997 to be smaller than 996?
Interesting article from Autosport:
Monday 6th January 2003
Aston's Baby Vanquish
ston Martin is planning a head-on confrontation with Porsche's 911 when it launches the all-new 400bhp AMV8 Vantage in 2005. The so-called baby Aston - expected to cost roughly the same in base trim as a 911 - is crucial to the company's plans to expand annual production from the current 1500 units to a maximum of 5000 units. Although that figure doesn't seem overly ambitious by Porsche standards, Aston still wants to maintain an aura of exclusivity for its products.
Although the definitive shape of the Vantage - in this case the name is just a nod to the past, rather than an implication that this is the performance variant of the new car - has yet to be finalised, the AMV8 concept car you see here (unveiled at this month's Detroit Auto Show) gives a pretty good idea of what to expect. The basic requirements for the concept and the initial design work were started by Ian Callum (the man responsible for the DB7 and Vanquish) before he went off to Jaguar, but the majority of the design was completed by current Aston styling chief Henrik Fisker.
Fisker was determined to create a modern coupe devoid of any retro themes other than the grille, though you'd have to say that from certain angles it's easy to mistake the AMV8 for a shrunken Vanquish. That said, from the rear three-quarters it does have a shape all its own, if distinctively Aston. The overall dimensions of the car (4500mm long, 1920mm wide) are shamelessly pretty much the same as the current 911's, although by the time the Vantage hits the streets there'll be a new version of the Porsche, rumoured to be more compact than the present car.
With a target weight of just 1500kg, it's no surprise that the AMV8 wears alloy body panels to clothe a chassis made the same way as the Vanquish's, from extruded aluminium. The platform is the first of a new generation of Aston chassis that will form the basis for other future models; it's flexible enough (in the 'good' sense, of course) to accommodate other body styles, one of which will almost certainly be a saloon, and possibly even a shooting brake - that's an estate car to you and me. Importantly for Aston, no other Ford group products will be spun off this chassis, again to reinforce the feeling of exclusivity.
That ethos also applies to the engine, a bespoke 4.3-litre naturally-aspirated V8 being developed for Aston by Cosworth; we're assured that this isn't just a modified Jaguar unit, but an all-new engine exclusive to Aston. The company is being secretive about the exact power output but will say that it'll be better than the 911's. As figures of up to 380bhp are being bandied around for the new 911 due out later this year, expect to see around 400bhp from the new Aston.
With an output of that magnitude in a comparatively light package, performance should be every bit as strong as the Porsche's and probably even more breathtaking. All that oomph will be fed down to the rear wheels through a variety of transmission options that include a six-speed stick-shift, semi-auto paddle shift (which should be a big improvement over that in the Vanquish), or Touchtronic automatic. The chassis team is being fronted by Chris Porrit, with input from ex-F1 driver John Miles - the pair recently worked together on the set-up for the soon-to-be-released DB7 GT - and the weight distribution of the AMV8 is said to be an ideal 50/50.
Although Aston is keen to point out that this is its very own project, it doesn't underestimate the task of beating Porsche at its own game, and will therefore be calling on the expertise of other outfits within the Ford group to help out in specialised areas. Volvo, for example, is a master of safety and crush structures, while Ford itself has extensive knowledge of meeting emissions regulations on a global level. The ability to call upon corporate resources means Aston should be able to punch above its weight in terms of engineering and development, although it already has its own team of 150 people working on the project.
Spurred by criticism of the Vanquish's cabin both from customers and the motoring press, Aston is making a big effort with the AMV8's interior. All the bits that you touch - door handles, column stalks, switches, etc - will be bespoke items, even if the wiring and other unseen stuff come from the Ford group parts bin. This is an expensive commitment for Aston but a vital one if the company aims to persuade potential customers that the AMV8 is a lot more special than a 911.
Curiously, the show car, at least, is a strict two-seater with a large luggage compartment accessed via a hatch-back. This seems a little odd because up to 40 per cent of AMV8 sales are expected to be to the US market, where traditionally 2+2s are what sell, even if their rear seats are next to useless and are never put to use; Jaguar was forced to add a pair of tiny chairs in the back of the XJ-S to boost its American sales.
Aston dealers won't, for the moment, take your deposit, though they will put your name on a list. And the car may yet change - Fisker sees no technical or legislative reason why the AMV8 Vantage concept couldn't make it into production with just a few minor alterations, but the car has still to be subjected to a clinic, though whether this will be entirely internal or involve customers, is unknown.
In the meantime, work is proceeding on a brand new production facility at Gaydon where the AMV8 will be built. Disguised prototypes have also been caught out testing; their relatively early appearance shows just how seriously Aston is taking this project, because it knows how thoroughly well-developed your average Porsche is and what's required to match it.
Of course, the 911's isn't the only scalp that Aston is hoping to take with the AMV8 - the Ferrari 360 Modena, Jaguar XKR, Honda NSX, Maserati Coupe and Mercedes-Benz SL are other obvious candidates. It's a very competitive marketplace; the early unveiling of the AMV8 concept is to give us plenty of time to get used to the idea of a challenge to the established order in 2005.
Monday 6th January 2003
Aston's Baby Vanquish
ston Martin is planning a head-on confrontation with Porsche's 911 when it launches the all-new 400bhp AMV8 Vantage in 2005. The so-called baby Aston - expected to cost roughly the same in base trim as a 911 - is crucial to the company's plans to expand annual production from the current 1500 units to a maximum of 5000 units. Although that figure doesn't seem overly ambitious by Porsche standards, Aston still wants to maintain an aura of exclusivity for its products.
Although the definitive shape of the Vantage - in this case the name is just a nod to the past, rather than an implication that this is the performance variant of the new car - has yet to be finalised, the AMV8 concept car you see here (unveiled at this month's Detroit Auto Show) gives a pretty good idea of what to expect. The basic requirements for the concept and the initial design work were started by Ian Callum (the man responsible for the DB7 and Vanquish) before he went off to Jaguar, but the majority of the design was completed by current Aston styling chief Henrik Fisker.
Fisker was determined to create a modern coupe devoid of any retro themes other than the grille, though you'd have to say that from certain angles it's easy to mistake the AMV8 for a shrunken Vanquish. That said, from the rear three-quarters it does have a shape all its own, if distinctively Aston. The overall dimensions of the car (4500mm long, 1920mm wide) are shamelessly pretty much the same as the current 911's, although by the time the Vantage hits the streets there'll be a new version of the Porsche, rumoured to be more compact than the present car.
With a target weight of just 1500kg, it's no surprise that the AMV8 wears alloy body panels to clothe a chassis made the same way as the Vanquish's, from extruded aluminium. The platform is the first of a new generation of Aston chassis that will form the basis for other future models; it's flexible enough (in the 'good' sense, of course) to accommodate other body styles, one of which will almost certainly be a saloon, and possibly even a shooting brake - that's an estate car to you and me. Importantly for Aston, no other Ford group products will be spun off this chassis, again to reinforce the feeling of exclusivity.
That ethos also applies to the engine, a bespoke 4.3-litre naturally-aspirated V8 being developed for Aston by Cosworth; we're assured that this isn't just a modified Jaguar unit, but an all-new engine exclusive to Aston. The company is being secretive about the exact power output but will say that it'll be better than the 911's. As figures of up to 380bhp are being bandied around for the new 911 due out later this year, expect to see around 400bhp from the new Aston.
With an output of that magnitude in a comparatively light package, performance should be every bit as strong as the Porsche's and probably even more breathtaking. All that oomph will be fed down to the rear wheels through a variety of transmission options that include a six-speed stick-shift, semi-auto paddle shift (which should be a big improvement over that in the Vanquish), or Touchtronic automatic. The chassis team is being fronted by Chris Porrit, with input from ex-F1 driver John Miles - the pair recently worked together on the set-up for the soon-to-be-released DB7 GT - and the weight distribution of the AMV8 is said to be an ideal 50/50.
Although Aston is keen to point out that this is its very own project, it doesn't underestimate the task of beating Porsche at its own game, and will therefore be calling on the expertise of other outfits within the Ford group to help out in specialised areas. Volvo, for example, is a master of safety and crush structures, while Ford itself has extensive knowledge of meeting emissions regulations on a global level. The ability to call upon corporate resources means Aston should be able to punch above its weight in terms of engineering and development, although it already has its own team of 150 people working on the project.
Spurred by criticism of the Vanquish's cabin both from customers and the motoring press, Aston is making a big effort with the AMV8's interior. All the bits that you touch - door handles, column stalks, switches, etc - will be bespoke items, even if the wiring and other unseen stuff come from the Ford group parts bin. This is an expensive commitment for Aston but a vital one if the company aims to persuade potential customers that the AMV8 is a lot more special than a 911.
Curiously, the show car, at least, is a strict two-seater with a large luggage compartment accessed via a hatch-back. This seems a little odd because up to 40 per cent of AMV8 sales are expected to be to the US market, where traditionally 2+2s are what sell, even if their rear seats are next to useless and are never put to use; Jaguar was forced to add a pair of tiny chairs in the back of the XJ-S to boost its American sales.
Aston dealers won't, for the moment, take your deposit, though they will put your name on a list. And the car may yet change - Fisker sees no technical or legislative reason why the AMV8 Vantage concept couldn't make it into production with just a few minor alterations, but the car has still to be subjected to a clinic, though whether this will be entirely internal or involve customers, is unknown.
In the meantime, work is proceeding on a brand new production facility at Gaydon where the AMV8 will be built. Disguised prototypes have also been caught out testing; their relatively early appearance shows just how seriously Aston is taking this project, because it knows how thoroughly well-developed your average Porsche is and what's required to match it.
Of course, the 911's isn't the only scalp that Aston is hoping to take with the AMV8 - the Ferrari 360 Modena, Jaguar XKR, Honda NSX, Maserati Coupe and Mercedes-Benz SL are other obvious candidates. It's a very competitive marketplace; the early unveiling of the AMV8 concept is to give us plenty of time to get used to the idea of a challenge to the established order in 2005.
