It was a real thrill to visit the Aston Martin factory at the end of August. We accompanied a client looking to configure and then order a new DB11 Volante in what Aston Martin termed the ‘DB11 Volante Confidential’ appointment
To access the DB11 Volante Confidential appointment we were required to complete a non-disclosure agreement and hand in any devices that were capable of taking photographic or video footage of one of only two cars in existence at the time of writing. I’m not sure that I should be even sharing my opinions now about the new and highly confidential DB11 Volante given Aston Martin history with the British Secret Service…
Our small group were then escorted through to the DB11 Volante Confidential suite where we first witnessed the shape of the car, hidden under a silken jet black veil. The car was then unveiled and we were walked round it and shown the differences in design by the Aston Martin Product Specialists.
The DB11 Volante will only come in a V8 engine variant; so the vents on the bonnet reduce from four to two between the V12 and the V8. There are subtle styling differences around the new car; the lighting housing around the car is different to the DB11 and it looks like Aston Martin lettering is going to appear on the rear bumper just below the traditional wings motif.
The car that we saw was in the very attractive Ultramarine exterior colour – we compared it to a very dark blue that looks blue in the daylight but black at night. The interior was finished in blue leather which looked good but it wouldn’t be my first choice.
Aston Martin kindly provided lunch and drinks while the Product Specialists helped the clients configure their new cars for order in October and delivery in 2018.
Already very satisfied with our afternoon, we were then treated to the bonus of a factory tour starting with a physical timeline of Aston Martin Lagonda cars.
Starting with the very first models built in the early 1900s, through to the change of ownership when David Brown launched the DB1, moving to the Lagonda muscle-cars and then finishing with the DB7 Zagato and the DB10 for the silver screen.
From there it was in to the manufacturing area where we not permitted to take any photos but it was a fascinating insight in to how 36000 new Aston Martin cars per year were manufactured, mostly by hand with very little automation.
A further thrill was seeing the fully camouflaged new Vantage model tucked away in the depths of the factory…another new car that will surely be a big success for Aston Martin.
Conscious of our transport arrangements back to Edinburgh or further south to Oxford, reluctantly we had to make our way back to the reception area and then leave the site.
The whole Aston Martin experience was absolutely fantastic and we hope to be back there soon.
