New ‘Ultimate Drive’ experiences lead impressive collection for 2017 For Aston Martin owners old and new.

• New ‘Ultimate Drive’ experiences lead impressive collection for 2017
• New portfolio includes trips-of-a-lifetime and the return of the ‘On Tour’ series
• Aston Martin Art of Living provides access to the ultimate in luxury lifestyle

Aston Martin today revealed a portfolio of experiences to be offered in 2017 by the British luxury brand’s Art of Living by Aston Martin programme, which takes customers beyond sports cars and provides them with the opportunity to live the brand’s lifestyle.

Ultimate Drives

Headlining the collection of experiences are two new Ultimate Drives. The first will see guests embark on an adventure spanning two continents in three weeks; their journey taking in South Africa, Monaco, Austria, Lake Como and Vienna, including challenging drives and helicopter rides, gourmet dining and undiscovered city sightseeing. 

For thrill seekers an adrenalin-fuelled Ultimate Drive will provide unprecedented access to some of the world’s top motor races: 24 Hours of Le Mans, Goodwood Festival of Speed, and an experience with our Innovation Partners, Red Bull Racing at their home race in Austria. 

Aston Martin Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman commented: “It is exciting to see the Aston Martin’s Art of Living team has curated such an incredible collection of experiences for 2017. 

I’m particularly impressed with the content of the new Ultimate Drives, which truly are once-in-a-lifetime journeys. Anyone attending these experiences will get to indulge in the soul of the brand.

On-Tour

The “On Tour” experiences provides the opportunity to drive an Aston Martin sports car along some of the world’s most breathtaking driving routes. A five-day tour of California will take guests from the Golden Gate Bridge to the beautiful Big Sur before heading onto Santa Barbara, Palm Springs and Joshua Tree. For those who prefer the East coast there will be a tour of New York that takes in the Hamptons along the way. In Europe, you can choose from a journey along the Atlantic Ocean Highway in Norway, which is world renowned for its beauty, or a tour of Bavaria in Germany or a drive from Madrid to Bilbao in Spain, taking in exquisite hotels along the way.

Trips-of-a-Lifetime

Those seeking a holiday with a difference are invited to experience Cuba the Aston Martin way.  The trip-of-a-lifetime to Havana will take in a visit to the Buena Vista Social Club, where guests can meet one of the original group members before being invited to record their own Cuban sounds. A tour of Havana in 1950s cars will provide guests with a great view of the city and the trip will be completed with cigar and mojito making classes. To indulge in a very different culture, the Art of Living by Aston Martin will also offer a Japanese experience. Guests will take in the galleries and gastronomy of Tokyo before travelling on the Bullet Train to Kyoto where they will experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony performed by Geishas.

Ice Driving

For those looking for exhilarating experiences, Aston Martin knows the answer is Ice Driving. In 2017, the programme invites the daring to enjoy the thrill of ice driving in destinations including New Zealand, the U.S.A and Finland. A special experience in Courmayeur, Italy will also combine ice driving with the ultimate ski race.

Motor Sport

This unique collection provides exclusive behind-the-scenes access to some of the world’s most prestigious races including Monaco and Silverstone, and a day with our Innovation Partners, Red Bull Racing, which will give guests a unique insight into preparations made when they take their 2017 challenger to the track for the first time at pre-season testing in Barcelona. The highlight of the summer season will be the Le Mans 24 Hours where guests will enjoy exclusive access to the factory Aston Martin Racing team.

Design Materclasses and dinner series

A new offering for 2017 is the exclusive Design Masterclass, which offers the opportunity to learn about the meticulous processes and high level of attention to detail involved in producing an Aston Martin. Hosted by Aston Martin’s experts, guests will be able to enjoy live sketching, clay modelling, and leather trimming first hand to understand the finesse and craftsmanship of these techniques.

Finally, a series of fine dining evenings, hosted by well-known artists and designers will provide a taste of luxury while a tour of the home of Aston Martin will provide a fascinating insight into one of the world’s most aspirational brands.

Latest Aston Martin dealership opens up in Bristol as the brand expands its sales, models and dealers.

• New Aston Martin dealership open in Bristol
• Prime site offers new and ‘Timeless’ pre-owned sales, aftersales and parts
• State-of-the-art 2,500m² facility

Aston Martin has opened its latest new dealership in the UK in Bristol, with the first Aston Martin dealership for partner Dick Lovett.

The purpose-built state-of-the-art facility features a 25-car luxurious showroom for new and pre-owned Aston Martin sports cars and a separate lounge where customers can tailor their new car to the exact specification of their choosing using “Q by Aston Martin” elements. 

The dealership also has a dedicated aftersales team and a 10 bay workshop staffed by world-class Gaydon-trained technicians. Aston Martin Bristol offer a convenient “Collection & Delivery” service using their covered vehicle transporter and a “Roaming Technician” service to assist with minor repairs and original diagnostic work.

Speaking at the VIP customer reception yesterday evening, Aston Martin President and CEO Dr Andy Palmer said: “I am delighted to open this outstanding new facility here in Bristol, which sets the benchmark for all dealership showrooms worldwide.”   

“We are confident the passionate and dedicated Aston Martin Bristol team will draw upon their extensive experience and knowledge of the Aston Martin brand to provide our valued customers an exceptional service in the South West and Wales.  We are excited to be working with new partner Dick Lovett who share our passion for Aston Martin.”

Lynn Campbell, Managing Director, Dick Lovett commented: “It was great to see over 400 Aston Martin owners and enthusiasts this evening. The opening of our new state-of-the-art facility, in our 50^th year, has made 2016 a fantastic year. 

The facility has been uniquely designed and reflects Aston Martin’s core design philosophy and craftsmanship. We are dedicated to providing new and existing Aston Martin owners with a service which surpasses their expectations.”

Located in a prime position at Cribbs Causeway, close to Junction 17 of the M5, the showroom opening was attended by invited guests and key members of the Aston Martin senior executive team.

On display at the opening event was the new DB11. The first product launched under the company’s ‘Second Century’ plan, the DB11 is the bold new figurehead of the illustrious ‘DB’ bloodline and an authentic, dynamic sporting GT in the finest Aston Martin tradition.  

Also included in the display was the new Vanquish Zagato, a DB4 Convertible, the Aston Martin Racing #99 V8 Vantage GTE plus a host of other Aston Martin special project vehicles. In addition to this were examples from the company’s current line-up, and a selection of heritage models, including the Aston Martin A3, the oldest surviving Aston Martin in the world.

WarrantyWise data reveals the real cost of repairs for exotic cars from the likes of Lamborghini and Aston Martin

• WarrantyWise data reveals the real cost of repairs for exotic cars from the likes of Lamborghini, Maserati, Aston Martin and Porsche
• WarrantyWise’s biggest pay-out is for £15,000 to a Lamborghini Murcielago owner for major engine repairs – WarrantyWise cover is just £166 per month on average for a Murcielago
• A Porsche 911 and Maserati 4200 are the second and third largest pay-outs, of around £10,000 each for engine repairs
• Also in the top 10 is a £9,500 gearbox replacement for a Nissan GT-R and £8,057-worth of gearbox repairs on an Aston Martin Vanquish
• For more sensible warranty cover, WarrantyWise.co.uk offers plans for popular models like the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Golf from just £19 per month

WarrantyWise.co.uk has revealed the true cost of exotic car repairs, with data detailing its largest ever payouts. A Lamborghini Murcielago tops the list, with a major engine mechanical repair bill of £15,000 fully covered by WarrantyWise. By contrast, covering your Murcielago at WarrantyWise’s highest level of service will set you back just £166 per month.

The top ten list and beyond is full of some of the world’s most famous performance cars, with the top three largest payouts covering major engine mechanical repairs.  Following the Lamborghini in WarrantyWise’s second and third largest payouts were a Porsche 911 and a Maserati 4200 with bills of around £10,000 each. The average monthly cost of WarrantyWise cover for each of the cars is £82 and £146 respectively.

Gearbox issues can leave owners with a hefty bill, too, with big repair costs of just under £10,000 for Aston Martin’s Vanquish and DB9 models needing major repairs to their automatic gearboxes.

Away from the largest repair payouts, WarrantyWise’s data reveal just how expensive relatively minor issues can be in complex, exotic cars. Repairing the ECU in a Ferrari 360, for example, came with a bill of nearly £2,000, with a similar amount required for wheel bearing repairs in a Ferrari 355.

An air-conditioning fix in a Maserati GranTurismo resulted in a £1,885 payout from WarrantyWise and replacing the water pump in a GranTurismo Spider commanded a repair payout of £2,278.

Even the more run of the mill cars aren’t immune to a crippling bill, though, with payouts of more than £5,000 each for family favourites, the Renault Grand Espace and Volkswagen Passat.

Warranties at this more sensible end of the scale, including for popular models like the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Golf, start from just £19 per month.

Lawrence Whittaker, CEO of WarrantyWise, said: “When you lay out all the repair payouts WarrantyWise makes, you can see why so many of our customers swear by our service – especially on an exotic car where the bills are rarely cheap. But the fact that we also have the likes of Renault and Volkswagen in our largest ever payouts just goes to show that all cars have the potential to go very badly wrong – and the resulting repair bill can be large enough to really disrupt your life.”

WarrantyWise Top 10 Most Expensive Authorised Repairs

Make	Model	Issue	Amount Paid
Lamborghini	Murcielago	Engine (Major Mechanical)	£15,000
Porsche	911	Engine (Major Mechanical)	£10,051.63
Maserati	4200	Engine (Major Mechanical)	£10,000
Ferrari	550	Electrical (major)	£9996.52
Nissan	GT-R	Replace Gearbox	£9,500
Nissan	GT-R	Gearbox (selector)	£9,500
Aston Martin	Vanquish	Gearbox Auto	£8,057.56
Aston Martin	DB9	Gearbox (auto)	£7315.45
Lamborghini	Gallardo	F1 Actuator	£6437.27
Ferrari	575	Gearbox (selector)	£6161.21

Aston Martin opens its first "boutique" to sell its range and that of it's product partners, all in the heart of London.

• First global Aston Martin brand experience centre opens in the heart of London
• Will showcase ‘Art of Living by Aston Martin’ products and experiences

Aston Martin has just opened its first brand experience boutique in the heart of London’s Mayfair district. Located in one of the capital’s most sought-after streets ‘Aston Martin at No. 8 Dover Street’ is an intersection of the company’s products, experiences and brand collaborations. No. 8 Dover Street will also be a destination for design master classes, art exhibitions, dinner series and other exclusive events.

No. 8 Dover Street is an expression of the British marque’s Art of Living by Aston Martin concept, a carefully chosen portfolio of the finest artisan products and truly bespoke experiences that embody the Aston Martin spirit. 

The new boutique – where the exterior sign reads ‘Aston Martin Est 1913’ in celebration of the company’s rich heritage – is the ultimate Aston Martin destination where admirers of the brand and people who enjoy elegance and exclusivity can discover new trends in art and design and be inspired by the products on display.

Products from partners including Hackett London, Marma London, Quintessence Yachts, Emilia Burano, Silver Cross and FPM are available at No. 8 Dover Street.

Aston Martin’s EVP & Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman and his team designed the interior space. He said: “Dover Street mixes art, culture, shopping, luxury and elegance. It’s the perfect place for Aston Martin.  We are surrounded by art, design and beauty and want to feature the ideas that inspire us and share them with a wider audience. No. 8 Dover Street is a place where existing customers, admirers of the brand and people new to the marque can understand our design philosophies and experience the spirit of Aston Martin.”

The warm and inviting environment features modern design and the very best artisan craftsmanship such as a bespoke mosaic floor, handcrafted from European oak.

The unique floor follows a Nautilus shell design, starting in the centre of the showroom with a brass plaque proudly displaying the famous Aston Martin wings and circling out to the edge of the room where it flows seamlessly to tailor-made oak cabinets.

The Nautilus design is mirrored on the ceiling with a “Starry Night’ light installation which highlights the sleek, elegant lines of the Aston Martin sports car on display creating a ‘dream’ light effect. The lights give No. 8 Dover Street a multidimensional character, which can be adapted to suit the art or products on display and the wide range of events that the space will host.

The walls are adorned with pieces from London-based artists Vezzini & Chen whose work is a stylish marriage of hand carved ceramics and blown glass. A stunning Letv 120” 4K Ultra HD, LED-LCD TV screen, one of the largest in Europe, provides the perfect way for guests to explore rich content created by Aston Martin and its partners.

A Q by Aston Martin specification area allows clients to originate a unique Aston Martin sports car or an AM37 speedboat, creating an elegant and exclusively personal result.

Katia Bassi, VP of AML & Managing Director of AM Brands commented, “No. 8 Dover Street provides the perfect environment for us to showcase the beautifully crafted products and experiences offered through ‘Art of Living by Aston Martin’. No. 8 Dover Street is where the world of Aston Martin comes together, the tangible expression of the path we started three years ago to develop Aston Martin into a globally admired luxury brand.”    

Aston Martin at No. 8 Dover Street is open seven days a week from 10 am until 6 pm from Monday to Friday and from 11 am to 5 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Luxury British Menswear company, Hackett has collaborated with Aston Martin to produce a great range of items.

Luxury British carmaker Aston Martin and menswear retailer Hackett today announced a new, long-term global partnership. In line with the reveal of Aston Martin’s highly anticipated DB11, the first fruits of the new partnership will be revealed when Hackett launches an exclusive capsule collection for Autumn/Winter 2016 entitled ‘Aston Martin by Hackett’.

Hackett’s relationship with Aston Martin stretches back many years through a successful partnership with Aston Martin Racing, the company’s global sportscar racing operation. Building on the foundations of that strong relationship, the Aston Martin by Hackett collection offers an all-new range of luxurious clothing that reflects the coming together of two stylish brands.

Aston Martin’s EVP & Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman said: “Starting with the enduringly successful relationship with Hackett via Aston Martin Racing, we were delighted to take the partnership to a whole new level of style with the creation of the Aston Martin by Hackett collection. By bringing together our creative teams from the outset of the project we have created a look that captures the essence of this great partnership.”

Jeremy Hackett, Chairman and founder of Hackett commented: ”I am very proud of the successful relationship that Hackett has forged with Aston Martin.  We are both forward-looking brands with a strong focus on delivering a refined product to a discerning market. Taking the step from uniforms for the race team into a beautiful capsule collection of luxurious clothing has been a pleasure for Hackett and we believe we have created a collection that drives us to the next level in elegance and refinement.”

The luxurious 14-piece Aston Martin by Hackett collection includes outerwear, knitwear, shirts, trousers and accessorises. Reflecting on the quintessentially British brand values of both Hackett London and Aston Martin, the new collection is innovative, luxurious and the epitome of style.