Aston Martin debuts concept hinting at future of company

Though Aston Martin is spending this year looking back on its past 100 years, the British automaker recently took a quick glimpse into its future as well.

The company debuted the CC100 Speedster Concept at Sunday’s famed 24 Hours of Nurburgring. The car pays homage to the DBR1 that racing legend Sterling Moss piloted to victory on the same course in 1959.

Hence the car’s slightly odd setup: it lacks a windshield and the driver and passenger are separated by a carbon fiber body panel that bisects the cockpit at shoulder level.

PHOTOS: Aston Martin brings CC100 concept to 24 Hours of Nurburgring

In fact, all of the CC100’s panels are carbon fiber, as is the interior. Aston crammed its 6.0-liter V-12 engine under the hood. It pushes power to the rear wheels via a six-speed automated manual transmission with steering-column-mounted paddle shifters.

The company estimates the car will hit 60 mph in four seconds and has a top speed of 180 mph. Both this new concept and the original racer that inspired it lapped the Nurburgring course on Sunday.

Aston didn’t officially say whether some form of this CC100 would reach production, but the company did make repeated allusions to its future when announcing this concept.

“The future of Aston Martin is ... more exciting now that perhaps at any time in its history,” said Ulrich Bez, chief executive of Aston Martin. “I’m looking forward to seeing the excitement and anticipation that CC100 creates among Aston Martin owners and enthusiasts worldwide.”

Although Aston Martin did recently launch the Vanquish supercar, as well as a refreshed and faster S version of the four-door Rapide, the company’s lineup and technology is aging when compared with other supercar rivals. The company has been largely silent about what its next step will be.

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