ROBBREPORT.COM 69
WHEELS | Dream MachinesMarek Reichman
The executive vice president
and chief design officer of
Aston Martin steers the
automaker’s design ethos.Marek Reichman has been responsible
for shaping such models as the Aston
Martin (astonmartin.com) V12 Vantage S,
Rapide S, DB11 and Vulcan. His aesthetic
can be summed up as simple, clear and
dynamic, and here he outlines how such
cues inform the latest releases.
JEMIMA SISSONSWhat are the pillars of Aston Martin’s
design language? Beauty is at the core
of who we are and what we do. Beauty is
timeless, and proportion is important, which
means staying true to the golden ratio. It is
being understated yet dramatic, shouting
without being loud.How do the new DB4 Zagato and Valhalla
reflect those core aesthetic values? It’s all
about the relationship of volumes. The length
of cabin versus the bonnet, the size of side
glass to body size, etc. The DB4 Zagato is just
a continuation.
The original 19 cars were handmade by
artisans—there was a different body builder
and a chassis builder. From that original 19
we have taken the art of 60 years ago and
re-created it in a digital way. It has elegance
and brutality, such as the chrome detail-
ing around the headlamps and a shorter
wheelbase.
With the Valhalla, the cabin has been
pushed forward. A hypercar is all about
performance but it has to be robust, has to
be lightweight but look strong and have a very
high power-to-weight relationship. It is more
elemental and functional.How do you see the marque evolving? We
have our second-century plan, which means
[premiering] one car every year for seven
years, such as the DBS Superleggera or the
upcoming DBX—our first SUV. We work seven
years into the future.
The hardest part is that the world will
change over time. You have got to not be
comfortable with what you are producing; it
has to push boundaries and be unexpected.Q&A
laps before the battery is virtually spent. A
speed of 124 mph arrives in a shocking
6.7 seconds.
Available at the same time is the
Stradale Assetto Fiorano, a track-oriented
variant that includes a high-downforce
rear spoiler and exotic weight-saving
measures (like carbon-fiber door and
underbody panels and titanium exhaustand springs) that shave 66 pounds off the
curb weight. Basically, it’s the street-legal
equivalent of a 1,000 hp Le Mans Proto-
type hybrid race car. But common to both
Stradale versions is the acute convergence
of design, aerodynamics, body architec-
ture and Ferrari Formula 1 technology that
will serve as a mile marker for sports car
evolution. Mark EwingThe Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance may be the world’s most
prestigious four-wheel fête, but for Italian motoring aficionados, the
real field of dreams is found at the Concorso Italiano (concorso
.com) on August 17. The competition will present between 800 and
1,000 premier examples—most made in Italy—on select fairways of
Bayonet and Black Horse Golf Club in Seaside, Calif. Adding to the exclu-
sivity will be the opportunity for CI Club access, which includes a welcome
reception as well as fine wine and cuisine. And it’s all driven by charity.
“Through our new partnership with Jacob’s Heart, we have the privilege to host a world-class
event and help families and kids impacted by childhood cancer,” says Tom McDowell, president of
the concours. “We will also be the only place to see some soon-to-be officially unveiled automo-
biles.” The price per ticket is $190 for general admission and $510 for CI Club. Viju MathewCONCORSO ITALIANO
ROBB RECOMMENDS...MAREK REICHMAN ILLUSTRATION BY JOEL KIMMELROBBREPORT.COM 69
WHEELS | Dream MachinesMarek Reichman
The executive vice president
and chief design officer of
Aston Martin steers the
automaker’s design ethos.Marek Reichman has been responsible
for shaping such models as the Aston
Martin (astonmartin.com) V12 Vantage S,
Rapide S, DB11 and Vulcan. His aesthetic
can be summed up as simple, clear and
dynamic, and here he outlines how such
cues inform the latest releases.
JEMIMA SISSONSWhat are the pillars of Aston Martin’s
design language? Beauty is at the core
of who we are and what we do. Beauty is
timeless, and proportion is important, which
means staying true to the golden ratio. It is
being understated yet dramatic, shouting
without being loud.How do the new DB4 Zagato and Valhalla
reflect those core aesthetic values? It’s all
about the relationship of volumes. The length
of cabin versus the bonnet, the size of side
glass to body size, etc. The DB4 Zagato is just
a continuation.
The original 19 cars were handmade by
artisans—there was a different body builder
and a chassis builder. From that original 19
we have taken the art of 60 years ago and
re-created it in a digital way. It has elegance
and brutality, such as the chrome detail-
ing around the headlamps and a shorter
wheelbase.
With the Valhalla, the cabin has been
pushed forward. A hypercar is all about
performance but it has to be robust, has to
be lightweight but look strong and have a very
high power-to-weight relationship. It is more
elemental and functional.How do you see the marque evolving? We
have our second-century plan, which means
[premiering] one car every year for seven
years, such as the DBS Superleggera or the
upcoming DBX—our first SUV. We work seven
years into the future.
The hardest part is that the world will
change over time. You have got to not be
comfortable with what you are producing; it
has to push boundaries and be unexpected.Q&A
laps before the battery is virtually spent. A
speed of 124 mph arrives in a shocking
6.7 seconds.
Available at the same time is the
Stradale Assetto Fiorano, a track-oriented
variant that includes a high-downforce
rear spoiler and exotic weight-saving
measures (like carbon-fiber door and
underbody panels and titanium exhaust
and springs) that shave 66 pounds off the
curb weight. Basically, it’s the street-legal
equivalent of a 1,000 hp Le Mans Proto-
type hybrid race car. But common to both
Stradale versions is the acute convergence
of design, aerodynamics, body architec-
ture and Ferrari Formula 1 technology that
will serve as a mile marker for sports car
evolution. Mark EwingThe Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance may be the world’s most
prestigious four-wheel fête, but for Italian motoring aficionados, the
real field of dreams is found at the Concorso Italiano (concorso
.com) on August 17. The competition will present between 800 and
1,000 premier examples—most made in Italy—on select fairways of
Bayonet and Black Horse Golf Club in Seaside, Calif. Adding to the exclu-
sivity will be the opportunity for CI Club access, which includes a welcome
reception as well as fine wine and cuisine. And it’s all driven by charity.
“Through our new partnership with Jacob’s Heart, we have the privilege to host a world-class
event and help families and kids impacted by childhood cancer,” says Tom McDowell, president of
the concours. “We will also be the only place to see some soon-to-be officially unveiled automo-
biles.” The price per ticket is $190 for general admission and $510 for CI Club.Viju MathewCONCORSO ITALIANO
ROBB RECOMMENDS...MAREK REICHMAN ILLUSTRATION BY JOEL KIMMEL