2016 Aston Martin Vulcan
2016 Aston Martin Vulcan
There’s been a lot of talk lately about Aston Martin’s 
financial troubles and whether or not the brand will manage to survive on its own. A recent report suggests the Brits might receive financial backing from its biggest shareholder, Italy-based equity fund Investindustrial S.p.A., but while that possibility won’t materialize anytime soon, it seems Aston Martin is ready to launch an all-new vehicle nevertheless. Dubbed Vulcan and described as "something very special," Aston Martin’s new project turned out to be a track-focused supercar in the vein of the Ferrari FXX K and the McLaren P1 GTR. With the 2015 Geneva Motor Show 
right around the corner, the Brits unleashed the Vulcan for the whole world to see, and, as it turns out, Gaydon’s new baby is as special as it gets.
financial troubles and whether or not the brand will manage to survive on its own. A recent report suggests the Brits might receive financial backing from its biggest shareholder, Italy-based equity fund Investindustrial S.p.A., but while that possibility won’t materialize anytime soon, it seems Aston Martin is ready to launch an all-new vehicle nevertheless. Dubbed Vulcan and described as "something very special," Aston Martin’s new project turned out to be a track-focused supercar in the vein of the Ferrari FXX K and the McLaren P1 GTR. With the 2015 Geneva Motor Show right around the corner, the Brits unleashed the Vulcan for the whole world to see, and, as it turns out, Gaydon’s new baby is as special as it gets.
Skeptics that expected to see a beefed up, race-specVantage are in for quite a surprise, as the Vulcan is brand-new not only in design, but under the hood as well. What’s more, it comes with its own racing program and the kind of exclusivity only Ferrari was able to deliver until now. There’s a lot of PR talk coming with all-new vehicles nowadays, but Aston Martin nailed it when it described the Vulcan as the "brand’s most intense and exhilarating creation to date." Keep reading to find out why.
are in for quite a surprise, as the Vulcan is brand-new not only in design, but under the hood as well. What’s more, it comes with its own racing program and the kind of exclusivity only Ferrari was able to deliver until now. There’s a lot of PR talk coming with all-new vehicles nowadays, but Aston Martin nailed it when it described the Vulcan as the "brand’s most intense and exhilarating creation to date." Keep reading to find out why.
Updated 03/03/2015: Aston Martin unveiled the new Vulcan supercar at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. Check the "Pictures" tab for some new images taken at the show.
Updated History
Updated 02/25/2015: Aston Martin unveiled the official details on the new Vulcan - a track-only supercar limited to only 24 units.
Updated 02/20/2015: Aston Martin dropped a new teaser video for its upcoming Vulcan supercar - and we have to admit we are very intrigued by what we can see in there. What do you think?
Exterior
The Vulcan’s nose is a rather significant departure from what we’ve come to expect from the brand
Not surprising, the Vulcan’s exterior is a blend of Aston Martin’s current design and other styling cues, most of them based on AM Racing’s family of Vantage race cars. However, the Vulcan’s nose is a rather significant departure from what we’ve come to expect from the brand, with both the headlamps and the grille relocated lower into the fascia. The grille is now part of a separated, bare carbon-fiber piece that also incorporates the splitter and side canards, while the LED headlamps are thin, and less noticeable in the big picture. As a result, the vented hood is wider than on any other cars in the brand’s lineup.
The fenders have been reshaped as well, but retained the trademark Aston Martin vent, albeit the piece is now integrated into the wheel arches and extends rearward toward the doors.
When viewed from the side, the Vulcan has very little in common with Aston’s current sports cars
The rear fascia’s design is brand-new as well, but some details, such as the taillights, the side vents, and the massive wing, are reminiscent of the Vantage GT3 and GTE race cars. Everything else is unique to the Vulcan, from the design of the deck to the menacing rear diffuser.
When viewed from the side, the Vulcan has very little in common with Aston’s current sports cars. The muscular rear haunches and the redesigned greenhouse give it an aggressive supercar stance, while the race-spec side mirrors and carbon-fiber side skirts, plus the side-exit exhaust, are indications that this Aston Martin was built for the race track.
Speaking of carbon-fiber, the entire body is made from the lightweight material, which likely makes the Vulcan the lightest Aston Martin to date. I say "likely" because the Brits have yet to reveal any specifics on this matter as of February 2015.
Interior
Nearly every surface is made from carbon-fiber and everything from the dashboard and display cluster to the steering wheel and the seats were crafted with professional racing in mind
The interior of the Vulcan is downright radical when compared to the Vantage GT3’s. Nearly every surface is made from carbon-fiber and everything from the dashboard and display cluster to the steering wheel and the seats were crafted with professional racing in mind. The bucket seats come wrapped in Alcantara, while the race-spec steering wheel is festooned with buttons and switches.
Naturally, a full roll cage is in evidence. The black and carbon-fiber theme of the cockpit is only interrupted by the orange stripe and red buttons adorning the center console. The same orange inserts are present on the driver-side door panel.
The large instrument cluster provides all the vital information, including speed, lap time, tire pressure, and fuel consumption.
Drivetrain
The company’s Racing division went ahead and increased the V-12 engine’s displacement from the standard 5.9 to a massive 7.0 liters
This is where Aston Martin’s track-day special stands out even more. Although the teaser videos made it clear that the Vulcan features a V-12 powerplant, the company’s Racing division went ahead and increased the engine’s displacement from the standard 5.9 to a massive 7.0 liters. The end result is an output that blows past the 800-horsepower mark, but actual figures won’t be released until the Vulcan’s track debut later in 2015. With more than 800 ponies at its disposal, the track-prepped Aston Martin should take less than three seconds to reach 60 mph from a standing start and reach a top speed in excess of 200 mph.
Power travels to the pavement through a mid-mounted, Xtrac, six-speed sequential transmission with paddles behind the steering wheel. The Vulcan is also equipped with a limited-slip differential and a magnesium torque tube with a carbon-fiber drive shaft.
DRIVETRAIN SPECIFICATIONS
| Type | 7.0-litre V-12 |
|---|---|
| Output | +800 HP |
| Torque | TBA |
| 0 to 60 mph | TBA |
| Top Speed | TBA |
| Transmission | race-bred rear mid-mounted Xtrac six-speed sequential shift gearbox |
Suspension And Brakes
Details are limited in this department as well, but Aston Martin did say the Vulcan employs a pushrod suspension with anti-dive geometry and Multimatic’s Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve (DSSV) dampers, the latter providing high levels of adjustability. There’s also variable traction control and anti-lock braking. Speaking of the braking, the Vulcan uses Brembo carbon-ceramic disc brakes measuring 15 inches in the front and 14.2 inches in the rear, while the lightweight, 19-inch wheels are wrapped in Michelin race-spec tires.
Prices
It’s way too early to talk about prices, but I can tell you that the Vulcan won’t come cheap. With only 24 units to be created, this track car is likely to fetch in excess of $2 million. The good news here is that the sticker will also include an intensive track driving program with Le Mans-winner Darren Turner as an instructor. During training, Vulcan owners will gradually build experience and develop their track skills driving Aston Martins such as the V12 Vantage S, the Vantage GT4, and even the ultra-rare One-77. With the latter built in only 77 units, this training program is likely the only way to experience the supercar without owning one.
Competition
FERRARI FXX K
The FXX K is arguably the most sought-after and exclusive track-only supercar on the market as of 2015. Based on the stunning LaFerrari, Maranello’s latest track beast is not only more powerful than its street-legal sibling, but also more aerodynamic, lighter and quicker. Its hybrid drivetrain consisting of a 6.3-liter V-12 engine and an electric motor was tweaked to generate 1,050 horsepower — 87-horses more than the standard LaFerrari — and more than 663 pound-feet of torque.
Its carbon-fiber shell has also been redesigned to accommodate a twin-profile front spoiler, a larger splitter, lateral dive planes, a redesigned hood, a new diffuser, and an unconventional wing consisting of two vertical fins on each side with small, horizontal wings extending on the inside. The whole aerodynamic package delivers a 50 percent improvement in downforce in the low-drag configuration, and a 30 percent improvement in the more-aggressive downforce configuration. This means a massive 1,190 pounds of downforce at 124 mph!
The cockpit is mostly made of carbon-fiber and features bolstered seats, a race-spec center console and steering wheel, as well as an updated instrument panel. Production is reportedly limited to only 30 units, priced from around $3.1 million.
MCLAREN P1 GTR
Also based on a road-legal hybrid supercar, the P1 GTR comes in a similar package: an aerodynamically enhanced body with a host race-spec add-ons, plus a massive wing atop its rear. The track-focused interior boasts acres of carbon-fiber, a spartan center console holding buttons and switches, and a steering wheel based on the unit used by the McLaren MP4-23 Formula One car.
The P1 GTR is motivated by the same hybrid drivetrain found in the road-legal P1, but the combo now includes a motorsport-optimized, 3.8-liter, twin-turbo V-8 and a lighter electric motor. The drivetrain sends 986 horsepower, 83 ponies more than the standard P1, to the rear wheels, which translates into a 2.4-second 0-to-60 mph sprint, a 0.2-second improvement over the street-legal P1.
Pricing for the P1 begins at £1.98 million ($3.05 million as of 02/13/2015), a sticker that also includes private consultations with the McLaren driver-fitness team and company design director Frank Stephenson, as well as access to one of McLaren’s dedicated racing simulators. Customers will also benefit from at least six drive events to be held on certain Formula One tracks. Production of the P1 GTR "will be strictly limited," but no actual figures have been given yet.
Conclusion
Gorgeous to look at and incredibly powerful, the Vulcan means many things for both Aston Martin and racing enthusiasts. It’s not often that we see a completely new product come from Gaydon and the Vulcan exceeds all expectations thanks to its track-restricted configuration and limited-run production cycle. What’s more, it is rather astonishing that the British brand came out of the box when everyone is basically talking about its financial limitations. The Vulcan opens a new chapter for Aston Martin, one I always knew the Brits could handle given AM Racing’s successful career on the track. Hopefully, this new race car and the program it comes with will bring the much-needed cash into the company’s coffers and enable Aston Martin to remain independent.
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