Aston Martin Celebrates 100 Years With CC100 Speedster Concept

TURIN, Italy – British auto maker Aston Martin is marking the 100th anniversary of its seeding with a spectacular roadster.

The CC100 Speedster Concept, a race-inspired, open-air 2-seater, translates the design and craftsmanship of the iconic ’59 DBR1 (for David Brown Racing 1) into a modern interpretation of open-air motoring.

The car is almost 14.8 ft. (4.5 m) nose to tail and more than 6.6 ft. (2 m) wide, including the side mirrors. It reportedly will be reproduced only twice for privileged customers.

Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Betz unveiled the concept to the public at the famous Nürburgring racetrack during the recent Zurich 24 Hours endurance race.

Betz drove the supercar in traditional British green colors just before the race, leading a parade of famous Aston Martins, including the DBR1 that won the 650 miles (1,000 km) of Nürburgring, driven by motorsport legend Stirling Moss.

Built on the bones of a V12 Vanquish, with body structure and skin making extensive use of carbon-fiber technology, the CC100 is a classic example of the flexible nature of Aston Martin’s brand.

The CC100 utilizes the latest-generation AM11 naturally aspirated V-12 gasoline engine mated to a 6-speed hydraulically actuated automated sequential manual transmission with column-mounted paddle shifters.

According to its maker, the CC100 accelerates from 0-62 mph (100 km/h) in a little over four seconds, with the top speed electronically limited to 180 mph (290 km/h).

The ultimate dream car is designed by Director of Design Marek Reichman with Chief Exterior Designer Miles Nurnberger and built with the cooperation of Multimatic.

“The brief was very simple, yet enormously testing: Create something that reflects the 100 years of Aston Martin heritage and signals the future of the brand,” says Reichman. "Since we had complete freedom to shape this car, the idea of an iconic speedster concept that nods to the Le Mans- and Nürburgring-winning cars of 1959 came very soon."

Says Betz: “The future of Aston Martin is more exciting now than perhaps at any time in its history, and I’m looking forward to seeing the excitement and anticipation that (the) CC100 creates among Aston Martin owners and enthusiasts worldwide.”

The price for the collector's model has not been revealed, but the current market standard is €2 million-€3 million ($2.6 million-$3.9 million).