Aston Martin Magazine Issue 17

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I S S U E 1 7 WI N T E R 2 0 1 1
A S T O N M A R T I N M A G A Z I N E
INTRODUCING THE RALPH LAUREN AUTOMOTIVE WATCH
STAI NLESS STEEL 45MM MODEL. ELM BURLWOOD DI AL. SAPPHI RE CRYSTAL CASE BACK. MANUAL WI NDI NG MANUFACTURE MOVEMENT.
156 COMPONENTS, 45- HOUR POWER RESERVE. SWI SS MADE.
NEW YORK BEVERLY HI LLS LAS VEGAS DALLAS CHI CAGO BAL HARBOUR LONDON PARI S CANNES
MI LAN GSTAAD ST MORI TZ TOKYO SHANGHAI HONG KONG MACAU SI NGAPORE
RALPHLAURENWATCHES.COM
32295RL_AstonMartin SPD_F11.indd 2 9/28/11 1:31 PM 32295RL_AstonMartin SPD_F11.indd 1 9/28/11 1:30 PM
INTRODUCING THE RALPH LAUREN AUTOMOTIVE WATCH
STAI NLESS STEEL 45MM MODEL. ELM BURLWOOD DI AL. SAPPHI RE CRYSTAL CASE BACK. MANUAL WI NDI NG MANUFACTURE MOVEMENT.
156 COMPONENTS, 45- HOUR POWER RESERVE. SWI SS MADE.
NEW YORK BEVERLY HI LLS LAS VEGAS DALLAS CHI CAGO BAL HARBOUR LONDON PARI S CANNES
MI LAN GSTAAD ST MORI TZ TOKYO SHANGHAI HONG KONG MACAU SI NGAPORE
RALPHLAURENWATCHES.COM
32295RL_AstonMartin SPD_F11.indd 2 9/28/11 1:31 PM 32295RL_AstonMartin SPD_F11.indd 1 9/28/11 1:30 PM
astonmartin(october).indd 1 01/11/2011 10:18
astonmartin(october).indd 1 01/11/2011 10:18
XXXXX WWL ASTON MARTIN_Layout 1 31/10/2011 10:41 Page 1
Boodles Wonderland
T: +44 (0)20 7437 5050 | www.boodles.com
Boodles Wonderland
T: +44 (0)20 7437 5050 | www.boodles.com
A S T ON MA R T I N
*
r u n n i n g h e a d
* I S S U E 1 6 / 1 1
W E L C O M E
Dear Reader,
Welcome to the latest issue of the Aston Martin Magazine.
In this issue, we are aiming for the stars, as we take you to the newly opened
Spaceport America in the deserts of New Mexico. This stunning building designed
by Norman Foster will be the launch pad for the very first commercial space
flights in late 2012.

Aston Martin was on hand at the opening ceremony to provide an earthbound but
extraordinary experience our spectacular One-77 supercar running at full power
down Spaceports 3km-long runway.

America has also been at the forefront of my mind. In August, my wife and I
undertook a 4,500-mile road trip across the USA and Canada in a Virage Volante,
experiencing the open roads and big skies of Pennsylvania, Lake Superior, Wyoming,
South Dakota and Montana. You can read about our grand tour from page 28. We
are also revisiting our top-ten drive stories from Aston Martin Magazines past 16
issues, with a stunning retrospective photo-feature from page 50. We also take a
first look at the interior of the new V12 Zagato limited-edition production car a
scintillating blend of style and power that is faithfully represented by a high-tech,
hand-crafted trim evoking the fibres of muscle.

Elsewhere in the magazine, Aston Martins interest in art, craft and design from
the wider world is covered by exclusive stories on restaurant design, watchmaking,
Egyptian street art and ones to watch on the global fashion scene as selected
by Triestes International Talent Support, now celebrating its tenth year of
creativity cultivation.

The One-77, V12 Zagato and Virage Volante all represent automotive modernity
and contemporary craftsmanship at their most elegant and evocative. Yet for
decades, Aston Martin has acknowledged the strength and importance of its heritage
through the skills and experience of the Newport Pagnell Works Service department.
We are delighted to announce the introduction of a new dealership at Newport
Pagnell, which will work in conjunction with Works Service and Works Tailored to
offer an unrivalled selection of new and historic Aston Martins for sale.
I hope you enjoy the magazine.
DR ULRICH BEZ
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
C O N T E N T S
10 ASTON MARTI N LI FE
Whetheritswinninganawardcourtesy
ofQuintessentially,beingselectedas
oneoftheCoolestBrandsintheUKor
launchingtheCygnetinHongKong,
therehavebeenplentyofreasonsfor
AstonMartintoraiseatoasttoitself
thispastseason.
28 THE ASTON MARTI N TRAI L
Thissummer,AstonMartinsCEO
DrUlrichBezandhiswifeMartinaset
outonanepicadventureacrossthe
UnitedStatesinaVirageVolante.
Jointhemfortheride.
37 THE NEW HI EROGLYPHI CS
Guerrillaarthassprunguponthe
streetsofCairo,discoversMiddleEastern
correspondentJoshWood,withnew
galleriesflourishingagainsttheodds.
44 FORMI TALI A TO THE FORE
AstonMartininvitesyoutopullup
achairandwitnesstheremarkable
translationoftheirunmistakeable
designlanguageatthehandsofItalian
furnituremaestrosFormitalia.
46 CABI N FEVER
JonathanBellgetsanexclusive
previewofthestylishlysinuousinterior
liningthemuscularV12Zagato.
50 TEN OF THE BEST
AstonMartinMagazineshowcasestenof
themoststunningphotographsfromthe
past16issuesexhilaratingdrivestories.
63 THE ONES TO WATCH
EveryJuly,thousandsflocktothesmall
ItalianporttownofTriestetoscout
tomorrowscreativestars,fromaccessory
designthroughtophotography.Rebecca
MayJohnsonreportsfromthefrontrow.
68 DI NI NG I S I N THE DETAI LS
Ifdinneristheatre,thentheroomand
thedetailsaretheprosceniumarchand
theorchestra.MarkC.OFlahertytakes
inthemostprogressiveandentertaining
designsglobally.
75 THE OTHER CRAFTS
Thetraditionalcraftsofenamelling,
marquetry,engravingandstonework
arestagingacomebackintheworld
ofjewelleryandwatchmaking.
80 A WRI TER S PARADI SE
HunterS.ThompsonsnovelThe Rum
DiaryisnowafilmstarringJohnnyDepp,
setamongsttheelegiaccharm,salsaand
atmosphericnightlifeofPuertoRico.
RobCrossanisinspiredtosoakupthe
surfingcapitaloftheCaribbean.
86 STAR BOUND
Thesecondspaceraceisnearlywon
withRichardBransonsVirginGalactic
gearinguptoofferthefirsttourbeyond
theozonelayerassoonasnextyear,
withrivalsBlueOriginhotontheirheels.
GarethRubingetsuptospeed.
90 WHAT TO BUY
Whattobuythatdifficultsomeone?
Heresourround-upoftheluxuryand
designworldsquirkierlittlesomethings,
justintimefortheforthcoming
festiveseason.
94 ASTON MARTI N RACI NG
SincetheV8Vantagemadeits2006
debutattheNrburgring24-Hoursraceit
hasbecomethemarquesmostsuccessful
GTracingcarandthisseason,itquite
simplysurpasseditself.
100 ASTON MARTI N WORKS
TheAstonMartinWorksService
demonstratesyetagainthatthe
possibilitiesforpersonalisationare
endless.Plus,asneakpreview
oftheexcitingnewbuilingwork
atNewportPagnell,whichincludes
abrand-newdealership.
A S T ON MA R T I N
*
* I S S U E 1 6 / 1 1
W E L C O M E
Dear Reader,
Welcome to the latest issue of the Aston Martin Magazine.
In this issue, we are aiming for the stars, as we take you to the newly opened
Spaceport America in the deserts of New Mexico. This stunning building designed
by Norman Foster will be the launch pad for the very first commercial space
flights in late 2012.

Aston Martin was on hand at the opening ceremony to provide an earthbound but
extraordinary experience our spectacular One-77 supercar running at full power
down Spaceports 3km-long runway.

America has also been at the forefront of my mind. In August, my wife and I
undertook a 4,500-mile road trip across the USA and Canada in a Virage Volante,
experiencing the open roads and big skies of Pennsylvania, Lake Superior, Wyoming,
South Dakota and Montana. You can read about our grand tour from page 28. We
are also revisiting our top-ten drive stories from Aston Martin Magazines past 16
issues, with a stunning retrospective photo-feature from page 50. We also take a
first look at the interior of the new V12 Zagato limited-edition production car a
scintillating blend of style and power that is faithfully represented by a high-tech,
hand-crafted trim evoking the fibres of muscle.

Elsewhere in the magazine, Aston Martins interest in art, craft and design from
the wider world is covered by exclusive stories on restaurant design, watchmaking,
Egyptian street art and ones to watch on the global fashion scene as selected
by Triestes International Talent Support, now celebrating its tenth year of
creativity cultivation.

The One-77, V12 Zagato and Virage Volante all represent automotive modernity
and contemporary craftsmanship at their most elegant and evocative. Yet for
decades, Aston Martin has acknowledged the strength and importance of its heritage
through the skills and experience of the Newport Pagnell Works Service department.
We are delighted to announce the introduction of a new dealership at Newport
Pagnell, which will work in conjunction with Works Service and Works Tailored to
offer an unrivalled selection of new and historic Aston Martins for sale.
I hope you enjoy the magazine.
DR ULRICH BEZ
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
C O N T E N T S
10 ASTON MARTI N LI FE
Whetheritswinninganawardcourtesy
ofQuintessentially,beingselectedas
oneoftheCoolestBrandsintheUKor
launchingtheCygnetinHongKong,
therehavebeenplentyofreasonsfor
AstonMartintoraiseatoasttoitself
thispastseason.
28 THE ASTON MARTI N TRAI L
Thissummer,AstonMartinsCEO
DrUlrichBezandhiswifeMartinaset
outonanepicadventureacrossthe
UnitedStatesinaVirageVolante.
Jointhemfortheride.
37 THE NEW HI EROGLYPHI CS
Guerrillaarthassprunguponthe
streetsofCairo,discoversMiddleEastern
correspondentJoshWood,withnew
galleriesflourishingagainsttheodds.
44 FORMI TALI A TO THE FORE
AstonMartininvitesyoutopullup
achairandwitnesstheremarkable
translationoftheirunmistakeable
designlanguageatthehandsofItalian
furnituremaestrosFormitalia.
46 CABI N FEVER
JonathanBellgetsanexclusive
previewofthestylishlysinuousinterior
liningthemuscularV12Zagato.
50 TEN OF THE BEST
AstonMartinMagazineshowcasestenof
themoststunningphotographsfromthe
past16issuesexhilaratingdrivestories.
63 THE ONES TO WATCH
EveryJuly,thousandsflocktothesmall
ItalianporttownofTriestetoscout
tomorrowscreativestars,fromaccessory
designthroughtophotography.Rebecca
MayJohnsonreportsfromthefrontrow.
68 DI NI NG I S I N THE DETAI LS
Ifdinneristheatre,thentheroomand
thedetailsaretheprosceniumarchand
theorchestra.MarkC.OFlahertytakes
inthemostprogressiveandentertaining
designsglobally.
75 THE OTHER CRAFTS
Thetraditionalcraftsofenamelling,
marquetry,engravingandstonework
arestagingacomebackintheworld
ofjewelleryandwatchmaking.
80 A WRI TER S PARADI SE
HunterS.ThompsonsnovelThe Rum
DiaryisnowafilmstarringJohnnyDepp,
setamongsttheelegiaccharm,salsaand
atmosphericnightlifeofPuertoRico.
RobCrossanisinspiredtosoakupthe
surfingcapitaloftheCaribbean.
86 STAR BOUND
Thesecondspaceraceisnearlywon
withRichardBransonsVirginGalactic
gearinguptoofferthefirsttourbeyond
theozonelayerassoonasnextyear,
withrivalsBlueOriginhotontheirheels.
GarethRubingetsuptospeed.
90 WHAT TO BUY
Whattobuythatdifficultsomeone?
Heresourround-upoftheluxuryand
designworldsquirkierlittlesomethings,
justintimefortheforthcoming
festiveseason.
94 ASTON MARTI N RACI NG
SincetheV8Vantagemadeits2006
debutattheNrburgring24-Hoursraceit
hasbecomethemarquesmostsuccessful
GTracingcarandthisseason,itquite
simplysurpasseditself.
100 ASTON MARTI N WORKS
TheAstonMartinWorksService
demonstratesyetagainthatthe
possibilitiesforpersonalisationare
endless.Plus,asneakpreview
oftheexcitingnewbuilingwork
atNewportPagnell,whichincludes
abrand-newdealership.
PRIVATE ENQUIRIES - www.louismoinet.com - info@louismoinet.com - Tel. +41 (0)32 753 68 14
ASTRALIS
Limited Edition of 12
... Read more on www.louismoinet.com
A VOYAGE THROUGH TIME AND SPACE ...
PRIVATE ENQUIRIES - www.louismoinet.com - info@louismoinet.com - Tel. +41 (0)32 753 68 14
ASTRALIS
Limited Edition of 12
... Read more on www.louismoinet.com
A VOYAGE THROUGH TIME AND SPACE ...
Fi ve- Four- Three- Two- one- 77!
The of f i ci al openi ng of vi r gi n Gal act i c s Spacepor t Amer i ca i n
oct ober was a hi s t or i c moment f or t echnol ogy, expl or at i on,
and human achi evement as a whol e and f i t t i ngl y, As t on Mar t i n s
one- 77 s uper car was t her e t oo, r oar i ng down t he r unway hot on
t he heel s of whi t eKni ght Two, bot h t r i umphs of car bon- f i br e
engi neer i ng. Pat r i ck C. Pat er ni e r epor t s
v i r g i n g a l a c t i c + o n e - 7 7
On 17 October 2011, the countdown to Virgin Galactics first commercial
flights into space officially began. Under seemingly unreachable crystal-blue
skies over southern New Mexicos expansive high desert, Sir Richard Branson
hosted the dedication of Virgin Galactics new home, Spaceport America.
As befitting such a milestone, more than 800 guests were on hand. Amongst
government officials and celebrities, were no less than 150 of the 480
astronauts who had already paid $200,000 to be the first to experience
the two-hour round trip into suborbital space. Virgin Galactic, embracing the
cutting-edge technology and global appeal of another British brand, also
welcomed to the festivities a contingent from Aston Martin: a stunning
example of the One-77, looking particularly spectacular against the
backdrop of Sir Norman Fosters 120,000-square-foot passenger terminal,
pre-flight training centre, and Space Fleet hangar.
Also on display, of course, was the Fleet itself gleaming brilliant white
on the apron: the twin-fuselage WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft and
the six-passenger SpaceShipTwo craft slung beneath, which is released at
an altitude of 50,000 feet before rocketing into space for six minutes of
zero-gravity and a view of Earth thatll live in your memory for a lifetime.
i S S u e 1 7 / 1 1 i S S u e 1 7 / 1 1 1 0 1 1
A S T on MA r T i n
Fi ve- Four- Three- Two- one- 77!
The of f i ci al openi ng of vi r gi n Gal act i c s Spacepor t Amer i ca i n
oct ober was a hi s t or i c moment f or t echnol ogy, expl or at i on,
and human achi evement as a whol e and f i t t i ngl y, As t on Mar t i n s
one- 77 s uper car was t her e t oo, r oar i ng down t he r unway hot on
t he heel s of whi t eKni ght Two, bot h t r i umphs of car bon- f i br e
engi neer i ng. Pat r i ck C. Pat er ni e r epor t s
v i r g i n g a l a c t i c + o n e - 7 7
On 17 October 2011, the countdown to Virgin Galactics first commercial
flights into space officially began. Under seemingly unreachable crystal-blue
skies over southern New Mexicos expansive high desert, Sir Richard Branson
hosted the dedication of Virgin Galactics new home, Spaceport America.
As befitting such a milestone, more than 800 guests were on hand. Amongst
government officials and celebrities, were no less than 150 of the 480
astronauts who had already paid $200,000 to be the first to experience
the two-hour round trip into suborbital space. Virgin Galactic, embracing the
cutting-edge technology and global appeal of another British brand, also
welcomed to the festivities a contingent from Aston Martin: a stunning
example of the One-77, looking particularly spectacular against the
backdrop of Sir Norman Fosters 120,000-square-foot passenger terminal,
pre-flight training centre, and Space Fleet hangar.
Also on display, of course, was the Fleet itself gleaming brilliant white
on the apron: the twin-fuselage WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft and
the six-passenger SpaceShipTwo craft slung beneath, which is released at
an altitude of 50,000 feet before rocketing into space for six minutes of
zero-gravity and a view of Earth thatll live in your memory for a lifetime.
i S S u e 1 7 / 1 1 i S S u e 1 7 / 1 1 1 0 1 1
A S T on MA r T i n
1 2 i S S u e 1 7 / 1 1
Branson and his children, Sam and Holly, who will be the first passengers
on the maiden voyage, showed they were in top condition for their roughly
68-mile high venture above the ground by rappelling down from the
60-foot high roof of Spaceport America to conclude the opening ceremonies.
The following day, the 10,000-foot runway used by Virgin Galactics carbon
composite space craft served as a launch pad for Aston Martins own
carbon fibre rocket ship, the limited edition One-77. Aston Martin Chief
Engineer Chris Porritt piloted a prototype during a series of 185mph-plus taxi
rides for international journalists and prospective owners.
The prototype, hardly the worse for wear despite nearly 14,000 hard miles
of durability testing since it rolled off the production line in August, sounded
like a low-flying fighter plane as its 750bhp 7.3-litre V12 effortlessly reeled
off one high-speed run after another, trailed by a plume of dust kicked up
by the rear diffuser.
Besides the slippery aerodynamics and powerful thrust of its engine, the
One-77 construction process also mimics that of a spacecraft with a structure
that consists of 3,500 separate carbon-fibre elements and approximately
2,700 hours of labour for each hand-built car. The big difference is that
Virgin Galactics spacecraft might eventually be considered mass-transit
vehicles; only 77 people will be lucky enough to pilot their own One-77.
Turn to page 86 for Star Bound, Gareth Rubins in-depth feature on
the rise of space tourism.
HARRY WINSTON MIDNIGHT COLLECTION
London - 165 Sloane Street Tel: +44 (0)20 7752 0246
Paris - 50 rue Pierre Charron Tel: +33 (0)1 47 20 72 40
www.arije.com
HRW_MIDNIGHTBIGDATE_230x297_ASTON_UK.indd 1 24.10.11 10:54
A S T on MA r T i n
1 2 i S S u e 1 7 / 1 1
Branson and his children, Sam and Holly, who will be the first passengers
on the maiden voyage, showed they were in top condition for their roughly
68-mile high venture above the ground by rappelling down from the
60-foot high roof of Spaceport America to conclude the opening ceremonies.
The following day, the 10,000-foot runway used by Virgin Galactics carbon
composite space craft served as a launch pad for Aston Martins own
carbon fibre rocket ship, the limited edition One-77. Aston Martin Chief
Engineer Chris Porritt piloted a prototype during a series of 185mph-plus taxi
rides for international journalists and prospective owners.
The prototype, hardly the worse for wear despite nearly 14,000 hard miles
of durability testing since it rolled off the production line in August, sounded
like a low-flying fighter plane as its 750bhp 7.3-litre V12 effortlessly reeled
off one high-speed run after another, trailed by a plume of dust kicked up
by the rear diffuser.
Besides the slippery aerodynamics and powerful thrust of its engine, the
One-77 construction process also mimics that of a spacecraft with a structure
that consists of 3,500 separate carbon-fibre elements and approximately
2,700 hours of labour for each hand-built car. The big difference is that
Virgin Galactics spacecraft might eventually be considered mass-transit
vehicles; only 77 people will be lucky enough to pilot their own One-77.
Turn to page 86 for Star Bound, Gareth Rubins in-depth feature on
the rise of space tourism.
HARRY WINSTON MIDNIGHT COLLECTION
London - 165 Sloane Street Tel: +44 (0)20 7752 0246
Paris - 50 rue Pierre Charron Tel: +33 (0)1 47 20 72 40
www.arije.com
HRW_MIDNIGHTBIGDATE_230x297_ASTON_UK.indd 1 24.10.11 10:54
A S T on MA r T i n
aston martin life
COOLEST OF ALL
For an unprecedented fifth time in six years,
Aston Martin has officially been awarded Number One
status as the UKs Coolest Brand, topping 499 others.
Seeing off competition from leading luxury brands
including Apple and Bang & Olufsen, Aston Martin
was also voted the top automotive brand, surpassing
a host of other luxury and specialist manufacturers to
complete a double success.
Stephen Cheliotis, Chief Executive for The Centre
for Brand Analysis and Chairman of the CoolBrands
Council commented: Smooth, sexy and sophisticated;
British built, high quality and hand finished, lets be
honest, young or old, male or female, opinion former
or British public, who wouldnt aspire to own what is
truly the coolest car on the road? Number one in five
of the last six years, this British icon is truly the coolest
of the cool.
Since it was established in 2001, the CoolBrands
initiative has been canvassing the opinions of experts
and consumers based on factors including style,
innovation, authenticity, originality and desirability.
This years council of 36 influencers includes music
artist Jessie J, DJ and Bestival founder Rob da Bank.
STAR OF FRANKFURT
The 64th IAA International Motor Show took place between 15-25 September in Frankfurt, Germany
and welcomed the largest display of contemporary Aston Martins ever seen at a motor show.
The debut of the V12 Zagato, the One-77 supercar and the premiere of the two Carbon Editions of
the Aston Martin DBS were unveiled to more than 1 million visitors. A series of insightful Design and
Engineering Masterclass videos featuring the design expertise of Aston Martin Director of Design
Marek Reichman, and the engineering achievements of Product Development Director Ian Minards
focused on the models being presented at Frankfurt and offered visitors an illuminating peek into
how Power, Beauty and Soul are imbued into every Aston Martin. These films, along with the full
presentation of Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bezs press conference from the opening of the show
can be found at astonmartin.com/frankfurt
As the smallest of the Aston Martin models has
been whizzing around Europe receiving positive
feedback, the Cygnet city car has now been
welcomed into the Aston Martin family in Asia,
touring Hong Kong and Japans most luxurious
venues between 23 and 29 October.
Over four days, thirty journalists from both
Hong Kong and Japan were each assigned a
Cygnet and unleashed in pairs onto the bustling
streets of downtown Hong Kong and then
out to Repulse Bay for lunch. On the evening
of the 27th, 300 guests were invited to enjoy
a panoramic view of Aberdeen in The Peak
Lookout, a blissful escape from the hustle and
bustle of the city. Aston Martin Hong Kong
representatives Markus Jebsen and Gordon Choy,
Dr Mathew Bennett (Aston Martin Regional
Director Asia Pacific) and Marek Reichman
(Aston Martin Design Director) said all a few
words before Pakour dancers and gymnasts leapt
into the venue to reveal the Cygnet. A similar
event was also held at Vulcanize in Japan a
cool, iconic store right in the heart of downtown
Tokyo, a natural environment for Cygnet.
Written by Sumi Bez
a s t on ma r t i n
1 4 i s s U e 1 7 / 1 1
HONg KONg STyLE
ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE
CHRONOGRAPH
LONDON 165 Sloane Street Tel +44 (0)20 7752 0246
PARIS 50 rue Pierre Charron Tel +33 (0)1 47 20 72 40 - 30 avenue George V Tel +33 (0)1 49 52 98 88
www.arije.com
www. audemar spi guet . com
p y g
AM17 Arije Audemars P15.indd 15 6/11/11 14:23:41
aston martin life
COOLEST OF ALL
For an unprecedented fifth time in six years,
Aston Martin has officially been awarded Number One
status as the UKs Coolest Brand, topping 499 others.
Seeing off competition from leading luxury brands
including Apple and Bang & Olufsen, Aston Martin
was also voted the top automotive brand, surpassing
a host of other luxury and specialist manufacturers to
complete a double success.
Stephen Cheliotis, Chief Executive for The Centre
for Brand Analysis and Chairman of the CoolBrands
Council commented: Smooth, sexy and sophisticated;
British built, high quality and hand finished, lets be
honest, young or old, male or female, opinion former
or British public, who wouldnt aspire to own what is
truly the coolest car on the road? Number one in five
of the last six years, this British icon is truly the coolest
of the cool.
Since it was established in 2001, the CoolBrands
initiative has been canvassing the opinions of experts
and consumers based on factors including style,
innovation, authenticity, originality and desirability.
This years council of 36 influencers includes music
artist Jessie J, DJ and Bestival founder Rob da Bank.
STAR OF FRANKFURT
The 64th IAA International Motor Show took place between 15-25 September in Frankfurt, Germany
and welcomed the largest display of contemporary Aston Martins ever seen at a motor show.
The debut of the V12 Zagato, the One-77 supercar and the premiere of the two Carbon Editions of
the Aston Martin DBS were unveiled to more than 1 million visitors. A series of insightful Design and
Engineering Masterclass videos featuring the design expertise of Aston Martin Director of Design
Marek Reichman, and the engineering achievements of Product Development Director Ian Minards
focused on the models being presented at Frankfurt and offered visitors an illuminating peek into
how Power, Beauty and Soul are imbued into every Aston Martin. These films, along with the full
presentation of Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bezs press conference from the opening of the show
can be found at astonmartin.com/frankfurt
As the smallest of the Aston Martin models has
been whizzing around Europe receiving positive
feedback, the Cygnet city car has now been
welcomed into the Aston Martin family in Asia,
touring Hong Kong and Japans most luxurious
venues between 23 and 29 October.
Over four days, thirty journalists from both
Hong Kong and Japan were each assigned a
Cygnet and unleashed in pairs onto the bustling
streets of downtown Hong Kong and then
out to Repulse Bay for lunch. On the evening
of the 27th, 300 guests were invited to enjoy
a panoramic view of Aberdeen in The Peak
Lookout, a blissful escape from the hustle and
bustle of the city. Aston Martin Hong Kong
representatives Markus Jebsen and Gordon Choy,
Dr Mathew Bennett (Aston Martin Regional
Director Asia Pacific) and Marek Reichman
(Aston Martin Design Director) said all a few
words before Pakour dancers and gymnasts leapt
into the venue to reveal the Cygnet. A similar
event was also held at Vulcanize in Japan a
cool, iconic store right in the heart of downtown
Tokyo, a natural environment for Cygnet.
Written by Sumi Bez
a s t on ma r t i n
1 4 i s s U e 1 7 / 1 1
HONg KONg STyLE
ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE
CHRONOGRAPH
LONDON 165 Sloane Street Tel +44 (0)20 7752 0246
PARIS 50 rue Pierre Charron Tel +33 (0)1 47 20 72 40 - 30 avenue George V Tel +33 (0)1 49 52 98 88
www.arije.com
www. audemar spi guet . com
p y g
AM17 Arije Audemars P15.indd 15 6/11/11 14:23:41
aston martin life
aston martin life
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Aston Martins CEO Dr Ulrich Bez, Director of
Design Marek Reichman and Chairman
David Richards attended a drinks reception hosted
by Culture Minister Ed Vaizey at Downing Street
on 21 September. Held in honour of London
Fashion Week, and also, for the first time,
the London Design Festival, both brought an
eclectic mix of fashion, celebrity and design to
the black door of No 10.
a s t on ma r t i n
i s s U e 1 7 / 1 1
a s t on ma r t i n
i s s U e 1 7 / 1 1
Jamie Cullum helped to re-launch the new-look Met Bar in London with a
private performance on 5 October.
Guests in attendance greeted on arrival by a stunning example of
Aston Martins One-77 supercar were milliner to the stars Stephen Jones,
accompanied by his glamourous guest Cornelia de Uphaugh, as well as
CEO of Aston Martin Dr Ulrich Bez, BBC Foreign Affairs Editor
Jeremy Bowen, and model Tolula Adeyemi who had only landed at
Gatwick Airport hours earlier, coming straight to the party in a chauffeur-
driven Aston Martin. I couldnt have missed this! she joked.
The sophisticated Park Lane bar is now open to all, instead of their
original members-only policy, so make sure you pop down to admire
its new lava-stone bar, leather chairs and black-painted glass tables,
and sample its top-secret revamped cocktail list and fresh menu of
lemon-poached monkfish and beef & stilton pie.
BELgRAvIA BOOm
When The Halkin Hotel opened in September 1991,
nestled among the Georgian facades on a quite
residential street in Belgravia, London, it blazed a trail
that many others have followed.
Considered by many to be the citys first boutique hotel,
and until recently one of Londons best-kept secrets,
the 41-room Halkin celebrated its 20-year anniversary
with a unique series of events to underline its home
from home ethics. Two hundred friends of the hotel,
including Nicky Haslam, The Hon. Miriam Marks, and
Christine and Michael Buerk arrived to join in the fun
in chauffeur-driven Aston Martin Rapides and were
wowed with the stunning transformation of the dining
room into a Louis Roederer Champagne and Smith and
Taylor private wine cellar. The food from the award-
winning Nahm kitchens including pomelo with roasted
coconut, peanut and caramel dressing, pork tapioca
dumplings, and steamed red curry of scallops with Thai
basil leaves, washed down with champagne, wine and
cocktails proved a hit with guests.
With their new Assouline Culture Lounge having just
opened its doors this October, it is the ideal time to
pop by before it surely becomes a hotspot.
FUN AND FASHION
The must-see show of London Fashion Week
2011 simply had to be Mulberry, with the show
taking the British seaside as its hard-to-miss
theme. Outside Claridges ballroom, manicured
potted trees had been replaced by giant plastic
ice-cream cones, while waiters offered guests
mini-tubs of the dessert.
Eight Aston Martin Cygnets chauffeured VIP
guests who included Eliza Doolittle and Olivia
Palermo to the 2012 Spring/Summer Collection.
Guests were entertained by a fairground organ
piping out I Do Like to be Beside the Seaside as
the models took to the catwalk wearing striped
dresses, inspired by Fab ice-lollies.
QUINTESSENTIALLy STARRy
Aston Martin helped to make the second annual Quintessentially
Awards a night to remember on 28 September 2011. Held at
Number One Marylebone, designer dresses spilled out of chauffeur-
driven Aston Martins, and excited guests including Pixie Lott and
Alexandra Burke were out in force to celebrate the very best in luxury
lifestyle. Partnered by a board of luxury brands including, of course,
Aston Martin (CEO Dr Ulrich Bez pictured here with host Sir David Frost)
the winners included Tom Ford and Alexander McQueens Sarah Burton
sharing The Quintessentially Award for Excellence, and Marcus Wareing
who pipped Heston Blumenthal to Chef of the Year.
1 7 1 6
THE LONDON SCENE
STAR STUDDED IN THE mET
THE DOCK, DIXON AND DESIgN
Now in its ninth year, the 2011 London Design Festival welcomed 180 partners and more than
250 events to celebrate the worlds creative capital.
Running from 19-23 September, Aston Martin partnered the Festival VIP Programme with a
formidable fleet of chauffeured four-door Rapides and tailor-fit Cygnets. Guests were cossetted
in trademark Aston Martin luxury to a specially curated series of Festival highlights.
A distinctive array of the latest model range was on display, including the recently launched
Virage and V8 Vantage S at the entrance to Multiplex at The Dock, hosted by famed
international designer Tom Dixon at the Portobello Dock. Visitors enjoyed indoor, outdoor, food
and water-based installations, on-the-spot workshops, demonstrations and exhibitions from
Moooi, Lladro, The Floating Cinema, Designers in Residence and Piet Hein Eek.
aston martin life
aston martin life
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Aston Martins CEO Dr Ulrich Bez, Director of
Design Marek Reichman and Chairman
David Richards attended a drinks reception hosted
by Culture Minister Ed Vaizey at Downing Street
on 21 September. Held in honour of London
Fashion Week, and also, for the first time,
the London Design Festival, both brought an
eclectic mix of fashion, celebrity and design to
the black door of No 10.
a s t on ma r t i n
i s s U e 1 7 / 1 1
a s t on ma r t i n
i s s U e 1 7 / 1 1
Jamie Cullum helped to re-launch the new-look Met Bar in London with a
private performance on 5 October.
Guests in attendance greeted on arrival by a stunning example of
Aston Martins One-77 supercar were milliner to the stars Stephen Jones,
accompanied by his glamourous guest Cornelia de Uphaugh, as well as
CEO of Aston Martin Dr Ulrich Bez, BBC Foreign Affairs Editor
Jeremy Bowen, and model Tolula Adeyemi who had only landed at
Gatwick Airport hours earlier, coming straight to the party in a chauffeur-
driven Aston Martin. I couldnt have missed this! she joked.
The sophisticated Park Lane bar is now open to all, instead of their
original members-only policy, so make sure you pop down to admire
its new lava-stone bar, leather chairs and black-painted glass tables,
and sample its top-secret revamped cocktail list and fresh menu of
lemon-poached monkfish and beef & stilton pie.
BELgRAvIA BOOm
When The Halkin Hotel opened in September 1991,
nestled among the Georgian facades on a quite
residential street in Belgravia, London, it blazed a trail
that many others have followed.
Considered by many to be the citys first boutique hotel,
and until recently one of Londons best-kept secrets,
the 41-room Halkin celebrated its 20-year anniversary
with a unique series of events to underline its home
from home ethics. Two hundred friends of the hotel,
including Nicky Haslam, The Hon. Miriam Marks, and
Christine and Michael Buerk arrived to join in the fun
in chauffeur-driven Aston Martin Rapides and were
wowed with the stunning transformation of the dining
room into a Louis Roederer Champagne and Smith and
Taylor private wine cellar. The food from the award-
winning Nahm kitchens including pomelo with roasted
coconut, peanut and caramel dressing, pork tapioca
dumplings, and steamed red curry of scallops with Thai
basil leaves, washed down with champagne, wine and
cocktails proved a hit with guests.
With their new Assouline Culture Lounge having just
opened its doors this October, it is the ideal time to
pop by before it surely becomes a hotspot.
FUN AND FASHION
The must-see show of London Fashion Week
2011 simply had to be Mulberry, with the show
taking the British seaside as its hard-to-miss
theme. Outside Claridges ballroom, manicured
potted trees had been replaced by giant plastic
ice-cream cones, while waiters offered guests
mini-tubs of the dessert.
Eight Aston Martin Cygnets chauffeured VIP
guests who included Eliza Doolittle and Olivia
Palermo to the 2012 Spring/Summer Collection.
Guests were entertained by a fairground organ
piping out I Do Like to be Beside the Seaside as
the models took to the catwalk wearing striped
dresses, inspired by Fab ice-lollies.
QUINTESSENTIALLy STARRy
Aston Martin helped to make the second annual Quintessentially
Awards a night to remember on 28 September 2011. Held at
Number One Marylebone, designer dresses spilled out of chauffeur-
driven Aston Martins, and excited guests including Pixie Lott and
Alexandra Burke were out in force to celebrate the very best in luxury
lifestyle. Partnered by a board of luxury brands including, of course,
Aston Martin (CEO Dr Ulrich Bez pictured here with host Sir David Frost)
the winners included Tom Ford and Alexander McQueens Sarah Burton
sharing The Quintessentially Award for Excellence, and Marcus Wareing
who pipped Heston Blumenthal to Chef of the Year.
1 7 1 6
THE LONDON SCENE
STAR STUDDED IN THE mET
THE DOCK, DIXON AND DESIgN
Now in its ninth year, the 2011 London Design Festival welcomed 180 partners and more than
250 events to celebrate the worlds creative capital.
Running from 19-23 September, Aston Martin partnered the Festival VIP Programme with a
formidable fleet of chauffeured four-door Rapides and tailor-fit Cygnets. Guests were cossetted
in trademark Aston Martin luxury to a specially curated series of Festival highlights.
A distinctive array of the latest model range was on display, including the recently launched
Virage and V8 Vantage S at the entrance to Multiplex at The Dock, hosted by famed
international designer Tom Dixon at the Portobello Dock. Visitors enjoyed indoor, outdoor, food
and water-based installations, on-the-spot workshops, demonstrations and exhibitions from
Moooi, Lladro, The Floating Cinema, Designers in Residence and Piet Hein Eek.
aston martin life
RApIDE mOvEmENTS
The production of the four-door Rapide sports car
will be coming home to Aston Martins Gaydon
headquarters in Warwickshire in Autumn 2012.
In 2008, due to space constraints at Gaydon,
Aston Martin appointed Magna Steyr as a partner to
produce Rapide at its location in Austria. A dedicated
facility, the AMRP, was then established with
pre-production of the Rapide starting in 2009.
CEO Dr Ulrich Bez said: Gaydon is more established,
more flexible and more efficient. We now produce a
far richer model mix.
SIDE By SIDE
At the 9th VLN race of the season, Dr Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin Lagonda, and
Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation, swapped cars to compete in the
ninth round of the 2011 VLN series. We have raced side by side regularly since the 2008
24-hour race here at the Nrburgring. Since then, a personal friendship has developed into
this decision to experience each others race cars. Other company bosses meet on the golf
course, we race together, says Dr Bez.
With a start grid of 190 cars, the V12 Zagato Zig and the Lexus LF-A both competed in the
SP8 class. Despite Zigs collision, both cars crossed the finish line in tandem.
ONE-77, AS SEEN ON Tv
For the first time on television, Aston Martins most advanced production car One-77 has been
showcased on National Geographics popular Megafactories series. Following unparalleled access to
Aston Martin, the hour-long programme charts the intense One-77 development schedule throughout
the three years it has taken from the cars conception in October 2007 to the build of the first
production One-77 in October 2010. In never-seen-before footage of the standalone facility within
the companys global headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, Megafactories details the highly skilled
manufacturing process fusing modern technology with traditional hand-craftsmanship and painstaking
attention to detail culminating in over 2,700 man-hours to complete the ultimate Aston Martin.
OpEN DOORS IN TAIpEI
On 29 August, the ribbon was cut on Aston Martins
latest showroom, in Taiwan. Following recent openings in
Mumbai, Istanbul, Santiago and So Paulo, Aston Martins
Taipei showroom takes the marque into yet another exciting
emerging market. The V8 Vantage S and Virage were centre
stage on the night of the launch at Aston Martin Taipei,
which owners and special guests enjoyed admiring, whilst
sipping on a glass of champagne.
a s t on ma r t i n
1 8 i s s U e 1 7 / 1 1
AND THE AWARD gOES TO
Aston Martin was delighted to win Best New Design
award from the German car magazine Auto Motor und
Sport. The readership of 23,000 elected the Aston Martin
Virage twice for the winners podium. 34.4 per cent
of readers votes gave the Virage Coupe a solid victory
in the Sports Car category and the model also
clinched Aston Martin the autonis Design Award for
Most Beautiful Car 2011 for the third year running.
The Virage Volante followed suit, receiving second place
in Convertibles as did the Aston Martin Cygnet, scoring
second for Small Cars.
Li fe can be perfect
aston martin life
RApIDE mOvEmENTS
The production of the four-door Rapide sports car
will be coming home to Aston Martins Gaydon
headquarters in Warwickshire in Autumn 2012.
In 2008, due to space constraints at Gaydon,
Aston Martin appointed Magna Steyr as a partner to
produce Rapide at its location in Austria. A dedicated
facility, the AMRP, was then established with
pre-production of the Rapide starting in 2009.
CEO Dr Ulrich Bez said: Gaydon is more established,
more flexible and more efficient. We now produce a
far richer model mix.
SIDE By SIDE
At the 9th VLN race of the season, Dr Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin Lagonda, and
Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation, swapped cars to compete in the
ninth round of the 2011 VLN series. We have raced side by side regularly since the 2008
24-hour race here at the Nrburgring. Since then, a personal friendship has developed into
this decision to experience each others race cars. Other company bosses meet on the golf
course, we race together, says Dr Bez.
With a start grid of 190 cars, the V12 Zagato Zig and the Lexus LF-A both competed in the
SP8 class. Despite Zigs collision, both cars crossed the finish line in tandem.
ONE-77, AS SEEN ON Tv
For the first time on television, Aston Martins most advanced production car One-77 has been
showcased on National Geographics popular Megafactories series. Following unparalleled access to
Aston Martin, the hour-long programme charts the intense One-77 development schedule throughout
the three years it has taken from the cars conception in October 2007 to the build of the first
production One-77 in October 2010. In never-seen-before footage of the standalone facility within
the companys global headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, Megafactories details the highly skilled
manufacturing process fusing modern technology with traditional hand-craftsmanship and painstaking
attention to detail culminating in over 2,700 man-hours to complete the ultimate Aston Martin.
OpEN DOORS IN TAIpEI
On 29 August, the ribbon was cut on Aston Martins
latest showroom, in Taiwan. Following recent openings in
Mumbai, Istanbul, Santiago and So Paulo, Aston Martins
Taipei showroom takes the marque into yet another exciting
emerging market. The V8 Vantage S and Virage were centre
stage on the night of the launch at Aston Martin Taipei,
which owners and special guests enjoyed admiring, whilst
sipping on a glass of champagne.
a s t on ma r t i n
1 8 i s s U e 1 7 / 1 1
AND THE AWARD gOES TO
Aston Martin was delighted to win Best New Design
award from the German car magazine Auto Motor und
Sport. The readership of 23,000 elected the Aston Martin
Virage twice for the winners podium. 34.4 per cent
of readers votes gave the Virage Coupe a solid victory
in the Sports Car category and the model also
clinched Aston Martin the autonis Design Award for
Most Beautiful Car 2011 for the third year running.
The Virage Volante followed suit, receiving second place
in Convertibles as did the Aston Martin Cygnet, scoring
second for Small Cars.
Li fe can be perfect
aston martin life
aston martin life
mOUNT mARTIN
Aston Martin Singapore took part in the
4,095m ascent of Mount Kinabalu, the
prominent mountain on the island of Borneo
in South East Asia on the 9 and 10 September
in support of the Coalition Duchenne Charity.
Named Expedition Mount Kinabalu, seven
members of the Aston Martin Singapore team
joined 28 other climbers from 8 different
countries including Singapore, UK, USA,
New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, India and
Switzerland to raise awareness for Duchenne
muscular dystrophy, a catastrophic and
progressive muscle wasting disease that
affects one in 3,500 boys worldwide.
An incredible achievement by all.
A SUNNy STATE
The beautiful location of Ascona, Ticino, in
Switzerland, otherwise known as the Sunshine
State of Switzerland provided Aston Martin,
partnered with Sunseeker Yachts, the perfect
backdrop to their exciting, fun-filled two-day
adventure. The 1 and 2 September saw
guests test-driving the Aston Martin Rapide,
DBS Volante, V8 Vantage S Roadster and
Virage Volante as well as taking to the waves
of Eden Roc Marina at Lago Maggiore in a
stunning Sunseeker motorboat.
60 yEARS IN
pARTNERSHIp
The year 1951 saw the birth of a very special
partnership between a Surrey-based garage and
racecar builder, Hersham and Walton Motors,
and Aston Martin. Six decades later, on 8
September, a dinner was held to celebrate the
60th Anniversary of HWM Aston Martin in the
very same building where it all began.
Hosted by Directors Mike Harting, his son
Andrew and Paul Spires, special guests included
Aston Martin Directors Michael van der Sande
and Kingsley Riding-Felce, as well as Viscountess
Downe and Richard Jackson from the Aston
Martin Owners Club, and long-standing
customers and friends.
The showroom also hosted a 1963 Aston Martin
DB4 in stunning form, alongside the current
Virage Coupe and the ultimate Aston Martin,
the 1.3 million One-77 supercar a spectacular
display of past, present and future.
ASTON AHOy!
The Yacht Club Porto Rotondo is the heartland
of Costa Smeralda, Sardinia, and proved to be
a most appropriate location for a recent
Aston Martin ride-and-drive event, held between
9 and 11 September. Over three sunny days,
four Aston Martins were test-driven 67 times
under the guidance of professional instructors.
Aston Martin Milan, Aston Martin Bologna
and Aston Martin Italy, were all in attendance.
ISTANBUL SHINES
Aston Martin Istanbul was the latest global
dealership to host an enticing launch of the
super-sophisticated Virage between the
26 September and 1 October. The event
welcomed five potential customers for each day,
all by bespoke appointment, with a two-hour
presentation for each customer to ensure a
detailed and dedicated insight into the new model.
The exquisite cuisine on offer was served by The
Ritz-Carlton Istanbul while luxury brands Bang &
Olufsen and Jaeger-LeCoultre offered extra glitz
showcasing their products to guests, all of whom
received Bang & Olufsen headphones as a gift.
a s t on ma r t i n
2 0 i s s U e 1 7 / 1 1
a s t on ma r t i n
2 1 i s s U e 1 7 / 1 1
pOOLE COOL
On 24 August, no fewer than six Aston Martin sports cars arrived at the Sunseeker Poole office on a glorious
sunny day to welcome twelve clients onto the official Sunseeker Manufacturing Tour. Clients drove the cars
of their choice, which included the Rapide, DBS, V12 Vantage, V8 Vantage and Virage, dropping in at the
Sunseeker Technical Centre before stopping at Hotel du Vin for a delicious lunch. The day ended with all clients
hopping on board the Manhattan 63 IPS for a boat trip around Poole Harbour.
Geoff Wickens of Harwoods Aston Martin commented: We have been working with Sunseeker over the last
10 months and have been delighted to host this event. Clients have had the opportunity to really get a feel for
Sunseeker by meeting the different teams at the factory on the tour, then have a trip on board the Manhattan
63 around Poole Harbour and also allowing them to get behind the wheel of some Aston Martins.
SHAKEN NOT STIRRED
Paying homage to James Bonds legendary
suave sophistication, a themed evening at
Dubais leading Japanese restaurant and lounge
Okku part of the five-star Monarch Hotel
proved a right royale affair this autumn.
Aston Martin owners and VIP guests attended
the evening, welcomed in style by the
prominently displayed DBS Volante at the
entrance of the hotel.
aston martin life
aston martin life
mOUNT mARTIN
Aston Martin Singapore took part in the
4,095m ascent of Mount Kinabalu, the
prominent mountain on the island of Borneo
in South East Asia on the 9 and 10 September
in support of the Coalition Duchenne Charity.
Named Expedition Mount Kinabalu, seven
members of the Aston Martin Singapore team
joined 28 other climbers from 8 different
countries including Singapore, UK, USA,
New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, India and
Switzerland to raise awareness for Duchenne
muscular dystrophy, a catastrophic and
progressive muscle wasting disease that
affects one in 3,500 boys worldwide.
An incredible achievement by all.
A SUNNy STATE
The beautiful location of Ascona, Ticino, in
Switzerland, otherwise known as the Sunshine
State of Switzerland provided Aston Martin,
partnered with Sunseeker Yachts, the perfect
backdrop to their exciting, fun-filled two-day
adventure. The 1 and 2 September saw
guests test-driving the Aston Martin Rapide,
DBS Volante, V8 Vantage S Roadster and
Virage Volante as well as taking to the waves
of Eden Roc Marina at Lago Maggiore in a
stunning Sunseeker motorboat.
60 yEARS IN
pARTNERSHIp
The year 1951 saw the birth of a very special
partnership between a Surrey-based garage and
racecar builder, Hersham and Walton Motors,
and Aston Martin. Six decades later, on 8
September, a dinner was held to celebrate the
60th Anniversary of HWM Aston Martin in the
very same building where it all began.
Hosted by Directors Mike Harting, his son
Andrew and Paul Spires, special guests included
Aston Martin Directors Michael van der Sande
and Kingsley Riding-Felce, as well as Viscountess
Downe and Richard Jackson from the Aston
Martin Owners Club, and long-standing
customers and friends.
The showroom also hosted a 1963 Aston Martin
DB4 in stunning form, alongside the current
Virage Coupe and the ultimate Aston Martin,
the 1.3 million One-77 supercar a spectacular
display of past, present and future.
ASTON AHOy!
The Yacht Club Porto Rotondo is the heartland
of Costa Smeralda, Sardinia, and proved to be
a most appropriate location for a recent
Aston Martin ride-and-drive event, held between
9 and 11 September. Over three sunny days,
four Aston Martins were test-driven 67 times
under the guidance of professional instructors.
Aston Martin Milan, Aston Martin Bologna
and Aston Martin Italy, were all in attendance.
ISTANBUL SHINES
Aston Martin Istanbul was the latest global
dealership to host an enticing launch of the
super-sophisticated Virage between the
26 September and 1 October. The event
welcomed five potential customers for each day,
all by bespoke appointment, with a two-hour
presentation for each customer to ensure a
detailed and dedicated insight into the new model.
The exquisite cuisine on offer was served by The
Ritz-Carlton Istanbul while luxury brands Bang &
Olufsen and Jaeger-LeCoultre offered extra glitz
showcasing their products to guests, all of whom
received Bang & Olufsen headphones as a gift.
a s t on ma r t i n
2 0 i s s U e 1 7 / 1 1
a s t on ma r t i n
2 1 i s s U e 1 7 / 1 1
pOOLE COOL
On 24 August, no fewer than six Aston Martin sports cars arrived at the Sunseeker Poole office on a glorious
sunny day to welcome twelve clients onto the official Sunseeker Manufacturing Tour. Clients drove the cars
of their choice, which included the Rapide, DBS, V12 Vantage, V8 Vantage and Virage, dropping in at the
Sunseeker Technical Centre before stopping at Hotel du Vin for a delicious lunch. The day ended with all clients
hopping on board the Manhattan 63 IPS for a boat trip around Poole Harbour.
Geoff Wickens of Harwoods Aston Martin commented: We have been working with Sunseeker over the last
10 months and have been delighted to host this event. Clients have had the opportunity to really get a feel for
Sunseeker by meeting the different teams at the factory on the tour, then have a trip on board the Manhattan
63 around Poole Harbour and also allowing them to get behind the wheel of some Aston Martins.
SHAKEN NOT STIRRED
Paying homage to James Bonds legendary
suave sophistication, a themed evening at
Dubais leading Japanese restaurant and lounge
Okku part of the five-star Monarch Hotel
proved a right royale affair this autumn.
Aston Martin owners and VIP guests attended
the evening, welcomed in style by the
prominently displayed DBS Volante at the
entrance of the hotel.
aston martin life
TIANJIN WELCOmES
ASTON mARTIN
The Tianjin Motor Show took place between
30 September and 5 October at the Tianjin Meijiang
Convention Centre, China. This was a celebration
of two launches for Aston Martin: its debut in
Tianjin and the regional unveiling of the V8 Vantage
S, Virage and Rapide sports cars. This show is a
must for car enthusiasts, offering racing demos,
exhibitions and, of course, a host of stunning cars.
RETURNINg
TO HIS ROOTS
Featherstone High School students were visited by
former pupil and Aston Martin Project Engineer
Balraj Singh Choda, along with a shiny new
Aston Martin Virage Coupe. Balraj spoke to 100
pupils about his work and gave youngsters a chance
to sit behind the wheel. Speaking after the visit, he
said: It was a pleasure visiting my old school,
30 years after leaving. It was great to see the kids
take such an interest in the work that I do.
His visit was part of an initiative by Aston Martin
to strengthen links between schools and businesses.
Balraj has recently been nominated to be a London
2012 Olympic Torchbearer and will find out in
December whether or not he has been selected.
Best of luck, Bal!
AUSTRIAN gROWTH
Since July 2011, British Luxury Cars have
operated in Austria as official Aston Martin
dealers. Now, in addition to their showroom
in Vienna, the dealer is set to open a second
location in Salzburg.
Siblings Anja Frey-Winkelbauer and Dr Friedrich
Frey, both Managing Directors of British
Luxury Cars, said: Our start in Vienna this
summer was such a success that we decided
to also go to Salzburg to further represent this
unique luxury brand there. With this, we are
now in the position to focus on the entire
Austrian territory.
THE DUBAI DREAm
Aston Martin is gearing up to unveil a dedicated
dealership facility in Dubai, United Arab Emirates,
at a brand-new location in which the cars will be
both sold and serviced. Located in Old Town, near
the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa,
the new premises will officially open during the
first quarter of 2012.
Commenting on the opening plans, Adham
Charanoglu, Aston Martin Middle East and North
Africa CEO said: Dubai has become a key market for
Aston Martin in the Middle East. Our announcement
of opening a dedicated new facility is a testament
to the growth of Aston Martin in the UAE. Our new
showroom, once complete, will provide our valued
customers the very highest level of service supported
by a highly qualified team.
a s t on ma r t i n
2 2 i s s U e 1 7 / 1 1
ONE-77 SHINES
A recent Aston Martin JCT600 dealership event
was part of a One-77 mini tour of selected
Aston Martin dealerships in the south of
England, which included Grange Brentwood,
Lancaster Sevenoaks, Grange Exeter and
Grange Welwyn.
Held on behalf of HSBC Premier Wealth with
250 guests in attendance, HSBC presented
a selection of their products and services
alongside a presentation by Ian Minards, Aston
Martins Product Development Director, on the
design and building process of Aston Martins
200mph-plus One-77 supercar. Guests enjoyed
canaps whilst admiring the car, with music
provided by singer to the stars Paul Pashley.
Artists impression
WO R L D P R E M I E R E
M I N U T E R E P E A T E R O N C A T H E D R A L G O N G S
P E R P E T U A L C A L E N D A R O N R O L L E R S W I T H I N S T A N T A N E O U S J U M P
B E S P O K E M O V E M E N T B Y C H R I S T O P H E C L A R E T
W W W. J E A N D U N A N D . C O M
S H A B A K A
T H E E X C E P T I O N A L I S O U R I N S P I R A T I O N
DUE TO THE SHEER RARITY OF JEAN DUNAND TIMEPIECES,
INNATE EXCLUSIVITY DICTATES THAT THEY ARE OFFERED THROUGH A HIGHLY SELECTIVE GROUP OF WATCH AND JEWELRY SALONS.
ALL ARE SPECIALISTS WHO ARE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE EACH WATCH' S NUANCES TO POTENTIAL OWNERS.
REPRESENTING JEAN DUNAND:
CELLINI NEW YORK +1 212 751 9824 EMBASSY LUCERN +41 41 410 5371
WYNN & COMPANY JEWELRY LAS VEGAS +1 702 770 3520
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BERGER JOYEROS MEXICO +52 55 5281 4122 ELEGANT HONG KONG +852 2735 8481
L' HEURE ASCH GENEVA +41 22 311 19 19
JD_Aston Martin_16_23_08_2011_Mise en page 1 23.08.11 16:25 Page1
aston martin life
TIANJIN WELCOmES
ASTON mARTIN
The Tianjin Motor Show took place between
30 September and 5 October at the Tianjin Meijiang
Convention Centre, China. This was a celebration
of two launches for Aston Martin: its debut in
Tianjin and the regional unveiling of the V8 Vantage
S, Virage and Rapide sports cars. This show is a
must for car enthusiasts, offering racing demos,
exhibitions and, of course, a host of stunning cars.
RETURNINg
TO HIS ROOTS
Featherstone High School students were visited by
former pupil and Aston Martin Project Engineer
Balraj Singh Choda, along with a shiny new
Aston Martin Virage Coupe. Balraj spoke to 100
pupils about his work and gave youngsters a chance
to sit behind the wheel. Speaking after the visit, he
said: It was a pleasure visiting my old school,
30 years after leaving. It was great to see the kids
take such an interest in the work that I do.
His visit was part of an initiative by Aston Martin
to strengthen links between schools and businesses.
Balraj has recently been nominated to be a London
2012 Olympic Torchbearer and will find out in
December whether or not he has been selected.
Best of luck, Bal!
AUSTRIAN gROWTH
Since July 2011, British Luxury Cars have
operated in Austria as official Aston Martin
dealers. Now, in addition to their showroom
in Vienna, the dealer is set to open a second
location in Salzburg.
Siblings Anja Frey-Winkelbauer and Dr Friedrich
Frey, both Managing Directors of British
Luxury Cars, said: Our start in Vienna this
summer was such a success that we decided
to also go to Salzburg to further represent this
unique luxury brand there. With this, we are
now in the position to focus on the entire
Austrian territory.
THE DUBAI DREAm
Aston Martin is gearing up to unveil a dedicated
dealership facility in Dubai, United Arab Emirates,
at a brand-new location in which the cars will be
both sold and serviced. Located in Old Town, near
the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa,
the new premises will officially open during the
first quarter of 2012.
Commenting on the opening plans, Adham
Charanoglu, Aston Martin Middle East and North
Africa CEO said: Dubai has become a key market for
Aston Martin in the Middle East. Our announcement
of opening a dedicated new facility is a testament
to the growth of Aston Martin in the UAE. Our new
showroom, once complete, will provide our valued
customers the very highest level of service supported
by a highly qualified team.
a s t on ma r t i n
2 2 i s s U e 1 7 / 1 1
ONE-77 SHINES
A recent Aston Martin JCT600 dealership event
was part of a One-77 mini tour of selected
Aston Martin dealerships in the south of
England, which included Grange Brentwood,
Lancaster Sevenoaks, Grange Exeter and
Grange Welwyn.
Held on behalf of HSBC Premier Wealth with
250 guests in attendance, HSBC presented
a selection of their products and services
alongside a presentation by Ian Minards, Aston
Martins Product Development Director, on the
design and building process of Aston Martins
200mph-plus One-77 supercar. Guests enjoyed
canaps whilst admiring the car, with music
provided by singer to the stars Paul Pashley.
Artists impression
WO R L D P R E M I E R E
M I N U T E R E P E A T E R O N C A T H E D R A L G O N G S
P E R P E T U A L C A L E N D A R O N R O L L E R S W I T H I N S T A N T A N E O U S J U M P
B E S P O K E M O V E M E N T B Y C H R I S T O P H E C L A R E T
W W W. J E A N D U N A N D . C O M
S H A B A K A
T H E E X C E P T I O N A L I S O U R I N S P I R A T I O N
DUE TO THE SHEER RARITY OF JEAN DUNAND TIMEPIECES,
INNATE EXCLUSIVITY DICTATES THAT THEY ARE OFFERED THROUGH A HIGHLY SELECTIVE GROUP OF WATCH AND JEWELRY SALONS.
ALL ARE SPECIALISTS WHO ARE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE EACH WATCH' S NUANCES TO POTENTIAL OWNERS.
REPRESENTING JEAN DUNAND:
CELLINI NEW YORK +1 212 751 9824 EMBASSY LUCERN +41 41 410 5371
WYNN & COMPANY JEWELRY LAS VEGAS +1 702 770 3520
LOUVRE MOSCOW +7 495 629 1615 ROYAL TIME KIEV +38 044 461 9015
BERGER JOYEROS MEXICO +52 55 5281 4122 ELEGANT HONG KONG +852 2735 8481
L' HEURE ASCH GENEVA +41 22 311 19 19
JD_Aston Martin_16_23_08_2011_Mise en page 1 23.08.11 16:25 Page1
aston martin life
1860 TO ASTON mARTIN
Aston Martin has joined forces with Munichs TSV 1860
football team as its new main sponsor. At Die Lwens
match on 18 September 2011 against FSV Frankfurt,
the TSV 1860 players proudly sported their new strips
with Aston Martins famous wings logo pride of place.
Robert Schfer, General Manager of the 2 Bundesliga
team stated: With the renowned Aston Martin brand,
we have now secured a first-class and international partner.
As a long-established sports car manufacturer, Aston Martin
fully understands where our cult clubs roots lie.
pACK yOUR TRUNK
The Elephant Parade continues its march
throughout the worlds major cities, with
Aston Martin remaining proudly involved.
Raising awareness and funds for the conservation
of the threatened Asian elephant, top artists
such as Paul Smith, Diane von Furstenberg
and Lulu Guinness have all painted their own
elephants, appearing most recently on the streets
of Milan and Singapore. Aston Martins recent
contributions are Zig and Zag, named after
this years red and green V12 Zagato endurance
racecars, as seen at the Nrburgring 24-Hours in
June. After brightening the lives of shoppers and
sightseers, the Elephant Parade has auctioned the
glass-fibre artworks to museums and collectors.
To date, over 4 million has been raised.
vICTORy AT LAgUNA SECA
Aston Martin has won the annual Laguna Seca American Le Mans Series Race. Under sunny Californian
skies, in a race plagued by yellow flags, the team ran faultlessly for 6 hours to take the top spot on the
podium. Drivers Adrian Fernandez, Stefan Mcke and Harold Primat drove the Aston Martin DBR1-2
consistently in the top three, and in the final hour remained dominant in first position.
Aston Martin Racing Team Principal George Howard Chappell was delighted, saying: I am obviously
extremely pleased with the result. I am delighted for the team who have achieved this result on our
return to the States after a difficult year theyve all worked hard for this, so it is a just reward.
ATLANTA ADvENTURE
More than 100 Aston Martin enthusiasts were
particularly thrilled to be invited to the Aston Martin
Atlanta Dealership this autumn to see the Aston
Martin Racing team perform live pit stops outside
the showroom on Roswell Road.
a s t on ma r t i n
2 4 i s s U e 1 7 / 1 1
AM17 Kingfisher Ad P25.indd 25 6/11/11 15:28:06
aston martin life
1860 TO ASTON mARTIN
Aston Martin has joined forces with Munichs TSV 1860
football team as its new main sponsor. At Die Lwens
match on 18 September 2011 against FSV Frankfurt,
the TSV 1860 players proudly sported their new strips
with Aston Martins famous wings logo pride of place.
Robert Schfer, General Manager of the 2 Bundesliga
team stated: With the renowned Aston Martin brand,
we have now secured a first-class and international partner.
As a long-established sports car manufacturer, Aston Martin
fully understands where our cult clubs roots lie.
pACK yOUR TRUNK
The Elephant Parade continues its march
throughout the worlds major cities, with
Aston Martin remaining proudly involved.
Raising awareness and funds for the conservation
of the threatened Asian elephant, top artists
such as Paul Smith, Diane von Furstenberg
and Lulu Guinness have all painted their own
elephants, appearing most recently on the streets
of Milan and Singapore. Aston Martins recent
contributions are Zig and Zag, named after
this years red and green V12 Zagato endurance
racecars, as seen at the Nrburgring 24-Hours in
June. After brightening the lives of shoppers and
sightseers, the Elephant Parade has auctioned the
glass-fibre artworks to museums and collectors.
To date, over 4 million has been raised.
vICTORy AT LAgUNA SECA
Aston Martin has won the annual Laguna Seca American Le Mans Series Race. Under sunny Californian
skies, in a race plagued by yellow flags, the team ran faultlessly for 6 hours to take the top spot on the
podium. Drivers Adrian Fernandez, Stefan Mcke and Harold Primat drove the Aston Martin DBR1-2
consistently in the top three, and in the final hour remained dominant in first position.
Aston Martin Racing Team Principal George Howard Chappell was delighted, saying: I am obviously
extremely pleased with the result. I am delighted for the team who have achieved this result on our
return to the States after a difficult year theyve all worked hard for this, so it is a just reward.
ATLANTA ADvENTURE
More than 100 Aston Martin enthusiasts were
particularly thrilled to be invited to the Aston Martin
Atlanta Dealership this autumn to see the Aston
Martin Racing team perform live pit stops outside
the showroom on Roswell Road.
a s t on ma r t i n
2 4 i s s U e 1 7 / 1 1
AM17 Kingfisher Ad P25.indd 25 6/11/11 15:28:06
aston martin driving experiences
ON TOUR IN SCOTLAND
September saw the Aston Martin Global Events team host an exclusive On Tour event in the Highlands
and Islands of Scotland. The tour began at the Aston Martin headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire,
where the group enjoyed a private tour of the production facility, before being issued with their personal
On Tour road book which outlined the itinerary, road routes and key activities planned for the week.
Across the five days of driving, starting in Yorkshire, the couples were given a daily briefing to discuss
the driving route for the day, recommended stops and local attractions on the journey. These included
the Aysgarth Falls, Cameron House located on the banks of Loch Lomond and Inverlochy Castle,
one of Scotlands finest hotels. One of the highlights included the opportunity to visit the Bridge of
Weir factory, which produces the leather for Aston Martins upholstery and cabin trim, for an exclusive
tour of the facility. As a charming finishing touch, each couple were given a bookmark in the same
colour leather as their own cars interior trim.
The spectacular surroundings of the Isle of Skye and the luxurious retreat of Gleneagles also featured
on the groups busy itinerary, all capped on the final evening by a traditional Ceilidh band recital,
which gave the guests the opportunity to show off their very best traditional Scottish dance skills.
Anja took part in the event, saying: It was a great way to meet people and it was so nice to see
whats happening at Aston Martin behind the scenes.
To find out more about On Tour In Scotland see www.astonmartin.com/highlands-islands-on-tour
ON TOUR
On Tour allows you to experience some of
the worlds most magnificent, traffic-free
driving roads with breathtaking scenery.
Accommodation is provided in a superb
selection of the most luxurious and exclusive
hotels with dining in world-class restaurants.
For On Tour enquiries, please call
+44 (0)1926 644944
ON TRACK
Aston Martin On Track is an exclusive series
of Aston Martin-hosted track days for Aston
Martin customers and enthusiasts. As an On
Track attendee, you have the opportunity to
experience an Aston Martin in an exhilarating,
yet safe environment, at some of the worlds
most prestigious motor sport venues.
For On Track enquiries, please
call +44 (0)1926 644944
pERFORmANCE DRIvINg COURSES
The Aston Martin Performance Driving Course
is about two things: helping you understand
the capability of your car in a safe and
controlled environment and making you a
safer, better driver. But, above all, it is about
having fun whilst doing it! For PDC enquiries,
please call +44 (0)1926 644285
CORpORATE EvENTS
The Aston Martin Corporate Performance
Driving programme is a bespoke event
which can be specifically tailored to meet
your companys individual requirements. Our
facilities at Millbrook Proving Ground and
Aston Martin Headquarters can accommodate
groups of up to 32 people and the length of
the day is arranged to suit your requirements,
whether it be a half day or full day
programme. For Corporate enquiries,
please call +44 (0)1926 644285
www.astonmartindrivingexperiences.com
a s t on ma r t i n a s t on ma r t i n
2 7 i s s U e 1 7 / 1 1
ON TRACK AT SpA
Considered to be one of the most challenging race tracks in the
world, Spa-Francorchamps Grand Prix circuit played host to an
exclusive Aston Martin On Track day in September. Customers
and enthusiasts were presented with the opportunity to drive
the venue of not only the Formula One but also numerous other
renowned races such as Historic 6 Hours of Spa and Spa 24 Hours.
The day started with refreshments and registrations followed
by a circuit briefing. Guests were accompanied by Aston Martin
instructors until they became familiar with the circuit and track
etiquette, after which they were free to enjoy the challenges of
Eau Rouge and Radillion solo.
Roar Tessem, a customer who took part in the day, had a fantastic
time: Im very much looking forward to On Track next year.
Between 70 and 80 people attended from all over Europe and
the V12 Vantage, V8 and Virage were all on hand for us to
drive; however the V12 model was my favourite. The cars and
track exceeded all expectations (as did the weather!) and guests
thoroughly enjoyed the rare opportunity to drive such a famous
and challenging track.
To find out more about On Track at Spa see
www.astonmartin.com/events/spa-on-track
2 6 i s s U e 1 7 / 1 1
ON TOUR IN SCOTLAND
September saw the Aston Martin Global Events team host an exclusive On Tour event in the Highlands
and Islands of Scotland. The tour began at the Aston Martin headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire,
where the group enjoyed a private tour of the production facility, before being issued with their personal
On Tour road book which outlined the itinerary, road routes and key activities planned for the week.
Across the five days of driving, starting in Yorkshire, the couples were given a daily briefing to discuss
the driving route for the day, recommended stops and local attractions on the journey. These included
the Aysgarth Falls, Cameron House located on the banks of Loch Lomond and Inverlochy Castle,
one of Scotlands finest hotels. One of the highlights included the opportunity to visit the Bridge of
Weir factory, which produces the leather for Aston Martins upholstery and cabin trim, for an exclusive
tour of the facility. As a charming finishing touch, each couple were given a bookmark in the same
colour leather as their own cars interior trim.
The spectacular surroundings of the Isle of Skye and the luxurious retreat of Gleneagles also featured
on the groups busy itinerary, all capped on the final evening by a traditional Ceilidh band recital,
which gave the guests the opportunity to show off their very best traditional Scottish dance skills.
Anja took part in the event, saying: It was a great way to meet people and it was so nice to see
whats happening at Aston Martin behind the scenes.
To find out more about On Tour In Scotland see www.astonmartin.com/highlands-islands-on-tour
ON TOUR
On Tour allows you to experience some of
the worlds most magnificent, traffic-free
driving roads with breathtaking scenery.
Accommodation is provided in a superb
selection of the most luxurious and exclusive
hotels with dining in world-class restaurants.
For On Tour enquiries, please call
+44 (0)1926 644944
ON TRACK
Aston Martin On Track is an exclusive series
of Aston Martin-hosted track days for Aston
Martin customers and enthusiasts. As an On
Track attendee, you have the opportunity to
experience an Aston Martin in an exhilarating,
yet safe environment, at some of the worlds
most prestigious motor sport venues.
For On Track enquiries, please
call +44 (0)1926 644944
pERFORmANCE DRIvINg COURSES
The Aston Martin Performance Driving Course
is about two things: helping you understand
the capability of your car in a safe and
controlled environment and making you a
safer, better driver. But, above all, it is about
having fun whilst doing it! For PDC enquiries,
please call +44 (0)1926 644285
CORpORATE EvENTS
The Aston Martin Corporate Performance
Driving programme is a bespoke event
which can be specifically tailored to meet
your companys individual requirements. Our
facilities at Millbrook Proving Ground and
Aston Martin Headquarters can accommodate
groups of up to 32 people and the length of
the day is arranged to suit your requirements,
whether it be a half day or full day
programme. For Corporate enquiries,
please call +44 (0)1926 644285
www.astonmartindrivingexperiences.com
a s t on ma r t i n a s t on ma r t i n
2 7 i s s U e 1 7 / 1 1
ON TRACK AT SpA
Considered to be one of the most challenging race tracks in the
world, Spa-Francorchamps Grand Prix circuit played host to an
exclusive Aston Martin On Track day in September. Customers
and enthusiasts were presented with the opportunity to drive
the venue of not only the Formula One but also numerous other
renowned races such as Historic 6 Hours of Spa and Spa 24 Hours.
The day started with refreshments and registrations followed
by a circuit briefing. Guests were accompanied by Aston Martin
instructors until they became familiar with the circuit and track
etiquette, after which they were free to enjoy the challenges of
Eau Rouge and Radillion solo.
Roar Tessem, a customer who took part in the day, had a fantastic
time: Im very much looking forward to On Track next year.
Between 70 and 80 people attended from all over Europe and
the V12 Vantage, V8 and Virage were all on hand for us to
drive; however the V12 model was my favourite. The cars and
track exceeded all expectations (as did the weather!) and guests
thoroughly enjoyed the rare opportunity to drive such a famous
and challenging track.
To find out more about On Track at Spa see
www.astonmartin.com/events/spa-on-track
2 6 i s s U e 1 7 / 1 1
A S T ON MA R T I N
2 8 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
U S A r o a d t r i p
2 9 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
You cant do this!
Of course I can, we can!
There are no Aston Martin dealers along the way only Troy
Michigan would be the closest one.
We dont need a dealer, we have an Aston Martin Virage Volante.
Smooth, powerful, reliable a delight over 12 days driving.
The direct drive would have taken 2,350 miles. We did 4,170:
an open, winding road; no big cities, besides crossing Minnesota;
no Interstate Highways, except for an unavoidable few miles
at the start; 100 miles of gravel road none of it a problem for
our Virage Volante. Inevitably, the car got dirty inside and out,
so we washed it, then 40 miles later, more gravel! We hit one
big bird and thousands of grasshoppers; and averaged as many
as 19.1mpg, even with an open roof and full air-conditioning.
Our starting point was New York City, in 40C conditions.
This was hot in a convertible, even with air-conditioning on full
power, but theres no better way to see the city. From Times
Square to Central Park East, Cooper Square to the south end
of Manhattan, we were in amongst it all but sailing above it at
the same time.
Late in the afternoon, we finally escaped the city and took the 80.
This first stage did not last long and we soon stopped at
the Inn at Turkey Hill in Bloomsburg, PA: a charming hotel with
its own brewery. What could be a better start?
Away from the metropolis, away from the Interstates, we
suddenly found ourselves in the middle of nowhere. This meant
empty roads, no sheriffs Why should they be there anyway?
Instead of sticking to the 80, we found ourselves enjoying
Pennsylvania and stopped whenever we thought there was
something to see, even turning back if necessary. We passed
The Bandits Roadhouse in Berwick, turned around and had a great
lunch there, a nice chat and bought a t-shirt.
Thi s s ummer , As t on Mar t i n CEO Dr Ul r i ch Bez and hi s wi f e
Mar t i na s et out on an epi c advent ur e acr os s t he Uni t ed St at es i n
a Vi r age Vol ant e. J our neyi ng t hr ough an ever - changi ng l ands cape,
over ever y concei vabl e t er r ai n, t he capabi l i t i es of As t on Mar t i n s
s por t s car s wer e pr oven beyond any doubt , once agai n
FROM TI MES SqUARE
TO ROCk CREEk RANCh
ThE ASTON MARTI N TRAI l
THIS PAGE:
Times Square, New York.
INSET (from top):
On the road to PA, food
stop, making friends, lonely
cowboy at Lake Erie, Devils
Tower Wyoming, nobody
there , wildlife, Cygnet was
there before us.
WA
OR
CA
ID
UT
WY
CO
AZ NM
TX
OK
AR
MS AL
GA
SC
LA
FL
TN NC
KY
WV
VA
MO KS
IN
OH IL PA
NY
MD
NJ
MA
CT
NH
VT
ME
WI
MI
MN
ND
SD
NE
IA
MT
NV
Manhattan
new York
the ranch
at rock creek
Montana
BlooMsBurg
PennsYlvania
thunder BaY
lake suPerior
ontario
devils gulch
south dakota
Mount rushMore
south dakota
Yellowstone
wYoMing
A S T ON MA R T I N
2 8 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
U S A r o a d t r i p
2 9 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
You cant do this!
Of course I can, we can!
There are no Aston Martin dealers along the way only Troy
Michigan would be the closest one.
We dont need a dealer, we have an Aston Martin Virage Volante.
Smooth, powerful, reliable a delight over 12 days driving.
The direct drive would have taken 2,350 miles. We did 4,170:
an open, winding road; no big cities, besides crossing Minnesota;
no Interstate Highways, except for an unavoidable few miles
at the start; 100 miles of gravel road none of it a problem for
our Virage Volante. Inevitably, the car got dirty inside and out,
so we washed it, then 40 miles later, more gravel! We hit one
big bird and thousands of grasshoppers; and averaged as many
as 19.1mpg, even with an open roof and full air-conditioning.
Our starting point was New York City, in 40C conditions.
This was hot in a convertible, even with air-conditioning on full
power, but theres no better way to see the city. From Times
Square to Central Park East, Cooper Square to the south end
of Manhattan, we were in amongst it all but sailing above it at
the same time.
Late in the afternoon, we finally escaped the city and took the 80.
This first stage did not last long and we soon stopped at
the Inn at Turkey Hill in Bloomsburg, PA: a charming hotel with
its own brewery. What could be a better start?
Away from the metropolis, away from the Interstates, we
suddenly found ourselves in the middle of nowhere. This meant
empty roads, no sheriffs Why should they be there anyway?
Instead of sticking to the 80, we found ourselves enjoying
Pennsylvania and stopped whenever we thought there was
something to see, even turning back if necessary. We passed
The Bandits Roadhouse in Berwick, turned around and had a great
lunch there, a nice chat and bought a t-shirt.
Thi s s ummer , As t on Mar t i n CEO Dr Ul r i ch Bez and hi s wi f e
Mar t i na s et out on an epi c advent ur e acr os s t he Uni t ed St at es i n
a Vi r age Vol ant e. J our neyi ng t hr ough an ever - changi ng l ands cape,
over ever y concei vabl e t er r ai n, t he capabi l i t i es of As t on Mar t i n s
s por t s car s wer e pr oven beyond any doubt , once agai n
FROM TI MES SqUARE
TO ROCk CREEk RANCh
ThE ASTON MARTI N TRAI l
THIS PAGE:
Times Square, New York.
INSET (from top):
On the road to PA, food
stop, making friends, lonely
cowboy at Lake Erie, Devils
Tower Wyoming, nobody
there , wildlife, Cygnet was
there before us.
WA
OR
CA
ID
UT
WY
CO
AZ NM
TX
OK
AR
MS AL
GA
SC
LA
FL
TN NC
KY
WV
VA
MO KS
IN
OH IL PA
NY
MD
NJ
MA
CT
NH
VT
ME
WI
MI
MN
ND
SD
NE
IA
MT
NV
Manhattan
new York
the ranch
at rock creek
Montana
BlooMsBurg
PennsYlvania
thunder BaY
lake suPerior
ontario
devils gulch
south dakota
Mount rushMore
south dakota
Yellowstone
wYoMing
A S T ON MA R T I N
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
THIS PAGE:
Dead Indian Pass, WY.
INSET (from top):
Go west, making friends
again, the Virage covered in
locusts outside the Bandit
Roadhouse, well-deserved
cold beer outside our cabin
at The Ranch at Rock Creek.
I could ride my Volante like a perfectly trained western horse. It moved left and right with
utmost sensitivity at a fingers touch and when I used my spurs, so to speak, it reacted
with plenty of enthusiasm. Just like our horses, Diamond and Chief, would do on the Ranch
at Rock Creek when we reached Montana. The horses liked me!
The luggage we took fitted comfortably in the boot and behind the seats. For three weeks
I had too much anyway even after Martina took 80 per cent of the space. T-shirts were
bought in different places like Mackinaw, Jesse James or Billings, and driving shoes were a
beloved pair of Tods well looked after for 10 years and my Nikwaxed cowboy boots.
Cleaning these is just a step in the river... done!
Navigation was easy with the Virages sat-nav. We also used an iPad and an iPhone, so we
had a map and, in parallel, information about our surroundings, its history, and so on.
The best of all was the search function: type in Vermilion lodging and 10 results pop up.
Here, we chose the Gilchrist House, owned by a former captain and built in 1885. There was
nobody there, just a telephone number at the door to call. A friendly voice told us to choose
a room and write our name down on the plate at the entrance we will be there after
breakfast to collect the money!
3 0
I coul d ri de my Vol ante l i ke a perf ectl y trai ned western
horse. I t moved l ef t and ri ght wi th utmost sensi ti vi ty at
a f i ngers touch and when I used my spurs, so to speak,
i t reacted wi th pl enty of enthusi asm
Matres du Temps La Chaux-de-fonds, Switzerland +41 32 911 17 17
www.MaitresduTemps.com
CHAPTER ONE Three of the worlds most renowned master watchmakers have collaborated on a world-first combination of
complications featuring a one-minute tourbillon, mono-push chronograph, retrograde date indicator, retrograde GMT indicator, day
of the week indication on roller, and patented precise moon phase indication on roller in a fully integrated mechanical movement.
Shown in 18K red gold and limited to 11 pieces.
AM17 Maitres du Temps AD P31.ind31 31 6/11/11 15:28:46
A S T ON MA R T I N
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
THIS PAGE:
Dead Indian Pass, WY.
INSET (from top):
Go west, making friends
again, the Virage covered in
locusts outside the Bandit
Roadhouse, well-deserved
cold beer outside our cabin
at The Ranch at Rock Creek.
I could ride my Volante like a perfectly trained western horse. It moved left and right with
utmost sensitivity at a fingers touch and when I used my spurs, so to speak, it reacted
with plenty of enthusiasm. Just like our horses, Diamond and Chief, would do on the Ranch
at Rock Creek when we reached Montana. The horses liked me!
The luggage we took fitted comfortably in the boot and behind the seats. For three weeks
I had too much anyway even after Martina took 80 per cent of the space. T-shirts were
bought in different places like Mackinaw, Jesse James or Billings, and driving shoes were a
beloved pair of Tods well looked after for 10 years and my Nikwaxed cowboy boots.
Cleaning these is just a step in the river... done!
Navigation was easy with the Virages sat-nav. We also used an iPad and an iPhone, so we
had a map and, in parallel, information about our surroundings, its history, and so on.
The best of all was the search function: type in Vermilion lodging and 10 results pop up.
Here, we chose the Gilchrist House, owned by a former captain and built in 1885. There was
nobody there, just a telephone number at the door to call. A friendly voice told us to choose
a room and write our name down on the plate at the entrance we will be there after
breakfast to collect the money!
3 0
I coul d ri de my Vol ante l i ke a perf ectl y trai ned western
horse. I t moved l ef t and ri ght wi th utmost sensi ti vi ty at
a f i ngers touch and when I used my spurs, so to speak,
i t reacted wi th pl enty of enthusi asm
Matres du Temps La Chaux-de-fonds, Switzerland +41 32 911 17 17
www.MaitresduTemps.com
CHAPTER ONE Three of the worlds most renowned master watchmakers have collaborated on a world-first combination of
complications featuring a one-minute tourbillon, mono-push chronograph, retrograde date indicator, retrograde GMT indicator, day
of the week indication on roller, and patented precise moon phase indication on roller in a fully integrated mechanical movement.
Shown in 18K red gold and limited to 11 pieces.
AM17 Maitres du Temps AD P31.ind31 31 6/11/11 15:28:46
A S T ON MA R T I N
3 2 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
THIS PAGE: Making an
entrance at The Ranch
at Rock Creek, Montana.
INSET (from top):
Mount Rushmore, the best
gun girl, the chief on
Chief, rainbow in
Yellowstone National Park.
There were many more stories like this. We circled round Lake Superior, crossed Wisconsin,
crossed Minnesota and visited the famous Devils Gulch in Garretson, South Dakota, where
Jesse James famously evaded capture. We gazed at length across the land of Sitting Bull
before heading to the Black Hills, not without cruising through Sturgis and its thousands of
Harley Davidson bikes. The Crazy Horse Memorial was as impressive as Mount Rushmore,
with its leaders who built the country and abolished the Indian tribes.
The Devils Tower was next before driving to Little Bighorn and the most important Indian vs
White Man battlefield, the site of Custers Last Stand in 1876. Two days we rested in Yellowstone
National Park, with thousands of tourists and the most impressive rainbow ever seen.
The end of our particular road was The Ranch at Rock Creek in Montana, which we featured
in issue 14 of Aston Martin Magazine a luxurious, log-cabin hotel offering its guests an
authentic cowboy experience. They gave us a warm welcome and delivered on expectation.
Like the whole of our roadtrip in fact, where we expected nothing, hoped for everything
and got everything.
No less than 1,500 photos and hundreds of memories later, we flew back to New York and
home to Germany. It had been worth every mile and minute.
The Ranch at Rock Cr eek i n Mont ana
a l uxur i ous, l og- cabi n hot el of f er i ng i t s guest s an
aut hent i c cowboy exper i ence. They gave us a war m
wel come and del i ver ed on expect at i on
AM17 Christophe Claret Ad P33.in33 33 6/11/11 15:24:08
A S T ON MA R T I N
3 2 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
THIS PAGE: Making an
entrance at The Ranch
at Rock Creek, Montana.
INSET (from top):
Mount Rushmore, the best
gun girl, the chief on
Chief, rainbow in
Yellowstone National Park.
There were many more stories like this. We circled round Lake Superior, crossed Wisconsin,
crossed Minnesota and visited the famous Devils Gulch in Garretson, South Dakota, where
Jesse James famously evaded capture. We gazed at length across the land of Sitting Bull
before heading to the Black Hills, not without cruising through Sturgis and its thousands of
Harley Davidson bikes. The Crazy Horse Memorial was as impressive as Mount Rushmore,
with its leaders who built the country and abolished the Indian tribes.
The Devils Tower was next before driving to Little Bighorn and the most important Indian vs
White Man battlefield, the site of Custers Last Stand in 1876. Two days we rested in Yellowstone
National Park, with thousands of tourists and the most impressive rainbow ever seen.
The end of our particular road was The Ranch at Rock Creek in Montana, which we featured
in issue 14 of Aston Martin Magazine a luxurious, log-cabin hotel offering its guests an
authentic cowboy experience. They gave us a warm welcome and delivered on expectation.
Like the whole of our roadtrip in fact, where we expected nothing, hoped for everything
and got everything.
No less than 1,500 photos and hundreds of memories later, we flew back to New York and
home to Germany. It had been worth every mile and minute.
The Ranch at Rock Cr eek i n Mont ana
a l uxur i ous, l og- cabi n hot el of f er i ng i t s guest s an
aut hent i c cowboy exper i ence. They gave us a war m
wel come and del i ver ed on expect at i on
AM17 Christophe Claret Ad P33.in33 33 6/11/11 15:24:08
OFFI CI AL PARTNER TO
ASTON MARTI N RACI NG
H
A
C
K
E
T
T
.
C
O
M
/
A
M
R
Aston_magazine_DPS_2_Layout 1 03/11/2011 11:38 Page 1
OFFI CI AL PARTNER TO
ASTON MARTI N RACI NG
H
A
C
K
E
T
T
.
C
O
M
/
A
M
R
Aston_magazine_DPS_2_Layout 1 03/11/2011 11:38 Page 1
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
T he Ne w hi e roglyp hi cs A new f or m
of guer r i l l a ar t i s t r y has s pr ung up on t he s t r eet s
of Cai r o, wi t h young Egypt i ans exper i enci ng
a r enewed f r eedom of expr es s i on. Si nce t he
r evol ut i on t hi s s pr i ng, i ndependent ar t gal l er i es
have f l our i s hed agai ns t t he odds as t he
Egypt i an economy s uf f er s i n t he wake of change
t hei r cur at or s i nves t i ng i n a new, open s cene
pr opagat ed by gr af f i t i ar t i s t s s uch as Ganzeer
and Kei zer . Mi ddl e Eas t er n cor r es pondent
J osh wood t akes a r ar e l ook at t he s cenes
pl ayi ng out behi nd t he cel ebr at or y mur al s
c a i r o s t r e e t a r t
3 9
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2SZVW9O^]]`2]VO5VOROV8SeSZZS`g)/Z4O`RO\2cPOW/hOZ2cPZW\ESWÀ]\a4cY]YO4;EObQVZO\R5S\SdO4;P]cbW_cS
6]\U9]\UGSaEObQV1])4;0]cbW_cS9WSd<]PZSaaS9cOZO:c[^cÀW\QS`S4W\SEObQVSa9ceOWb1WbgGOÒ
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~ Jeoya teet, !.y/.t, /aaa, 0r /J
ooo./../es.aast.ass..o
BVS@SUS\b0OUcSbbS""#
W\`]aSU]ZR
BS1145 RB Duo Coll AM AW.indd 1 04/11/2011 09:38
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
T he Ne w hi e roglyp hi cs A new f or m
of guer r i l l a ar t i s t r y has s pr ung up on t he s t r eet s
of Cai r o, wi t h young Egypt i ans exper i enci ng
a r enewed f r eedom of expr es s i on. Si nce t he
r evol ut i on t hi s s pr i ng, i ndependent ar t gal l er i es
have f l our i s hed agai ns t t he odds as t he
Egypt i an economy s uf f er s i n t he wake of change
t hei r cur at or s i nves t i ng i n a new, open s cene
pr opagat ed by gr af f i t i ar t i s t s s uch as Ganzeer
and Kei zer . Mi ddl e Eas t er n cor r es pondent
J osh wood t akes a r ar e l ook at t he s cenes
pl ayi ng out behi nd t he cel ebr at or y mur al s
3 9
/QQÒ/T`WQOEObQVBÒRW\U/Pc2VOPW4;EObQVZO\R/bVS\a>ObaSOa0SW`cb4;EObQVZO\R0SÙO[]ASÒTW\]1]\a]ZW0S`ZW\8c\RST1]
2SZVW9O^]]`2]VO5VOROV8SeSZZS`g)/Z4O`RO\2cPOW/hOZ2cPZW\ESWÀ]\a4cY]YO4;EObQVZO\R5S\SdO4;P]cbW_cS
6]\U9]\UGSaEObQV1])4;0]cbW_cS9WSd<]PZSaaS9cOZO:c[^cÀW\QS`S4W\SEObQVSa9ceOWb1WbgGOÒ
:OU]a8cZWO\=acZO:]\R]\6O``]Ra)/a^`Sg)BVS]4S\\SZZ:]a/\USZSaESabW[S:cfS[P]cÙ;]ZWb]`;WO[W:SdW\a]\
;c[POWBVS@]aSEObQV0O`<SeG]`Y/a^`Sg)=11]\QS^ba)4;0]cbW_cS=aOYO4;EObQVZO\R>O`Wa9`]\][Sb`g@WgORV/Z4O`RO\
AW\UO^]`SAW\QS`S4W\SEObQVSaB]Yg]4;EObQVZO\RB]`]\b];W\RVO[4W\S8SeSZZS`gDS\WQSB]YObhWO\DWS\\O6P\S`CV`[OQVS`[SWabS`
~ Jeoya teet, !.y/.t, /aaa, 0r /J
ooo./../es.aast.ass..o
BVS@SUS\b0OUcSbbS""#
W\`]aSU]ZR
BS1145 RB Duo Coll AM AW.indd 1 04/11/2011 09:38
A S T ON MA R T I N
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
4 1
PREVIOUS PAGE:
A man walks by a freshly
painted Keiser stencil in
a subway in the Cairo
neighbourhood of Zamalek on
July 23, 2011, six months after
Egypts revolution began.
THIS PAGE LEFT: A mural in
Cairo that references alternative
media and how it played a
crucial role in bringing freedom,
7oreya, to the spotlight.
4 0
It is past midnight and 33-year-old graffiti artist Keizer is cruising the streets
of Cairo, scouting for new spots to deface. His sedan reeks of spray paint
fumes from the cans in the backseat which rattle with every turn and he
grips the wheel with a gloved hand, stained from his last project that
he completed just minutes ago. You might expect him to be listening to
rap or perhaps metal or punk, but instead hes chilling to the easy listening
tunes and classic rock wafting out of his cars speakers as his head shielded
by the hood of his sweatshirt to protect his identity swings from side to
side looking for his next target.
Keizer is one of the growing number of Cairenes who have turned to street
art since the revolution that began to overthrow the regime of former
President Hosni Mubarak back in January. As the police vanished from the
streets, some of those who opposed Mubaraks rule took to spray-painting
messages against the regime on any available surface; from the burned-out
trucks of the security forces to the walls of apartment blocks and the street
beneath the feet of protesters in downtowns now-iconic Tahrir Square.
The citys initial explosion of graffiti started off basic enough. People turned
the chant of the protesters in Tahrir the people want to overthrow the
regime into a tag. But then something else happened: artists who had
filled notebooks with sketches for years but never dared to do anything
on the street for fear of ending up in one of Cairos notoriously grimy jails
started coming out and using the city as a canvas for their genius.
As soon as the revolution started to break out on 25 January, thats when
you started seeing it everywhere, just as a form of protest, says Ganzeer,
the pseudonym for another of Cairos street artists.
Ganzeers most notable piece of art is located under a bridge in the upscale
island neighbourhood of Zamalek. It depicts a tank facing off with a man
on a bicycle balancing a tray of bread on his head, as many bread sellers in
this city do. The message is clear: the military and the people are not one,
as many had hoped when they stepped into power.
I catch up with him one afternoon in late July at a cheap bar called Horriya
which means freedom just blocks away from Tahrir. In the early days
of the revolution, somebody scrawled I want to see another president b4 I
die on its outer wall with spray paint and since then the streets around the
bar have been tagged by most of Cairos major graffiti artists, from images
of protesters killed in the revolution to a sad-looking panda bear by an artist
who goes by none other than Sad Panda.
A S T ON MA R T I N
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
4 1
PREVIOUS PAGE:
A man walks by a freshly
painted Keiser stencil in
a subway in the Cairo
neighbourhood of Zamalek on
July 23, 2011, six months after
Egypts revolution began.
THIS PAGE LEFT: A mural in
Cairo that references alternative
media and how it played a
crucial role in bringing freedom,
7oreya, to the spotlight.
4 0
It is past midnight and 33-year-old graffiti artist Keizer is cruising the streets
of Cairo, scouting for new spots to deface. His sedan reeks of spray paint
fumes from the cans in the backseat which rattle with every turn and he
grips the wheel with a gloved hand, stained from his last project that
he completed just minutes ago. You might expect him to be listening to
rap or perhaps metal or punk, but instead hes chilling to the easy listening
tunes and classic rock wafting out of his cars speakers as his head shielded
by the hood of his sweatshirt to protect his identity swings from side to
side looking for his next target.
Keizer is one of the growing number of Cairenes who have turned to street
art since the revolution that began to overthrow the regime of former
President Hosni Mubarak back in January. As the police vanished from the
streets, some of those who opposed Mubaraks rule took to spray-painting
messages against the regime on any available surface; from the burned-out
trucks of the security forces to the walls of apartment blocks and the street
beneath the feet of protesters in downtowns now-iconic Tahrir Square.
The citys initial explosion of graffiti started off basic enough. People turned
the chant of the protesters in Tahrir the people want to overthrow the
regime into a tag. But then something else happened: artists who had
filled notebooks with sketches for years but never dared to do anything
on the street for fear of ending up in one of Cairos notoriously grimy jails
started coming out and using the city as a canvas for their genius.
As soon as the revolution started to break out on 25 January, thats when
you started seeing it everywhere, just as a form of protest, says Ganzeer,
the pseudonym for another of Cairos street artists.
Ganzeers most notable piece of art is located under a bridge in the upscale
island neighbourhood of Zamalek. It depicts a tank facing off with a man
on a bicycle balancing a tray of bread on his head, as many bread sellers in
this city do. The message is clear: the military and the people are not one,
as many had hoped when they stepped into power.
I catch up with him one afternoon in late July at a cheap bar called Horriya
which means freedom just blocks away from Tahrir. In the early days
of the revolution, somebody scrawled I want to see another president b4 I
die on its outer wall with spray paint and since then the streets around the
bar have been tagged by most of Cairos major graffiti artists, from images
of protesters killed in the revolution to a sad-looking panda bear by an artist
who goes by none other than Sad Panda.
A S T ON MA R T I N
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
As were talking about street art over beers, protesters in Tahrir who reoccupied the
square just a few weeks earlier to protest against the military-led interim government are
setting out to march on the Defense Ministry. Over the course of our conversation, they
clash with supporters of the military government a strong reminder of just how relevant
the political message of the graffiti remains.
While there is a sense of immediacy for politically motivated art, Keizer tries to balance his
works between aesthetics and politically loaded messages. He stencils you are beautiful
on heavily trafficked streets and throws up images of a girl on a swing under bridges.
At the same time, he tagged whos watching the watchers? on the building of the
countrys main Internet service provider and likes to display an image of Snow White
clutching an M16 assault rifle wherever he can.
Some of his stencils look like they are heavily influenced by the worlds most well-known
graffiti artist, Banksy and when were out the topic of conversation often turns to Banksy
and other major graffiti artists.
Is there a Kinkos in Beirut? he asks at one point, referring to the FedEx-run office store
that specialises in photocopying and printing. In Banksys documentary (or mockumentary
as its been alleged) Exit Through the Gift Shop, Keizer saw big-name street artists using the
store to make larger stencils than one can produce at home. I tell him that indeed there is
and he seems pleased.
One of Keizers most popular stencils that has been popping up across the city is of a
pair of eyes peering over a medical mask seemingly a play on American street artist
Shepard Faireys famous Obey tag featuring a mugshot of retired wrestler Andr the Giant
that can now be found in many places of the world.
4 3
LEFT: Graffiti in Egypt
remains a clandestine form
of art, where artists often
spray their work after
midnight. Here, Cairene
artist Ganzeer sprays a
recurring image of a bread
seller confronting a tank.
RIGHT: Im free,
declares this dramatic mural,
a clever pun on ancient
Egyptian mummies.
4 2
A S T ON MA R T I N
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
As were talking about street art over beers, protesters in Tahrir who reoccupied the
square just a few weeks earlier to protest against the military-led interim government are
setting out to march on the Defense Ministry. Over the course of our conversation, they
clash with supporters of the military government a strong reminder of just how relevant
the political message of the graffiti remains.
While there is a sense of immediacy for politically motivated art, Keizer tries to balance his
works between aesthetics and politically loaded messages. He stencils you are beautiful
on heavily trafficked streets and throws up images of a girl on a swing under bridges.
At the same time, he tagged whos watching the watchers? on the building of the
countrys main Internet service provider and likes to display an image of Snow White
clutching an M16 assault rifle wherever he can.
Some of his stencils look like they are heavily influenced by the worlds most well-known
graffiti artist, Banksy and when were out the topic of conversation often turns to Banksy
and other major graffiti artists.
Is there a Kinkos in Beirut? he asks at one point, referring to the FedEx-run office store
that specialises in photocopying and printing. In Banksys documentary (or mockumentary
as its been alleged) Exit Through the Gift Shop, Keizer saw big-name street artists using the
store to make larger stencils than one can produce at home. I tell him that indeed there is
and he seems pleased.
One of Keizers most popular stencils that has been popping up across the city is of a
pair of eyes peering over a medical mask seemingly a play on American street artist
Shepard Faireys famous Obey tag featuring a mugshot of retired wrestler Andr the Giant
that can now be found in many places of the world.
4 3
LEFT: Graffiti in Egypt
remains a clandestine form
of art, where artists often
spray their work after
midnight. Here, Cairene
artist Ganzeer sprays a
recurring image of a bread
seller confronting a tank.
RIGHT: Im free,
declares this dramatic mural,
a clever pun on ancient
Egyptian mummies.
4 2
A S T ON MA R T I N
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
As t on Mar t i n s
Egy pt i an I nf l uenc e
As a founding member of the Aston Martin
Owners Club, SCH Sammy Davis, famous as
one of the foremost racing drivers of the 1920s
and 1930s, originally designed the emblem upon
which todays Aston Martin badge is based.
His interest in Egyptology saw him take the shape
and patterns of a scarab beetle as his inspiration
in 1932. The finish of the badge was silver for
the outline, while the ribs of the wing were filled
with cream enamel and the name Aston Martin,
in silver letters, was framed centrally within the
wings and set on a black background. Davis
first design was black; he retained this for his
personal use, which he placed on the first
Works Aston Martin, LM1. The badge still
remains on the car to this day.
Scarab beetles, for which the proper name is
Scarabaeus sacer, were considered to be sacred
to the Ancient Egyptians. The beetle became the
most important religious symbol for the ability
to be reborn, because it appeared to come out
of nowhere and is now a prominent feature
throughout Egyptian mythology. The scarab
was compared to the Sun God Khepera, a man
with a scarabs head who created himself out of
nothing. He was believed to push the sun along
its course in the sky in the same way the beetle
rolled its eggs in a ball of dung from which the
offspring would emerge, giving the appearance
of self-creation. Scarabs were often buried with
the dead to ensure rebirth in the afterlife.
4 4
A piece by another artist on an electricity box near Tahrir Square is also in the style of Faireys
Obey but features one of Egypts fellah, a member of the poor, farming class that makes
up a huge chunk of Egyptian society. The man is crying blood and underneath, Arabic text
reads: do not obey.
But Keizer says that he and other Cairo graffiti artists are not imitating, but rather innovating.
Just as Fairey turned a picture of US President Barack Obama into the iconic Hope poster
used in the presidents election campaign, Egyptian artists are making images their own as
they experiment.
While street art in Cairo is still in its early days, its hard to drive around the city without
noticing it. Keeping track of the artwork is nearly impossible: websites have been set up to
document the locations of pieces, but they cant keep up with the artists themselves.
As Egypt remains in crisis, it is his disgust of whats going on that drives Keizers work, be
it in politics, advertising or attempts to hijack the revolution.
Attention has now turned elsewhere and the cameras have left Egypt even as the country
remains in conflict and occasionally bloody. But the new, and often beautiful, street art that
proliferates in Cairo continues to remind us that everything is not alright.
The st r eet s ar ound Tahr i r Squar e
have been t agged by most of Cai r o s
maj or ar t i st s, f r om i mages of pr ot est er s
ki l l ed i n t he r evol ut i on t o a sad- l ooki ng
panda by an ar t i st who goes by none
ot her t han Sad Panda
D
G
r
o
s
m
a
n
g
i
n
/
M
C
M
o
r
a
z
z
a
n
i
Arzu : Ample and generous white gold necklace where sapphires and diamonds
compose a graceful broad pattern.
adler, jewellers since 1886
GENEVE . GSTAAD . LONDON 13, New Bond Street +4420 7409 2237 . HONGKONG . TOKYO
www.adler.ch
london@adler.ch
Arzu Adler 230x297.indd 1 01/11/2011 14:16:28
A S T ON MA R T I N
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
As t on Mar t i n s
Egy pt i an I nf l uenc e
As a founding member of the Aston Martin
Owners Club, SCH Sammy Davis, famous as
one of the foremost racing drivers of the 1920s
and 1930s, originally designed the emblem upon
which todays Aston Martin badge is based.
His interest in Egyptology saw him take the shape
and patterns of a scarab beetle as his inspiration
in 1932. The finish of the badge was silver for
the outline, while the ribs of the wing were filled
with cream enamel and the name Aston Martin,
in silver letters, was framed centrally within the
wings and set on a black background. Davis
first design was black; he retained this for his
personal use, which he placed on the first
Works Aston Martin, LM1. The badge still
remains on the car to this day.
Scarab beetles, for which the proper name is
Scarabaeus sacer, were considered to be sacred
to the Ancient Egyptians. The beetle became the
most important religious symbol for the ability
to be reborn, because it appeared to come out
of nowhere and is now a prominent feature
throughout Egyptian mythology. The scarab
was compared to the Sun God Khepera, a man
with a scarabs head who created himself out of
nothing. He was believed to push the sun along
its course in the sky in the same way the beetle
rolled its eggs in a ball of dung from which the
offspring would emerge, giving the appearance
of self-creation. Scarabs were often buried with
the dead to ensure rebirth in the afterlife.
4 4
A piece by another artist on an electricity box near Tahrir Square is also in the style of Faireys
Obey but features one of Egypts fellah, a member of the poor, farming class that makes
up a huge chunk of Egyptian society. The man is crying blood and underneath, Arabic text
reads: do not obey.
But Keizer says that he and other Cairo graffiti artists are not imitating, but rather innovating.
Just as Fairey turned a picture of US President Barack Obama into the iconic Hope poster
used in the presidents election campaign, Egyptian artists are making images their own as
they experiment.
While street art in Cairo is still in its early days, its hard to drive around the city without
noticing it. Keeping track of the artwork is nearly impossible: websites have been set up to
document the locations of pieces, but they cant keep up with the artists themselves.
As Egypt remains in crisis, it is his disgust of whats going on that drives Keizers work, be
it in politics, advertising or attempts to hijack the revolution.
Attention has now turned elsewhere and the cameras have left Egypt even as the country
remains in conflict and occasionally bloody. But the new, and often beautiful, street art that
proliferates in Cairo continues to remind us that everything is not alright.
The st r eet s ar ound Tahr i r Squar e
have been t agged by most of Cai r o s
maj or ar t i st s, f r om i mages of pr ot est er s
ki l l ed i n t he r evol ut i on t o a sad- l ooki ng
panda by an ar t i st who goes by none
ot her t han Sad Panda
D
G
r
o
s
m
a
n
g
i
n
/
M
C
M
o
r
a
z
z
a
n
i
Arzu : Ample and generous white gold necklace where sapphires and diamonds
compose a graceful broad pattern.
adler, jewellers since 1886
GENEVE . GSTAAD . LONDON 13, New Bond Street +4420 7409 2237 . HONGKONG . TOKYO
www.adler.ch
london@adler.ch
Arzu Adler 230x297.indd 1 01/11/2011 14:16:28
A S T ON MA R T I N
4 4 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
f o r m i t a l i a
4 5 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
On 18 April this year, at the Starhotels Rosa Grand in Milan, Aston Martin
took its first steps into the world of interior design with the unveiling of
a brand-new furniture collection. Previewing on the world stage during
Milans famous Salone Internazionale del Mobile furniture fair, the new
Aston Martin Interiors capsule collection immediately ignited the passions
of aesthetes the world over not just car enthusiasts and designers.
For this sleek, seductive and sophisticated collection has been developed
specifically to reflect the uncompromising level of design, comfort, luxury
and performance embodied by a modern Aston Martin sports car: bespoke
frames incorporating wood, steel and carbon fibre all combine with fine
leather and wool to offer ergonomic and luxurious comfort to the owner,
not least a stylish addition to any contemporary living space.
Like all of Formitalias furniture, every piece in the Aston Martin Interiors
collection is Made in Italy mainly in the Tuscan region, in the cities of
Firenze, Prato, Pistoia and Pisa. The first Formitalia design collection was
created in 1991, its instant and continuing success down to the ateliers
deep knowledge of hides, and its selection of the most valuable tanning
treatments, from ostrich to crocodile. The knowledge accrued through
various partnerships with luxury brands including the architect Mirko
Tattarini Monti and designer Emanuele Canova have furnished Formitalia
with the precise expertise required to communicate Aston Martins unique
brand values of Power, Beauty and Soul.
Managed by brothers David and Gianni Overi, Formitalia is nowadays
focused on design concepts that offer a carefully integrated solution for
home, office and corporate environments, making them popular across a
diverse range of clients. Their influence spans the interiors of magnificent
villas in the most exclusive locations to hotel developments and cultural
destinations around the world. Exactly the sort of environments Aston Martin
is used to, in other words.
formitalia.it
FORMI TAlI A TO ThE FORE
Thi s year , As t on Mar t i n s unmi s t akeabl e des i gn l anguage has under gone
a r emar kabl e t r ans l at i on at t he hands of I t al i an f ur ni t ur e maes t r os
For mi t al i a t he f i r st of many exci t i ng pr oj ect s t o emer ge f r om t he br and s
new As t on Mar t i n I nt er i or s par t ner s hi p. Pul l up a chai r
FACING PAGE LEFT: Crafting the new
Aston Martin Interiors pieces in Formitalias
Tuscan workshops.
FACING PAGE RIGHT: Two Aston Martin
Interiors chaise longues with self-bearing
body made of carbon fibre with polished
aluminium inserts.
THIS PAGE TOP: Lounge Chair made of bent
aluminium one of the most versatile pieces
of the Aston Martin Interiors collection.
THIS PAGE: Red sofa, red coffee table in
aluminium and leather, plus a leather-
coated black desk and LED floor lamp with
carbon-fibre base, all from the Aston Martin
Interiors range.
Thi s sl eek, seduct i ve and sophi st i cat ed col l ect i on has
been devel oped speci f i cal l y t o r ef l ect t he uncompr omi si ng
l evel of desi gn, comf or t , l uxur y and per f or mance
embodi ed by a moder n Ast on Mar t i n spor t s car
A S T ON MA R T I N
4 4 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
f o r m i t a l i a
4 5 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
On 18 April this year, at the Starhotels Rosa Grand in Milan, Aston Martin
took its first steps into the world of interior design with the unveiling of
a brand-new furniture collection. Previewing on the world stage during
Milans famous Salone Internazionale del Mobile furniture fair, the new
Aston Martin Interiors capsule collection immediately ignited the passions
of aesthetes the world over not just car enthusiasts and designers.
For this sleek, seductive and sophisticated collection has been developed
specifically to reflect the uncompromising level of design, comfort, luxury
and performance embodied by a modern Aston Martin sports car: bespoke
frames incorporating wood, steel and carbon fibre all combine with fine
leather and wool to offer ergonomic and luxurious comfort to the owner,
not least a stylish addition to any contemporary living space.
Like all of Formitalias furniture, every piece in the Aston Martin Interiors
collection is Made in Italy mainly in the Tuscan region, in the cities of
Firenze, Prato, Pistoia and Pisa. The first Formitalia design collection was
created in 1991, its instant and continuing success down to the ateliers
deep knowledge of hides, and its selection of the most valuable tanning
treatments, from ostrich to crocodile. The knowledge accrued through
various partnerships with luxury brands including the architect Mirko
Tattarini Monti and designer Emanuele Canova have furnished Formitalia
with the precise expertise required to communicate Aston Martins unique
brand values of Power, Beauty and Soul.
Managed by brothers David and Gianni Overi, Formitalia is nowadays
focused on design concepts that offer a carefully integrated solution for
home, office and corporate environments, making them popular across a
diverse range of clients. Their influence spans the interiors of magnificent
villas in the most exclusive locations to hotel developments and cultural
destinations around the world. Exactly the sort of environments Aston Martin
is used to, in other words.
formitalia.it
FORMI TAlI A TO ThE FORE
Thi s year , As t on Mar t i n s unmi s t akeabl e des i gn l anguage has under gone
a r emar kabl e t r ans l at i on at t he hands of I t al i an f ur ni t ur e maes t r os
For mi t al i a t he f i r st of many exci t i ng pr oj ect s t o emer ge f r om t he br and s
new As t on Mar t i n I nt er i or s par t ner s hi p. Pul l up a chai r
FACING PAGE LEFT: Crafting the new
Aston Martin Interiors pieces in Formitalias
Tuscan workshops.
FACING PAGE RIGHT: Two Aston Martin
Interiors chaise longues with self-bearing
body made of carbon fibre with polished
aluminium inserts.
THIS PAGE TOP: Lounge Chair made of bent
aluminium one of the most versatile pieces
of the Aston Martin Interiors collection.
THIS PAGE: Red sofa, red coffee table in
aluminium and leather, plus a leather-
coated black desk and LED floor lamp with
carbon-fibre base, all from the Aston Martin
Interiors range.
Thi s sl eek, seduct i ve and sophi st i cat ed col l ect i on has
been devel oped speci f i cal l y t o r ef l ect t he uncompr omi si ng
l evel of desi gn, comf or t , l uxur y and per f or mance
embodi ed by a moder n Ast on Mar t i n spor t s car
v 1 2 z a g a t o
4 6 4 7 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
CABI N
FEVER
As t on Mar t i n s l egendar y r el at i ons hi p wi t h Zagat o
ent er ed t he moder n er a t hi s year , wi t h t he mus cul ar V12
Zagat o a pur e br ed r ace- car t hat cut i t s t eet h at t he
Nr bur gr i ng 24- Hour s . Now i n l i mi t ed pr oduct i on f or m,
wi t hout t he di s t r act i ons of decal s and r ol l cages , t he
car s s i nuous cur ves ar e l ai d bar e f or al l t o admi r e.
Sl i p i ns i de, however , and you l l di s cover an i nt er i or
qui t e unl i ke anyt hi ng out t her e. Di r ect or of
Des i gn Mar ek Rei chman gi ves J onat han Bel l
an excl us i ve pr evi ew
A S T ON MA R T I N
v 1 2 z a g a t o
4 6 4 7 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
CABI N
FEVER
As t on Mar t i n s l egendar y r el at i ons hi p wi t h Zagat o
ent er ed t he moder n er a t hi s year , wi t h t he mus cul ar V12
Zagat o a pur e br ed r ace- car t hat cut i t s t eet h at t he
Nr bur gr i ng 24- Hour s . Now i n l i mi t ed pr oduct i on f or m,
wi t hout t he di s t r act i ons of decal s and r ol l cages , t he
car s s i nuous cur ves ar e l ai d bar e f or al l t o admi r e.
Sl i p i ns i de, however , and you l l di s cover an i nt er i or
qui t e unl i ke anyt hi ng out t her e. Di r ect or of
Des i gn Mar ek Rei chman gi ves J onat han Bel l
an excl us i ve pr evi ew
A S T ON MA R T I N
4 8 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
The V12 Zagat o s geomet r i c t r i m has been pr oduced by Ast on Mar t i n s l at est
gener at i on of sewi ng machi nes t o f or m a t hr ee- di mensi onal pat t er n t hat f l ows f r om
t he f r ont t o t he r ear of t he cabi n, evoki ng t he f i br es of muscl es
The interior of the new road-going V12 Zagato, enjoyed by 150 lucky
owners, couldnt have been better matched to the fluid lines of this cars
bodywork: fully lined with a striking leather pattern that runs from the seats
through to the doors, headlining and rear bulkhead.
Zagato are very famous for their quilted leather, explains Marek Reichman,
Aston Martins Director of Design, and this flowing waveform pattern uses
a very bright red stitch together with the dark signature colours. Developed
and first sewn by hand, the geometric design has been produced by
Aston Martins latest generation of sewing machines to form a three-dimensional
pattern that flows from the front to the rear of the cabin, evoking the fibres
of muscles and the bold character of the Italian carrozzeria styling house.
Like the One-77 limited edition, there is a one-piece, lacquered carbon-fibre
central console, which follows Aston Martins cosseting cockpit design, the
signature Start button and clock taking centre stage. Unique details such as
the famous Z motif stitched into the seat backs are complemented by the
presence of rear struts that follow the sweeping line of the roof, giving
the V12 Zagato exceptional structural stiffness.
Through their collaboration with Zagato, from the original DB4GT Zagato of
1961 through to the V8 Zagato of 1986, and the DB7 Zagato and AR1, the
Italian coachbuilders design language has always been elegantly synthesised
with Aston Martins strong forms and unique identity. V12 Zagato is no
different, with the signature double-bubble roof blending into the rear flank
before the bodywork terminates abruptly in a neatly angled tailgate. These
exterior tensions are brought into the cabin also, with a close relationship
between the Zagatos flanks and the way the interior flows from front to
rear. Finished to the uncompromising standards you expect at Aston Martin,
the V12 Zagato synthesises craft, design, technology and tradition.
Were using hand-crafted processes to help define what the Zagato brand
stands for, says Reichman, it pushes the boundaries of what people expect
from an Aston Martin interior.
A S T ON MA R T I N
WWW. ULY S S E - NAR DI N. COM
ULYS S E NAR DI N S A - S wi t z e r l a n d
T. +4 1 3 2 9 3 0 7 4 0 0 - i n f o @u l y s s e - n a r d i n . c h
Blue Phantom
Carrousel-Tourbillon, 7-Day power reserve.
Patented Dual Ulysse escapement in silicium.
4 8 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
The V12 Zagat o s geomet r i c t r i m has been pr oduced by Ast on Mar t i n s l at est
gener at i on of sewi ng machi nes t o f or m a t hr ee- di mensi onal pat t er n t hat f l ows f r om
t he f r ont t o t he r ear of t he cabi n, evoki ng t he f i br es of muscl es
The interior of the new road-going V12 Zagato, enjoyed by 150 lucky
owners, couldnt have been better matched to the fluid lines of this cars
bodywork: fully lined with a striking leather pattern that runs from the seats
through to the doors, headlining and rear bulkhead.
Zagato are very famous for their quilted leather, explains Marek Reichman,
Aston Martins Director of Design, and this flowing waveform pattern uses
a very bright red stitch together with the dark signature colours. Developed
and first sewn by hand, the geometric design has been produced by
Aston Martins latest generation of sewing machines to form a three-dimensional
pattern that flows from the front to the rear of the cabin, evoking the fibres
of muscles and the bold character of the Italian carrozzeria styling house.
Like the One-77 limited edition, there is a one-piece, lacquered carbon-fibre
central console, which follows Aston Martins cosseting cockpit design, the
signature Start button and clock taking centre stage. Unique details such as
the famous Z motif stitched into the seat backs are complemented by the
presence of rear struts that follow the sweeping line of the roof, giving
the V12 Zagato exceptional structural stiffness.
Through their collaboration with Zagato, from the original DB4GT Zagato of
1961 through to the V8 Zagato of 1986, and the DB7 Zagato and AR1, the
Italian coachbuilders design language has always been elegantly synthesised
with Aston Martins strong forms and unique identity. V12 Zagato is no
different, with the signature double-bubble roof blending into the rear flank
before the bodywork terminates abruptly in a neatly angled tailgate. These
exterior tensions are brought into the cabin also, with a close relationship
between the Zagatos flanks and the way the interior flows from front to
rear. Finished to the uncompromising standards you expect at Aston Martin,
the V12 Zagato synthesises craft, design, technology and tradition.
Were using hand-crafted processes to help define what the Zagato brand
stands for, says Reichman, it pushes the boundaries of what people expect
from an Aston Martin interior.
A S T ON MA R T I N
WWW. ULY S S E - NAR DI N. COM
ULYS S E NAR DI N S A - S wi t z e r l a n d
T. +4 1 3 2 9 3 0 7 4 0 0 - i n f o @u l y s s e - n a r d i n . c h
Blue Phantom
Carrousel-Tourbillon, 7-Day power reserve.
Patented Dual Ulysse escapement in silicium.
A S T ON MA R T I N
5 0 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
b e s t d r i v e s
5 1 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
10
o f t h e b e s t
PAckI Ng A PUNch [I SSUE 7, 2009]
The V12 Vantage is the ultimate performance interpretation of Aston Martins agile Vantage range
and Nick Trott was the first journalist behind the wheel in January 2009,
with the epic desert roads of southern Spain stretching before him.
Photographed by Joe Windsor-Williams
hI ll clI MbER [I SSUE 1, 2007]
Simon de Burton discovers that Aston Martins V8 Vantage Roadster makes light work of tackling one of
the worlds most celebrated alpine passages surrounding Mount Ventoux, west of Luberon, Provence.
01/02
Si nce 2007, Ast on Mar t i n Magazi ne has conveyed i t s r eader s t o al l cor ner s of t he gl obe,
on some spect acul ar r oadt r i ps al l of t hem i l l ust r at ed beaut i f ul l y by wor l d- cl ass car phot ogr aphy.
As anot her year dr aws t o a cl ose and we ent er a r ef l ect i ve st at e of mi nd, we t hought i t was
t he per f ect oppor t uni t y t o showcase t en of t he best shot s f r om t he past 16 i ssues.
Fr om hong kong t o Mumbai vi a New Engl and and beyond, t her e ar en t many l andscapes
t hat can t be i mpr oved by t he addi t i on of an Ast on Mar t i n spor t s car
A S T ON MA R T I N
5 0 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
b e s t d r i v e s
5 1 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
10
o f t h e b e s t
PAckI Ng A PUNch [I SSUE 7, 2009]
The V12 Vantage is the ultimate performance interpretation of Aston Martins agile Vantage range
and Nick Trott was the first journalist behind the wheel in January 2009,
with the epic desert roads of southern Spain stretching before him.
hI ll clI MbER [I SSUE 1, 2007]
Simon de Burton discovers that Aston Martins V8 Vantage Roadster makes light work of tackling one of
the worlds most celebrated alpine passages surrounding Mount Ventoux, west of Luberon, Provence.
01/02
Si nce 2007, Ast on Mar t i n Magazi ne has conveyed i t s r eader s t o al l cor ner s of t he gl obe,
on some spect acul ar r oadt r i ps al l of t hem i l l ust r at ed beaut i f ul l y by wor l d- cl ass car phot ogr aphy.
As anot her year dr aws t o a cl ose and we ent er a r ef l ect i ve st at e of mi nd, we t hought i t was
t he per f ect oppor t uni t y t o showcase t en of t he best shot s f r om t he past 16 i ssues.
Fr om hong kong t o Mumbai vi a New Engl and and beyond, t her e ar en t many l andscapes
t hat can t be i mpr oved by t he addi t i on of an Ast on Mar t i n spor t s car
5 2 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1 5 3 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
b e s t d r i v e s
Old ENglANd MEETS NEw ENglANd [I SSUE 3, 2007]
At the wheel of an Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Ken Kessler a born and bred Mainer
took a colourful tour through New England during the celebrated fall.
Photographed by Nick Dimbleby
04
MUMbAI cAllI Ng [I SSUE 15, 2011]
Commemorating the opening of Aston Martins first dealership in India, we dived headlong into the teeming,
technicolor metropolis of Mumbai, Indias most populous city, discovering that, even on these roads,
the Rapide makes for smooth passage, not to mention a rare spectacle.
03
A S T ON MA R T I N
5 2 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1 5 3 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
b e s t d r i v e s
Old ENglANd MEETS NEw ENglANd [I SSUE 3, 2007]
At the wheel of an Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Ken Kessler a born and bred Mainer
took a colourful tour through New England during the celebrated fall.
Photographed by Nick Dimbleby
04
MUMbAI cAllI Ng [I SSUE 15, 2011]
Commemorating the opening of Aston Martins first dealership in India, we dived headlong into the teeming,
technicolor metropolis of Mumbai, Indias most populous city, discovering that, even on these roads,
the Rapide makes for smooth passage, not to mention a rare spectacle.
03
A S T ON MA R T I N
A S T ON MA R T I N
5 4 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
b e s t d r i v e s
5 5 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
cUTTI Ng A dASh [I SSUE 11, 2010]
The Cygnet, Aston Martins luxurious city car, is a genuinely novel means of tackling the
urban environment. Jonathan Bell took to the streets of China Town, Soho and proved that its styling,
inside and out, is entirely tailored to you and your lifestyle.
06
dESI gNS ON ThE FUTURE [I SSUE 3, 2007]
Jake Townsend toured Los Angeles in search of architectural masterpieces that,
like the Aston Martin DBS, are leaders in the field of design and technology.
05
A S T ON MA R T I N
5 4 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
b e s t d r i v e s
5 5 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
cUTTI Ng A dASh [I SSUE 11, 2010]
The Cygnet, Aston Martins luxurious city car, is a genuinely novel means of tackling the
urban environment. Jonathan Bell took to the streets of China Town, Soho and proved that its styling,
inside and out, is entirely tailored to you and your lifestyle.
06
dESI gNS ON ThE FUTURE [I SSUE 3, 2007]
Jake Townsend toured Los Angeles in search of architectural masterpieces that,
like the Aston Martin DBS, are leaders in the field of design and technology.
05
A S T ON MA R T I N
5 6 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1 5 7 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
ThE ARcTI c ExPRESS [I SSUE 16, 2011]
The four-door, four-seater Rapide proved to be a shining star in the land of the
midnight sun, enduring hundreds of miles of unforgiving and bleak broadway,
all the way through Alaska and north to the Arctic Circle.
08
VI VA VOlANTE [I SSUE 7, 2009]
West coast man Jake Townsend took to the boulevards of Barcelona in the DBS Volante a rare breed of
automobile in which the lines between driver and machine are utterly erased.
07
b e s t d r i v e s
A S T ON MA R T I N
5 6 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1 5 7 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
ThE ARcTI c ExPRESS [I SSUE 16, 2011]
The four-door, four-seater Rapide proved to be a shining star in the land of the
midnight sun, enduring hundreds of miles of unforgiving and bleak broadway,
all the way through Alaska and north to the Arctic Circle.
08
VI VA VOlANTE [I SSUE 7, 2009]
West coast man Jake Townsend took to the boulevards of Barcelona in the DBS Volante a rare breed of
automobile in which the lines between driver and machine are utterly erased.
07
b e s t d r i v e s
b e s t d r i v e s
5 9 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
A S T ON MA R T I N
5 8 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
STREETS AhEAd [I SSUE 4, 2008]
Technology and beauty combine as Matthew Marsh travelled behind the wheel of an Aston Martin DBS
from the neon-lit landscape of Tokyo to the majestic Mount Fuji swapping high-rise
architecture for the serene landscape at the bottom of the sacred volcano.
10
VOlANTE ExPRESS [I SSUE 9, 2009]
Patrick C. Paternie saddled up for Aston Martins epic drive across Nevada
and California, following the final stages of the Pony Express.
09
b e s t d r i v e s
5 9 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
A S T ON MA R T I N
5 8 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
STREETS AhEAd [I SSUE 4, 2008]
Technology and beauty combine as Matthew Marsh travelled behind the wheel of an Aston Martin DBS
from the neon-lit landscape of Tokyo to the majestic Mount Fuji swapping high-rise
architecture for the serene landscape at the bottom of the sacred volcano.
10
VOlANTE ExPRESS [I SSUE 9, 2009]
Patrick C. Paternie saddled up for Aston Martins epic drive across Nevada
and California, following the final stages of the Pony Express.
09
A S T ON MA R T I N
6 0 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
Sacramento
Reno
Carson City
Nevada
Fallon
Winnemucca
Susanville
Redding
San Francisco
Stockton
Red Bluff
Portsmouth
York
Freeport
Wells
Saco
Portland
Manchester
Concord
Wakefield
Conway
Woodstock
New
Hampton
Anchorage
Kenai
Fairbanks
Homer
t h R e e o f t h e b e s t
Thr ee of Ast on Mar t i n Magazi ne s best dr i ve st or i es have t aken pl ace acr oss t he USA
( i n f act , you can now make t hat f our , wi t h cEO dr Ul r i ch bez s summer r oad t r i p f r om
New Yor k t o Mont ana f eat ur ed f r om page 28) . Fr om t he bl eak hi ghways of Al aska t o
t he r espl endent aut umn col our s of Mai ne, her e ar e t hr ee of t he most enj oyabl e,
pi ct ur esque r out es our wr i t er s and camer amen have exper i enced over t he past
f our year s, and whi ch you and your Ast on Mar t i n shoul d exper i ence t oo
ThE ARcTI c ExPRESS / 1,387 MI lES
driving up Alaskas notoriously unforgiving dalton highway from
Anchorage to Fairbanks, before dipping a toe within the Arctic circle at
milepost 15, you will encounter the delicious denali doghouse restaurant
and have the opportunity to stay in the welcoming sleepertrain carriages
of the Aurora Express b&b. If youve seen Ice Road Truckers, however,
youll know how well prepared you should be before tackling this route.
VOlANTE ExPRESS / 350 MI lES
Old ENglANd MEETS NEw ENglANd / 72 MI lES
commencing in Portsmouth, New hampshire, this beautiful, undulating
drive will take you up Route 1A, parallel to the north Atlantic coastline,
arriving in Freeport in time for afternoon tea. before leaving Portsmouth,
heberts Restaurant -in the Market basket Plaza on lafayette Road- will
provide an excellent breakfast. Make sure you drive this route in fall
everything they say about New Englands foliage at this time of year is true.
In issues 9 and 10, Aston Martin Magazine retraced the final legs of the
1,900-mile Pony Express route, swapping convertible cars along the way,
as the brave Express riders refreshed their steeds. Starting in the Nevada
desert, the worlds loneliest Road highway 50 gives way to the foothills
of the Sierras about 50 miles east of Fallon, perched atop the 5,980-foot
Silver hill. charging up long straights punctuated by tight hairpin turns, the
scenery turns lush as you head through carson city, around lake Tahoe,
through Eldorado Forest and eventually into californias Sacramento.
PERFECT PRECISION
Discover the thrill of sports performance with Bridgestones
ultimate ultra-high performance tyre. True high-speed stability,
precision steering, superior safety and extreme grip all give you
the power to unleash the full potential of your high-performance
vehicle. It is time to discover the passion of driving.
The F1 FORMULA 1 logo, F1, FORMULA 1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP,
GRAND PRIX and related marks are trademarks of Formula One Licensing BV, a Formula One group company.
All rights reserved.
www.bridgestone.eu
Bridgestone Europe
For your nearest Bridgestone Authorized Dealer,
visit our website
Aston Martin Magazine print ad.indd 1 03/05/11 09:42
A S T ON MA R T I N
6 0 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
Sacramento
Reno
Carson City
Nevada
Fallon
Winnemucca
Susanville
Redding
San Francisco
Stockton
Red Bluff
Portsmouth
York
Freeport
Wells
Saco
Portland
Manchester
Concord
Wakefield
Conway
Woodstock
New
Hampton
Anchorage
Kenai
Fairbanks
Homer
t h R e e o f t h e b e s t
Thr ee of Ast on Mar t i n Magazi ne s best dr i ve st or i es have t aken pl ace acr oss t he USA
( i n f act , you can now make t hat f our , wi t h cEO dr Ul r i ch bez s summer r oad t r i p f r om
New Yor k t o Mont ana f eat ur ed f r om page 28) . Fr om t he bl eak hi ghways of Al aska t o
t he r espl endent aut umn col our s of Mai ne, her e ar e t hr ee of t he most enj oyabl e,
pi ct ur esque r out es our wr i t er s and camer amen have exper i enced over t he past
f our year s, and whi ch you and your Ast on Mar t i n shoul d exper i ence t oo
ThE ARcTI c ExPRESS / 1,387 MI lES
driving up Alaskas notoriously unforgiving dalton highway from
Anchorage to Fairbanks, before dipping a toe within the Arctic circle at
milepost 15, you will encounter the delicious denali doghouse restaurant
and have the opportunity to stay in the welcoming sleepertrain carriages
of the Aurora Express b&b. If youve seen Ice Road Truckers, however,
youll know how well prepared you should be before tackling this route.
VOlANTE ExPRESS / 350 MI lES
Old ENglANd MEETS NEw ENglANd / 72 MI lES
commencing in Portsmouth, New hampshire, this beautiful, undulating
drive will take you up Route 1A, parallel to the north Atlantic coastline,
arriving in Freeport in time for afternoon tea. before leaving Portsmouth,
heberts Restaurant -in the Market basket Plaza on lafayette Road- will
provide an excellent breakfast. Make sure you drive this route in fall
everything they say about New Englands foliage at this time of year is true.
In issues 9 and 10, Aston Martin Magazine retraced the final legs of the
1,900-mile Pony Express route, swapping convertible cars along the way,
as the brave Express riders refreshed their steeds. Starting in the Nevada
desert, the worlds loneliest Road highway 50 gives way to the foothills
of the Sierras about 50 miles east of Fallon, perched atop the 5,980-foot
Silver hill. charging up long straights punctuated by tight hairpin turns, the
scenery turns lush as you head through carson city, around lake Tahoe,
through Eldorado Forest and eventually into californias Sacramento.
PERFECT PRECISION
Discover the thrill of sports performance with Bridgestones
ultimate ultra-high performance tyre. True high-speed stability,
precision steering, superior safety and extreme grip all give you
the power to unleash the full potential of your high-performance
vehicle. It is time to discover the passion of driving.
The F1 FORMULA 1 logo, F1, FORMULA 1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP,
GRAND PRIX and related marks are trademarks of Formula One Licensing BV, a Formula One group company.
All rights reserved.
www.bridgestone.eu
Bridgestone Europe
For your nearest Bridgestone Authorized Dealer,
visit our website
Aston Martin Magazine print ad.indd 1 03/05/11 09:42
6 3 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
ThE OnES TO WaTch
f a s h i o n p r o d i g i e s
Ever y J ul y, t he gr eat , t he good and t he most gl amor ous of t he f ashi on wor l d f l ock
i n t hei r t housands t o t he smal l I t al i an por t t own of Tr i est e f or t he I nt er nat i onal
Tal ent Suppor t . Despi t e t he i nauspi ci ous set t i ng, t hey ve been comi ng f or t he past
10 year s, t o scout t omor r ow s cr eat i ve st ar s, f r om f ashi on t o accessor y desi gn
t hr ough t o j ewel l er y and phot ogr aphy. however , t hese t wo days of par t i es and
f r ont - r ow posi ng ar e j ust t he t i p of t he i ceber g, r epor t s Rebecca May J ohnson,
as I TS i s an ongoi ng quest f or f ashi on s new pr odi gi es
UNI T ED KI NGDOM
The Royal Arcade,
Old Bond St, Mayfair
London W1S 4SW
AUST RAL I A
Sy dn ey
Gol d Coas t
calleija.com
C ONT E S S A
To own a rare Argyle pink diamond
is to own a truly magnifcent heirloom.
Contessa, beautifully handcrafted in
Platinum and 18ct Rose Gold, features
an exquisite combination of stunning
craftsmanship and the rarest of
Australian Argyle pink diamonds.
Simply, they are the rarest diamonds
in the world and are revered for their
unique provenance and intrinsic beauty.
Calleija-AstonMartin-297x230mm_v6.indd 1 4/11/11 5:04 PM
6 3 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
ThE OnES TO WaTch
Ever y J ul y, t he gr eat , t he good and t he most gl amor ous of t he f ashi on wor l d f l ock
i n t hei r t housands t o t he smal l I t al i an por t t own of Tr i est e f or t he I nt er nat i onal
Tal ent Suppor t . Despi t e t he i nauspi ci ous set t i ng, t hey ve been comi ng f or t he past
10 year s, t o scout t omor r ow s cr eat i ve st ar s, f r om f ashi on t o accessor y desi gn
t hr ough t o j ewel l er y and phot ogr aphy. however , t hese t wo days of par t i es and
f r ont - r ow posi ng ar e j ust t he t i p of t he i ceber g, r epor t s Rebecca May J ohnson,
as I TS i s an ongoi ng quest f or f ashi on s new pr odi gi es
UNI T ED KI NGDOM
The Royal Arcade,
Old Bond St, Mayfair
London W1S 4SW
AUST RAL I A
Sy dn ey
Gol d Coas t
calleija.com
C ONT E S S A
To own a rare Argyle pink diamond
is to own a truly magnifcent heirloom.
Contessa, beautifully handcrafted in
Platinum and 18ct Rose Gold, features
an exquisite combination of stunning
craftsmanship and the rarest of
Australian Argyle pink diamonds.
Simply, they are the rarest diamonds
in the world and are revered for their
unique provenance and intrinsic beauty.
Calleija-AstonMartin-297x230mm_v6.indd 1 4/11/11 5:04 PM
6 5 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
The f eel i ng of bel ongi ng t o an ext ended f ami l y cl ear l y af f ect ed t he
wi nner of t hi s year s over al l f ashi on pr i ze, Shaun Samson. Bar bar a
f eel s l i ke my I t al i an aunt who checks up on me ever y now and t hen!
he comment ed of I TS s f ounder
a S T On Ma R T I n
6 4 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
Barbara Franchin founded the International Talent Support (ITS) eleven
years ago with a simple goal: to search for creativity and talent worldwide.
And as good as her word, Franchin and her team leave no stone unturned
in their mission. Every spring they carry out a global scouting tour, visiting
design schools backed by more than 800 schools in over 70 countries, which
culminates in 45 finalists coming under the spotlight at the annual two-day
show in Trieste. The sheer global scope of this treasure hunt is unique in the
business other competitions tend to centre on a single event or country.
Franchin emphasises that the competition is not about hype or creating
stars, rather seriously dedicated and passionate designers who would do
nothing else in their lives, although many of the alumni have gone on to
achieve both, as Franchins insistence on substance over hype brings many
opportunities for commercial success. Previous winners include Peter Pilotto
and Mark Fast, who have gone on to dress the likes of Claudia Schiffer,
Rihanna and Samantha Cameron, with growing brands stocked from
Tokyo to New York. Other finalists now work as designers for labels such as
Givenchy, Dolce & Gabbana and Louis Vuitton.
The integrity of Franchins vision has always attracted a star jury names
such as New York Times critic Cathy Horyn, the late Isabella Blow,
photographer and editor of i-D magazine Terry Jones and PR guru Mandi
Lennard. Brand sponsors closely mentor winners as well as giving financial
support; Renzo Rosso, founder of Diesel and juror since 2009 has been
proactively involved as a collaborator and sponsor from the very beginning,
even offering an award of 25,000 and six months at Diesel creative HQ.
Swarovski are also a major sponsor. Ute Schumacher, the director
of Swarovksi Elements Research & Design reckons that, since its inception,
ITS has become a vital launch pad for new talent: It represents one of
rather few platforms for young designers to present their work, interact
with their peers and be inspired by the exchange of creative ideas.
Jeweller-cum-jury-member Vicki Beamon, of cult jewellery brand Erickson
Beamon (which counts Kate Moss and Michelle Obama among its fans)
agrees with Schumacher: International Talent Support is done with a
great deal of integrity. Barbara has steered away from the usual corporate
formula and has managed to stay independent and true to her ideals of
giving a platform to truly original talent.
The heartfelt belief from everyone involved is that they share a common
mission, generating the sense of being part of a big extended international
family. Barbara Franchin describes the latest gathering in Trieste to celebrate
their 10th anniversary as a family reunion of sorts: The finalists of the four
areas fashion, accessories, jewellery and photography were joined
by around a hundred contestants from past editions, directors of top
fashion schools, tutors, fashion insiders, together with the most prominent
magazines and TV channels from about fifteen countries, from Russia to
China to the United States.
The feeling of belonging to an extended family clearly affected the winner
of this years overall fashion prize, Shaun Samson, who commented:
Barbara feels like my Italian aunt who checks up on me every now and
then! Samson, who trained at Londons Central St Martins, produced a
menswear collection of cleverly mixed textures of wool in plaids, tartans
and single colours. As well as the fashion design prize, it led to him
obtaining a full sponsorship from Woolrich to show at London Fashion
Week in September.
6 5 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
The f eel i ng of bel ongi ng t o an ext ended f ami l y cl ear l y af f ect ed t he
wi nner of t hi s year s over al l f ashi on pr i ze, Shaun Samson. Bar bar a
f eel s l i ke my I t al i an aunt who checks up on me ever y now and t hen!
he comment ed of I TS s f ounder
a S T On Ma R T I n
6 4 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
Barbara Franchin founded the International Talent Support (ITS) eleven
years ago with a simple goal: to search for creativity and talent worldwide.
And as good as her word, Franchin and her team leave no stone unturned
in their mission. Every spring they carry out a global scouting tour, visiting
design schools backed by more than 800 schools in over 70 countries, which
culminates in 45 finalists coming under the spotlight at the annual two-day
show in Trieste. The sheer global scope of this treasure hunt is unique in the
business other competitions tend to centre on a single event or country.
Franchin emphasises that the competition is not about hype or creating
stars, rather seriously dedicated and passionate designers who would do
nothing else in their lives, although many of the alumni have gone on to
achieve both, as Franchins insistence on substance over hype brings many
opportunities for commercial success. Previous winners include Peter Pilotto
and Mark Fast, who have gone on to dress the likes of Claudia Schiffer,
Rihanna and Samantha Cameron, with growing brands stocked from
Tokyo to New York. Other finalists now work as designers for labels such as
Givenchy, Dolce & Gabbana and Louis Vuitton.
The integrity of Franchins vision has always attracted a star jury names
such as New York Times critic Cathy Horyn, the late Isabella Blow,
photographer and editor of i-D magazine Terry Jones and PR guru Mandi
Lennard. Brand sponsors closely mentor winners as well as giving financial
support; Renzo Rosso, founder of Diesel and juror since 2009 has been
proactively involved as a collaborator and sponsor from the very beginning,
even offering an award of 25,000 and six months at Diesel creative HQ.
Swarovski are also a major sponsor. Ute Schumacher, the director
of Swarovksi Elements Research & Design reckons that, since its inception,
ITS has become a vital launch pad for new talent: It represents one of
rather few platforms for young designers to present their work, interact
with their peers and be inspired by the exchange of creative ideas.
Jeweller-cum-jury-member Vicki Beamon, of cult jewellery brand Erickson
Beamon (which counts Kate Moss and Michelle Obama among its fans)
agrees with Schumacher: International Talent Support is done with a
great deal of integrity. Barbara has steered away from the usual corporate
formula and has managed to stay independent and true to her ideals of
giving a platform to truly original talent.
The heartfelt belief from everyone involved is that they share a common
mission, generating the sense of being part of a big extended international
family. Barbara Franchin describes the latest gathering in Trieste to celebrate
their 10th anniversary as a family reunion of sorts: The finalists of the four
areas fashion, accessories, jewellery and photography were joined
by around a hundred contestants from past editions, directors of top
fashion schools, tutors, fashion insiders, together with the most prominent
magazines and TV channels from about fifteen countries, from Russia to
China to the United States.
The feeling of belonging to an extended family clearly affected the winner
of this years overall fashion prize, Shaun Samson, who commented:
Barbara feels like my Italian aunt who checks up on me every now and
then! Samson, who trained at Londons Central St Martins, produced a
menswear collection of cleverly mixed textures of wool in plaids, tartans
and single colours. As well as the fashion design prize, it led to him
obtaining a full sponsorship from Woolrich to show at London Fashion
Week in September.
a S T On Ma R T I n
6 6 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
ITS has undoubtedly given Samson unparalleled access to people at the top
of the industry: Winning this prize has given me the means and confidence
to launch my career, which is every graduates dream. I received a lot of
recognition from companies and other visionary people who would have
been impossible to meet, let alone show them my work. Samsons work
manages to balance creative design with wearability and therefore commercial
potential, which is crucial for the longevity of a brand. The transition from
idea to wearable clothing is a move that many young designers fail to make
and is the real difference between student and professional.
The refinement of raw creative talent into designs that one can build a
career upon is something that Oliver Ruger, who trained at London College
of Fashion and who won the main accessories prize, is very conscious of.
Having produced a collection of work for ITS in a creatively purist manner,
I am now working towards bringing my products to the market. Rugers
accessories are surrealist twists on a mans traditional wardrobe like an
umbrella with a horsehair tail on the handle and shouldnt be hard to spot
on the worlds catwalks in the near future.
So what, according to Barbara Franchin, does it take to one of the coveted
prizes? In a word: talent, she states, which is something you either have
or you have not. Its the primary quality we search for. You can train and
reinforce your skills, work hard, but talent is something you are born with,
just as having blue or brown eyes. Franchin has accumulated a veritable
bank of talent over 10 years and is seeking a permanent space in which to
immortalise her young talent.
We have over 9,000 portfolios, 148 outfits, over 75 accessories, 700 photos...
It truly represents a portrait of young creativity in the last decade; not just a
collection of examples of global creativity but a priceless resource that can
inspire new creative processes.
The names of the winners are worth remembering alone because in a few
years theyll be running the studios that shape our taste.

itsweb.org
For every single week of the year.
The Patravi Calendar is the rst watch in a round case equipped with a movement
manufactured entirely by Carl F. Bucherer. The CFB A1004 functional module, the peripheral
rotor, the big date switching mechanism and the week display are eloquent proof that the
Patravi Calendar is the perfect timepiece for aesthetes and lovers of complex technology alike.
www.carl-f-bucherer.com info@cfbnorthamerica.com
To locate an authorized retailer nearest you, please call 800 395 4306
AM17 Carl F Bucherer Ad P67.indd67 67 6/11/11 15:23:12
a S T On Ma R T I n
6 6 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
ITS has undoubtedly given Samson unparalleled access to people at the top
of the industry: Winning this prize has given me the means and confidence
to launch my career, which is every graduates dream. I received a lot of
recognition from companies and other visionary people who would have
been impossible to meet, let alone show them my work. Samsons work
manages to balance creative design with wearability and therefore commercial
potential, which is crucial for the longevity of a brand. The transition from
idea to wearable clothing is a move that many young designers fail to make
and is the real difference between student and professional.
The refinement of raw creative talent into designs that one can build a
career upon is something that Oliver Ruger, who trained at London College
of Fashion and who won the main accessories prize, is very conscious of.
Having produced a collection of work for ITS in a creatively purist manner,
I am now working towards bringing my products to the market. Rugers
accessories are surrealist twists on a mans traditional wardrobe like an
umbrella with a horsehair tail on the handle and shouldnt be hard to spot
on the worlds catwalks in the near future.
So what, according to Barbara Franchin, does it take to one of the coveted
prizes? In a word: talent, she states, which is something you either have
or you have not. Its the primary quality we search for. You can train and
reinforce your skills, work hard, but talent is something you are born with,
just as having blue or brown eyes. Franchin has accumulated a veritable
bank of talent over 10 years and is seeking a permanent space in which to
immortalise her young talent.
We have over 9,000 portfolios, 148 outfits, over 75 accessories, 700 photos...
It truly represents a portrait of young creativity in the last decade; not just a
collection of examples of global creativity but a priceless resource that can
inspire new creative processes.
The names of the winners are worth remembering alone because in a few
years theyll be running the studios that shape our taste.

itsweb.org
For every single week of the year.
The Patravi Calendar is the rst watch in a round case equipped with a movement
manufactured entirely by Carl F. Bucherer. The CFB A1004 functional module, the peripheral
rotor, the big date switching mechanism and the week display are eloquent proof that the
Patravi Calendar is the perfect timepiece for aesthetes and lovers of complex technology alike.
www.carl-f-bucherer.com info@cfbnorthamerica.com
To locate an authorized retailer nearest you, please call 800 395 4306
AM17 Carl F Bucherer Ad P67.indd67 67 6/11/11 15:23:12
6 8 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1 6 9 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
DI nI ng I S I n
thE DEtaI lS
I f di nner i s t heat r e, t hen t he r oom
and t he det ai l s ar e t he pr os ceni um
ar ch and t he or ches t r a. Fr om t he
Chanel embr oi der y on t he wal l s at
al ai n Ducas s e au Pl aza at hne t o t he
s t epped bowl of Manhat t an s Dani el ,
Mar k C. O Fl aher t y l ooks at t he mos t
pr ogr es s i ve, exci t i ng des i gn i n t he
mos t pr ogr es s i ve and of t en opul ent
di ni ng r ooms ar ound t he wor l d
r e s t a u r a n t d e s i g n a S t On Ma R t I n
6 8 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1 6 9 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
DI nI ng I S I n
thE DEtaI lS
I f di nner i s t heat r e, t hen t he r oom
and t he det ai l s ar e t he pr os ceni um
ar ch and t he or ches t r a. Fr om t he
Chanel embr oi der y on t he wal l s at
al ai n Ducas s e au Pl aza at hne t o t he
s t epped bowl of Manhat t an s Dani el ,
Mar k C. O Fl aher t y l ooks at t he mos t
pr ogr es s i ve, exci t i ng des i gn i n t he
mos t pr ogr es s i ve and of t en opul ent
di ni ng r ooms ar ound t he wor l d
r e s t a u r a n t d e s i g n a S t On Ma R t I n
a S t On Ma R t I n
7 0 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
r e s t a u r a n t d e s i g n
7 1 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
On the way to The Herbfarm, a 45-minute highway trip out of Seattle into a
rural Martha Stewart fantasia, your driver will ask you what time you want
to be collected. If you suggest any period shorter than four hours later,
hell correct you: you simply wont be finished. An evening at The Herbfarm
is an epic performance, from the pre-cocktail tour around the herb garden
to the velvet curtain that pulls back on the kitchen for the introduction
of every staff member; and all this before the amuse-bouche. The milieu
may be classic country cottage, but the evening is a study in contemporary
dining, where the food is but a single component in a far bigger event.
Its a myth that restaurants are all about food, says Jennifer Sharp, one
of the UKs most celebrated restaurant critics. Just as important is the
space and ambience, whether its balletic luxury at the Louis XV restaurant
in Monte Carlo, the cramped, noisy cheerfulness of the Swan Oyster
Depot in San Francisco, or in Madrid, nearly 300 years of roast suckling
pig from the wood-fired ovens at Botin. Every meal, every service, is a
performance and the diner is both actor and audience. Sometimes the
elements are obvious, but sometimes they are more offbeat, like the smell
of woodsmoke that Mathias Dahlgren traps beneath serving bell jars at his
restaurant in Stockholm to evoke childhood memories of nearby forests, or
the way fellow Swede Magnus Nilsson has his staff saw shinbones in half in
the centre of the room at Fviken before serving up the marrowbone.
The slick ambience at Vue de Monde, the dining room, located 55 floors
up the Melbourne skyline remains perhaps the greatest restaurant in
the Southern Hemisphere and is the antithesis of the bucolic twee of
The Herbfarm, but has a similar attention to detail. Theres a radical,
molecular, Willy Wonka-goes-classical-French kitchen here, but its also
decidedly Australian, from the ingredients to the service and the sense
of humour. Theres a post-bushfire regrowth smoking balcony, as chef
Shannon Bennett puts it, with surfaces made from charred and lacquered
wood, while the toilets are refined versions of the outback dunny and the
tables are covered in kangaroo hide.
Design is integral to the way the dining experience works, as anyone
who has suffered an evening in an ill-advised pop-up venture knows.
The frisson of excitement that you get from a guerilla operation cant
compete with the sense of occasion that, say, a Friday night at the Ritz
in London can still deliver. There remains a world where jackets are
required and septuagenarian couples foxtrot, while elaborate salads and
tartares are crafted tableside, flanked by the kind of refined, charmingly
unreconstructed Belle Epoque grandeur most frequently seen these days in
an episode of Doctor Who just before something explodes.
If theres one dominant new look for fine dining, its a return to
heavyweight, moneyed glamour. Designer David Collins is a master of
it. Restaurateurs who cant afford him frequently rip off his look with
lashings of marble mosaics, croc-textured banquettes and deco-meets-
disco flourishes but they just cant pull it off: it takes a master stylist to get
it right. Massimo, the restaurant at the new Corinthia Hotel in London,
is a largely monochrome, maximalist space thats a paradigm of the
Collins canon: theatrical pillars, sparkle, slightly steampunk jazz-age
lighting details and an overall sense of The Special. The charismatic,
bespectacled Massimo Riccioli, celebrated for his muscular, boldly prosaic
Italian seafood, loves how the space works with his menu. Its a great mix,
because my food is quite stripped down, he says. And the room gives it a
balance. The detail is ravishing, from the oyster bar to the wall lights based
on oars a near-subliminal nod to rivers and oceans.
PREVIOUS PAGE LEFT:
Vue de Monde, Melbourne.
PREVIOUS PAGE RIGHT:
Mathias Dahlgren Restaurant
at Grand Htel, Stockholm.
LEFT: Handpainted chairs in
The Gallery at Sketch, London.
RIGHT: Alain Ducasse au Plaza
Athne, Paris.
If something is difficult, expensive or heavy, its usually very good, says LA-based restaurateur Mr Chow, and thats a truism for
eating out. Its difficult to get a reservation at Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley its certainly expensive and before you get into
the inner-sanctum of its dining room, you pass through a door with theatrical heft that keeps the inside invisible from the hotel
bar outside. It makes you feel as if youve passed into Narnia, albeit a dimly lit one designed by the aforementioned Mr Collins.
I like warmth and darkness, says Wareing, So David created an interior to feel like being inside a bottle of Bordeaux.
If Wareings dining room is a bottle of Bordeaux, then Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester is a flute of Champagne. From the
silver in the colour palette and the effervescent circular gaps in surfaces as if caused by bubbles the room is cool and sharp.
Its thawed a little since its opening, but when it launched it was almost conceptually glacial waiters wore eyeliner and
seemed to glide around the hushed space, arranging forks face down.
At Ducasses Plaza Athne restaurant in Paris totally refurbished last year the starting point was the idea of freezing time
while acknowledging the OTT palace status of the hotel. Its a grander room than at The Dorchester, but with similar touches of
futurism. If pushing the door into Marcus Wareings restaurant at The Berkeley lets you in on a plush, dark and textural secret,
then making your way through the larger door at the Plaza Athne is like a trip through the looking glass. Painstakingly hand-
embroidered panels surround the space which is dominated by an immense exploded crystal chandelier, hundreds of its tears
a S t On Ma R t I n
7 0 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
r e s t a u r a n t d e s i g n
7 1 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
On the way to The Herbfarm, a 45-minute highway trip out of Seattle into a
rural Martha Stewart fantasia, your driver will ask you what time you want
to be collected. If you suggest any period shorter than four hours later,
hell correct you: you simply wont be finished. An evening at The Herbfarm
is an epic performance, from the pre-cocktail tour around the herb garden
to the velvet curtain that pulls back on the kitchen for the introduction
of every staff member; and all this before the amuse-bouche. The milieu
may be classic country cottage, but the evening is a study in contemporary
dining, where the food is but a single component in a far bigger event.
Its a myth that restaurants are all about food, says Jennifer Sharp, one
of the UKs most celebrated restaurant critics. Just as important is the
space and ambience, whether its balletic luxury at the Louis XV restaurant
in Monte Carlo, the cramped, noisy cheerfulness of the Swan Oyster
Depot in San Francisco, or in Madrid, nearly 300 years of roast suckling
pig from the wood-fired ovens at Botin. Every meal, every service, is a
performance and the diner is both actor and audience. Sometimes the
elements are obvious, but sometimes they are more offbeat, like the smell
of woodsmoke that Mathias Dahlgren traps beneath serving bell jars at his
restaurant in Stockholm to evoke childhood memories of nearby forests, or
the way fellow Swede Magnus Nilsson has his staff saw shinbones in half in
the centre of the room at Fviken before serving up the marrowbone.
The slick ambience at Vue de Monde, the dining room, located 55 floors
up the Melbourne skyline remains perhaps the greatest restaurant in
the Southern Hemisphere and is the antithesis of the bucolic twee of
The Herbfarm, but has a similar attention to detail. Theres a radical,
molecular, Willy Wonka-goes-classical-French kitchen here, but its also
decidedly Australian, from the ingredients to the service and the sense
of humour. Theres a post-bushfire regrowth smoking balcony, as chef
Shannon Bennett puts it, with surfaces made from charred and lacquered
wood, while the toilets are refined versions of the outback dunny and the
tables are covered in kangaroo hide.
Design is integral to the way the dining experience works, as anyone
who has suffered an evening in an ill-advised pop-up venture knows.
The frisson of excitement that you get from a guerilla operation cant
compete with the sense of occasion that, say, a Friday night at the Ritz
in London can still deliver. There remains a world where jackets are
required and septuagenarian couples foxtrot, while elaborate salads and
tartares are crafted tableside, flanked by the kind of refined, charmingly
unreconstructed Belle Epoque grandeur most frequently seen these days in
an episode of Doctor Who just before something explodes.
If theres one dominant new look for fine dining, its a return to
heavyweight, moneyed glamour. Designer David Collins is a master of
it. Restaurateurs who cant afford him frequently rip off his look with
lashings of marble mosaics, croc-textured banquettes and deco-meets-
disco flourishes but they just cant pull it off: it takes a master stylist to get
it right. Massimo, the restaurant at the new Corinthia Hotel in London,
is a largely monochrome, maximalist space thats a paradigm of the
Collins canon: theatrical pillars, sparkle, slightly steampunk jazz-age
lighting details and an overall sense of The Special. The charismatic,
bespectacled Massimo Riccioli, celebrated for his muscular, boldly prosaic
Italian seafood, loves how the space works with his menu. Its a great mix,
because my food is quite stripped down, he says. And the room gives it a
balance. The detail is ravishing, from the oyster bar to the wall lights based
on oars a near-subliminal nod to rivers and oceans.
PREVIOUS PAGE LEFT:
Vue de Monde, Melbourne.
PREVIOUS PAGE RIGHT:
Mathias Dahlgren Restaurant
at Grand Htel, Stockholm.
LEFT: Handpainted chairs in
The Gallery at Sketch, London.
RIGHT: Alain Ducasse au Plaza
Athne, Paris.
If something is difficult, expensive or heavy, its usually very good, says LA-based restaurateur Mr Chow, and thats a truism for
eating out. Its difficult to get a reservation at Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley its certainly expensive and before you get into
the inner-sanctum of its dining room, you pass through a door with theatrical heft that keeps the inside invisible from the hotel
bar outside. It makes you feel as if youve passed into Narnia, albeit a dimly lit one designed by the aforementioned Mr Collins.
I like warmth and darkness, says Wareing, So David created an interior to feel like being inside a bottle of Bordeaux.
If Wareings dining room is a bottle of Bordeaux, then Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester is a flute of Champagne. From the
silver in the colour palette and the effervescent circular gaps in surfaces as if caused by bubbles the room is cool and sharp.
Its thawed a little since its opening, but when it launched it was almost conceptually glacial waiters wore eyeliner and
seemed to glide around the hushed space, arranging forks face down.
At Ducasses Plaza Athne restaurant in Paris totally refurbished last year the starting point was the idea of freezing time
while acknowledging the OTT palace status of the hotel. Its a grander room than at The Dorchester, but with similar touches of
futurism. If pushing the door into Marcus Wareings restaurant at The Berkeley lets you in on a plush, dark and textural secret,
then making your way through the larger door at the Plaza Athne is like a trip through the looking glass. Painstakingly hand-
embroidered panels surround the space which is dominated by an immense exploded crystal chandelier, hundreds of its tears
a S t On Ma R t I n
7 2 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
suspended by invisible means around the main structure, as if in mid-blast.
When Ducasse decided he wanted to simplify the menu with a relatively
reductionist approach to ingredients, he wanted the room to change
with it. The table setting is at first stark, and then slowly builds up and up,
until its time for the tea trolley to come around, with potted plants from
which your leaf of choice is cut. We wanted magic to happen, says Manku.
We suspended time with the exploded chandelier, so you wonder how
long youve been within the space it could be one or four hours.
Manku and Jouin serve as choreographers as much as decorators.
You can sculpt emotions, says Manku. You can have a vast space and
make it seem intimate. Their latest project is the interior of Sur Mesure
at the new Mandarin Oriental in Paris, now HQ for chef Thierry Marx.
Marx does sublime things in terms of taste while deconstructing and
arranging ingredients into visually dazzling concepts, adorned with edible
flowers and bold brush strokes of colour. Sur Mesure is spacey, in a 2001 way.
Its dressed entirely in white cotton fabric, with abrupt folds and eruptions
in strategic points. We wanted to create something celestial, says
Manku, not above or below the earth; avant-garde to reflect the food
but comfortable. Conversation has to be possible. Too often restaurants
are hyper-focused on the cuisine, so if you laugh too loudly or drop a fork,
it makes you tense.
A visit to the Lecture Room & Library at Sketch, Londons most ambitious
art/theatre hybrid warren of bars and restaurants for over a decade, is an
operatic and multi-layered experience. The matre d leads you up the now
iconic faux-molten-chocolate staircase in her fetish-high heels, past staff
in retro black and white French maids uniforms, into a room that blends
a lavish MGM Hollywood sunrise set with contrasting Moorish aspects.
Then Pierre Gagneaus exquisite tasting menu starts rolling out: warm
stone bass carpaccio; veal and morels with pear and gorgonzola sorbet;
five lavish desserts all at once Theres a Peter Greenaway, or perhaps
Matthew Barney, element to all the costume drama.
But of course, the final and most important detail of any restaurant is
you, the diner the chorus line of the theatre, as well as the lifeblood
of the business. The diners can make for quiet background ambience
or show-stopping entertainment. At Daniel Bouluds three-Michelin-
star Manhattan restaurant Daniel, the room is posh beyond posh and
arranged like a sunken theatre in the round, with tables for two on a
balcony encircling the outside. From here, many guests enjoyed the sight,
one evening some years ago, of a man and woman dining in the middle
of the room, getting steadily drunker, until mid-meal when the latter
dropped facedown into her fish course. The man carried on eating as if
nothing had happened. Sometimes, the most memorable kind of dinner-
theatre has nothing to do with design, service, ceramics or background
music because ultimately, dining out is all about people watching.
LEFT: Alain Ducasse at
The Dorchester, London.
BELOW: Sur Mesure at the
Mandarin Oriental, Paris.
a S t On Ma R t I n
7 2 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
suspended by invisible means around the main structure, as if in mid-blast.
When Ducasse decided he wanted to simplify the menu with a relatively
reductionist approach to ingredients, he wanted the room to change
with it. The table setting is at first stark, and then slowly builds up and up,
until its time for the tea trolley to come around, with potted plants from
which your leaf of choice is cut. We wanted magic to happen, says Manku.
We suspended time with the exploded chandelier, so you wonder how
long youve been within the space it could be one or four hours.
Manku and Jouin serve as choreographers as much as decorators.
You can sculpt emotions, says Manku. You can have a vast space and
make it seem intimate. Their latest project is the interior of Sur Mesure
at the new Mandarin Oriental in Paris, now HQ for chef Thierry Marx.
Marx does sublime things in terms of taste while deconstructing and
arranging ingredients into visually dazzling concepts, adorned with edible
flowers and bold brush strokes of colour. Sur Mesure is spacey, in a 2001 way.
Its dressed entirely in white cotton fabric, with abrupt folds and eruptions
in strategic points. We wanted to create something celestial, says
Manku, not above or below the earth; avant-garde to reflect the food
but comfortable. Conversation has to be possible. Too often restaurants
are hyper-focused on the cuisine, so if you laugh too loudly or drop a fork,
it makes you tense.
A visit to the Lecture Room & Library at Sketch, Londons most ambitious
art/theatre hybrid warren of bars and restaurants for over a decade, is an
operatic and multi-layered experience. The matre d leads you up the now
iconic faux-molten-chocolate staircase in her fetish-high heels, past staff
in retro black and white French maids uniforms, into a room that blends
a lavish MGM Hollywood sunrise set with contrasting Moorish aspects.
Then Pierre Gagneaus exquisite tasting menu starts rolling out: warm
stone bass carpaccio; veal and morels with pear and gorgonzola sorbet;
five lavish desserts all at once Theres a Peter Greenaway, or perhaps
Matthew Barney, element to all the costume drama.
But of course, the final and most important detail of any restaurant is
you, the diner the chorus line of the theatre, as well as the lifeblood
of the business. The diners can make for quiet background ambience
or show-stopping entertainment. At Daniel Bouluds three-Michelin-
star Manhattan restaurant Daniel, the room is posh beyond posh and
arranged like a sunken theatre in the round, with tables for two on a
balcony encircling the outside. From here, many guests enjoyed the sight,
one evening some years ago, of a man and woman dining in the middle
of the room, getting steadily drunker, until mid-meal when the latter
dropped facedown into her fish course. The man carried on eating as if
nothing had happened. Sometimes, the most memorable kind of dinner-
theatre has nothing to do with design, service, ceramics or background
music because ultimately, dining out is all about people watching.
LEFT: Alain Ducasse at
The Dorchester, London.
BELOW: Sur Mesure at the
Mandarin Oriental, Paris.
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
thE othEr craftS
It is perhaps womens changing priorities that have inspired the latest major change in top-end
watchmaking. With greater appreciation and understanding of proper watches, there is a growing
belief as women have always maintained that a watch with an exceptional movement inside
deserves an equally stunning dial on the outside. After all, watches are just another form of jewellery
albeit rather more complicated. With no apparent price resistance, collectors are prepared to pay
for exquisite craftwork in both areas. If you are buying a watch where every tiny invisible screw in the
movement is polished to perfection, you want the part that everyone sees to be the same.
Whereas in the past many collectors opted for discretion a white enamelled dial with finely painted
numerals can say a lot about craft quality there are now more clients who appreciate both a little
flamboyance and fine workmanship. The result has been an opportunity that the industry has grasped
with both hands: the chance to create virtuoso displays of high, often artistic craft, in many cases
mixing several together in one tiny space, and at the same time keeping alive skills that an increasingly
mass-produced industry could so easily lose. Its a paradox, says Pierre Rainero, creative director
of Cartier. The more the world has become industrialised and machine-made, the more people want
exclusive things made by hand.
I n t he wor l d of f i ne j ewel l er y and wat ches , t he ar t i s ans gar ner i ng al l t he at t ent i on
t end t o be t he gem s et t er s , gol ds mi t hs and wat chmaker s . But i ncr eas i ngl y, r epor t s
Avr i l Gr oom, t he ar chai c cr af t s of enamel l i ng, mar quet r y, engr avi ng, s t one
mos ai c, s emi - pr eci ous s t onewor k and even J apanes e s t eel f ol di ng have of f er ed
t he cus t omer s omet hi ng t r ul y unus ual and s et apar t t he mos t cr eat i ve at el i er s
br ands s uch as J aeger - Lecoul t r e, Van cl eef & ar pel s , car t i er , J ean Dunand,
ral ph Laur en, even ri char d Mi I l e and hi s hi gh- t ech wat ches
a r c h a i c a r t i s a n s
7 5
Set within this exclusive development of just 14 apartments
1 Ebony Court spans the ground foor measuring over 5000
square feet and offers unrivalled specifcation including
Crestron sound system, Boff kitchen, 24 hour security,
swimming pool, gym, private garden and 2 secure
underground parking spaces.
www.49thebishopsavenue.com
SKPM Property Consultants
25 Ives Street, Knightsbridge,
London, SW3 2ND
T: +44(0) 20 7993 5508
james.reed@skconsult.co.uk
www.skconsult.co.uk
Price on application
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
thE othEr craftS
It is perhaps womens changing priorities that have inspired the latest major change in top-end
watchmaking. With greater appreciation and understanding of proper watches, there is a growing
belief as women have always maintained that a watch with an exceptional movement inside
deserves an equally stunning dial on the outside. After all, watches are just another form of jewellery
albeit rather more complicated. With no apparent price resistance, collectors are prepared to pay
for exquisite craftwork in both areas. If you are buying a watch where every tiny invisible screw in the
movement is polished to perfection, you want the part that everyone sees to be the same.
Whereas in the past many collectors opted for discretion a white enamelled dial with finely painted
numerals can say a lot about craft quality there are now more clients who appreciate both a little
flamboyance and fine workmanship. The result has been an opportunity that the industry has grasped
with both hands: the chance to create virtuoso displays of high, often artistic craft, in many cases
mixing several together in one tiny space, and at the same time keeping alive skills that an increasingly
mass-produced industry could so easily lose. Its a paradox, says Pierre Rainero, creative director
of Cartier. The more the world has become industrialised and machine-made, the more people want
exclusive things made by hand.
I n t he wor l d of f i ne j ewel l er y and wat ches , t he ar t i s ans gar ner i ng al l t he at t ent i on
t end t o be t he gem s et t er s , gol ds mi t hs and wat chmaker s . But i ncr eas i ngl y, r epor t s
Avr i l Gr oom, t he ar chai c cr af t s of enamel l i ng, mar quet r y, engr avi ng, s t one
mos ai c, s emi - pr eci ous s t onewor k and even J apanes e s t eel f ol di ng have of f er ed
t he cus t omer s omet hi ng t r ul y unus ual and s et apar t t he mos t cr eat i ve at el i er s
br ands s uch as J aeger - Lecoul t r e, Van cl eef & ar pel s , car t i er , J ean Dunand,
ral ph Laur en, even ri char d Mi I l e and hi s hi gh- t ech wat ches
7 5
Set within this exclusive development of just 14 apartments
1 Ebony Court spans the ground foor measuring over 5000
square feet and offers unrivalled specifcation including
Crestron sound system, Boff kitchen, 24 hour security,
swimming pool, gym, private garden and 2 secure
underground parking spaces.
www.49thebishopsavenue.com
SKPM Property Consultants
25 Ives Street, Knightsbridge,
London, SW3 2ND
T: +44(0) 20 7993 5508
james.reed@skconsult.co.uk
www.skconsult.co.uk
Price on application
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
Though many brands such as Patek Philippe with their own Flckiger workshop, and Jaeger-LeCoultre
with their dedicated enamel workshop next door to the modern factory in Le Sentier have in-house
ateliers working on a range of crafts, highly respected individual craftsmen work on specific projects,
maintaining Switzerlands traditional cottage industry. Well-known enameller Anita Porchet, for example,
spent five months reproducing Chagalls famous 400-square-metre ceiling design of fourteen composers
from the Paris Opra Garnier on a 40 mm Vacheron Constantin watch. Such was the work that the
watch, unveiled in late 2010, is not for sale, and Porchet now has a long job enamelling an edition of
14 watches, each depicting one composer all pre-sold.
Porchet was inspired by her grandfather, in whose atelier she spent much of her childhood, but many
of the top enamellers are women. At one time, there wasnt much work and it was poorly paid but
women accepted it because it is their nature to conserve traditions, Porchet says. I learnt the different
aspects of the craft from women, mostly retired. She also works for brands including Patek Philipe,
Jaquet Droz, Chaumet, Herms and Piaget. At Piaget she shows her versatility by using three different
and historic enamel techniques: cloisonn, where the pattern is formed by fine gold wire and the
enamel colours set between them; champlev where the design is engraved and then enamelled in
meticulous layers; and miniatures, where the artist handpaints in enamel a design on a pre-enamelled
white background over the basic gold. It is fired and cooled at every stage to make the intense colours
of prestigious grand feu enamel, and is a long and painstaking process. No wonder collectors follow
Porchet through the brands to obtain her work.
The Oriental influence is rife throughout the other crafts in keeping with the demands of the
19th-century Far Eastern market that originally led houses like Patek Philippe and Bovet to create
enamelled pieces. Vacheron Constantin and Chopard have led the way in bringing urushi masters
from Japan to make beautifully complex one-off dials involving gold leaf powder and paintbrushes one
rat-hair thick, while a modern jet-black polish comes from Seiko for the Ananta divers chronograph,
created by kaga makie lacquer master Isshu Tamura, with hands triple blade polished as a reminder
of the katana art of samurai swordmaking. Oriental traditions are becoming popular elsewhere in
dial-making. Kees Engelbarts is a Dutchman working in Switzerland who specialises in mokume gane,
an old Japanese engraving craft meaning wood grain metal also used in swordmaking, which layers
precious metal colours in complex relief designs. Meanwhile, Jean Dunand is another brand to employ
Anita Porchets talents, in this case with stunning Oriental designs for their one-off Tourbillon Orbital
watches particularly a miniature design of two koi carp on a gold honeycomb background. This dial
alone requires four types of enamelling and twenty firings.
Long-standing watch houses with their own craft workshops are well placed to capitalise on the new
interest. Jaeger-LeCoultres enamelling studio specialises in miniature portraits for the Reversos blank
side, which also lends itself perfectly to the engravers art, whether for simple initials or complex coats
of arms. It takes at least five years to train, as master engraver Dominique Vuez explains: There are
many variations sculpting metal in relief, gem setting, engraving under lacquer and each metal
reacts differently. It all requires different skills and much practice. The most fulfilling part he says,
is making the sculpted metal live with human emotions, and engraving a recognisable portrait from
a photograph. Recently, Jaegers craft prowess has extended even further, to mosaics mixing mother
of pearl, mineral slices and real feathers.
PREVIOUS PAGE AND BELOW:
Enamelling another bespoke
Reverso caseback at Jaeger-
LeCoultres dedicated enamelling
atelier, which occupies the brands
original 1833 building in Le Sentier.
Celebrating its 80th anniversary
this year, the Reversos flippable
case means that the caseback
is a ripe canvas for decoration
and personalisation.
MAIN: For Jean Dunands Tourbillon
Orbital, a beautiful champlev
enamel dial by Anita Porchet
considered to be one of the
worlds finest enamel workers, also
employed by Herms.
INSET: The wood-veneer marquetry
process employed this year
by Cartier for its Metiers dArt
collection. Limited to 50 pieces, the
Rotonde de Cartier with bear motif
uses 10 species of natural European
wood blended together to create
the bears fur: holly, chestnut,
poplar, willow, grey and pink maple,
walnut and burr walnut, mottled
maple and grey aningeria.
7 7 7 6
the j ewel l er y l i nk i s no sur pr i se: as guar di ans of hi gh cr af t , wi t h access t o t he best pr act i t i oner s,
such br ands have been t aki ng wat ches ever mor e ser i ousl y, empl oyi ng t hei r own movement maker s
( car t i er , chopar d) or usi ng t he best f r om ot her br ands ( Van cl eef & ar pel s, Boucher on) . Now t hey
have t he chance t o show mast er y of cr af t s ot her t han gem set t i ng
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
a S t oN Ma r t I N
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
Though many brands such as Patek Philippe with their own Flckiger workshop, and Jaeger-LeCoultre
with their dedicated enamel workshop next door to the modern factory in Le Sentier have in-house
ateliers working on a range of crafts, highly respected individual craftsmen work on specific projects,
maintaining Switzerlands traditional cottage industry. Well-known enameller Anita Porchet, for example,
spent five months reproducing Chagalls famous 400-square-metre ceiling design of fourteen composers
from the Paris Opra Garnier on a 40 mm Vacheron Constantin watch. Such was the work that the
watch, unveiled in late 2010, is not for sale, and Porchet now has a long job enamelling an edition of
14 watches, each depicting one composer all pre-sold.
Porchet was inspired by her grandfather, in whose atelier she spent much of her childhood, but many
of the top enamellers are women. At one time, there wasnt much work and it was poorly paid but
women accepted it because it is their nature to conserve traditions, Porchet says. I learnt the different
aspects of the craft from women, mostly retired. She also works for brands including Patek Philipe,
Jaquet Droz, Chaumet, Herms and Piaget. At Piaget she shows her versatility by using three different
and historic enamel techniques: cloisonn, where the pattern is formed by fine gold wire and the
enamel colours set between them; champlev where the design is engraved and then enamelled in
meticulous layers; and miniatures, where the artist handpaints in enamel a design on a pre-enamelled
white background over the basic gold. It is fired and cooled at every stage to make the intense colours
of prestigious grand feu enamel, and is a long and painstaking process. No wonder collectors follow
Porchet through the brands to obtain her work.
The Oriental influence is rife throughout the other crafts in keeping with the demands of the
19th-century Far Eastern market that originally led houses like Patek Philippe and Bovet to create
enamelled pieces. Vacheron Constantin and Chopard have led the way in bringing urushi masters
from Japan to make beautifully complex one-off dials involving gold leaf powder and paintbrushes one
rat-hair thick, while a modern jet-black polish comes from Seiko for the Ananta divers chronograph,
created by kaga makie lacquer master Isshu Tamura, with hands triple blade polished as a reminder
of the katana art of samurai swordmaking. Oriental traditions are becoming popular elsewhere in
dial-making. Kees Engelbarts is a Dutchman working in Switzerland who specialises in mokume gane,
an old Japanese engraving craft meaning wood grain metal also used in swordmaking, which layers
precious metal colours in complex relief designs. Meanwhile, Jean Dunand is another brand to employ
Anita Porchets talents, in this case with stunning Oriental designs for their one-off Tourbillon Orbital
watches particularly a miniature design of two koi carp on a gold honeycomb background. This dial
alone requires four types of enamelling and twenty firings.
Long-standing watch houses with their own craft workshops are well placed to capitalise on the new
interest. Jaeger-LeCoultres enamelling studio specialises in miniature portraits for the Reversos blank
side, which also lends itself perfectly to the engravers art, whether for simple initials or complex coats
of arms. It takes at least five years to train, as master engraver Dominique Vuez explains: There are
many variations sculpting metal in relief, gem setting, engraving under lacquer and each metal
reacts differently. It all requires different skills and much practice. The most fulfilling part he says,
is making the sculpted metal live with human emotions, and engraving a recognisable portrait from
a photograph. Recently, Jaegers craft prowess has extended even further, to mosaics mixing mother
of pearl, mineral slices and real feathers.
PREVIOUS PAGE AND BELOW:
Enamelling another bespoke
Reverso caseback at Jaeger-
LeCoultres dedicated enamelling
atelier, which occupies the brands
original 1833 building in Le Sentier.
Celebrating its 80th anniversary
this year, the Reversos flippable
case means that the caseback
is a ripe canvas for decoration
and personalisation.
MAIN: For Jean Dunands Tourbillon
Orbital, a beautiful champlev
enamel dial by Anita Porchet
considered to be one of the
worlds finest enamel workers, also
employed by Herms.
INSET: The wood-veneer marquetry
process employed this year
by Cartier for its Metiers dArt
collection. Limited to 50 pieces, the
Rotonde de Cartier with bear motif
uses 10 species of natural European
wood blended together to create
the bears fur: holly, chestnut,
poplar, willow, grey and pink maple,
walnut and burr walnut, mottled
maple and grey aningeria.
7 7 7 6
the j ewel l er y l i nk i s no sur pr i se: as guar di ans of hi gh cr af t , wi t h access t o t he best pr act i t i oner s,
such br ands have been t aki ng wat ches ever mor e ser i ousl y, empl oyi ng t hei r own movement maker s
( car t i er , chopar d) or usi ng t he best f r om ot her br ands ( Van cl eef & ar pel s, Boucher on) . Now t hey
have t he chance t o show mast er y of cr af t s ot her t han gem set t i ng
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
a S t oN Ma r t I N
a S t oN Ma r t I N
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
Rare minerals are another means of expanding dial craft. No watch is more worldly than Louis Moinets
Astralis, which features, on a star-spangled aventurine base, a tourbillon, a split-seconds chronograph
and a 24-hour planetarium inlaid with four tiny slices of meteorite, one over 4.5 billion years old and
including minerals from Mars and the Moon. Such finely sliced yet beautiful stone can be used to
perform functions, from the amazing carved chalcedony baseplate of Audemars Piguets skeletonised
Millenary, to the efforts of Richard Mille an auteur who loves questioning watchmakings principles
whose factory has made functioning gear-train wheels out of semi-precious minerals. After years of
breakages (up to 90 per cent), he has finally succeeded with the help of master jeweller Boucheron:
in lapis lazuli, onyx or tiger eye, his watch looks wonderful, complementing rather than jarring with
Milles trademark tonneau case.
The jewellery house link is no surprise. As guardians of high craft, with access to both the best
practitioners and state-of-the-art equipment, such brands have been taking watches ever more
seriously, now employing their own movement makers (Cartier, Chopard) or using the best from
manufactures (Van Cleef and Arpels, Boucheron). Now they have the chance to show mastery of
crafts other than gem setting, and the results show brilliance in both design imagination and craft
savoir-faire. Cartier have their Metiers dArt collection, where each shows off a different craft, some
scarcely associated with watchmaking, like mosaic making and marquetry such as a bear design
in many different walnut woods, sliced to unfeasible thinness, to which the same infinite nuances
of colour apply. To help maintain such crafts, Cartier has its own school, alongside its jewellery
apprentices. According to Rainero, at least one craftsman has given up his studio to come in-house
because Cartier has the means to guarantee the future of such skills.
For all such companies, this is still an area with potential. Now that the diamond watch is commonplace,
an exquisite one-off that represents weeks or months of craftwork is far more alluring.
LEFT AND CENTRE: As well as
sophistication innards (an ultra-slim
Piaget movement no less) Ralph
Laurens Slim Classique watch
collection boasts a rather special
exterior too: a delicately engraved
guilloch pattern on the case,
created using an antique rose
engine lathe that dates back to the
late 19th century. While at one
time guilloch was a thriving art
with over a thousand craftsmen in
Switzerland, today the country has
only four full-time guillocheurs.
RIGHT: Many years in the making,
Richard Milles Boucheron
collaboration has finally yielded a
world-first in watchmaking: wheels
made of semi-precious hardstone.
the most f ul f i l l i ng par t , says J aeger - Lecoul t r e s mast er engr aver Domi ni que Vuez,
i s maki ng t he scul pt ed met al l i ve wi t h human emot i ons, and engr avi ng a r ecogni sabl e por t r ai t
f r om a phot ogr aph
7 8
REFLECTING ON YESTERDAY,
THINKING ABOUT TOMORROW.
For those who live for the moment, there is no better place to be than on an Oyster. For here
you are onboard a beautifully handcrafed cruising yacht, recognised throughout the sailing world
for unmatched performance, safety and quality. You will fnd contemporary living environments
working in harmony with sleek modern profles, like the unmistakable triple seascape windows that
food the interior with light. In fact, with an Oyster, everything is carefully considered. Which leaves
you to carefully consider the next stage of one of lifes greatest adventures.
To discover a world of diference, from 46 to 125 feet, please call +44 (0)1473 695 005
or email us at yachts@oystermarine.com
SAIL | BROKERAGE | CHARTER | REFIT
www.oystermarine.com
OYS11-BRAND-625-REFLECTING-ASTON-FP-NOV.indd 1 21/10/11 16:01:17
a S t oN Ma r t I N
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
Rare minerals are another means of expanding dial craft. No watch is more worldly than Louis Moinets
Astralis, which features, on a star-spangled aventurine base, a tourbillon, a split-seconds chronograph
and a 24-hour planetarium inlaid with four tiny slices of meteorite, one over 4.5 billion years old and
including minerals from Mars and the Moon. Such finely sliced yet beautiful stone can be used to
perform functions, from the amazing carved chalcedony baseplate of Audemars Piguets skeletonised
Millenary, to the efforts of Richard Mille an auteur who loves questioning watchmakings principles
whose factory has made functioning gear-train wheels out of semi-precious minerals. After years of
breakages (up to 90 per cent), he has finally succeeded with the help of master jeweller Boucheron:
in lapis lazuli, onyx or tiger eye, his watch looks wonderful, complementing rather than jarring with
Milles trademark tonneau case.
The jewellery house link is no surprise. As guardians of high craft, with access to both the best
practitioners and state-of-the-art equipment, such brands have been taking watches ever more
seriously, now employing their own movement makers (Cartier, Chopard) or using the best from
manufactures (Van Cleef and Arpels, Boucheron). Now they have the chance to show mastery of
crafts other than gem setting, and the results show brilliance in both design imagination and craft
savoir-faire. Cartier have their Metiers dArt collection, where each shows off a different craft, some
scarcely associated with watchmaking, like mosaic making and marquetry such as a bear design
in many different walnut woods, sliced to unfeasible thinness, to which the same infinite nuances
of colour apply. To help maintain such crafts, Cartier has its own school, alongside its jewellery
apprentices. According to Rainero, at least one craftsman has given up his studio to come in-house
because Cartier has the means to guarantee the future of such skills.
For all such companies, this is still an area with potential. Now that the diamond watch is commonplace,
an exquisite one-off that represents weeks or months of craftwork is far more alluring.
LEFT AND CENTRE: As well as
sophistication innards (an ultra-slim
Piaget movement no less) Ralph
Laurens Slim Classique watch
collection boasts a rather special
exterior too: a delicately engraved
guilloch pattern on the case,
created using an antique rose
engine lathe that dates back to the
late 19th century. While at one
time guilloch was a thriving art
with over a thousand craftsmen in
Switzerland, today the country has
only four full-time guillocheurs.
RIGHT: Many years in the making,
Richard Milles Boucheron
collaboration has finally yielded a
world-first in watchmaking: wheels
made of semi-precious hardstone.
the most f ul f i l l i ng par t , says J aeger - Lecoul t r e s mast er engr aver Domi ni que Vuez,
i s maki ng t he scul pt ed met al l i ve wi t h human emot i ons, and engr avi ng a r ecogni sabl e por t r ai t
f r om a phot ogr aph
7 8
REFLECTING ON YESTERDAY,
THINKING ABOUT TOMORROW.
For those who live for the moment, there is no better place to be than on an Oyster. For here
you are onboard a beautifully handcrafed cruising yacht, recognised throughout the sailing world
for unmatched performance, safety and quality. You will fnd contemporary living environments
working in harmony with sleek modern profles, like the unmistakable triple seascape windows that
food the interior with light. In fact, with an Oyster, everything is carefully considered. Which leaves
you to carefully consider the next stage of one of lifes greatest adventures.
To discover a world of diference, from 46 to 125 feet, please call +44 (0)1473 695 005
or email us at yachts@oystermarine.com
SAIL | BROKERAGE | CHARTER | REFIT
www.oystermarine.com
OYS11-BRAND-625-REFLECTING-ASTON-FP-NOV.indd 1 21/10/11 16:01:17
A S T ON MA R T I N
8 0 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
p u e r t o r i c o
8 1 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
A WRI TER S PARAdI SE
Wi t h t he upcomi ng f i l m r el ease of
Hunt er S. Thompson s 1960s novel
The Rum di ar y , set i n Puer t o Ri co
and st ar r i ng J ohnny depp, Rob Cr ossan
t akes t he oppor t uni t y t o expl or e t he
el egi ac char m, sal sa and at mospher i c
ni ght l i f e of ol d San J uan and Ri ncon,
t he sur f i ng capi t al of t he Car i bbean and
an i nspi r at i on f or any buddi ng novel i st
Less chaotic than Havana, more homely than New Orleans, San Juan, the
capital of Puerto Rico, has been wooing American visitors with its sultry heat
and slow elegiac charm since the 1930s. They have flocked here to soak
up the atavistic pace of life among the butter-coloured sands and winding
cobbled alleyways of the capitals old quarter.
Its an American island part of the USs tiny band of overseas territories
but in name only. In every other respect language, food, style, architecture
this is part of the old-world Spanish Caribbean. The fact that locals here
have almost a months worth of public holidays each year speaks volumes
of how far removed life is here from the more frenetic culture of the
US mainland.
British Airways this year launched the first direct flights to the island from
the UK so I arrive relatively fresh. And after a breakfast of frittatas at the
delightful El Convento Hotel in San Juan a lavishly gentrified former
convent with rooms looking out onto a huge central courtyard I set out to
explore an island whose recent past has recently sprung back to life, thanks
to none other than Johnny Depp.
The Rum Diary is the name of an early novel written by the godfather of
gonzo journalism, Hunter S. Thompson only published as recently as
1998. The term, defined as being a form of journalism that is both wilfully
subjective and party to wild flights of fancy, was most famously realised
in Thompsons 1971 hallucinogenic travel novel Fear and Loathing in
Las Vegas. Immortalised in film by director Terry Gilliam and Depp in 1998,
the Hollywood star became close friends with Thompson before the novelist
committed suicide in 2005.
A S T ON MA R T I N
8 0 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
p u e r t o r i c o
8 1 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
A WRI TER S PARAdI SE
Wi t h t he upcomi ng f i l m r el ease of
Hunt er S. Thompson s 1960s novel
The Rum di ar y , set i n Puer t o Ri co
and st ar r i ng J ohnny depp, Rob Cr ossan
t akes t he oppor t uni t y t o expl or e t he
el egi ac char m, sal sa and at mospher i c
ni ght l i f e of ol d San J uan and Ri ncon,
t he sur f i ng capi t al of t he Car i bbean and
an i nspi r at i on f or any buddi ng novel i st
Less chaotic than Havana, more homely than New Orleans, San Juan, the
capital of Puerto Rico, has been wooing American visitors with its sultry heat
and slow elegiac charm since the 1930s. They have flocked here to soak
up the atavistic pace of life among the butter-coloured sands and winding
cobbled alleyways of the capitals old quarter.
Its an American island part of the USs tiny band of overseas territories
but in name only. In every other respect language, food, style, architecture
this is part of the old-world Spanish Caribbean. The fact that locals here
have almost a months worth of public holidays each year speaks volumes
of how far removed life is here from the more frenetic culture of the
US mainland.
British Airways this year launched the first direct flights to the island from
the UK so I arrive relatively fresh. And after a breakfast of frittatas at the
delightful El Convento Hotel in San Juan a lavishly gentrified former
convent with rooms looking out onto a huge central courtyard I set out to
explore an island whose recent past has recently sprung back to life, thanks
to none other than Johnny Depp.
The Rum Diary is the name of an early novel written by the godfather of
gonzo journalism, Hunter S. Thompson only published as recently as
1998. The term, defined as being a form of journalism that is both wilfully
subjective and party to wild flights of fancy, was most famously realised
in Thompsons 1971 hallucinogenic travel novel Fear and Loathing in
Las Vegas. Immortalised in film by director Terry Gilliam and Depp in 1998,
the Hollywood star became close friends with Thompson before the novelist
committed suicide in 2005.
A S T ON MA R T I N
8 2 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
p u e r t o r i c o
8 3 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
Luckily, Puerto Rico is home to Don Q, one of the regions most venerable
rum brands, which has a store by the harbour where I sipped free samples
next to statues of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza heroes of Cervantes
ancient novel, after which the drink is named. All this is not to say that
San Juan is entirely atavistic. For every fried plantain shack and sepulchral
bar, there are Burberry outlets and arts and crafts stores geared up for
the cruise ship passengers that arrive here almost daily in the high season.
For the real Puerto Rico however, I headed east along a highway that hugs
the Atlantic Ocean to the town of Ponce home of one of the greatest
artistic treasures in the Americas.
Known, with perhaps a slight overload on bombast, as the Parthenon
of the Caribbean, the striking modernist structure of Museo de Arte de
Ponce houses one of the finest collections of European art in the Western
Hemisphere. From the moment I laid eyes on Brushstrokes in Flight, a lurid,
28-foot-high pop-art aluminium structure by Roy Liechtenstein that sits
outside the museum, it was immediately obvious from the natural light that
permeates the galleries that this is a collection that wears its prestige with
unusual levity, despite creaking with history.
The big hitters from the last four centuries are all present here, including
Gainsborough, Rubens, Van Dyk and Millais. Interestingly, the collections
in each room all have a counterpoint that is incongruous to the theme.
The Transience room, devoted to paintings celebrating Mammon also
contains the work Vanitas and the Fleeting Nature of Life by local
artist Myrna Bez, born in 1931. This is a freeform assemblage of vivid
naturalistic colours that reminds the spectator of beauty lying beyond
and above material accumulation.
Going back on myself around the coast of the island to San Juan, the
essential stop-off for anyone wishing to experience the rugged charm of
rural Puerto Rico is the small town of Rincon. Considered to be the surfing
capital of the Caribbean, the town is located on a peninsula meaning that
theres water on three sides. Rough surfing spots lie cheek-by-jowl with
tranquil sandy beach-bum retreats, and for the first time I find a few people
embracing the non-conformist spirit of the island depicted in The Rum Diary:
American residents who have fled the colder climes of Boston and Maine in
order to grow beards with impunity and surf the years away.
Tiny wooden beach shacks such as Tamboo have acquired legendary
status among those who visit the island regularly. The al fresco terrace
was wrecked by a storm late last year but inside, a motley assortment of
local imbibers, millionaire playboys (and girls) and hardcore surfers drink
endless bottles of local Medalla beer and devour plates of mahi-mahi
with caper sauce.
Puerto Rico is in a strange situation as a Commonwealth of the United States.
It means that while presidents come and visit and locals serve in the US
army, locals arent allowed to vote in American elections. Its a scenario that
has prompted a long-standing independence movement complete with
an already existent independence flag. Most locals, however, seem gruffly
satisfied with the status quo.
Now, thanks to Depps efforts, the film version of The Rum Diary, all set in Puerto Rico and based on
Thompsons real life experiences there as a freelance journalist in the 1950s, is about to be released
in cinemas. The island at that time, despite attracting scores of American visitors, was a far less
glamorous place. An island depicted by Thompson as being full of heavy drinking, morally bankrupt
chancers getting into brawls with savage locals is, frankly, hard to imagine when walking around
the San Juan of today. The film crew stayed on the island for what seemed like forever, claims my
tour guide Enrique. Benicio del Toro is a local and I think he dragged Johnny Depp to quite a few
of his favourite bars while he was here. I think it was probably the first time in his life that Depp was
upstaged by another man whom people wanted to meet more!
This is a city that wears its history on its sleeve. The fortress of San Cristbal, built in 1620 after Dutch
invaders burnt the city to the ground, has walls some 40 metres high made of rubble, sandstone and
mortar. Sheer white on completion, the walls today are an ashen grey hue looking out onto the dark
blue waters of the ocean, which barely manages to break even the most gentle of spume against
these battlements.
Inside the walls, I spent a morning strolling through the maze of cobbled streets lined with pastel-
coloured buildings, drooping telegraph poles and marble-floored courtyards amid a languid heat that
makes one yearn for an ice-cold rum at a quite obscene hour of the morning.
A S T ON MA R T I N
8 2 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
p u e r t o r i c o
8 3 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
Luckily, Puerto Rico is home to Don Q, one of the regions most venerable
rum brands, which has a store by the harbour where I sipped free samples
next to statues of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza heroes of Cervantes
ancient novel, after which the drink is named. All this is not to say that
San Juan is entirely atavistic. For every fried plantain shack and sepulchral
bar, there are Burberry outlets and arts and crafts stores geared up for
the cruise ship passengers that arrive here almost daily in the high season.
For the real Puerto Rico however, I headed east along a highway that hugs
the Atlantic Ocean to the town of Ponce home of one of the greatest
artistic treasures in the Americas.
Known, with perhaps a slight overload on bombast, as the Parthenon
of the Caribbean, the striking modernist structure of Museo de Arte de
Ponce houses one of the finest collections of European art in the Western
Hemisphere. From the moment I laid eyes on Brushstrokes in Flight, a lurid,
28-foot-high pop-art aluminium structure by Roy Liechtenstein that sits
outside the museum, it was immediately obvious from the natural light that
permeates the galleries that this is a collection that wears its prestige with
unusual levity, despite creaking with history.
The big hitters from the last four centuries are all present here, including
Gainsborough, Rubens, Van Dyk and Millais. Interestingly, the collections
in each room all have a counterpoint that is incongruous to the theme.
The Transience room, devoted to paintings celebrating Mammon also
contains the work Vanitas and the Fleeting Nature of Life by local
artist Myrna Bez, born in 1931. This is a freeform assemblage of vivid
naturalistic colours that reminds the spectator of beauty lying beyond
and above material accumulation.
Going back on myself around the coast of the island to San Juan, the
essential stop-off for anyone wishing to experience the rugged charm of
rural Puerto Rico is the small town of Rincon. Considered to be the surfing
capital of the Caribbean, the town is located on a peninsula meaning that
theres water on three sides. Rough surfing spots lie cheek-by-jowl with
tranquil sandy beach-bum retreats, and for the first time I find a few people
embracing the non-conformist spirit of the island depicted in The Rum Diary:
American residents who have fled the colder climes of Boston and Maine in
order to grow beards with impunity and surf the years away.
Tiny wooden beach shacks such as Tamboo have acquired legendary
status among those who visit the island regularly. The al fresco terrace
was wrecked by a storm late last year but inside, a motley assortment of
local imbibers, millionaire playboys (and girls) and hardcore surfers drink
endless bottles of local Medalla beer and devour plates of mahi-mahi
with caper sauce.
Puerto Rico is in a strange situation as a Commonwealth of the United States.
It means that while presidents come and visit and locals serve in the US
army, locals arent allowed to vote in American elections. Its a scenario that
has prompted a long-standing independence movement complete with
an already existent independence flag. Most locals, however, seem gruffly
satisfied with the status quo.
Now, thanks to Depps efforts, the film version of The Rum Diary, all set in Puerto Rico and based on
Thompsons real life experiences there as a freelance journalist in the 1950s, is about to be released
in cinemas. The island at that time, despite attracting scores of American visitors, was a far less
glamorous place. An island depicted by Thompson as being full of heavy drinking, morally bankrupt
chancers getting into brawls with savage locals is, frankly, hard to imagine when walking around
the San Juan of today. The film crew stayed on the island for what seemed like forever, claims my
tour guide Enrique. Benicio del Toro is a local and I think he dragged Johnny Depp to quite a few
of his favourite bars while he was here. I think it was probably the first time in his life that Depp was
upstaged by another man whom people wanted to meet more!
This is a city that wears its history on its sleeve. The fortress of San Cristbal, built in 1620 after Dutch
invaders burnt the city to the ground, has walls some 40 metres high made of rubble, sandstone and
mortar. Sheer white on completion, the walls today are an ashen grey hue looking out onto the dark
blue waters of the ocean, which barely manages to break even the most gentle of spume against
these battlements.
Inside the walls, I spent a morning strolling through the maze of cobbled streets lined with pastel-
coloured buildings, drooping telegraph poles and marble-floored courtyards amid a languid heat that
makes one yearn for an ice-cold rum at a quite obscene hour of the morning.
A S T ON MA R T I N
8 4 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
MOfONgO
I NgREdI ENTS
Salt
4 green plantains, peeled and cut
into one-inch chunks
1 pinch of saffron
4 cups of chicken stock
Oil
4 thick slices of bacon, or salt pork,
prosciutto or cracklings
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
METHOd
Mix a handful of salt into a bowl of
cold water and soak plantain chunks.
Add saffron and stock to a saucepan over
low heat. Bring at least one inch of oil to
about 350C in a deep frying pan.

Cook the bacon until crisp then remove
and drain. Remove plantain from water
and drain, then deep-fry the pieces until
golden brown and tender. Add to food
processor with bacon, garlic and some
salt and pepper. You may have to work
in batches and process to consistency
of potatoes. Taste and adjust seasoning
accordingly, then quickly shape into rough
balls the size of meatballs.
Place in soup bowls, douse with broth and
garnish using cilantro. Serve immediately.
Its a very vocal minority, says bartender Susie. Some protestors chained themselves to the town hall
in San Juan when Obama came to visit earlier this year and they claim that America has kidnapped the
island. If we didnt have such close links though, we wouldnt survive economically were actually
poorer here than the poorest US mainland state.
Despite the fact that Puerto Rico may have a lower GDP than Mississippi, there is luxury for those
that can afford it. Rincon plays host to one of the best small hotels youll find anywhere on earth.
The Horned Dorset Primavera regularly hosts guests such as Madonna, Hillary Clinton and even
Johnny Depp himself. Though there is nothing ostentatious about it. Set back from the road with a
barely noticeable entrance, the resort consists of eight acres of manicured gardens built on an ancient
railroad track that once skirted the breakwaters of the ocean.
Private villas all include a plunge pool and an atmosphere redolent of a slightly Moorish writers retreat
complete with wicker chairs, huge bedsteads and tiled floors. Many of the villas continue the atavistic
theme by having no televisions, meaning that the urge to put pen to paper, as the sky turns to the
colour of beetroot, has never been stronger. Perfect conditions for finishing off that novel youve been
thinking of all your life.
On my final night, I strolled over to the candlelit environs of the terrace at the Aaron restaurant where,
served by waiters so smooth and polished it seemed they were gliding around the room on roller
skates, I ate seared tuna with red wine pancetta and the Puerto Rican speciality of mofongo a stew
made of green bananas, cassava and crab (see sidebar).
This kind of finesse and sophistication may be light years removed from the short drinks and tight
deadlines of the journalists depicted in The Rum Diary but Puerto Rico isnt an island that exudes
snobbery in the way Mustique or St Barts do. This is an island that has jewels on its fingers, but, no
matter where you are, always seems to leave its top two shirt buttons undone.
AstonMagazine 2011.pdf 1 06/11/2011 15:51
A S T ON MA R T I N
8 4 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
MOfONgO
I NgREdI ENTS
Salt
4 green plantains, peeled and cut
into one-inch chunks
1 pinch of saffron
4 cups of chicken stock
Oil
4 thick slices of bacon, or salt pork,
prosciutto or cracklings
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
METHOd
Mix a handful of salt into a bowl of
cold water and soak plantain chunks.
Add saffron and stock to a saucepan over
low heat. Bring at least one inch of oil to
about 350C in a deep frying pan.

Cook the bacon until crisp then remove
and drain. Remove plantain from water
and drain, then deep-fry the pieces until
golden brown and tender. Add to food
processor with bacon, garlic and some
salt and pepper. You may have to work
in batches and process to consistency
of potatoes. Taste and adjust seasoning
accordingly, then quickly shape into rough
balls the size of meatballs.
Place in soup bowls, douse with broth and
garnish using cilantro. Serve immediately.
Its a very vocal minority, says bartender Susie. Some protestors chained themselves to the town hall
in San Juan when Obama came to visit earlier this year and they claim that America has kidnapped the
island. If we didnt have such close links though, we wouldnt survive economically were actually
poorer here than the poorest US mainland state.
Despite the fact that Puerto Rico may have a lower GDP than Mississippi, there is luxury for those
that can afford it. Rincon plays host to one of the best small hotels youll find anywhere on earth.
The Horned Dorset Primavera regularly hosts guests such as Madonna, Hillary Clinton and even
Johnny Depp himself. Though there is nothing ostentatious about it. Set back from the road with a
barely noticeable entrance, the resort consists of eight acres of manicured gardens built on an ancient
railroad track that once skirted the breakwaters of the ocean.
Private villas all include a plunge pool and an atmosphere redolent of a slightly Moorish writers retreat
complete with wicker chairs, huge bedsteads and tiled floors. Many of the villas continue the atavistic
theme by having no televisions, meaning that the urge to put pen to paper, as the sky turns to the
colour of beetroot, has never been stronger. Perfect conditions for finishing off that novel youve been
thinking of all your life.
On my final night, I strolled over to the candlelit environs of the terrace at the Aaron restaurant where,
served by waiters so smooth and polished it seemed they were gliding around the room on roller
skates, I ate seared tuna with red wine pancetta and the Puerto Rican speciality of mofongo a stew
made of green bananas, cassava and crab (see sidebar).
This kind of finesse and sophistication may be light years removed from the short drinks and tight
deadlines of the journalists depicted in The Rum Diary but Puerto Rico isnt an island that exudes
snobbery in the way Mustique or St Barts do. This is an island that has jewels on its fingers, but, no
matter where you are, always seems to leave its top two shirt buttons undone.
AstonMagazine 2011.pdf 1 06/11/2011 15:51
s p a c e t o u r i s m
8 7 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
Since Yuri Gagarin first drifted through a single orbit of the Earth 50 years
ago, generations of schoolboys have dreamed of following him to see
the oceans and continents pass in the blink of an eye. As of next year,
those dreams can now be a reality though only for those willing to pay
$200,000 for the privilege.
In September, Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic executed the first test
flight of its passenger craft, the VSS Enterprise. At the same time, the firm
completed a production plant in Americas Mojave Desert, 100 miles north of
Los Angeles, which will build the worlds first fleet of commercial spacecraft.
Branson said that the first passenger flights would take place within a year.
Today marks another important step along the road to opening space for
everyone, he said. His pride was as clear as his excitement.
Virgins partners, The Spaceship Company, are building the craft that will
transport paying passengers into space. The WhiteKnight mother ships,
resembling giant catamarans, will carry SpaceShipTwo rocket-powered
passenger planes 15km high into the atmosphere. The two crafts will
then disengage and the planes will blast into sub-orbital space. Their six
passengers will reach 100km above the Earth the edge of space. They will
only be there for a few minutes, but will experience weightlessness and see
the curvature of the Earth.
Virgin has already taken $45 million in deposits from hundreds of people,
including stars such as Tom Hanks and Stephen Hawking. The mother ship
is finished. The rocket tests are going extremely well, and so I think that
were now on track for a launch within 12 months of today, Branson said.
This could be the beginning of a whole new era.
The dream is an ancient one. In the 2nd century AD, the Greek author
Lucian of Samosata wrote a story about earthmen being shot onto the
moon by a giant waterspout. Its about the excitement mans enthusiasm
for discovery, says Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society in
London. We can stand on the shore of an island and look across to the next
island, or the top of a mountain and look across to the next and be driven
by this curiosity to discover. Would I personally like to go up into orbit and
look down on the Earth? Yes, but I dont think Ill be rich enough to pay
Richard Branson $200,000 for the privilege.
At least the price has come down. In 2001, Dennis Tito hitched a ride
on a Russian Soyuz rocket for a seven-day stay at the International Space
Station in return for a cool $20 million. Since then, there have been six
other space tourists. But broad-market space travel has been a glittering
prize for entrepreneurs. One prediction is that the market could be worth
$700 million by the end of the decade, with ticket prices falling by at least
a half during that time.
A S T ON MA R T I N
8 6 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
The t r avel i ndus t r y i s gear i ng up f or t he
f i r s t openl y avai l abl e t our s i nt o s pace, wi t h
weal t hy t hr i l l s eeker s keen t o exper i ence t he
ul t i mat e f r ont i er advent ur e. Ri char d Br ans on s
Vi r gi n Gal act i c i s t he f i r s t t o bol dl y go, wi t h
$200, 000- a- head f l i ght s oper at i ng out of
Spacepor t Amer i ca i n New Mexi co as s oon
as next year , wi t h nas cent r i val s Bl ue Or i gi n
hot on hi s heel s t he br ai nchi l d of Amazon
f ounder J ef f Bezos . Gar et h Rubi n expl or es
t he f ut ur e of s pace t our i s m
STAR
BOUNd
The mother shi p i s fi ni shed. The rocket tests are goi ng
extremel y wel l , and so I thi nk that were now on track
f or a l aunch wi thi n 12 months of today, Branson sai d.
Thi s coul d be the begi nni ng of a whol e new era
8 7 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
Since Yuri Gagarin first drifted through a single orbit of the Earth 50 years
ago, generations of schoolboys have dreamed of following him to see
the oceans and continents pass in the blink of an eye. As of next year,
those dreams can now be a reality though only for those willing to pay
$200,000 for the privilege.
In September, Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic executed the first test
flight of its passenger craft, the VSS Enterprise. At the same time, the firm
completed a production plant in Americas Mojave Desert, 100 miles north of
Los Angeles, which will build the worlds first fleet of commercial spacecraft.
Branson said that the first passenger flights would take place within a year.
Today marks another important step along the road to opening space for
everyone, he said. His pride was as clear as his excitement.
Virgins partners, The Spaceship Company, are building the craft that will
transport paying passengers into space. The WhiteKnight mother ships,
resembling giant catamarans, will carry SpaceShipTwo rocket-powered
passenger planes 15km high into the atmosphere. The two crafts will
then disengage and the planes will blast into sub-orbital space. Their six
passengers will reach 100km above the Earth the edge of space. They will
only be there for a few minutes, but will experience weightlessness and see
the curvature of the Earth.
Virgin has already taken $45 million in deposits from hundreds of people,
including stars such as Tom Hanks and Stephen Hawking. The mother ship
is finished. The rocket tests are going extremely well, and so I think that
were now on track for a launch within 12 months of today, Branson said.
This could be the beginning of a whole new era.
The dream is an ancient one. In the 2nd century AD, the Greek author
Lucian of Samosata wrote a story about earthmen being shot onto the
moon by a giant waterspout. Its about the excitement mans enthusiasm
for discovery, says Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society in
London. We can stand on the shore of an island and look across to the next
island, or the top of a mountain and look across to the next and be driven
by this curiosity to discover. Would I personally like to go up into orbit and
look down on the Earth? Yes, but I dont think Ill be rich enough to pay
Richard Branson $200,000 for the privilege.
At least the price has come down. In 2001, Dennis Tito hitched a ride
on a Russian Soyuz rocket for a seven-day stay at the International Space
Station in return for a cool $20 million. Since then, there have been six
other space tourists. But broad-market space travel has been a glittering
prize for entrepreneurs. One prediction is that the market could be worth
$700 million by the end of the decade, with ticket prices falling by at least
a half during that time.
A S T ON MA R T I N
8 6 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
The t r avel i ndus t r y i s gear i ng up f or t he
f i r s t openl y avai l abl e t our s i nt o s pace, wi t h
weal t hy t hr i l l s eeker s keen t o exper i ence t he
ul t i mat e f r ont i er advent ur e. Ri char d Br ans on s
Vi r gi n Gal act i c i s t he f i r s t t o bol dl y go, wi t h
$200, 000- a- head f l i ght s oper at i ng out of
Spacepor t Amer i ca i n New Mexi co as s oon
as next year , wi t h nas cent r i val s Bl ue Or i gi n
hot on hi s heel s t he br ai nchi l d of Amazon
f ounder J ef f Bezos . Gar et h Rubi n expl or es
t he f ut ur e of s pace t our i s m
STAR
BOUNd
The mother shi p i s fi ni shed. The rocket tests are goi ng
extremel y wel l , and so I thi nk that were now on track
f or a l aunch wi thi n 12 months of today, Branson sai d.
Thi s coul d be the begi nni ng of a whol e new era
8 8 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
8 9
On a positive note, passengers can have the novelty of choosing whether
to have their bag-like beds upright or horizontal, since the weightlessness
means it wont make much difference. The views of the Earth from the
space hotels special observation windows should be breathtaking as
the craft circuits round our planet every 90 minutes providing guests
with 16 sunsets and 16 sunrises a day.
Our planned module inside will not remind you of the International Space
Station. A hotel should be comfortable inside, and it will be possible to look
at the Earth through large portholes, says Sergei Kostenko, chief executive
of Orbital Technologies. The hotel will be aimed at wealthy individuals and
people working for private companies who want to do research in space.
It is half a century since Yuri Gagarin spent just over an hour in space.
Since then, five hundred people from 38 nations have followed him. In the
12 months following the first commercial passenger flight, that number
could be doubled or even trebled. That could be just the beginning.
To book your place in space visit www.virgingalactic.com and fill in
the online booking form. Alternatively you can contact any of Virgins
Accredited Space Agents around the world, all specially selected and
trained to handle all aspects of your spaceflight reservation.
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
While Virgin is the leader of the pack, there are other firms very much
in the running. People grow up just fascinated by space travel, says
Will Pomerantz of the X Prize Foundation, which organises competitions
to encourage commercial space travel. Its loud, its sexy, and it is in some
senses dangerous.
Virgin is definitely our lead dog in the field, he adds, and it certainly has
the most publicity and the most visible partners, but we are starting to see
others making great leaps and bounds in their ability to fly scientific payloads.
From a business point of view, you can start flying scientific payloads earlier
in the testing regime because, of course, they dont have quite the same
safety requirements as people.
The dark horse of Virgins competition is the ultra-secretive Blue Origin, which
was established by Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon. It is developing manned
spaceflight from its spaceport in Texas. Any doubts people had about the
viability of the firm were dispelled when NASA gave it a grant of $3.7 million
to develop a craft for orbital flight. The US space agency now has a budget
of $75 million for such grants to commercial firms, hoping that they will take
up the slack now that its own research budget has been slashed.
Money is also coming from wealthy interests looking to cash in on the
future industry. Virgin received $300 million from the state of New Mexico
to subsidise Spaceport America in the Mojave, and Abu Dhabis rulers
handed over $280 million for a third of the firm and a commitment to use
the cash-rich emirate as a hub for travel from the Middle East. These firms
are focusing on short flights in sub-orbital space. But for those who want
more, a Russian firm, Orbital Technologies, is to build a hotel in space,
orbiting at 350km above the Earths surface. The company plans to open
by 2016.
Seven guests will stay in the four cabins for weeklong trips and just getting
there will be exciting two days in a Soyuz rocket experiencing incredible
speeds. It wont even be a five-star stay, however. The Commercial Space
Station will be an alcohol-free zone iced tea will be the strongest drink
on offer and food will be microwave meals. Orbital is trying to talk up the
cuisine, producing a menu of braised veal cheeks with wild mushrooms,
white bean puree, potato soup and plum compote, but they will still be
made on earth and reheated on arrival. The hotels wastewater will be
recycled, as will the air after it is filtered to remove odour and bacteria.
There may even be space-squatters, since the hotel will be the emergency
refuge for cosmonauts from the International Space Station if anything
goes wrong. For all this, guests will be shelling out around 600,000.
A S T ON MA R T I N
Previous Page and
aBove right: Artists impressions
of Spaceport America in New
Mexico, unveiled this October,
out of which Virgin Galactic will
operate from next year.
left: Russian firm Orbital
Technologies hotel in space,
orbiting at 350km above the
Earths surface, set to open
by 2016.
BeloW right: Blue Origins
launch complex in western Texas.
8 8 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
8 9
On a positive note, passengers can have the novelty of choosing whether
to have their bag-like beds upright or horizontal, since the weightlessness
means it wont make much difference. The views of the Earth from the
space hotels special observation windows should be breathtaking as
the craft circuits round our planet every 90 minutes providing guests
with 16 sunsets and 16 sunrises a day.
Our planned module inside will not remind you of the International Space
Station. A hotel should be comfortable inside, and it will be possible to look
at the Earth through large portholes, says Sergei Kostenko, chief executive
of Orbital Technologies. The hotel will be aimed at wealthy individuals and
people working for private companies who want to do research in space.
It is half a century since Yuri Gagarin spent just over an hour in space.
Since then, five hundred people from 38 nations have followed him. In the
12 months following the first commercial passenger flight, that number
could be doubled or even trebled. That could be just the beginning.
To book your place in space visit www.virgingalactic.com and fill in
the online booking form. Alternatively you can contact any of Virgins
Accredited Space Agents around the world, all specially selected and
trained to handle all aspects of your spaceflight reservation.
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
While Virgin is the leader of the pack, there are other firms very much
in the running. People grow up just fascinated by space travel, says
Will Pomerantz of the X Prize Foundation, which organises competitions
to encourage commercial space travel. Its loud, its sexy, and it is in some
senses dangerous.
Virgin is definitely our lead dog in the field, he adds, and it certainly has
the most publicity and the most visible partners, but we are starting to see
others making great leaps and bounds in their ability to fly scientific payloads.
From a business point of view, you can start flying scientific payloads earlier
in the testing regime because, of course, they dont have quite the same
safety requirements as people.
The dark horse of Virgins competition is the ultra-secretive Blue Origin, which
was established by Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon. It is developing manned
spaceflight from its spaceport in Texas. Any doubts people had about the
viability of the firm were dispelled when NASA gave it a grant of $3.7 million
to develop a craft for orbital flight. The US space agency now has a budget
of $75 million for such grants to commercial firms, hoping that they will take
up the slack now that its own research budget has been slashed.
Money is also coming from wealthy interests looking to cash in on the
future industry. Virgin received $300 million from the state of New Mexico
to subsidise Spaceport America in the Mojave, and Abu Dhabis rulers
handed over $280 million for a third of the firm and a commitment to use
the cash-rich emirate as a hub for travel from the Middle East. These firms
are focusing on short flights in sub-orbital space. But for those who want
more, a Russian firm, Orbital Technologies, is to build a hotel in space,
orbiting at 350km above the Earths surface. The company plans to open
by 2016.
Seven guests will stay in the four cabins for weeklong trips and just getting
there will be exciting two days in a Soyuz rocket experiencing incredible
speeds. It wont even be a five-star stay, however. The Commercial Space
Station will be an alcohol-free zone iced tea will be the strongest drink
on offer and food will be microwave meals. Orbital is trying to talk up the
cuisine, producing a menu of braised veal cheeks with wild mushrooms,
white bean puree, potato soup and plum compote, but they will still be
made on earth and reheated on arrival. The hotels wastewater will be
recycled, as will the air after it is filtered to remove odour and bacteria.
There may even be space-squatters, since the hotel will be the emergency
refuge for cosmonauts from the International Space Station if anything
goes wrong. For all this, guests will be shelling out around 600,000.
A S T ON MA R T I N
Previous Page and
aBove right: Artists impressions
of Spaceport America in New
Mexico, unveiled this October,
out of which Virgin Galactic will
operate from next year.
left: Russian firm Orbital
Technologies hotel in space,
orbiting at 350km above the
Earths surface, set to open
by 2016.
BeloW right: Blue Origins
launch complex in western Texas.
LittLe
SOMetHiNGS
What could you possibly find that your
friends dont already have, without breaking
the bank or appearing too cheap? Well, look
no further. Heres Aston Martin Magazines
round-up of the luxury and design worlds
quirkier offerings a delectable mix of
curiosities, perfect for the forthcoming
festive season
A S t ON MA R t i N
9 0 i S S U e 1 7 / 1 1
w h a t t o b u y
9 1 i S S U e 1 7 / 1 1
Picture Book
Nothing states your cultural concerns more subtly and
stylishly than a beautiful coffee table book. The pages of
this Dior Couture book by Patrick Demarchelier ooze the
glamour and drama of Christian Diors designs favoured
by fashionistas the world over.
70, rizzoliusa.com
Go GaGa for radio
This reissue of Brionvegas iconic 1964 Radio
Cube makes an innovative, quirky addition to any
household. Adorned with a choice of six vibrant
colours, the shipping forecast has never sounded
brighter or breezier.
210, brionvega.it
case History
Adorn your iPad with this stylish leather Cosmati cover featuring
Mark/Giustis signature printed lining. The perfect accessory for
both work and play, doubling up as a stand for you to watch
your favourite film or just to simply browse the net.
300, quintessentiallygifts.com
LittLe taLes
Literary classics dont get more portable than these cigarette pack-sized
tomes. Using iconic carton designs and branding, the books are readable
and unabridged.
Full Set 42.35, individual books 7.65, tankmagazine.com
GLoBetrotter
Whether its an epic road trip or just a
last-minute Friday afternoon dash to
the countryside, youll look the
business pulling one of these smart new
Aston Martin holdalls from the boot.
Available in four luxurious colours, in
nubuck and contrasting saddle leather.
400, astonmartin.com
disH tHem out
Bringing instant style and substance to your kitchen counter, these nifty Tate Otama
ladles are able to stand independently on any flat surface. Designed with the limited
space of the typical Japanese kitchen in mind, this is a beautiful example of necessity
being the mother of invention.
16, bouf.com
3 in 1 fun
A salt shaker, a spoon and of course an egg
cup, this Alessi Cico is a classic piece of quirky
cool for kitchens of any size, shape or form.
A fail-safe way to brighten your morning.
10.50, alessi.co.uk
sPeakerPHone
Bring some old school charm to your modern gadgetry. This Arkcanary acoustic speaker works like
a gramophone to amplify your iPhone or iPods melodic emanations.
10, arkwhat.com
Prints cHarminG
The perfect gift for any Aston Martin racing enthusiast, this stylishly retro 1959 factory advertisement
celebrating the marques victories at the Nrburgring 1,000km and 24 Heures du Mans races is fast
selling out from Aston Martins Heritage Art range, so order yours before the Christmas rush!
97.50, astonmartin.com/heritage
room to rent
A house within a house, this luxury Fishcondo by Teddy Luong is not only
stylish and contemporary but also stackable, offering the crme de la crme of
accommodation for your fish. You can even create a condo village if you wish.
45, thebalconygardener.com
snuG as a BuG
Add some on-trend accent colours to your home, cosy up and forget about
where youre going or where youve come from with this luxury woven
cashmere throw from Missoni.
240, missoni.com
LittLe
SOMetHiNGS
What could you possibly find that your
friends dont already have, without breaking
the bank or appearing too cheap? Well, look
no further. Heres Aston Martin Magazines
round-up of the luxury and design worlds
quirkier offerings a delectable mix of
curiosities, perfect for the forthcoming
festive season
A S t ON MA R t i N
9 0 i S S U e 1 7 / 1 1
w h a t t o b u y
9 1 i S S U e 1 7 / 1 1
Picture Book
Nothing states your cultural concerns more subtly and
stylishly than a beautiful coffee table book. The pages of
this Dior Couture book by Patrick Demarchelier ooze the
glamour and drama of Christian Diors designs favoured
by fashionistas the world over.
70, rizzoliusa.com
Go GaGa for radio
This reissue of Brionvegas iconic 1964 Radio
Cube makes an innovative, quirky addition to any
household. Adorned with a choice of six vibrant
colours, the shipping forecast has never sounded
brighter or breezier.
210, brionvega.it
case History
Adorn your iPad with this stylish leather Cosmati cover featuring
Mark/Giustis signature printed lining. The perfect accessory for
both work and play, doubling up as a stand for you to watch
your favourite film or just to simply browse the net.
300, quintessentiallygifts.com
LittLe taLes
Literary classics dont get more portable than these cigarette pack-sized
tomes. Using iconic carton designs and branding, the books are readable
and unabridged.
Full Set 42.35, individual books 7.65, tankmagazine.com
GLoBetrotter
Whether its an epic road trip or just a
last-minute Friday afternoon dash to
the countryside, youll look the
business pulling one of these smart new
Aston Martin holdalls from the boot.
Available in four luxurious colours, in
nubuck and contrasting saddle leather.
400, astonmartin.com
disH tHem out
Bringing instant style and substance to your kitchen counter, these nifty Tate Otama
ladles are able to stand independently on any flat surface. Designed with the limited
space of the typical Japanese kitchen in mind, this is a beautiful example of necessity
being the mother of invention.
16, bouf.com
3 in 1 fun
A salt shaker, a spoon and of course an egg
cup, this Alessi Cico is a classic piece of quirky
cool for kitchens of any size, shape or form.
A fail-safe way to brighten your morning.
10.50, alessi.co.uk
sPeakerPHone
Bring some old school charm to your modern gadgetry. This Arkcanary acoustic speaker works like
a gramophone to amplify your iPhone or iPods melodic emanations.
10, arkwhat.com
Prints cHarminG
The perfect gift for any Aston Martin racing enthusiast, this stylishly retro 1959 factory advertisement
celebrating the marques victories at the Nrburgring 1,000km and 24 Heures du Mans races is fast
selling out from Aston Martins Heritage Art range, so order yours before the Christmas rush!
97.50, astonmartin.com/heritage
room to rent
A house within a house, this luxury Fishcondo by Teddy Luong is not only
stylish and contemporary but also stackable, offering the crme de la crme of
accommodation for your fish. You can even create a condo village if you wish.
45, thebalconygardener.com
snuG as a BuG
Add some on-trend accent colours to your home, cosy up and forget about
where youre going or where youve come from with this luxury woven
cashmere throw from Missoni.
240, missoni.com
A S t ON MA R t i N
9 2 i S S U e 1 7 / 1 1
caviar to Go
Kaviaris finest caviar is stylishly packed into these luxurious rainbow tins and oozes
grab-n-go appeal. Good things definitely come in small packages.
35, kaviari.fr
Head candy
Bang & Olufsens new range of headphones,
available in all the colours of the rainbow, con-
tinue the Danish audiovisual brands reputation
for drop-dead gorgeous looks in combination
with the highest fidelity. The well-defined sound
will immerse you in your own little world, going
wherever the mood takes you.
95, bang-olufsen.com
cLean cut
With its voluptuously sculpted body, this
luxury knife set created by Guzzini will stand
as an elegant centrepiece for your kitchen.
They happen to slice nicely too.
161, formahouse.co.uk
Have a seat
Corresponding in colour, material and style to the historical
Vitra Design Museum collection, not only does this 1956
miniature Tulip Chair make a fantastic collectable but it is also
a great way to add a bit of mid-century flair to your home.
130, conranshop.co.uk
PuzzLed
This Rubiks Cube for connoisseurs fills even
the most yawning of gaps between departure
and arrival with hours of fiendishly entertaining
frustration. A classic toy, with a luxurious twist.
170, williamandson.com
a sPot of induLGence
A new concept in chocolate indulgence from Lick the Spoon: the
elegance of a macaroon with the irresistible melt of fine chocolate
within. Flavours include sea salt caramel, strawberry and elderflower,
and pistachio and pink grapefruit.
19.95, lickthespoon.co.uk
Poker face
Housed in a sophisticated, contemporary-looking carbon-fibre box, these quintessentially
British Alfred Dunhill poker cards are the perfect gift for the stylish man about town.
225, dunhill.com
FINE SAFES FOR WATCHES, JEWELLERY AND MORE.
SAFE ISIS III 16 VALVES
Measurements (H x W x D): 119 cm x 52 cm x 51 cm
Patented electronic locking system Stocktronic
Integrated emergency alarm, anchoring device
16 watch-winders for 16 automatic watches
Two drawers for more watches and jewellery
MADE I N GERMANY
STOCKI NGER.COM
A Stockinger safe will make you realise that you
have done the best for your valuables. Enjoy this
good feeling every day of the year, wherever you
are and whatever you are doing.
Stockinger bespoke safes combine security, creativity
and crasmanship to form exclusive safes for you as
a discerning collector of high-quality jewellery and
timepieces. Ask us for details.
AM17 Stockinger Ad P93.indd 93 6/11/11 15:32:28
A S t ON MA R t i N
9 2 i S S U e 1 7 / 1 1
caviar to Go
Kaviaris finest caviar is stylishly packed into these luxurious rainbow tins and oozes
grab-n-go appeal. Good things definitely come in small packages.
35, kaviari.fr
Head candy
Bang & Olufsens new range of headphones,
available in all the colours of the rainbow, con-
tinue the Danish audiovisual brands reputation
for drop-dead gorgeous looks in combination
with the highest fidelity. The well-defined sound
will immerse you in your own little world, going
wherever the mood takes you.
95, bang-olufsen.com
cLean cut
With its voluptuously sculpted body, this
luxury knife set created by Guzzini will stand
as an elegant centrepiece for your kitchen.
They happen to slice nicely too.
161, formahouse.co.uk
Have a seat
Corresponding in colour, material and style to the historical
Vitra Design Museum collection, not only does this 1956
miniature Tulip Chair make a fantastic collectable but it is also
a great way to add a bit of mid-century flair to your home.
130, conranshop.co.uk
PuzzLed
This Rubiks Cube for connoisseurs fills even
the most yawning of gaps between departure
and arrival with hours of fiendishly entertaining
frustration. A classic toy, with a luxurious twist.
170, williamandson.com
a sPot of induLGence
A new concept in chocolate indulgence from Lick the Spoon: the
elegance of a macaroon with the irresistible melt of fine chocolate
within. Flavours include sea salt caramel, strawberry and elderflower,
and pistachio and pink grapefruit.
19.95, lickthespoon.co.uk
Poker face
Housed in a sophisticated, contemporary-looking carbon-fibre box, these quintessentially
British Alfred Dunhill poker cards are the perfect gift for the stylish man about town.
225, dunhill.com
FINE SAFES FOR WATCHES, JEWELLERY AND MORE.
SAFE ISIS III 16 VALVES
Measurements (H x W x D): 119 cm x 52 cm x 51 cm
Patented electronic locking system Stocktronic
Integrated emergency alarm, anchoring device
16 watch-winders for 16 automatic watches
Two drawers for more watches and jewellery
MADE I N GERMANY
STOCKI NGER.COM
A Stockinger safe will make you realise that you
have done the best for your valuables. Enjoy this
good feeling every day of the year, wherever you
are and whatever you are doing.
Stockinger bespoke safes combine security, creativity
and crasmanship to form exclusive safes for you as
a discerning collector of high-quality jewellery and
timepieces. Ask us for details.
AM17 Stockinger Ad P93.indd 93 6/11/11 15:32:28
9 4 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
g t 4 s e a s o n r e v i e w
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
A S T ON MA R T I N
9 5
Si nce Ast on Mar t i n gave t he V8 Vant age i t s i mpr essi ve GT r aci ng debut
at t he Nr bur gr i ng 24- Hour s r ace i n 2006, i t has gr own t o become t he
mar que s most pr ol i f i cal l y successf ul GT r ace car . Fr om t he new Bl ancpai n
Endur ance Ser i es t o t he FI A GT4 Eur opean Cup, and of cour se t he 2011
Ast on Mar t i n GT4 Chal l enge of Gr eat Br i t ai n, Br i an Laban r ef l ect s on
what has cer t ai nl y been an i ncr edi bl e season
GT4 A GO- GO
Racing enthusiasts around the globe have a fuelled passion for GT racing. They enjoy the
spectacle of hard-fought races between strongly identifiable cars that combine recognisable
production roots with real racing pedigree, from the greatest sports car makers in the business.
And they are rewarded with endurance races, including 24-hour classics, on some of the most
iconic circuits in the world, from the Nrburgring to Silverstone, and even Silverstone.
In 2011, as major rule changes dramatically reshaped the GT1 and GT2 categories, GT4 underlined
its status as the vital foundation level of serious endurance sports car racing, while Aston Martin
confirmed its commitment to a class that now attracts rivals from BMW to Corvette, Lotus to
Nissan, Ford to Maserati and Porsche.
At the top of the tree, the 2011 FIA GT4 European Cup ran to 18 rounds between April and
October, with triple races at five venues and six weekends, starting and ending at Zandvoort,
via Silverstone, Spa, Zolder and Assen. By July 2011, Aston Martin drivers from Generation
AMR and Rhesus Racing had stood on the podium at every meeting, with the Generation
AMR team crowning a strong season by winning at the toughest circuit of all, Spa. In the final
Teams table, Rhesus took third overall, with Generation AMR fifth. In the 2011 FIA GT4 drivers
rankings, four Aston Martin drivers appeared in the top ten, with Rhesus Racings Dennis Retera
and Jan Joris Verheul fifth and sixth, and Generation AMRs Ant Scragg and James Appleby
seventh and tenth.
9 4 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
A S T ON MA R T I N
9 5
Si nce Ast on Mar t i n gave t he V8 Vant age i t s i mpr essi ve GT r aci ng debut
at t he Nr bur gr i ng 24- Hour s r ace i n 2006, i t has gr own t o become t he
mar que s most pr ol i f i cal l y successf ul GT r ace car . Fr om t he new Bl ancpai n
Endur ance Ser i es t o t he FI A GT4 Eur opean Cup, and of cour se t he 2011
Ast on Mar t i n GT4 Chal l enge of Gr eat Br i t ai n, Br i an Laban r ef l ect s on
what has cer t ai nl y been an i ncr edi bl e season
GT4 A GO- GO
Racing enthusiasts around the globe have a fuelled passion for GT racing. They enjoy the
spectacle of hard-fought races between strongly identifiable cars that combine recognisable
production roots with real racing pedigree, from the greatest sports car makers in the business.
And they are rewarded with endurance races, including 24-hour classics, on some of the most
iconic circuits in the world, from the Nrburgring to Silverstone, and even Silverstone.
In 2011, as major rule changes dramatically reshaped the GT1 and GT2 categories, GT4 underlined
its status as the vital foundation level of serious endurance sports car racing, while Aston Martin
confirmed its commitment to a class that now attracts rivals from BMW to Corvette, Lotus to
Nissan, Ford to Maserati and Porsche.
At the top of the tree, the 2011 FIA GT4 European Cup ran to 18 rounds between April and
October, with triple races at five venues and six weekends, starting and ending at Zandvoort,
via Silverstone, Spa, Zolder and Assen. By July 2011, Aston Martin drivers from Generation
AMR and Rhesus Racing had stood on the podium at every meeting, with the Generation
AMR team crowning a strong season by winning at the toughest circuit of all, Spa. In the final
Teams table, Rhesus took third overall, with Generation AMR fifth. In the 2011 FIA GT4 drivers
rankings, four Aston Martin drivers appeared in the top ten, with Rhesus Racings Dennis Retera
and Jan Joris Verheul fifth and sixth, and Generation AMRs Ant Scragg and James Appleby
seventh and tenth.
A S T ON MA R T I N
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1 9 7 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
9 6
I n t he Chal l enge of Gr eat Br i t ai n,
t he f i ght came down t o a head-
t o- head bet ween Ni chol as Mee
Raci ng and Gener at i on AMR
a cl i f f - hangi ng end t o a
t hr i l l i ng GT4 season
GT4 is spreading its wings. Launched in 2011, the Blancpain Endurance Series
brings together GT3 and GT4 cars in races that usually run for three hours, and
classes that include drivers on multiple levels, from full-time professionals to
former superstars and gentlemen part-time racers. Alongside several Aston
Martin DBRS9s in the GT3 ranks (including Hexis, GPR and Ecurie Ecosse),
V8 Vantage GT4s appeared at the first three rounds, at Monza, Navarra
and the showcase 24 Hours of Spa round, putting a first toe in the water and
promising a fuller programme for the expanded 2012 Blancpain series.
Appropriately, the V8 Vantage GT4 (and further developed versions of the
N24) had another winning season back where it all began, in the SP10/GT4
class of the Nrburgring endurance series - on the classic circuit where the
V8 Vantage was developed for the road, and where it made its racing debut in 2006, scoring
its first finish in the Nrburgring 24-Hours.
Five years since that impressive debut, three years since Aston Martin opened its permanent
Test Centre at the circuit, and two years since the start of its Nrburgring-based customer
racing programme under the guidance of Test Centre boss and regular racer Wolfgang
Schuhbauer, the Mathol Racing team dominated the VLN series from start to finish,
winning the GT4 category in seven of the ten rounds, with drivers Wolfgang Webber,
Norbert Bermes and Rickard Nilsson giving Mathol a second Nrburgring title. Mathol
might well have won the Nrburgring 24-Hours race, too, but having led all the way they
went out with barely an hour to run. The companys own GT4 entry, starring works driver
Darren Turner was second in class after 16 hours, before a long repair for damage dropped
it down the field leaving the Team Pflanz V8 Vantage to lead Aston Martins GT4 effort
with seventh place in the class, after another tough fight. And the penultimate Nrburgring
VLN round, in October, underlined in the best possible way GT4s role as a significant
first step on the GT racing ladder. In a field of some 190 starters, Joachim Kern made the
leap from novice to Nrburgring racer, as the first customer graduate of Aston Martins
seven-stage Driving Academy sharing the V8 Vantage GT4 nicknamed Smurf with the
Academys Chief Instructor, Andreas Glden.
But the hardest fight of all in Aston Martins GT4 season was in the Aston Martin GT4 Challenge
of Great Britain, organised by the Aston Martin Owners Club. The format mixes race lengths from
60 minutes to three hours, includes mandatory pit-stops and allows one, two or three drivers
per car. The races were at Silverstone, Snetterton, Donington Park, Oulton Park and Brands
Hatch, as well as Spa in July and Dijon for the finale in September. The fight came down to a
last-round head-to-head between Nicholas Mee Racing and Generation AMR, who went to the
three-hour Dijon race level on points after the first nine rounds. Generation AMR had won the
opener at Silverstone (where the driver roll-call included Aston Martin Chairman David Richards,
Director of Design Marek Reichmann and Red Bull F1 boss Christian Horner); Nicholas Mee won
at Snetterton. But it was Nicholas Mee who clinched the title with their fifth win, as Karsten
Le Blanc hung on to slicks as rain hit the closing laps of the race.
It was a cliff-hanging end to a season where GT4 delivered all you could ask for.
201 2 favouri tes
In its third season, the Aston Martin
GT4 Challenge of Great Britain has some
significant tweaks with races increased
from 90 minutes to 2 hours. As before,
the series will visit home favourites
Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Donington
Park and the icing on the cake, Spa-
Francorchamps in September. And with
25 drivers taking part in the recent Test
Day, theres every chance of 20-car
grids for 2012.
Theres another major incentive to join
the series, too. On 16 June, as part of
the Aston Martin Festival Le Mans 2012,
the traditional 45-minute one-marque
race before the 24-Hours will be for
Aston Martin GT3 and GT4 cars with a
guaranteed entry for any driver registered
in the 2012 GT4 Challenge. It should be
a great way to become a Le Mans driver.
A S T ON MA R T I N
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1 9 7 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
9 6
I n t he Chal l enge of Gr eat Br i t ai n,
t he f i ght came down t o a head-
t o- head bet ween Ni chol as Mee
Raci ng and Gener at i on AMR
a cl i f f - hangi ng end t o a
t hr i l l i ng GT4 season
GT4 is spreading its wings. Launched in 2011, the Blancpain Endurance Series
brings together GT3 and GT4 cars in races that usually run for three hours, and
classes that include drivers on multiple levels, from full-time professionals to
former superstars and gentlemen part-time racers. Alongside several Aston
Martin DBRS9s in the GT3 ranks (including Hexis, GPR and Ecurie Ecosse),
V8 Vantage GT4s appeared at the first three rounds, at Monza, Navarra
and the showcase 24 Hours of Spa round, putting a first toe in the water and
promising a fuller programme for the expanded 2012 Blancpain series.
Appropriately, the V8 Vantage GT4 (and further developed versions of the
N24) had another winning season back where it all began, in the SP10/GT4
class of the Nrburgring endurance series - on the classic circuit where the
V8 Vantage was developed for the road, and where it made its racing debut in 2006, scoring
its first finish in the Nrburgring 24-Hours.
Five years since that impressive debut, three years since Aston Martin opened its permanent
Test Centre at the circuit, and two years since the start of its Nrburgring-based customer
racing programme under the guidance of Test Centre boss and regular racer Wolfgang
Schuhbauer, the Mathol Racing team dominated the VLN series from start to finish,
winning the GT4 category in seven of the ten rounds, with drivers Wolfgang Webber,
Norbert Bermes and Rickard Nilsson giving Mathol a second Nrburgring title. Mathol
might well have won the Nrburgring 24-Hours race, too, but having led all the way they
went out with barely an hour to run. The companys own GT4 entry, starring works driver
Darren Turner was second in class after 16 hours, before a long repair for damage dropped
it down the field leaving the Team Pflanz V8 Vantage to lead Aston Martins GT4 effort
with seventh place in the class, after another tough fight. And the penultimate Nrburgring
VLN round, in October, underlined in the best possible way GT4s role as a significant
first step on the GT racing ladder. In a field of some 190 starters, Joachim Kern made the
leap from novice to Nrburgring racer, as the first customer graduate of Aston Martins
seven-stage Driving Academy sharing the V8 Vantage GT4 nicknamed Smurf with the
Academys Chief Instructor, Andreas Glden.
But the hardest fight of all in Aston Martins GT4 season was in the Aston Martin GT4 Challenge
of Great Britain, organised by the Aston Martin Owners Club. The format mixes race lengths from
60 minutes to three hours, includes mandatory pit-stops and allows one, two or three drivers
per car. The races were at Silverstone, Snetterton, Donington Park, Oulton Park and Brands
Hatch, as well as Spa in July and Dijon for the finale in September. The fight came down to a
last-round head-to-head between Nicholas Mee Racing and Generation AMR, who went to the
three-hour Dijon race level on points after the first nine rounds. Generation AMR had won the
opener at Silverstone (where the driver roll-call included Aston Martin Chairman David Richards,
Director of Design Marek Reichmann and Red Bull F1 boss Christian Horner); Nicholas Mee won
at Snetterton. But it was Nicholas Mee who clinched the title with their fifth win, as Karsten
Le Blanc hung on to slicks as rain hit the closing laps of the race.
It was a cliff-hanging end to a season where GT4 delivered all you could ask for.
201 2 favouri tes
In its third season, the Aston Martin
GT4 Challenge of Great Britain has some
significant tweaks with races increased
from 90 minutes to 2 hours. As before,
the series will visit home favourites
Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Donington
Park and the icing on the cake, Spa-
Francorchamps in September. And with
25 drivers taking part in the recent Test
Day, theres every chance of 20-car
grids for 2012.
Theres another major incentive to join
the series, too. On 16 June, as part of
the Aston Martin Festival Le Mans 2012,
the traditional 45-minute one-marque
race before the 24-Hours will be for
Aston Martin GT3 and GT4 cars with a
guaranteed entry for any driver registered
in the 2012 GT4 Challenge. It should be
a great way to become a Le Mans driver.
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
A S T ON MA R T I N
9 8
T OP OF T HE CL AS S
German-based team Mathol Racing can rightly claim to be the most successful Aston Martin
customer team of all in 2011. Building on a class win in the 2010 Nrburgring 24-Hours
race, the team undertook a gruelling 2011 campaign, regularly running two or three cars in
the Nrburgring VLN endurance championship.
Regular drivers Wolfgang Weber, Norbert Bermes and Rickard Nilsson took their V8 Vantage
to its seventh class win of the year at the tenth and final VLN round the 36th DMV
Mnsterlandpokal Four-Hour race, to round off a most successful 2011 season.
Reflecting on the season, Aston Martins Head of Motorsport, David King said, Mathol
Racing is a young but ambitious team who have achieved fantastic results for us in the SP10
class over the past two seasons. I thank them for their efforts and congratulate them on
their successes. Im sure they will build on this to achieve even more in the future.
CroWNi NG GL orY
Aston Martin Racings official partner
team Hexis AMR has added another
chapter to the DBR9s seven-year
success story, clinching the FIA GT1
World Championship title in exciting
fashion in Argentina on 6 November.
At the Lago Potrero de los Funes
circuit, the no.3 Aston Martin DB9-
derived racing car of Hexis AMR scored
a strong podium result, with the no.4
Hexis AMR DBR9 finishing in fifth
position, propelling them to the top of
the teams standings and onto World
Championship glory.
Philippe Dumas, Hexis AMR Team
Principal, said: Its just an incredible
moment. It seems everyone in the
paddock is happy that we took the
World Championship. The suspense
during the final race was incredible,
but the result was just magical.
Over the course of the 20-race FIA GT1
World Championship season, the pair
of Aston Martin Racing official partner
teams scored five race wins between
them and a total of 22 podiums.
THE34I47RESIDENCES
AT PAN PENINSULA.
LONDONS HIGHEST
RESIDENTIAL APARTMENTS.
PRICES ON APPLICATION.
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR
TO REQUEST A VIEWING,PLEASE CALL
UKFREEPHONE08081182240
INTERNATIONAL+44(0)2070019650
www.panpeninsula.com
LIVE
ABOVE
ALL ELSE
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
A S T ON MA R T I N
9 8
T OP OF T HE CL AS S
German-based team Mathol Racing can rightly claim to be the most successful Aston Martin
customer team of all in 2011. Building on a class win in the 2010 Nrburgring 24-Hours
race, the team undertook a gruelling 2011 campaign, regularly running two or three cars in
the Nrburgring VLN endurance championship.
Regular drivers Wolfgang Weber, Norbert Bermes and Rickard Nilsson took their V8 Vantage
to its seventh class win of the year at the tenth and final VLN round the 36th DMV
Mnsterlandpokal Four-Hour race, to round off a most successful 2011 season.
Reflecting on the season, Aston Martins Head of Motorsport, David King said, Mathol
Racing is a young but ambitious team who have achieved fantastic results for us in the SP10
class over the past two seasons. I thank them for their efforts and congratulate them on
their successes. Im sure they will build on this to achieve even more in the future.
CroWNi NG GL orY
Aston Martin Racings official partner
team Hexis AMR has added another
chapter to the DBR9s seven-year
success story, clinching the FIA GT1
World Championship title in exciting
fashion in Argentina on 6 November.
At the Lago Potrero de los Funes
circuit, the no.3 Aston Martin DB9-
derived racing car of Hexis AMR scored
a strong podium result, with the no.4
Hexis AMR DBR9 finishing in fifth
position, propelling them to the top of
the teams standings and onto World
Championship glory.
Philippe Dumas, Hexis AMR Team
Principal, said: Its just an incredible
moment. It seems everyone in the
paddock is happy that we took the
World Championship. The suspense
during the final race was incredible,
but the result was just magical.
Over the course of the 20-race FIA GT1
World Championship season, the pair
of Aston Martin Racing official partner
teams scored five race wins between
them and a total of 22 podiums.
THE34I47RESIDENCES
AT PAN PENINSULA.
LONDONS HIGHEST
RESIDENTIAL APARTMENTS.
PRICES ON APPLICATION.
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR
TO REQUEST A VIEWING,PLEASE CALL
UKFREEPHONE08081182240
INTERNATIONAL+44(0)2070019650
www.panpeninsula.com
LIVE
ABOVE
ALL ELSE
A S T ON MA R T I N WOR K S
1 0 0 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
1 0 1 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
n e w s
WORKS LIFE
WORKS LIFE
More and more Aston Martin enthusiasts
are taking advantage of the Works Tailored
programme at Newport Pagnells Works Service
facility a seemingly limitless opportunity
to customise your Aston Martin, or indeed
Aston Martins. Whether finished in special,
non-standard colours, trimmed with bespoke
interiors or fitted with special equipment such
as cameras or sound systems, Aston Martins
in-house design department are ready and
waiting to guide customers through the
realisation of their dream from an initial
moodboard to demonstrate potential
combinations of accessories, wheels and
paintwork, right through to delivery.
Take the latest awe-inspiring commission to roll
out of Aston Martin Works Service, pictured
here: no less than eight brightly liveried
Race Collection models, dispatched to an
Aston Martin customer in China. This series
of V8 Vantage cars, inspired by some of the
marques most successful GT racers, boasts an
eclectic mix of hues: orange, black, green, blue,
white and yellow, all complete with sumptuous
leather interiors and trim in complementary
and contrasting leather hides; black mixed with
cream, green mixed with yellow The finished
result is a dazzling octet of potent sports cars.
Whether for those who wish for something
truly unique, or the enthusiast who wishes to
test the extremes, Aston Martin Works Tailored
is certainly the place to indulge, especially given
the huge wealth of experience shared by the
Works Service team. And its not only for new
owners any model, so long as its part of the
current range, is eligible for treatment.
For further information, visit astonmartin.com
or call Aston Martin Works Service on
+44 (0)1908 216439
Aston Martin Works Service is now pleased to offer
customers a bespoke load-space cover to help keep
their Rapide in showroom condition. Available in
Black Alcantara only, the cover is designed to fit over
the lowered rear sears and centre console, offering
protection against leather upholstery scuffs and rips.
The cover boasts the Aston Martin logo and comes
complete with a storage bag when the cover is not in
use. Perfect for regular luggage loaders and golfers.
The loadspace cover is not just available from Works
Service it is available from all dealers globally.
UNDER COVER
As Simon de Burton reports from page 104,
next year sees the ribbon being cut on an
exciting redevelopment of Aston Martins
famed Newport Pagnell site, including a
brand-new dealership front of house. The
last sports car to be built on Tickford Street
before production was entirely centralised
at the companys HQ in Gaydon was the
Vanquish, so it seems fitting that Aston
Martin Works Service offer Vanquish
owners something rather special.
The new, free-of-charge, multi-point
inspection offers a personalised inspection
of your Vanquish by one of Works Services
factory-trained technicians, many of
whom actually built the Vanquish model
until 2007. The procedure starts with a
briefing, where the customer is given the
opportunity to highlight any concerns
or request information on any of Works
Services upgrades, which includes multi-
view cameras and manual transmission
conversions. Youre then offered the rare
opportunity to look underneath the car
and ask any questions. Customers are then
invited to accompany the technician on a
road test, discussing vehicle dynamics in
real time, and on return to the dealership
the findings are discussed. Whats more,
your car will even enjoy a full valet while
you discuss your needs back at base.
Impeccable, professional and world-class
service, as youd expect from Aston Martin.
Aston Martin Works Service attended the
internationally renowned Goodwood Revival
in Sussex for the first time in September to
showcase the capabilities of their Heritage
Centre. Over 140,000 people attended the
three-day celebration of all things vintage
and automotive, with many visiting the retro-
styled Aston Martin paddock to admire a
recently restored DB5 convertible and a barn-
find DB MkIII. The team received 50 formal
enquiries and even a commission to restore
one owners DB2. Heritage Centre Manager
Nigel Woodward stated, The Revival is our
natural marketplace, attracting thousands
of collectors, many of whom were actively
looking to purchase or restore Aston Martins.
The Goodwood circuit has a long association
with our marque and it is interesting to note
that the pace cars and safety cars for the
event were both Aston Martins: a DB5 and a
DB4 Zagato!
RACING COLOURS
The possi bi l i t i es ar e endl ess wi t h Wor ks Tai l or ed
what ever pai nt scheme or t r i m you can dr eam up,
t he chances ar e your vi si on can t r anspi r e i nt o a r eal i t y
AT YOUR SERVICE
ADVANTAGE
VANQUISH
1 0 0 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
1 0 1 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
n e w s
WORKS LIFE
WORKS LIFE
More and more Aston Martin enthusiasts
are taking advantage of the Works Tailored
programme at Newport Pagnells Works Service
facility a seemingly limitless opportunity
to customise your Aston Martin, or indeed
Aston Martins. Whether finished in special,
non-standard colours, trimmed with bespoke
interiors or fitted with special equipment such
as cameras or sound systems, Aston Martins
in-house design department are ready and
waiting to guide customers through the
realisation of their dream from an initial
moodboard to demonstrate potential
combinations of accessories, wheels and
paintwork, right through to delivery.
Take the latest awe-inspiring commission to roll
out of Aston Martin Works Service, pictured
here: no less than eight brightly liveried
Race Collection models, dispatched to an
Aston Martin customer in China. This series
of V8 Vantage cars, inspired by some of the
marques most successful GT racers, boasts an
eclectic mix of hues: orange, black, green, blue,
white and yellow, all complete with sumptuous
leather interiors and trim in complementary
and contrasting leather hides; black mixed with
cream, green mixed with yellow The finished
result is a dazzling octet of potent sports cars.
Whether for those who wish for something
truly unique, or the enthusiast who wishes to
test the extremes, Aston Martin Works Tailored
is certainly the place to indulge, especially given
the huge wealth of experience shared by the
Works Service team. And its not only for new
owners any model, so long as its part of the
current range, is eligible for treatment.
For further information, visit astonmartin.com
or call Aston Martin Works Service on
+44 (0)1908 216439
Aston Martin Works Service is now pleased to offer
customers a bespoke load-space cover to help keep
their Rapide in showroom condition. Available in
Black Alcantara only, the cover is designed to fit over
the lowered rear sears and centre console, offering
protection against leather upholstery scuffs and rips.
The cover boasts the Aston Martin logo and comes
complete with a storage bag when the cover is not in
use. Perfect for regular luggage loaders and golfers.
The loadspace cover is not just available from Works
Service it is available from all dealers globally.
UNDER COVER
As Simon de Burton reports from page 104,
next year sees the ribbon being cut on an
exciting redevelopment of Aston Martins
famed Newport Pagnell site, including a
brand-new dealership front of house. The
last sports car to be built on Tickford Street
before production was entirely centralised
at the companys HQ in Gaydon was the
Vanquish, so it seems fitting that Aston
Martin Works Service offer Vanquish
owners something rather special.
The new, free-of-charge, multi-point
inspection offers a personalised inspection
of your Vanquish by one of Works Services
factory-trained technicians, many of
whom actually built the Vanquish model
until 2007. The procedure starts with a
briefing, where the customer is given the
opportunity to highlight any concerns
or request information on any of Works
Services upgrades, which includes multi-
view cameras and manual transmission
conversions. Youre then offered the rare
opportunity to look underneath the car
and ask any questions. Customers are then
invited to accompany the technician on a
road test, discussing vehicle dynamics in
real time, and on return to the dealership
the findings are discussed. Whats more,
your car will even enjoy a full valet while
you discuss your needs back at base.
Impeccable, professional and world-class
service, as youd expect from Aston Martin.
Aston Martin Works Service attended the
internationally renowned Goodwood Revival
in Sussex for the first time in September to
showcase the capabilities of their Heritage
Centre. Over 140,000 people attended the
three-day celebration of all things vintage
and automotive, with many visiting the retro-
styled Aston Martin paddock to admire a
recently restored DB5 convertible and a barn-
find DB MkIII. The team received 50 formal
enquiries and even a commission to restore
one owners DB2. Heritage Centre Manager
Nigel Woodward stated, The Revival is our
natural marketplace, attracting thousands
of collectors, many of whom were actively
looking to purchase or restore Aston Martins.
The Goodwood circuit has a long association
with our marque and it is interesting to note
that the pace cars and safety cars for the
event were both Aston Martins: a DB5 and a
DB4 Zagato!
RACING COLOURS
The possi bi l i t i es ar e endl ess wi t h Wor ks Tai l or ed
what ever pai nt scheme or t r i m you can dr eam up,
t he chances ar e your vi si on can t r anspi r e i nt o a r eal i t y
AT YOUR SERVICE
ADVANTAGE
VANQUISH
1 0 2 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
WORKS LIFE
The overall winners of this years Mille
Miglia road race were Giordano Mozzi
and Stefania Biacca driving a 1933 Aston
Martin Le Mans. The all-Italian pair finished
the 1000-mile course dubbed the worlds
greatest road race by Enzo Ferrari from
Brescia to Rome and back with a final tally
of 28,690 points. The 1933 model originally
had a top speed of 85mph (137km/h) and
acceleration from 050mph (080 km/h)
in 16 seconds.
Quirina Louwmans 1952 Aston Martin
DB3/4 began its Mille Miglia tradition in 1953
when it was part of the Aston Martin racing
team. As one of only five original works team
Aston Martin DB3s, it is a rare and splendid
example of the marques racing heritage.
Past drivers have included Peter Collins and
George Abecassis.
The 2011 Mille Miglia marked Quirinas (or
Queenie as she is known) 11th consecutive
year of driving the DB3. Instantly recognisable
as one of the only all-girls team Queenie finds
that with its 3.0-litre engine and four-speed
transmission this former team DB3 is ideally
suited to this historic round Italy classic.
Quirinas passion for cars started at a very
early age with some of her earliest memories
being sat in the back of a classic car driven
by her grandfather. She combines this love
perfectly with her day job of working in
another family business, the pioneering
skincare and spa brand QMS Medicosmetics
(qmsmedicosmetics.com).
View the DB3/4 at the Louwman Museum
(louwmanmuseum.nl)
A MILLE MIGLIA VETERAN
VICTORY IN BRESCIA
The Aston Martin Owners Club continually
strives to provide Members with the opportunity
to enjoy their Aston Martin affair to the full.
The late Mortimer Morris Goodall Mort to
many friends laid the foundations that have
continued to be the brickwork of the Club:
sharing their Aston Martin passion with like-
minded people.

Racing starts again in May, with an exciting
programme of circuits, sprints, hill climbs, track
days and driving experiences, at well-known
motorsport venues. If you have not joined us
before, 2012 is the year to bring your car onto
the track competitively or for a fun day.
The annual Spring Concours and International
Dinner take place on the 19/20 May weekend.
JOIN THE CLUB
Whats more, our Social Committee
continues to conjure up ideas to give Members
the opportunity to enjoy their membership,
such as a tour of the Rioja region of Spain
and organised trips to Le Mans and Classic
Le Mans.
www.amoc.org
1 0 2 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
WORKS LIFE
The overall winners of this years Mille
Miglia road race were Giordano Mozzi
and Stefania Biacca driving a 1933 Aston
Martin Le Mans. The all-Italian pair finished
the 1000-mile course dubbed the worlds
greatest road race by Enzo Ferrari from
Brescia to Rome and back with a final tally
of 28,690 points. The 1933 model originally
had a top speed of 85mph (137km/h) and
acceleration from 050mph (080 km/h)
in 16 seconds.
Quirina Louwmans 1952 Aston Martin
DB3/4 began its Mille Miglia tradition in 1953
when it was part of the Aston Martin racing
team. As one of only five original works team
Aston Martin DB3s, it is a rare and splendid
example of the marques racing heritage.
Past drivers have included Peter Collins and
George Abecassis.
The 2011 Mille Miglia marked Quirinas (or
Queenie as she is known) 11th consecutive
year of driving the DB3. Instantly recognisable
as one of the only all-girls team Queenie finds
that with its 3.0-litre engine and four-speed
transmission this former team DB3 is ideally
suited to this historic round Italy classic.
Quirinas passion for cars started at a very
early age with some of her earliest memories
being sat in the back of a classic car driven
by her grandfather. She combines this love
perfectly with her day job of working in
another family business, the pioneering
skincare and spa brand QMS Medicosmetics
(qmsmedicosmetics.com).
View the DB3/4 at the Louwman Museum
(louwmanmuseum.nl)
A MILLE MIGLIA VETERAN
VICTORY IN BRESCIA
The Aston Martin Owners Club continually
strives to provide Members with the opportunity
to enjoy their Aston Martin affair to the full.
The late Mortimer Morris Goodall Mort to
many friends laid the foundations that have
continued to be the brickwork of the Club:
sharing their Aston Martin passion with like-
minded people.

Racing starts again in May, with an exciting
programme of circuits, sprints, hill climbs, track
days and driving experiences, at well-known
motorsport venues. If you have not joined us
before, 2012 is the year to bring your car onto
the track competitively or for a fun day.
The annual Spring Concours and International
Dinner take place on the 19/20 May weekend.
JOIN THE CLUB
Whats more, our Social Committee
continues to conjure up ideas to give Members
the opportunity to enjoy their membership,
such as a tour of the Rioja region of Spain
and organised trips to Le Mans and Classic
Le Mans.
www.amoc.org
Auto-RestoRAtion
A fresh chapter i n Aston Marti ns 56-year rel ati onshi p wi th the
Bucki nghamshi re town of Newport Pagnel l i s due to begi n i n
Apri l 2012 wi th the openi ng of Works Servi ces bi ggest restorati on
j ob yet on i tsel f. Its newl y refurbi shed front-of-house wi l l
effecti vel y serve as a one-stop shop for anythi ng and everythi ng
rel ati ng to the marque, most notabl y a brand-new deal ershi p
offeri ng new and heri tage cars. simon de Burton reports
A S T ON MA R T I N
1 0 4 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
e x p a n s i o n
1 0 5 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
Auto-RestoRAtion
A fresh chapter i n Aston Marti ns 56-year rel ati onshi p wi th the
Bucki nghamshi re town of Newport Pagnel l i s due to begi n i n
Apri l 2012 wi th the openi ng of Works Servi ces bi ggest restorati on
j ob yet on i tsel f. Its newl y refurbi shed front-of-house wi l l
effecti vel y serve as a one-stop shop for anythi ng and everythi ng
rel ati ng to the marque, most notabl y a brand-new deal ershi p
offeri ng new and heri tage cars. simon de Burton reports
A S T ON MA R T I N
1 0 4 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
e x p a n s i o n
1 0 5 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
It was back in 1955 that Aston Martins then owner, David Brown,
purchased the former site of coachbuilder Salmon and Sons in the towns
Tickford Street to use as a base for building both Aston Martins and
Lagondas, a purpose it served until production moved to Gaydon in 2007.

But for many enthusiasts around the world, Newport Pagnell is still the
spiritual home of Aston Martin, a feeling reinforced by the fact that it has
continued as the location of Works Service and, fittingly, is the place where
a heritage car will end up when an owner decides to treat it to a famously
meticulous Works Service restoration.

Beyond all this, however, is the significance of Works Service to the specialist
and highly skilled personnel and to the community of Newport Pagnell.
The employees and townsfolk have long regarded their role in the
development of Aston Martin with considerable pride, and it is no
exaggeration to say that Works Service has become an integral part of
the community. This was a pivotal factor in the decision to embark on the
multi-million pound expansion project which got underway in October and
will see a number of dramatic changes at the site, not least of which will be
the creation of Aston Martin Newport Pagnell, a sleek, new building which
will serve as the base for a dealership offering a wide range of new, used
and heritage Aston Martins - the first company-owned dealership to be
created since the closure of the firms London showrooms in Cheval Place
and Sloane Street during the early 1990s.

The new building which has been designed in line with the corporate identity
that makes Aston Martin showrooms worldwide instantly recognisable
will also incorporate the recently-formed Works Tailored department
which enables clients to create a bespoke car - be it brand new or a heritage
model - by combining individual colours, materials and finishes.
A large hardstanding area will provide space for cars to be effectively
displayed outside the showroom, and a circular link road bordering
the entire site will ensure easy access to all the individual elements of the
new development.

I think the best way to describe the project is as a centre of excellence
for all things Aston Martin, says Kingsley Riding-Felce, Director of Works
Service and Parts Operations. We began discussing the idea of expansion
in early 2010, partly because so many clients from around the world had
expressed the desire for a fully-integrated Aston Martin location where they
could access every service we have to offer, from repairs and restoration
to car sales and Works Tailored. Plans were formalised in June this year,
and we expect the development to be completed in time for the annual
Bonhams Aston Martin auction that traditionally takes place in May just
one event that will benefit from the superb facilities that the new building
will provide.

Kingsley adds that the purpose-built dealership will be one of the largest
Aston Martin showrooms in the world and will be unique in offering both
new, pre-owned and heritage cars, all of which will be prepared to the
typically meticulous Works Service standards.

The development is not just confined to creating the new dealership,
but will extend to all other Works Service areas, he explains. This means
upgrading the workshops for both new model servicing and repairs to fit
in with the current corporate identity these are areas that clients have
expressed an interest in being able to experience.
The people of Newport Pagnell are absolutely delighted with the
plans because it reinforces the link with Aston Martin that was first
forged in 1954 when David Brown bought the Tickford Street premises.
The expansion will also mean an increase in the Works Services workforce
which will probably grow to around 70 personnel on-site.

The history of Works Service can be traced back to 1924, 11 years after
the marque was created by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford. Originally
known simply as the Service Department, it became Works Service
following the move to Tickford Street. From dealing with no more than a
handful of cars per month in the early stages, it now handles the service,
repair and restoration of up to 2,500 Aston Martins and Lagondas from
more than 30 countries each year.

After many years, we have established ourselves as a leader in
Aston Martin service, repair and restoration at Newport Pagnell and now
boast a remarkable level of experience within our ranks, says Kingsley.
The opportunity to now be able to invest in our buildings and bring them
to the same high standard as our knowledge and skill is very exciting
indeed. The integrated plan will considerably enhance our capabilities to
cater for customer demands not just as they are now, but also well into
the future.
A S T ON MA R T I N
1 0 6 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
e x p a n s i o n
1 0 7 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
The new bui l di ng wi l l al so i ncorporate the recentl y formed Works Tai l ored department, whi ch enabl es cl i ents to
create a bespoke car be it brand new or a heritage model by combining individual colours, materials and finishes
ABOVE: Tickford Streets Aston Martin Works Service facility has frequently reinvented itself, ever since the golden DB years of the sixties.
It was back in 1955 that Aston Martins then owner, David Brown,
purchased the former site of coachbuilder Salmon and Sons in the towns
Tickford Street to use as a base for building both Aston Martins and
Lagondas, a purpose it served until production moved to Gaydon in 2007.

But for many enthusiasts around the world, Newport Pagnell is still the
spiritual home of Aston Martin, a feeling reinforced by the fact that it has
continued as the location of Works Service and, fittingly, is the place where
a heritage car will end up when an owner decides to treat it to a famously
meticulous Works Service restoration.

Beyond all this, however, is the significance of Works Service to the specialist
and highly skilled personnel and to the community of Newport Pagnell.
The employees and townsfolk have long regarded their role in the
development of Aston Martin with considerable pride, and it is no
exaggeration to say that Works Service has become an integral part of
the community. This was a pivotal factor in the decision to embark on the
multi-million pound expansion project which got underway in October and
will see a number of dramatic changes at the site, not least of which will be
the creation of Aston Martin Newport Pagnell, a sleek, new building which
will serve as the base for a dealership offering a wide range of new, used
and heritage Aston Martins - the first company-owned dealership to be
created since the closure of the firms London showrooms in Cheval Place
and Sloane Street during the early 1990s.

The new building which has been designed in line with the corporate identity
that makes Aston Martin showrooms worldwide instantly recognisable
will also incorporate the recently-formed Works Tailored department
which enables clients to create a bespoke car - be it brand new or a heritage
model - by combining individual colours, materials and finishes.
A large hardstanding area will provide space for cars to be effectively
displayed outside the showroom, and a circular link road bordering
the entire site will ensure easy access to all the individual elements of the
new development.

I think the best way to describe the project is as a centre of excellence
for all things Aston Martin, says Kingsley Riding-Felce, Director of Works
Service and Parts Operations. We began discussing the idea of expansion
in early 2010, partly because so many clients from around the world had
expressed the desire for a fully-integrated Aston Martin location where they
could access every service we have to offer, from repairs and restoration
to car sales and Works Tailored. Plans were formalised in June this year,
and we expect the development to be completed in time for the annual
Bonhams Aston Martin auction that traditionally takes place in May just
one event that will benefit from the superb facilities that the new building
will provide.

Kingsley adds that the purpose-built dealership will be one of the largest
Aston Martin showrooms in the world and will be unique in offering both
new, pre-owned and heritage cars, all of which will be prepared to the
typically meticulous Works Service standards.

The development is not just confined to creating the new dealership,
but will extend to all other Works Service areas, he explains. This means
upgrading the workshops for both new model servicing and repairs to fit
in with the current corporate identity these are areas that clients have
expressed an interest in being able to experience.
The people of Newport Pagnell are absolutely delighted with the
plans because it reinforces the link with Aston Martin that was first
forged in 1954 when David Brown bought the Tickford Street premises.
The expansion will also mean an increase in the Works Services workforce
which will probably grow to around 70 personnel on-site.

The history of Works Service can be traced back to 1924, 11 years after
the marque was created by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford. Originally
known simply as the Service Department, it became Works Service
following the move to Tickford Street. From dealing with no more than a
handful of cars per month in the early stages, it now handles the service,
repair and restoration of up to 2,500 Aston Martins and Lagondas from
more than 30 countries each year.

After many years, we have established ourselves as a leader in
Aston Martin service, repair and restoration at Newport Pagnell and now
boast a remarkable level of experience within our ranks, says Kingsley.
The opportunity to now be able to invest in our buildings and bring them
to the same high standard as our knowledge and skill is very exciting
indeed. The integrated plan will considerably enhance our capabilities to
cater for customer demands not just as they are now, but also well into
the future.
A S T ON MA R T I N
1 0 6 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
e x p a n s i o n
1 0 7 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
The new bui l di ng wi l l al so i ncorporate the recentl y formed Works Tai l ored department, whi ch enabl es cl i ents to
create a bespoke car be it brand new or a heritage model by combining individual colours, materials and finishes
ABOVE: Tickford Streets Aston Martin Works Service facility has frequently reinvented itself, ever since the golden DB years of the sixties.
MODEL RANGE
PURE ASTON MARTIN
ONE - 7 7 _ I I
V 1 2 Z A GAT O_ I I I
DB S _ I V
V I R A GE _ V
R A P I DE _ V I
DB 9 _ V I I
V 1 2 VA NTA GE _ V I I I
V 8 VA NTA GE & V 8 VA NTA GE S _ I X
C Y GNE T _ X
A S T ON MA R T I N
New Aston Martin DB6 bumpers have been unavailable for 15 years.
As the original supplier closed in the 1980s, and the tooling had since
disappeared, Aston Martins Heritage Operations team at Wolverton Mill
near Milton Keynes have had their work cut out to provide their usual
high level of support to DB-era car owners, even taking the decision to
manufacture the bumpers from scratch.
Its not as simple as you might think. A few stainless-steel versions had
been produced by independent suppliers, but they were very heavy and,
of course, not the genuine article. Partly due to the increased value of the
cars, and with more being restored globally, the number of enquiries for
the genuine and more valuable original started to rise. The Heritage team
began to contact potential suppliers, often a challenge when low volumes
are required, and draft costings were finally obtained for tooling and
production pressings.
Luckily, one set of perfect, original bumpers were loaned by a helpful and
enthusiastic owner, and in a twist to the tale, a set of original engineering
production drawings for the DB6s bumpers were found. A sizeable batch
of miscellaneous drawings had been found in the famous old three-storey
building at Newport Pagnell, just prior to production finishing there in
2007. Staff estimated they had been there since the 1960s. They were
duly taken back to the Parts Operations Archive at Wolverton Mill for
identification and assessment, when one of the team stumbled across the
full set of original drawings for the DB6 bumpers. After some restoration
work, the drawings could be scanned onto Heritage Operations electronic
database of over 28,000 engineering drawings, and finally used to create
the bumpers press tooling.
The finished article is, as you would expect, immaculate. Adjustable
mountings allow for the differences in handcrafted body panels, and
the parts are supplied unchromed and with extra material to allow for
fettling to create perfect body gaps. With such dedication and painstaking
attention to detail, owners of Heritage Aston Martins can have complete
confidence to enjoy their cars to the full, in the knowledge that they have
best-in-class support, both in terms of parts availability and technical
expertise. After all, Heritage Aston Martins are built to be driven on the
road, not kept in museums.
DB6 bumpers are now on the shelf and available to order from
Aston Martin Heritage Specialists and Main Dealers.
1 0 8 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
B U MP E R T O B U MP E R
Aston Marti n Heri tage Operati ons provi des
i n-depth support for Aston Marti n and
Lagonda model s from the 1958 DB4 al l the
way through to the Vanqui sh of 2007, and
i s total l y commi tted to keepi ng these rare
cars on the road. Over 23,000 i ndi vi dual
parts l i nes are kept i n stock, from a DB4 GT
cyl i nder head to a compl ete DB7 body shel l ,
al l to ori gi nal factory speci fi cati ons but i f
i t i s not i n stock, Aston Marti n wi l l make you
one. Such as a DB6 bumper, for exampl e
MODEL RANGE
PURE ASTON MARTIN
ONE - 7 7 _ I I
V 1 2 Z A GAT O_ I I I
DB S _ I V
V I R A GE _ V
R A P I DE _ V I
DB 9 _ V I I
V 1 2 VA NTA GE _ V I I I
V 8 VA NTA GE & V 8 VA NTA GE S _ I X
C Y GNE T _ X
A S T ON MA R T I N
New Aston Martin DB6 bumpers have been unavailable for 15 years.
As the original supplier closed in the 1980s, and the tooling had since
disappeared, Aston Martins Heritage Operations team at Wolverton Mill
near Milton Keynes have had their work cut out to provide their usual
high level of support to DB-era car owners, even taking the decision to
manufacture the bumpers from scratch.
Its not as simple as you might think. A few stainless-steel versions had
been produced by independent suppliers, but they were very heavy and,
of course, not the genuine article. Partly due to the increased value of the
cars, and with more being restored globally, the number of enquiries for
the genuine and more valuable original started to rise. The Heritage team
began to contact potential suppliers, often a challenge when low volumes
are required, and draft costings were finally obtained for tooling and
production pressings.
Luckily, one set of perfect, original bumpers were loaned by a helpful and
enthusiastic owner, and in a twist to the tale, a set of original engineering
production drawings for the DB6s bumpers were found. A sizeable batch
of miscellaneous drawings had been found in the famous old three-storey
building at Newport Pagnell, just prior to production finishing there in
2007. Staff estimated they had been there since the 1960s. They were
duly taken back to the Parts Operations Archive at Wolverton Mill for
identification and assessment, when one of the team stumbled across the
full set of original drawings for the DB6 bumpers. After some restoration
work, the drawings could be scanned onto Heritage Operations electronic
database of over 28,000 engineering drawings, and finally used to create
the bumpers press tooling.
The finished article is, as you would expect, immaculate. Adjustable
mountings allow for the differences in handcrafted body panels, and
the parts are supplied unchromed and with extra material to allow for
fettling to create perfect body gaps. With such dedication and painstaking
attention to detail, owners of Heritage Aston Martins can have complete
confidence to enjoy their cars to the full, in the knowledge that they have
best-in-class support, both in terms of parts availability and technical
expertise. After all, Heritage Aston Martins are built to be driven on the
road, not kept in museums.
DB6 bumpers are now on the shelf and available to order from
Aston Martin Heritage Specialists and Main Dealers.
1 0 8 I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
B U MP E R T O B U MP E R
Aston Marti n Heri tage Operati ons provi des
i n-depth support for Aston Marti n and
Lagonda model s from the 1958 DB4 al l the
way through to the Vanqui sh of 2007, and
i s total l y commi tted to keepi ng these rare
cars on the road. Over 23,000 i ndi vi dual
parts l i nes are kept i n stock, from a DB4 GT
cyl i nder head to a compl ete DB7 body shel l ,
al l to ori gi nal factory speci fi cati ons but i f
i t i s not i n stock, Aston Marti n wi l l make you
one. Such as a DB6 bumper, for exampl e
A S T O N M A R T I N
I I I I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
I I I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
On e - 7 7
For a st r i ct l y l i mi t ed number of di scer ni ng cust omer s, One-77 f uses advanced
t echnol ogy wi t h st unni ng Ast on Mar t i n desi gn t o cr eat e what i s possi bl y t he wor l d s
most desi rabl e aut omot i ve ar t f or m
V 1 2 Z a g a t o
Ast on Mar t i n and Zagat o ar e cel ebrat i ng 50 year s of t hei r f amous par t ner shi p i n
2011 wi t h yet anot her st unni ng r ei nt epr et at i on of Ast on Mar t i n s l egendar y l i nes
a V12-power ed nat ural -bor n racer whose ear l y pr ot ot ypes pr oved t hei r met t l e at t he
Nr bur gr i ng i n J une, now i n st r i ct l y l i mi t ed pr oduct i on f or a l ucky 150 cust omer s
BODY
Two-seat, two-door coupe
Carbon-fibre monocoque structure
Hand-crafted aluminium body panels
Active aerodynamics with
deployable spoiler
ENGINE
Alloy quad overhead camshaft,
48-valve, 7312 cc V12
Front mid-mounted engine,
rear-wheel drive
Max power 559 kW
(750 bhp/760 PS)
Max torque 750 Nm at 5500 rpm
TRANSMISSION
Rear mid-mounted, six-speed
automated manual gearbox with
auto shift manual/select shift
manual (ASM/SSM) electric
hydraulic control system
Magnesium alloy torque tube
with carbon fibre propeller shaft
Limited-slip differential
T E C H N I C A L S P E C I F I CAT I O N
BODY
Two-door, two-seat coupe body
ENGINE
All-alloy quad overhead camshaft
48-valve 5935 cc V12
Max power 380 kW
(510 bhp/517 PS) at 6500 rpm
Max torque 570 Nm (420 lb ft)
at 5750 rpm
Acceleration 0100 km/h (62 mph)
in 4.2 seconds
Max speed 305 km/h (190 mph)
TRANSMISSION
Rear mid-mounted six-speed
manual gearbox.
Alloy torque tube with carbon-fibre
propeller shaft
CO2 EMISSIONS
388 g/km
I I I I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
I I I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
On e - 7 7
For a st r i ct l y l i mi t ed number of di scer ni ng cust omer s, One-77 f uses advanced
t echnol ogy wi t h st unni ng Ast on Mar t i n desi gn t o cr eat e what i s possi bl y t he wor l d s
most desi rabl e aut omot i ve ar t f or m
V 1 2 Z a g a t o
Ast on Mar t i n and Zagat o ar e cel ebrat i ng 50 year s of t hei r f amous par t ner shi p i n
2011 wi t h yet anot her st unni ng r ei nt epr et at i on of Ast on Mar t i n s l egendar y l i nes
a V12-power ed nat ural -bor n racer whose ear l y pr ot ot ypes pr oved t hei r met t l e at t he
Nr bur gr i ng i n J une, now i n st r i ct l y l i mi t ed pr oduct i on f or a l ucky 150 cust omer s
BODY
Two-seat, two-door coupe
Carbon-fibre monocoque structure
Hand-crafted aluminium body panels
Active aerodynamics with
deployable spoiler
ENGINE
Alloy quad overhead camshaft,
48-valve, 7312 cc V12
Front mid-mounted engine,
rear-wheel drive
Max power 559 kW
(750 bhp/760 PS)
Max torque 750 Nm at 5500 rpm
TRANSMISSION
automated manual gearbox with
auto shift manual/select shift
manual (ASM/SSM) electric
hydraulic control system
Magnesium alloy torque tube
with carbon fibre propeller shaft
BODY
ENGINE
Max power 380 kW
(510 bhp/517 PS) at 6500 rpm
at 5750 rpm
in 4.2 seconds
TRANSMISSION
manual gearbox.
propeller shaft
CO2 EMISSIONS
388 g/km
V I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
I V I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
DB S [ C O U P E & V O L A N T E ] & D B S C A R B O N E D I T I O N
Seducti vel y powerful and exqui si tel y f i ni shed, the Aston Marti n DBS i s the ul ti mate
bl end of ref i ned performance and mi ni mal i st l uxury
V i r a g e [ C O U P E & V O L A N T E ]
The Ast on Mar t i n Vi rage i s a new br eed of handcraf t ed l uxur y spor t s GT. Power ed by
an ef f or t l essl y muscul ar V12 engi ne mat ed t o a smoot hl y r esponsi ve paddl e-shi f t
Toucht r oni c 2 aut omat i c t ransmi ssi on, t he Vi rage i s a l esson i n di scr eet st yl e and
assur ed per f or mance: el egant , opul ent , excl usi ve and seduct i vel y under st at ed
BODY
Two-door coupe body style
with 2+0 seating or soft-cover
convertible top body style with
2+2 seating
ENGINE
All-alloy, quad overhead camshaft,
48-valve, 5935 cc V12
Max power 380 kW
(510 bhp/517 PS) at 6500 rpm
at 5750 rpm
Acceleration 0100 km/h
(62 mph) in 4.3 sec
Max speed (manual/)
305 km/h (190 mph)
Max speed (Touchtronic 2)
295 km/h (183 mph)
TRANSMISSION
manual gearbox
Rear mid-mounted Touchtronic 2
six-speed gearbox with electronic
shift-by-wire control system
CO2 EMISSIONS
388 g/km
1
manual
367 g/km
1
automatic
BODY
Two-door coupe or soft-cover
2+2 seating
ENGINE
48-valve, 5935 cc V12
Max power 365 kW
(490 bhp/497 PS) at 6500 rpm
at 5750 rpm
in 4.6 seconds
TRANSMISSION
Rear mid-mounted, Touchtronic 2
six-speed automatic gearbox with
electronic shift-by-wire control system
propeller shaft
CO2 EMISSIONS
349 g/km
V I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
I V I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
DB S [ C O U P E & V O L A N T E ] & D B S C A R B O N E D I T I O N
Seducti vel y powerful and exqui si tel y f i ni shed, the Aston Marti n DBS i s the ul ti mate
bl end of ref i ned performance and mi ni mal i st l uxury
V i r a g e [ C O U P E & V O L A N T E ]
The Ast on Mar t i n Vi rage i s a new br eed of handcraf t ed l uxur y spor t s GT. Power ed by
an ef f or t l essl y muscul ar V12 engi ne mat ed t o a smoot hl y r esponsi ve paddl e-shi f t
Toucht r oni c 2 aut omat i c t ransmi ssi on, t he Vi rage i s a l esson i n di scr eet st yl e and
assur ed per f or mance: el egant , opul ent , excl usi ve and seduct i vel y under st at ed
BODY
Two-door coupe body style
with 2+0 seating or soft-cover
2+2 seating
ENGINE
48-valve, 5935 cc V12
Max power 380 kW
(510 bhp/517 PS) at 6500 rpm
at 5750 rpm
(62 mph) in 4.3 sec
Max speed (manual/)
305 km/h (190 mph)
Max speed (Touchtronic 2)
295 km/h (183 mph)
TRANSMISSION
manual gearbox
CO2 EMISSIONS
388 g/km
1
manual
367 g/km
1
automatic
BODY
2+2 seating
ENGINE
48-valve, 5935 cc V12
Max power 365 kW
(490 bhp/497 PS) at 6500 rpm
at 5750 rpm
in 4.6 seconds
TRANSMISSION
six-speed automatic gearbox with
electronic shift-by-wire control system
propeller shaft
CO2 EMISSIONS
349 g/km
V I I I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
V I I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
R a p i d e
Rapi de i s t he wor l d s most el egant f our -door spor t s car. The Rapi de exi st s i n a cl ass
al l of i t s own a st unni ng evol ut i on of Ast on Mar t i n s unmi st akabl e desi gn l anguage,
accommodat i ng f our adul t s i n l uxur y and comf or t wi t h benchmar k l evel s of dr i ver
engagement and r ef i nement
DB 9 [ C O U P E & V O L A N T E ]
The Aston Marti n DB9 i s the qui ntessenti al sporti ng grand tourer a thoroughbred
performance car that combi nes true beauty wi th functi onal i ty. Whether i n Coupe or
Vol ante form, i t offers a supreme combi nati on of dri ver i nvol vement, character,
l uxury and ref i nement
BODY
2+2 seating
ENGINE
48-valve, 5935 cc V12
Max power 350 kW
(470 bhp/477 PS) at 6000 rpm
Max torque 600 Nm
(443 lb.ft) at 5000 rpm
Acceleration 0-100 km/h (62 mph)
in 4.8 sec
TRANSMISSION
six-speed automatic with electronic
propeller shaft
CO2 EMISSIONS
345 g/km
BODY
Four-door body style with tailgate
and 4 individual seats
ENGINE
All-alloy quad overhead camshaft,
Max power 350 kW
(470 bhp/477 PS) at 6000 rpm
Max torque 600 Nm
(443 lb ft) at 5000 rpm
(62 mph) in 5.2 seconds
TRANSMISSION
propeller shaft
CO2 EMISSIONS
355 g/km
V I I I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
V I I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
R a p i d e
Rapi de i s t he wor l d s most el egant f our -door spor t s car. The Rapi de exi st s i n a cl ass
al l of i t s own a st unni ng evol ut i on of Ast on Mar t i n s unmi st akabl e desi gn l anguage,
accommodat i ng f our adul t s i n l uxur y and comf or t wi t h benchmar k l evel s of dr i ver
engagement and r ef i nement
DB 9 [ C O U P E & V O L A N T E ]
The Aston Marti n DB9 i s the qui ntessenti al sporti ng grand tourer a thoroughbred
performance car that combi nes true beauty wi th functi onal i ty. Whether i n Coupe or
Vol ante form, i t offers a supreme combi nati on of dri ver i nvol vement, character,
l uxury and ref i nement
BODY
2+2 seating
ENGINE
48-valve, 5935 cc V12
Max power 350 kW
(470 bhp/477 PS) at 6000 rpm
Max torque 600 Nm
(443 lb.ft) at 5000 rpm
Acceleration 0-100 km/h (62 mph)
in 4.8 sec
TRANSMISSION
six-speed automatic with electronic
propeller shaft
CO2 EMISSIONS
345 g/km
BODY
Four-door body style with tailgate
and 4 individual seats
ENGINE
Max power 350 kW
(470 bhp/477 PS) at 6000 rpm
Max torque 600 Nm
(443 lb ft) at 5000 rpm
(62 mph) in 5.2 seconds
TRANSMISSION
propeller shaft
CO2 EMISSIONS
355 g/km
I X I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
V I I I I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
V 1 2 Va n t a g e
One of t he wor l d s gr eat engi nes cl ot hed i n one of t he most st yl i sh coupes ever
desi gned, t he V12 Vant age i s a uni que and ext raor di nar y Ast on Mar t i n. Compact ,
agi l e and bl i st er i ngl y qui ck, i t i s t he most pot ent of t he Vant age model range
V8 Va n t a g e & V8 Va n t a g e S [ C O U P E & R O A D S T E R ]
A supr eme exampl e of moder n aut omot i ve desi gn, t he V8 Vant age and V8 Vant age S
ar e hand-craf t ed spor t s car s of f er i ng except i onal per f or mance, out st andi ng agi l i t y
and ever yday usabi l i t y
BODY
ENGINE
Max power 380 kW
(510 bhp/517 PS) at 6500 rpm
at 5750 rpm
in 4.2 seconds
TRANSMISSION
manual gearbox.
propeller shaft
CO2 EMISSIONS
388 g/km
BODY
Two-seat, two-door coupe or
soft-cover convertible top body style
ENGINE
32-valve 4735 cc V8
Max power (V8 Vantage) 313 kW
(420 bhp/426 PS) at 7300 rpm
Max power (V8 Vantage S) 321 kW
(430 bhp/436 PS) at 7300 rpm
Max torque (V8 Vantage) 470 Nm
(346 lb ft) at 5000 rpm
Max torque (V8 Vantage S) 490 Nm
(361 lb ft) at 5000 rpm
Acceleration (V8 Vantage)
0100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.9 seconds
(V8 Vantage S data TBC)
Max speed (V8 Vantage)
290 km/h (180 mph)
Max speed (V8 Vantage S)
305 km/h (190 mph)
TRANSMISSION
manual transmission
Sportshift six-speed automated
manual transmission
Rear mid-mounted Sportshift II
seven-speed automated manual
transmission V8 Vantage S
propeller shaft
CO2 EMISSIONS
321 g/km manual
295 g/km Sportshift
299 g/km V8 Vantage S
I X I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
V I I I I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
V 1 2 Va n t a g e
One of t he wor l d s gr eat engi nes cl ot hed i n one of t he most st yl i sh coupes ever
desi gned, t he V12 Vant age i s a uni que and ext raor di nar y Ast on Mar t i n. Compact ,
agi l e and bl i st er i ngl y qui ck, i t i s t he most pot ent of t he Vant age model range
V8 Va n t a g e & V8 Va n t a g e S [ C O U P E & R O A D S T E R ]
A supr eme exampl e of moder n aut omot i ve desi gn, t he V8 Vant age and V8 Vant age S
ar e hand-craf t ed spor t s car s of f er i ng except i onal per f or mance, out st andi ng agi l i t y
and ever yday usabi l i t y
BODY
ENGINE
Max power 380 kW
(510 bhp/517 PS) at 6500 rpm
at 5750 rpm
in 4.2 seconds
TRANSMISSION
manual gearbox.
propeller shaft
CO2 EMISSIONS
388 g/km
BODY
Two-seat, two-door coupe or
soft-cover convertible top body style
ENGINE
32-valve 4735 cc V8
Max power (V8 Vantage) 313 kW
(420 bhp/426 PS) at 7300 rpm
Max power (V8 Vantage S) 321 kW
(430 bhp/436 PS) at 7300 rpm
Max torque (V8 Vantage) 470 Nm
(346 lb ft) at 5000 rpm
Max torque (V8 Vantage S) 490 Nm
(361 lb ft) at 5000 rpm
Acceleration (V8 Vantage)
0100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.9 seconds
(V8 Vantage S data TBC)
Max speed (V8 Vantage)
290 km/h (180 mph)
Max speed (V8 Vantage S)
305 km/h (190 mph)
TRANSMISSION
manual transmission
Sportshift six-speed automated
manual transmission
Rear mid-mounted Sportshift II
seven-speed automated manual
transmission V8 Vantage S
propeller shaft
CO2 EMISSIONS
321 g/km manual
295 g/km Sportshift
299 g/km V8 Vantage S
X I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
Cy g n e t
We ar e movi ng i n a changi ng wor l d. I t i s t i me f or an Ast on Mar t i n Tai l or -Fi t f or
the ci ty. El egant and di sti ncti ve, i ndi vi dual and practi cal , Cygnet i s the l uxury sol uti on
t o ur ban mobi l i t y
BODY
Two door body style with full width
tailgate and four seats
ENGINE
1.33 litre with Variable Valve Timing
(VVT)
4 in-line cylinders
16-valve DOHC (Double
Overhead Camshaft) chain drive
Front mounted engine
and differential
Front-wheel drive
0100 km/h (62 mph) in 11.8
seconds (manual)
0100 km/h (62 mph) in 11.6
seconds (CVT)
Max power 72 kW (97 bhp/98 PS)
TRANSMISSION
6-speed manual (with Stop & Start
technology and gear shift indicator)
Optional Constantly Variable
Transmission (CVT) (with Eco
Driving Indicator)
CO2 EMISSIONS
116 g/km (6-speed manual)
120 g/km (CVT)
Aston Martin Magazine is
published on behalf of
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited
by Affinity Publishing. For all
publishing and advertising
enquiries please contact:
AFFI NI TY PUBLI SHI NG
21 Grosvenor Street
London W1K 4QJ
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)20 7399 9580
F: +44 (0)20 7399 9589
E: info@affinitypublishing.co.uk
www.affinitypublishing.co.uk
ASTON MARTI N
EDI TORI AL TEAM
JANETTE GREEN
Director of Brand
Communications
KINGSLEY RIDING-FELCE
Director of Works Service &
Parts Operations
JOHN MUIRHEAD
Brand Communications Manager
RAPHALE LOHAC-DERBOULLE
Brand Communications Executive
ALEX DOAK
Project Manager,
Affinity Publishing
ASTON MARTI N
HEAD OFFI CES
ASTON MARTIN LAGONDA
Banbury Road
Gaydon
Warwick CV35 0DB
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)1926 644644
F: +44 (0)1926 644333
ASTON MARTIN WORKS SERVICE
Tickford Street
Newport Pagnell
Buckinghamshire MK16 9AN
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)1908 619264
F: +44 (0)1908 216439
E: service2@astonmartin.com
READER ENQUI RI ES
E: ampr@astonmartin.com
PRINTED BY BUXTON PRESS
Aston Martin
(ISSN 2045-3787) is published
quarterly Spring (March), Summer
(May), Autumn (August) and
Winter (November) by Affinity
Publishing UK, 21 Grosvenor
Street, London, W1K 4QJ, UK
and distributed in the USA by
Mail Right Int., 1637 Stelton
Road B4, Piscataway, NJ 08854.
Periodicals Postage Paid at
Piscataway, NJ and additional
mailing offices. POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to
Aston Martin c/o Mail Right
International Inc. 1637 Stelton
Road B4, Piscataway NJ 08854.
ASTON MARTI N
REGI ONAL OFFI CES
THE AMERICAS
9920 Irvine Center Drive
Irvine
CA 92618
USA
T: +1 949 3793100
OF EUROPE GmbH
Unterschweinstiege 2-14
60549 Frankfurt
Germany
T: +49 (0)69 770752001
MIDDLE EAST
PO Box 79680
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
T: +44 (0)1926 644644
ASIA PACIFIC
Ark Mori Building 12F
1-2-32 Akasaka, Minato-Ku
Tokyo
Japan 107-6012
T: +81 (0)3 43609244
ADVERTI SI NG
ENQUI RI ES
Call the advertising sales team
on +44 (0)20 7399 9580 or
email Mavesh Chaudryon
mavesh.chaudry@
affinitypublishing.co.uk
CONTRIBUTORS
Philippe Amis-Santerre,
Jonathan Bell, Rob Crossan,
Simon de Burton, Amanda Fuller,
Avril Groom, Rebecca May Johnson,
Brian Laban, Mark C. OFlaherty,
Patrick C. Paternie, Gareth Rubin,
Amelia Walker, Josh Wood
CREDIT ALSO GOES TO:
David Shepherd (pp10-12);
Janette Green (p12);
Dr Ulrich Bez (pp28-32);
Sam Tarling (p37);
Mohamed El Hebeishy (pp38-42);
Joe Windsor-Williams (pp50-59);
Nick Dimbleby (p55);
dinner.wordpress.com (p84);
James Gibson (p97);
Lee Brimble (p100)
COPYRIGHT 2011 ASTON MARTIN LAGONDA LIMITED. All material strictly copyright and all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior permission of Affinity Publishing
and/or Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is strictly forbidden. All content believed to be correct at time of going to print. The views expressed are not necessarily those of Affinity Publishing or
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited. Aston Martin Lagonda Limited does not officially endorse any advertising material or editorials for third party products included within this publication.
DATA PROTECTION STATEMENT Aston Martin Lagonda Limited (Aston Martin) respects the privacy of every individual who receives the Aston Martin Magazine. Any information collected about
you will be used to fulfil the delivery of the magazine, for readership profiling purposes and for further marketing of Aston Martin products and events. We do this by making appropriate use of
the information. This information will not be disclosed to anyone outside of Aston Martin, its affiliated or associated companies, its agencies, dealers, partners or licensees. It will be treated in
accordance with the relevant legal provisions concerning data protection and may initially be stored and processed inside or outside the European Union anywhere in the world. You have the right
as an individual to find out what information we hold about you and make corrections if necessary; you also have the right to ask us not to use the information. We will make all practical efforts
to respect your wishes.
JOE WINDSOR-WILLIAMS
Our retrospective photostory of the
10 best driving shots featured in
Aston Martin Magazine includes no
fewer than nine from Joe. Over his
17-year career, Joes style has developed
from fashion to specialise in automotive
photography, albeit with a lifestyle vision of
the car, working on advertising campaigns
and editorial, as well as projects for
Aston Martin, Bang & Olufsen, Sunseeker
and Jaeger-LeCoultre. He is based in
London with his wife and family.
MARK C. OFLAHERTY
Mark is a nomadic design and travel
writer and a frequent contributor to the
Financial Times and The Sunday Times
as well as Elle, Blueprint and a
wide variety of international journals.
Mark studied film in London and had
a highly successful career as a music
photographer in the 1990s before
branching into fashion-show production
at London Fashion Week. In this issue,
he explores the current trend for dining
rooms that are designed with similar
extravagance to the food being served.
AVRIL GROOM
Examining the prolific revival of
alternative arts and crafts in the world
of watchmaking is Avril, who has been
writing about fashion and luxury goods,
including watches and jewellery, for more
decades than she now admits. She writes
for a wide range of publications including
the Financial Times How to Spend It
magazine, The Australian newspaper and
American Express Centurion magazine.
GARETH RUBIN
Gareth is a freelance writer based in
the UK and is the author of our feature
examining the brave new world of space
tourism on page 86. He specialises in
travel, news, arts and personal finance,
writing regular features for The Guardian
newspaper amongst others. Not only
a master of the pen, he is also a vocal
trainer and performer. His first novel,
Here I Lie, will be published in 2012.
ISSUE 17
CONTRIBUTORS
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1 1 1 9
A S T ON MA R T I N
X I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1
Cy g n e t
We ar e movi ng i n a changi ng wor l d. I t i s t i me f or an Ast on Mar t i n Tai l or -Fi t f or
the ci ty. El egant and di sti ncti ve, i ndi vi dual and practi cal , Cygnet i s the l uxury sol uti on
t o ur ban mobi l i t y
BODY
Two door body style with full width
tailgate and four seats
ENGINE
1.33 litre with Variable Valve Timing
(VVT)
4 in-line cylinders
16-valve DOHC (Double
Overhead Camshaft) chain drive
Front mounted engine
and differential
Front-wheel drive
0100 km/h (62 mph) in 11.8
seconds (manual)
0100 km/h (62 mph) in 11.6
seconds (CVT)
Max power 72 kW (97 bhp/98 PS)
TRANSMISSION
6-speed manual (with Stop & Start
technology and gear shift indicator)
Optional Constantly Variable
Transmission (CVT) (with Eco
Driving Indicator)
CO2 EMISSIONS
116 g/km (6-speed manual)
120 g/km (CVT)
Aston Martin Magazine is
published on behalf of
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited
by Affinity Publishing. For all
publishing and advertising
enquiries please contact:
AFFI NI TY PUBLI SHI NG
21 Grosvenor Street
London W1K 4QJ
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)20 7399 9580
F: +44 (0)20 7399 9589
E: info@affinitypublishing.co.uk
www.affinitypublishing.co.uk
ASTON MARTI N
EDI TORI AL TEAM
JANETTE GREEN
Director of Brand
Communications
KINGSLEY RIDING-FELCE
Director of Works Service &
Parts Operations
JOHN MUIRHEAD
Brand Communications Manager
RAPHALE LOHAC-DERBOULLE
Brand Communications Executive
ALEX DOAK
Project Manager,
Affinity Publishing
ASTON MARTI N
HEAD OFFI CES
Banbury Road
Gaydon
Warwick CV35 0DB
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)1926 644644
F: +44 (0)1926 644333
ASTON MARTIN WORKS SERVICE
Tickford Street
Newport Pagnell
Buckinghamshire MK16 9AN
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)1908 619264
F: +44 (0)1908 216439
E: service2@astonmartin.com
READER ENQUI RI ES
E: ampr@astonmartin.com
PRINTED BY BUXTON PRESS
Aston Martin
(ISSN 2045-3787) is published
quarterly Spring (March), Summer
(May), Autumn (August) and
Winter (November) by Affinity
Publishing UK, 21 Grosvenor
Street, London, W1K 4QJ, UK
and distributed in the USA by
Mail Right Int., 1637 Stelton
Road B4, Piscataway, NJ 08854.
Periodicals Postage Paid at
Piscataway, NJ and additional
mailing offices. POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to
Aston Martin c/o Mail Right
International Inc. 1637 Stelton
Road B4, Piscataway NJ 08854.
ASTON MARTI N
REGI ONAL OFFI CES
THE AMERICAS
9920 Irvine Center Drive
Irvine
CA 92618
USA
T: +1 949 3793100
OF EUROPE GmbH
Unterschweinstiege 2-14
60549 Frankfurt
Germany
T: +49 (0)69 770752001
MIDDLE EAST
PO Box 79680
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
T: +44 (0)1926 644644
ASIA PACIFIC
Ark Mori Building 12F
1-2-32 Akasaka, Minato-Ku
Tokyo
Japan 107-6012
T: +81 (0)3 43609244
ADVERTI SI NG
ENQUI RI ES
Call the advertising sales team
on +44 (0)20 7399 9580 or
email Mavesh Chaudryon
mavesh.chaudry@
affinitypublishing.co.uk
CONTRIBUTORS
Philippe Amis-Santerre,
Jonathan Bell, Rob Crossan,
Simon de Burton, Amanda Fuller,
Avril Groom, Rebecca May Johnson,
Brian Laban, Mark C. OFlaherty,
Patrick C. Paternie, Gareth Rubin,
Amelia Walker, Josh Wood
CREDIT ALSO GOES TO:
David Shepherd (pp10-12);
Janette Green (p12);
Dr Ulrich Bez (pp28-32);
Sam Tarling (p37);
Mohamed El Hebeishy (pp38-42);
Joe Windsor-Williams (pp50-59);
Nick Dimbleby (p55);
dinner.wordpress.com (p84);
James Gibson (p97);
Lee Brimble (p100)
COPYRIGHT 2011 ASTON MARTIN LAGONDA LIMITED. All material strictly copyright and all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior permission of Affinity Publishing
and/or Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is strictly forbidden. All content believed to be correct at time of going to print. The views expressed are not necessarily those of Affinity Publishing or
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited. Aston Martin Lagonda Limited does not officially endorse any advertising material or editorials for third party products included within this publication.
DATA PROTECTION STATEMENT Aston Martin Lagonda Limited (Aston Martin) respects the privacy of every individual who receives the Aston Martin Magazine. Any information collected about
you will be used to fulfil the delivery of the magazine, for readership profiling purposes and for further marketing of Aston Martin products and events. We do this by making appropriate use of
the information. This information will not be disclosed to anyone outside of Aston Martin, its affiliated or associated companies, its agencies, dealers, partners or licensees. It will be treated in
accordance with the relevant legal provisions concerning data protection and may initially be stored and processed inside or outside the European Union anywhere in the world. You have the right
as an individual to find out what information we hold about you and make corrections if necessary; you also have the right to ask us not to use the information. We will make all practical efforts
to respect your wishes.
JOE WINDSOR-WILLIAMS
Our retrospective photostory of the
10 best driving shots featured in
Aston Martin Magazine includes no
fewer than nine from Joe. Over his
17-year career, Joes style has developed
from fashion to specialise in automotive
photography, albeit with a lifestyle vision of
the car, working on advertising campaigns
and editorial, as well as projects for
Aston Martin, Bang & Olufsen, Sunseeker
and Jaeger-LeCoultre. He is based in
London with his wife and family.
MARK C. OFLAHERTY
Mark is a nomadic design and travel
writer and a frequent contributor to the
Financial Times and The Sunday Times
as well as Elle, Blueprint and a
wide variety of international journals.
Mark studied film in London and had
a highly successful career as a music
photographer in the 1990s before
branching into fashion-show production
at London Fashion Week. In this issue,
he explores the current trend for dining
rooms that are designed with similar
extravagance to the food being served.
AVRIL GROOM
Examining the prolific revival of
alternative arts and crafts in the world
of watchmaking is Avril, who has been
writing about fashion and luxury goods,
including watches and jewellery, for more
decades than she now admits. She writes
for a wide range of publications including
the Financial Times How to Spend It
magazine, The Australian newspaper and
American Express Centurion magazine.
GARETH RUBIN
Gareth is a freelance writer based in
the UK and is the author of our feature
examining the brave new world of space
tourism on page 86. He specialises in
travel, news, arts and personal finance,
writing regular features for The Guardian
newspaper amongst others. Not only
a master of the pen, he is also a vocal
trainer and performer. His first novel,
Here I Lie, will be published in 2012.
ISSUE 17
CONTRIBUTORS
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1 1 1 9
A S T ON MA R T I N
Move up
a gear
Australia Botswana Canada Hong Kong India Ireland Mauritius Namibia South Africa Switzerland Taiwan United Kingdom & Channel Islands United States
Investec Bank plc (Reg. no. 489604) and Investec Asset Management Limited (Reg. no. 2036094) are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority and are members of the London Stock Exchange.
Registered at 2 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7QP.
Put a skilled team behind you. Were driven to find opportunities for clients.
Youll find fresh thinking and expertise right across our extensive range of
products and services in capital markets, investment banking, asset management,
wealth & investment, private banking and property investments.
Please note that returns are not guaranteed and some of our products
will place your capital at risk.
For more information, call +44 (0)20 7597 4000 or visit www.investec.com
C30126.002_SB_AstonMartin_Nov11_297x230_v2 03/11/2011 14:50 Page 1
A S T ON MA R T I N
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1 1 2 0
[ G R E A T D R I V I N G R O A D S O F T H E WO R L D ]
Acr es of s ky and t he hi gh des er t pl ai n near Dead I ndi an Pas s
ar e al l t hat bear wi t nes s her e i n nor t h Wyomi ng, as you f l y t owar ds
t he s hi mmer i ng hor i zon t he di s t ant vani s hi ng poi nt t empt i ng you
t o unl eas h t he pot ent i al of your As t on Mar t i n. . .
HI GHWAY 120, WY, USA
AM17 Driving Road P120.indd 120 9/11/11 12:58:13
Move up
a gear
Australia Botswana Canada Hong Kong India Ireland Mauritius Namibia South Africa Switzerland Taiwan United Kingdom & Channel Islands United States
Investec Bank plc (Reg. no. 489604) and Investec Asset Management Limited (Reg. no. 2036094) are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority and are members of the London Stock Exchange.
Registered at 2 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7QP.
Put a skilled team behind you. Were driven to find opportunities for clients.
Youll find fresh thinking and expertise right across our extensive range of
products and services in capital markets, investment banking, asset management,
wealth & investment, private banking and property investments.
Please note that returns are not guaranteed and some of our products
will place your capital at risk.
For more information, call +44 (0)20 7597 4000 or visit www.investec.com
C30126.002_SB_AstonMartin_Nov11_297x230_v2 03/11/2011 14:50 Page 1
A S T ON MA R T I N
I S S U E 1 7 / 1 1 1 2 0
[ G R E A T D R I V I N G R O A D S O F T H E WO R L D ]
Acr es of s ky and t he hi gh des er t pl ai n near Dead I ndi an Pas s
ar e al l t hat bear wi t nes s her e i n nor t h Wyomi ng, as you f l y t owar ds
t he s hi mmer i ng hor i zon t he di s t ant vani s hi ng poi nt t empt i ng you
t o unl eas h t he pot ent i al of your As t on Mar t i n. . .
HI GHWAY 120, WY, USA
AM17 Driving Road P120.indd 120 9/11/11 12:58:13
Whether its a transatlantic crossing on a sailboat with friends, or the birth of
a child, there are precious, life-changing moments that deserve to be recorded
forever. What will yours be? Let our engraving, enamelling and gemsetting artists
immortalise your legend. A Reverso just for you.
GRANDE REVERSO ULTRA THIN. Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 822. Patent 111/398.
YOU DESERVE A REAL WATCH.
THERE ARE STORIES THAT DESERVE TO BE CAPTURED FOREVER.
Jaeger-LeCoultre in partnership with UNESCO to raise awareness and protect
marine World Heritage. A real commitment to a precious cause.
www.jaeger-lecoultre.com

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