9:44 am, March 3, 2009
THE Geneva Motor Show kicks off today and Car Dealer’s deputy editor is reporting live from the event.
Richard Aucock will be sending us exclusive reports back from the event throughout the day and we’ll be uploading picture galleries of the cars later today.
Already Aston Martin has taken the wraps off the £1m Aston Martin One-77. The first car – chassis number one – of the 77 production run is on display in Geneva.
‘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,’ explained Aston Martin’s chief executive, Dr Ulrich Bez, at Geneva.
‘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 added: ‘We wanted to create something that wows you as much when you see what’s under the skin as the exterior styling itself.’
The One-77 features a potent 7.3-litre V12 engine with a dry sump oil system.
Porritt added: ‘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.’
