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Aston Martin V12 Speedster DBR1 specification pays homage to a beautiful race car

Aston Martin debuted the limited-run V12 Speedster over a year ago, and today it’s introducing a special edition version of the roofless and windshield-less supercar. ItÂ’s called the DBR1 specification, as it takes after the DBR1 race car from the 1950s.  YouÂ’ll immediately see the resemblance between the two in the gorgeous photos above. The V12 Speedster is finished in the same Aston Martin Racing Green paint, and features the same Clubsport White pinstripe and roundels. A Satin Silver anodized finish is applied to the grille to match, and a Clubsport lipstick graphic caps off the front. You also get 21-inch center-lock wheels finished in a Satin Black paint — Aston says each Speedster in this spec spends over 50 hours in the painting process alone. YouÂ’ll get Conker saddle leather on the inside that is complemented by Viridian Green textile and Caithness leather. The interior also features glossy carbon fiber trim and satin silver brushed aluminum switchgear. Aston says this combo is its modern interpretation of the DBR1Â’s interior. And do remember that there is no roof — we have a feeling that you donÂ’t want this interior getting wet. In case you were curious as to why Aston Martin is using the DBR1 as inspiration here, you should know that the car has a rather commendable history in racing. It won the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans, is a three-time winner of the 1,000-km of Nurburgring and also took the World Sportscar Championship the year it won Le Mans. On top of that, itÂ’s just flat-out gorgeous. “Creating a bespoke specification that nods to the glory of the DBR1 has been a huge privilege for my team and I, and I very much look forward to seeing these cars being driven with the same enthusiasm that we have applied to their design,” says Marek Reichman, Aston's chief creative officer. This DBR1 specification features the same vitals as the standard V12 Speedster. That means it has a 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 under its hood that makes 700 horsepower and 555 pound-feet of torque. ItÂ’ll do 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds on its way to a 198 mph top speed. Have fun doing that without a windshield. Aston says you can order a V12 Speedster in this spec now and expect delivery in mid-2021. No price for the DBR1 was given, but the car starts at about $950,000. We suspect this one is a good bit more, likely arcing past the $1 million mark. Related video:

Aston Martin shows electric Rapide, production possible in two years

Aston Martin is working with investment firm ChinaEquity to bring an all-electric version of the Rapide to production by the end of 2017. Aston received 50 million British pounds ($77 million) from ChinaEquity for development, according to Automotive News Europe. The model could have as much as 1,000 horsepower, which makes sense because its powertrain will be developed by an affiliate of the Williams Formula One team. Aston Martin also says an electric variant of its DBX SUV may be in the works by 2019. The electric Rapide could also have a 200-mile single-charge range, though the car may be priced at as much as $250,000. Aston Martin first announced plans to build the model earlier this year. The automaker launched the Rapide in 2010. Related Video: The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience.

You can buy this gorgeous one-off Aston Martin Jet 2 Bertone shooting brake

It was the last project built by Italian coachbuilder Bertone before it went bust, a one-off project designed and commissioned by the man who drove a 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 around the world in 80 days, and now's your chance to buy it alongside the full-size clay model and fiberglass mold that preceded it. We’re talking about the Aston Martin Bertone Jet 2+2, a wagonized Rapide that we last saw at the Geneva Motor Show back in 2013. It was built in homage both to AstonÂ’s centenary and to mark six decades of cooperation between the automaker and the Italian design house. At the time, the identity of the client who commissioned it was kept secret. ItÂ’s being offered for sale by Barry Weir, the British motoring enthusiast famous for his four-continent, 22-country, 34,000-mile world rally record, set in 2000. He designed the shooting brake based on the Rapide saloon, added a rear hatch, full-length tinted glass roof and sliding rear floor, and got it approved by Aston, which reportedly intended to put the car into production after Bertone built 10 of them. But that never happened, as Bertone folded operations after this project. View 10 Photos Nevertheless, Weir says he found the fiberglass molds and clay model used to build the car earlier this year on auction in Italy while browsing the web. He managed to negotiate their removal from the auction and bring them back to the U.K., and heÂ’s even offering to sell the tooling set separately. “IÂ’m minded to sell the complete package, and the buyer can choose what they wish to do with it,” Weir says. “They could reproduce the moulds and model or, alternatively, have it as a one-off production car which is registered as Aston Martin Jet 2; which is a new model.” The finished product is said to share 70% of its DNA with the Rapide, including the stock 6.0-liter V12, offering 476 horsepower, and the same wheelbase and a nearly identical curb weight to the donor car. Inside, it features a 2+2 setup with four individual seats, the two in back foldable at the press of a button to make for hauling stuff, and Bertone gave the interior some wood, glazed aluminum and two-color leather trim, per request of Weir, whose name is etched on a plaque inside the cabin. The total design and build took around 3 1/2 months. Related Video: