Design your own Aston

Fancy getting your hands on an Aston Martin Rapide shooting brake? Or how about a Speedster based on a V8 Vantage? Well, both models could be dreams turned into reality if you have enough enthusiasm – and money!

At the launch of the new Cygnet and DB9 UB-2010, Aston Martin design director Marek Reichman told Auto Express he wants to set new standards for the personalisation of cars.

He is aiming to create a team of engineers and designers which could build virtually any model a customer could imagine.

Using Aston’s historic Works Service department – plus the engineering and production staff who currently help produce the One-77 supercar – Reichman claims it’s possible to support customers looking for the out of the ordinary in ways not thought possible in recent years.

“There is much more choice in the world,” Reichman said, “so our cars need to be much more personal. For example, each Rapide requires 200 man hours of work to create. We have a total of 11 stitching options for the interior – and drivers can choose from a huge colour palette.

“To ensure this process runs smoothly, there are very few machines involved in the production of the car, so we can tailor much of the finish to an exact specification. With the One-77 we have taken this philosophy a step further. It is a car built around a stationary chassis, not while it moves along a production line. This means that if we need to, we can swap shapes, interiors, engines or wheels without destroying the production process. It offers us infinite possibilities. The One-77 is the pinnacle of everything Aston Martin.”