Hmm.......wonder what the future holds for Aston now

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6442101.stm

ProDrive man behind it all, so I would say future is looking good!

Hopefully, wonder if we'll see an Aston rally car or Aston F1 car now, there were rumours a while ago about both.

But.. Brits in charge of a car manufacturer? The only conclusion you can draw is that it's the beginning of the end for Aston Martin

ProDrive F1 application got accepted, they start 2008...

Possible that they will have Aston backing, but will remain ProDrive...

Regarding Richard's F1 project Aston Martin might be a better name though, for marketing and sponsoring reasons.

Quote from SamH :

But.. Brits in charge of a car manufacturer? The only conclusion you can draw is that it's the beginning of the end for Aston Martin

[rant] Brits in charge isnt the problem. The problem is this country, our government, didn't help our automotive industry. Now i know governments are not supposed to support businesses but other countries governments have done. Our's just taxed companies too much and then let them close down. Which have left out car industry to only be niche markets that the likes of noble and morgan cover.[/rant]

I hope pro drive makes Aston Martin into a success, 2 reason's, firstly because there is just something special about them and 2 just to spite ford lol.

Quote :

But.. Brits in charge of a car manufacturer? The only conclusion you can draw is that it's the beginning of the end for Aston Martin

Aston Martin Lagonda has a long history, since the two companies (Aston Martin and Lagonda) merged they never, ever, once turned a yearly profit until 2000 with the release of the DB7. Any old Aston faithful will tell you the DB6 was the last of the great Astons, the continued financial failure of Aston and it's string of owners are part of the mystique of the brand.

I think Ford selling the company on is a continuation of a tradition! For me it shows that the DB7 was a real Aston, even though it wasn't entirely hand made. Let's face it, Aston have turned up worse cars anyway (Bulldog anybody?).

It doesn't much matter who owns Aston tbh, as long as they keep checking the paintwork by eye, keeping 4 hides of leather back at the factory for each car, and dont let James Bond drive a BMW.

Does it matter if the firm continues to make money? It is/was afterall the only profitable part of Ford. No it doesn't, and i'll tell you why...

One of Aston's many former owners was taking a friend around the factory, this is many years ago. After seeing the production process his friend wanted to buy a car, "Sure, that'll be £2000 please" (exact figure not picked from memory), to which his friend replied, "cant you do it for me at cost?" ... "Of course I can! That'll be £8000 please".

What matters with Aston is that they keep making the most desireable cars in the world. As far as i'm concerned there's no faster way to break the elastic holding my knickers up.

Quote from Becky Rose :

As far as i'm concerned there's no faster way to break the elastic holding my knickers up.

Maybe that should replace my tristan sig quote lol.

Quote from Becky Rose :

Aston Martin Lagonda has a long history, since the two companies (Aston Martin and Lagonda) merged they never, ever, once turned a yearly profit until 2000 with the release of the DB7. Any old Aston faithful will tell you the DB6 was the last of the great Astons, the continued financial failure of Aston and it's string of owners are part of the mystique of the brand.

Interesting, I didn't know that, but do you mean the Vanquish and 2001, or did you mean the DB7 and '93?

The Prodrive guy is sure to push Aston Martin further in motorsport. As for rally cars, well guess who is offering them...

http://www.pistonheads.com/ast ... default.asp?storyId=15217

Someone mentioned AM rallycar.

Prodrive P2 ... maybe that could have a production run under the Aston Martin name. That could make a good rally car, the road car has 4WD and a 2L Turbo engine

The P2 was just a working concept car that Prodrive made because they were bored.

Quote from ATC Quicksilver :

The P2 was just a working concept car that Prodrive made because they were bored.

Yes, but they still have the designs (unless David Richards' hamster s**t on them) and it can outperform a Vanquish S and a DB9. And for that matter an M5.

The P2 - if it were to be launched - would have 911 beater painted all over it. At the 40k mark, it probably would be in a hole in the AM range.

The only issue is that it is not based on the Ford Duratec V12 or V8 like all current AMs are. The P2 has the potential to be the first British-owned make to win a WRC event (if not ever, at least for yonks) if they tried - it could also make a good GT2 car.

But - I guess - PD should stick with F1 and GT1 until 2009 or 2010 as F1 will either destroy prodrive, or more likely re-inforce them.

P.S. I am drooling at the thought already of a BRG F1 car.

Did someone mention an Aston Martin rally car?

Quote from ATC Quicksilver :

The P2 was just a working concept car that Prodrive made because they were bored.

They shoulda made the DBR9 more competative in the ALMS instead. Now all we have is the Corvettes... <Sniff>

Theres no point doing that though, if your car isnt American and its faster than the rest you get punished. They Re-wrote the whole bloody rule book to stop Audi winning so much, even then Audi still beat everyone without much effort.

I rekon Audi could beat the other teams using one of their road cars for the races, then the rules would change so that Audi had to use horses...and they would still win.

It's ALMS ... just give them a smaller hole in the air restrictor.

Quote from duke_toaster :

The only issue is that it is not based on the Ford Duratec V12 or V8 like all current AMs are. The P2 has the potential to be the first British-owned make to win a WRC event (if not ever, at least for yonks) if they tried - it could also make a good GT2 car.

Pardon? Can't get much more British than a Ford Escort can you? The P2 is an impressive piece of kit, but see it more as a tech demo than a proper car, who in their right mind would buy such an ugly, soulless car? Its main advantage is cross country speed but given current roads it would just be frustratingly quick everywhere perfectly no where near its limit even at seriously illegal speeds. Put it on a track and it suddenly becomes the dull thing it really is hardly beats a true track day special for value or excitement but still too form follows function to make it a pleasant road car.

I'm certain about one thing though, it is not an Aston re-badging it as one would seriously send out confusing messages and hurt Astons image. Thing is the P2 isn't targeting the 911 market, of course it will be a Porsche eater but so will a lot of track day cars for a lot less. I see the P2 as a rally rep thats own technical brilliance has made it useless.

Quote :

But - I guess - PD should stick with F1 and GT1 until 2009 or 2010 as F1 will either destroy prodrive, or more likely re-inforce them.

Aston has no place in F1, no past pedigree and it doesn't really bode well with the more luxurious end of the GT market. Having an inevitably mid field at best F1 team will do no more for Aston than it did for Jag (ie a waste of money with no real marketing successes).

Quote from Becky Rose :

As far as i'm concerned there's no faster way to break the elastic holding my knickers up.

nice one becky. you are now responsible for a sqillion male teenage wet dreams!

Quote from duke_toaster :

Yes, but they still have the designs (unless David Richards' hamster s**t on them) and it can outperform a Vanquish S and a DB9. And for that matter an M5.

The P2 - if it were to be launched - would have 911 beater painted all over it. At the 40k mark, it probably would be in a hole in the AM range.

The only issue is that it is not based on the Ford Duratec V12 or V8 like all current AMs are. The P2 has the potential to be the first British-owned make to win a WRC event (if not ever, at least for yonks) if they tried - it could also make a good GT2 car.

But - I guess - PD should stick with F1 and GT1 until 2009 or 2010 as F1 will either destroy prodrive, or more likely re-inforce them.

P.S. I am drooling at the thought already of a BRG F1 car.

for the love of god, the P2 is basically a Subaru Impreza. which shouldn't have anything to do with the Aston bloodline!

Quote from ajp71 :

Can't get much more British than a Ford Escort can you?

ROFL, just spit my tea all over the keyboard

I wish Aston the best with their new owners, be interesting to see what they can come up with now

Quote from SamH :

But.. Brits in charge of a car manufacturer? The only conclusion you can draw is that it's the beginning of the end for Aston Martin

Ahem, erm why was it that Britain once had one of if not the largest car manufacturer in the world? We use to lead the world in cars once! We are more than capable of doing it again!

Quote from jamesrowe :

We use to lead the world in cars once!

And we used to have the world's largest military once, and the best healthcare system, and numerous healthy world-beating industries, etc.

Britain is not what it used to be.

Quote from thisnameistaken :

And we used to have the world's largest military once, and the best healthcare system, and numerous healthy world-beating industries, etc.

Britain is not what it used to be.

As of maybe, I am sure it could get back to where it was! We still have world beating industries by the way, we still have the second largest amount of world leading companies etc and so on!