New Aston Martin models herald hardcore sub-brand

Owners of AMR cars will be offered driving tuition, as Vulcan buyers were, but Reichmann stressed that they had not been designed to be intimidating. “We can help people experience the full potential of these cars,” he said. “Remember our heritage is in endurance racing, where the cars are designed to be driven on the edge for lap after lap all the way to the end of a 24-hour race, rather than being wrung out over a single lap.”

Q+A Marek Reichmann, Chief Creative Officer Aston Martin

Aston Martin has come alive under Andy Palmer, how do you keep up?

"There is so much going on it is unbelievable, but the beauty of it is that Andy has created a structure that makes it possible. We have seven core models that we will constantly update and replace, and space around them to add in cars that are the cherry on top of the icing, like these AMR cars. The strategy has never been clearer, and it really hit its stride with the launch of DB11. What you are seeing is 104 years of potential all coming out through Andy's 'Second Century' plan. It's exciting times."

Why decide to make more of the racing link now?

"Aston Martin began life making racing cars to charge up the Aston Hill in 1913/14. We are the 2016 World Champions in the World Endurance Championship. Racing is at the core of who we are, and these cars - and this new line of AMR models - will be an authentic way of celebrating that incredible history and fun."

These first AMR models sound pretty hardcore?

"They are raw, but the key is that any car we build - even the Vulcan - will alwyas be accessible. We want to give the driver a unique visceral feeling that other car companies miss, yet allow them to learn and grow as a driver too. Whatever your potential, these cars can help you enjoy it. These aren't cars that need to be driven on the terrofying edge, they are cars that build you up to a consistent, thrilling speed."

How hard were these first AMR cars to design? Race car designers tend to be pretty restricted in what they can do?