The Aston Martin Lagonda (AML) Vehicle Dynamics team has been handed the keys to its new home at Silverstone – The Home of British Motor Racing. Based alongside Silverstone’s Stowe Circuit, Aston Martin Silverstone will provide a permanent base for the British luxury carmaker’s test and development programmes, when it becomes fully operational in December.
With Aston Martin launching a completely new car every year plus multiple special editions, the Vehicle Dynamics experts have a busy programme of prototype vehicle testing and Silverstone’s choice of world-class circuits and dynamic handling areas are ideal for working on chassis dynamics and high-speed handling development.
Aston Martin’s Chief Engineer – Vehicle Engineering, Matt Becker said: “The new base at Silverstone will provide us with a reference circuit upon which to develop the next generation of Aston Martins. Silverstone is a fantastic place for us to practice the dark art of vehicle dynamics, the fine tuning that takes place to turn a good car into a great car. Our talented team of engineers and our high performance test drivers now have a racing circuit right outside the door.”
Once the refit is complete, Aston Martin Silverstone will boast a state-of-the-art workshop with dedicated technicians on-site to support all activities.
Silverstone’s Stowe circuit will be used to develop future Aston Martins including the, Rapide E, the marques first SUV, future mid-engined sports cars and Lagonda’s to name but a few.
Aston Martin’s Senior Manager – Vehicle Engineering, Ian Hartley, is excited about the opportunities presented by the new home for his department. He said: “As our cars become even more high performance our dependency on track development becomes greater. Having the Stowe circuit and regular access to the remaining Silverstone circuits will be a great development advantage. It will allow us to refine the ride and steering attributes on the road and then very quickly evaluate the handling characteristics before making changes with the tuneables.”
Currently the team carries out ride tuning work in the UK and then travels to circuits across Europe to evaluate the high speed ride, handling and steering. Most of Aston Martin’s stability control (ESP) development is done on a test track in Europe so the new UK base will be a real advantage.
Silverstone will also be used for performance benchmarking, durability testing and will be the home of Powertrain Systems Development. The Silverstone centre will ensure that every new Aston Martin is honed to perfection.
SOURCE: Aston Martin
