The Supermarine Spitfire is probably one of the most celebrated fighter planes in Britain during World War II. The fighter plane was instrumental in the defence of United Kingdom airspace during the Blitz. It was also the fighter that dominated the airspace over Europe as the Allied Forces took back the continent from German hands.
Aston Martin wants to celebrate 80 years since the first flight of this iconic British fighter plane with a limited edition V12 Vantage S called the Spitfire 80.
The Spitfire 80 has a distinct colour scheme with the Duxford Green paint job which is the colour of the base where the first Spitfire squadron was stationed. The yellow pinstripes mimic those found on the wing tips of the plane. A number of components have also been made for the car by Duxford’s Aircraft Restoration Company including a tailpipe finisher that has a “rainbow bloom” which is similar to what the fighter’s exhaust looked like. The interior also has some badges sewn into the seats and the central dash has integrated the RAF’s famous roundel.
The Aston Martin V12 Vantage S has a 6.0-litre V12 engine under the bonnet that churns out 565bhp and 457 lb-ft of torque. It would be around half of what the fighter plane was capable of with the Rolls-Royce Merlin engines producing a mighty 1,052bhp. The Vantage S can do 0 to 62mph in just 3.7 seconds and has a top speed of 205mph which is not too shabby. The engine is paired with a 7-speed manual transmission.
The limited edition Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Spitfire 80 will only have 8 units in the production run. The cost for the Spitfire 80 would be around £180,000 with a fraction of it going to the RAF Benevolent Fund. There will be a special program for would-be owners during the official handover at the Duxford Imperial War Museum.
Photos from Top Gear.
Leave a reply