Vulcan
Vulcan

Vulcan

(2015 - 2016)

With a little over three weeks before the opening of the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, Aston Martin released a brief 21 second video totally not giving a single glimpse of the most extreme car that they have ever created. This track only hypercar known by the codename 'Vulcan', has heralded the first new 'V' name from the factory since the 2001 launch of the V12 Vanquish. One must presume that the name refers to the famous British 'V-bomber', the Avro Vulcan and remember that during the Cold War, Gaydon was a V-bomber base for the RAF. Without any doubt the Vulcan will take on the mantle left by the One-77 as the halo car of the range.

Vulcan

The Vulcan is  described by the company as ‘the most extreme Aston Martin in our 102-year history’ which means that the power output has even eclipsed the 750 bhp of the 7.3 litre One-77, somewhere around 800 bhp. As it’s been solely built for the track, the car is in direct competition to such machines as the McLaren’s P1 GTR and Ferrari’s FXX-K. And also like these cars, it is taken for granted that the purchase price will include exclusive opportunities to sample the car at race tracks around the globe together with a team to set up both car and driver.

No exact price has been given but it will be in the region of £1.5 million plus local taxes but it’s a given that production will be severely limited to only 24 examples.

As the Vulcan is entirely carbon fibre, I think that it is safe to assume the starting point for the car has been the One-77.

We will get a first proper look as the Vulcan will debut at Geneva on the 3rd March 2015.

  • Body/Coachwork:
    • Carbon Fibre chassis tub, loosely based on the One-77 tub.
    • Features a new rear scuttle and tunnel for the integrated roll-cage and a new rear ‘doghouse’ subframe to package the transmission, suspension and increased loading from the rear wing.
    • Produced by Multimatic in Canada, the raw tub weighs around 180 kg
  • Engine:
    • 7.0 litre V12, naturally aspirated.
    • 3-position adjustable power output modes: 550 bhp, 675 bhp and 820 bhp (claimed)
    • Designed and developed in conjunction with Aston Martin Racing, the unique engine is based around the architecture of the engine found in our GT3 race car
    • Cosworth ECU.
    • Located completely behind the front axle for better weight distribution and therefore dynamic performance.
    • Side exit exhaust system is made from Inconel and Titanium for maximum weight save. 
    • Titanium brackets and Inconel Heat shield
  • Transmission:
    • Xtrac, 6-speed 600E transaxle sequential gearbox
    • Controlled by steering wheel-mounted paddles (not fixed on steering column).
    • Straight-cut gearset with drop gears to the crown wheel and pinion 
    • Features a lightweight aluminium casing
    • In total, the gearbox weighs only 70 kg
    • The Torque Tube 30% lighter through the use of Magnesium for the outer casing.
    • Weighing just 9 kg the torque tube is also shorter due to the engine being further rearward in the body.
    • Uprated carbon fibre Propeller Shaft
  • Wheels and tyres:
    • APP-Tech, 10-spoke forged alloy in Satin Black
    • Front: 11.5 x 19
    • Rear: 12.5 x 19
    • centre-lock design
    • Treaded Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres as standard
    • Front: 305/30 x 19
    • Rear: 345/30 x 19
  • Performance:
    • Maximum speed in excess of 200 mph depending on tyre and downforce set up