that might be where the rest of my money would go
I think I’d pay off and mod the GTI a tiny bit
so, 20 gone
and then spend the last 85 on something to haul everything around in
me: yeah, it makes sense to have a hauler. but where the hell are we going to keep all this stuff!?
Christopher: that’s what I was just going to say
can I spend some on a warehouse?
a warehouse/workshop
me: its our fantasy, lets just say we already bought a warehouse
Christopher: ok

So there you go. Some would say that the conversation accomplishes nothing, but that’s where they would be completely wrong. Its discussions like this that prepare us. Chris and I most likely, will never be handed $300,000 to blow on toys. (here’s the photos) As much as it pains me to write that last sentence, it’s just not likely. That is why it’s called a fantasy. But if it ever did happen, well, we would be prepared, just like all those other car guys out there in the world, waiting to pounce on a once in a lifetime opportunity.

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One Bad Aston

MotorDan — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:35:17 +0000

There are certain things in this world that are just the best. The ultimate in their world. True, the best is often subjective, and for me, it seems to change all the time. But one thing that continues to just be the best at what it is, is the Aston Martin. No, not the fastest, and not the prettiest, and frankly not the right car for the majority of drivers. But they are always the BEST cars. Confused? well I lost myself a little on that stream too…so here’s the photos of the Aston Martin One-77, take a look and you’ll understand my spinning head.

For those that want the technical stuff…here’s the press release from the brits themselves.

The One-77 is Aston Martin’s definitive sports car, one that epitomises everything Aston Martin from technology, the hand-craftsmanship of the hand rolled aluminium panels to the attention to detail. A culmination of all the marque’s know-how, the One-77 delivers effortless beauty guaranteed to stir the senses with performance potential eclipsing any previous Aston Martin.

With the performance and durability phase of the One-77’s intensive development programme soon to commence, the 79th Geneva Auto Salon provides the perfect stage on which to reveal the remarkable engineering, advanced technology and exotic materials that lie beneath the One-77’s extraordinary exterior.

For Aston Martin’s Chief Executive, Dr Ulrich Bez, revealing the One-77’s secrets is a proud moment: “Right from the very beginning of the project the vision for One-77 was very simple: It had to combine high-technology with hand-built craftsmanship, and demonstrate the unique capabilities and passion of our designers, engineers and technical partners.

“Quite simply it had to be the ultimate expression of Aston Martin. As you can now see, we have achieved that goal in magnificent style.”

Chris Porritt, One-77 Programme Manager continued: “We wanted to create something that wows you as much when you see what’s under the skin as the exterior styling itself. We started by identifying the most technologically exciting front-engined, rear-wheel drive cars in the world: those from the DTM race series. We then applied the principles and technology that feature heavily in their design and translated it to a road car application.”

Consequently the One-77’s structural core is a lightweight and immensely rigid carbon fibre monocoque. Conceived and designed at Aston Martin’s Gaydon HQ, the monocoque, or ‘tub’, has been built in partnership with Multimatic (MTC). As world leaders in carbon composite technology, advanced vehicle analysis and dynamic simulation, MTC brings unrivalled specialist capabilities to the exacting challenge of the One-77 programme.

Employing the classic formula of double wishbones at each corner, the One-77 features inboard suspension front and rear, with pushrods employed to transfer vertical suspension movements to the horizontally mounted spring/damper units. A practice taken directly from racing car design, the main advantages of inboard suspension are a reduction in unsprung weight and the ability to package the suspension components more effectively.

The dampers are fully adjustable and feature advanced Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve (DSSV) technology; a world-first for a road car application. These special valves are state-of-the-art even at the highest levels of motorsport, and use high-precision machined components to enable the shock-absorbing characteristics of the damper to be changed without having to remove them from the car, as is the norm.

Underlining the truly bespoke nature of the One-77, once delivered to its owner, the car’s suspension characteristics will be precisely set-up by Aston Martin engineers to suit their exact requirements, from settings suitable for the ultimate long-distance GT, to a machine capable of conquering the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

While functionality and efficiency are paramount in the design and construction of the One-77’, so too is aesthetic beauty. To this end every single component has been crafted from the finest materials with absolute attention to detail. From the mesmerising weave of the glossy carbon fibre tub and the abstract, sculptural beauty of the dry sump’s oil reservoir, to the unerring precision of the billet machined aluminium suspension mounts, the One-77’s rolling chassis is an automotive masterpiece.

Of course the irony is that the vast majority of these exquisite components will be hidden from view in the finished car, yet each and every piece is a work of art in its own right. It’s this extraordinary workmanship and money-no-object commitment to quality that makes the One-77 unique.

Naturally, such a spectacular chassis demands – and gets – an equally exceptional drivetrain. It comes in the form of an immensely potent 7.3-litre, naturally aspirated V12 engine. Thanks to the adoption of a dry-sump oil system the engine is mounted 100mm lower than in any previous V12-engined Aston Martin road car, which helps keep the One-77’s centre-of-gravity as low as possible. To further aid agility and endow the One-77 with progressive handling and stable, predictable on-limit behaviour, the engine is also mounted 257mm aft relative to the front wheel centreline. In so doing the front-mid-engined layout shared by all of Aston Martin’s current road car range has been taken to a new level.

The One-77’s magnificent power unit is an extreme evolution of the 6.0-litre V12 engines fitted to the DBS, DB9 and new V12 Vantage models. Like the collaboration with MTC for the build of the chassis, Aston Martin has chosen a world-leading partner with which to develop the motor: legendary engine builders, Cosworth. It has proved to be the perfect collaboration, as Chris Porritt explains.

“Our brief to the engine team was for them to take the 6.0-litre V12 as far as it could go, both in terms of output and weight reduction. The targets were a power output of no less than 700bhp with a 10 per cent reduction in engine mass. Incredibly, the Aston Martin and Cosworth engineers achieved a mass reduction of some 25 per cent, and although we’ve yet to complete the final engine calibration work, I’m confident we’ll see in excess of 700bhp. It’s an awesome accomplishment, but one that’s typical of the One-77 project, for it has consistently brought out the very best in everyone involved.”

Wearing Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres (255/35 ZR20 front, 335/30 ZR20 rear) developed specifically for the One-77, all 700+bhp is transmitted to the road through the rear wheels via a new six-speed gearbox. Controlled via column-mounted paddles behind the steering wheel, this robotised sequential manual is a new generation of Aston Martin’s familiar transmission. Though it is made specifically for the One-77 and features specially strengthened internals to cope with the tremendous power and torque, the lessons learned in its development will ultimately find their way into the company’s series production models.

It’s a mark of the inherent capabilities of Aston Martin’s acclaimed lightweight Carbon Ceramic Matrix brake technology that it has been used as the basis for the One-77’s braking system. The internals of the calipers have been re-engineered to transmit less heat from the brake pads into the brake fluid, while the discs themselves have been developed to ensure the maximum possible contact area between the face of the disc and the brake pads for improved stopping power. Due to the One-77’s increased performance, special attention has also been paid to brake cooling, as the brakes have less time to cool between bursts of acceleration.

With a projected weight of 1,500kg the One-77 will occupy the very highest echelons of road car performance. Top speed is confidently predicted to be in excess of 200mph, with a 0-60mph time in approximately 3.5sec. Perhaps more importantly, thanks to the purity of a front-engined, rear-drive layout, the responsiveness and immense tractability of a naturally aspirated V12 and the low mass, high-rigidity properties of a carbon fibre chassis, the One-77 promises a driving experience of unrivalled intensity and excitement while representing the world’s most desirable automotive art form.