Currently reading: Geneva motor show 2013: Aston Martin CC100 confirmed

Aston Martin will build a pair of two-seat, open-top sports cars as part of its centenary celebrations

Aston Martin will premiere a V12 Vantage-based two-seat open sports car at the Nürburgring 24-hour race in May. Just two examples of the Aston Martin CC100 will be built.

Speaking to Autocar at the Geneva motor show, Aston boss Ulrich Bez said the car would feature modern styling, but would be influenced by the DBR1 race car. It will have no doors or roof and an entirely exposed cabin.

Aston Martin says one CC100 will be built to celebrate the firm’s centenary, while the other commemorates Stirling Moss’s legendary win in the 1959 Nürburgring 1000km at the wheel of a DBR1. 

This year’s 24-hour race will see Moss reunited with a DBR1 on a parade lap alongside Bez in a CC100.

No pricing has been revealed, but Bez suggested it would slot between the £330,000 V12 Zagato and the £1.4m One-77.

This year’s Nürburgring 24 Hours will also see a 500bhp hydrogen hybrid Aston Martin Rapide competing, and attempting to set the "first-ever race-pace zero emissions lap". The bi-fuel car can be powered by petrol or hydrogen and will run on gas for around 20 per cent of the race.

Bez said Aston Martin is aiming to create demand for the fuel in road cars. "I believe this hydrogen hybrid technology is the way to zero emissions in 20, 30 or 40 years' time", he said.

Later this year, at Pebble Beach, Aston Martin intends to reveal two more concept cars that will be due for launch before the end of 2013.

Steve Cropley

Steve Cropley Autocar
Title: Editor-in-chief

Steve Cropley is the oldest of Autocar’s editorial team, or the most experienced if you want to be polite about it. He joined over 30 years ago, and has driven many cars and interviewed many people in half a century in the business. 

Cropley, who regards himself as the magazine’s “long stop”, has seen many changes since Autocar was a print-only affair, but claims that in such a fast moving environment he has little appetite for looking back. 

He has been surprised and delighted by the generous reception afforded the My Week In Cars podcast he makes with long suffering colleague Matt Prior, and calls it the most enjoyable part of his working week.

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