Chris Porritt Q&A
220mph in an Aston prototype? Easy, according to the man charged with its development.
As Aston’s Chief Platform manager, Chris Porritt is the brains behind the One-77 project. He’s also the man who recently piloted a prototype of the £1.2 million hypercar to 220mph around the Nardo high speed ring. We met up to get the inside line on Aston’s fastes, priciest and most ambitious project to date.
What did 220mph in the One-77 feel like?
Remarkably easy. It felt perfectly stable, the engine power was good and the acceleration was stunning, but I would say that wouldn’t I! At Nardo, most cars need a couple of laps or so to get up to top speed, in the One-77 we rolled out of the pits hit the accelerator and were doing 220mph by the time we were half way around the 8-mile circuit.
Is there a confirmed power output for the production car?
We expect somewhere in the region of 750bhp to be the final figure. Originally our target was to get over 700bhp, but then Ulrich Bez decided 750bhp was more like it, so we’ve worked hard to hit that mark.
How far is the car from being production-ready?
Production begins in the middle of the year, first deliveries start towards the end of the year, so there’s not huge amounts of time left. Six prototypes have been built – each designed to test different characteristics of the car, so we are developing everything from its handling and electrical systems to durability and powertrain simultaneously. Overall I’d say we’re 65 to 70 per cent of the way there.
Will Aston Martin make any money on each model?
Of course! The One-77 will not be a loss-maker. As a small company we simply wouldn’t be able to justify building the car if there wasn’t a profit margin – even if a car like this does have a halo effect on the rest of the range.
When did the One-77 project begin?
We started back in October 2007. Having a small team dedicated to the project meant we could make and implement decisions in double quick time, which is why it’s only taken a little over two years to reach the stage we’re at now.
Why would I buy a One-77 over something like a Bugatti Veyron?
Firstly it’s the most exclusive Aston ever made – an important factor for die-hard Aston fans – and it’s the ultimate car we can deliver today, a culmination of everything we’ve learned from building other cars in the range. The Veyron is a triumph of engineering over physics – a functional tool for going fast. We wanted the One-77 to be functional and beautiful, a combination that doesn’t always go hand in hand.
Will we see anything like the One-77 again?
When we first began the project we all new that an opportunity like this probably wouldn’t come along again. That’s not to say we won’t produce something with the One-77’s looks or performance again, but it will have to be executed in a different way.
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WHY: 220mph in an Aston prototype? Easy, according to the man charged with its development.
