Geneva motor show 2009 - Aston Martin One-77

Aston continues to tease out the information on its £1.2 million One-77 supercar.

In Geneva it has unveiled a cut away version of the two-seater sports coupe's chassis, designed, the company says, to show that the car will be as striking beneath the skin as it is in the metal.

It reveals a 7.3-litre V12 engine that is mounted lower than in any other Aston to push down the car's centre of gravity and aid handling.

The engine is derived from the 6.0-litre V12 currently sold in the DBS, DB9 and V12 Vantage, and is being developed by tuning experts Cosworth. An extensive weight-saving programme means it is 25% lighter than the standard unit, and engineers say it will produce in excess of 700bhp and 553lb ft of pulling power.

The engine is linked to a six-speed gearbox that is controlled via steering wheel-mounted paddles. The 0-60mph time is expected to be around 3.5sec, while the car will have a top speed of 200mph.

The car's total weight is expected to be around 1500kg, Aerodynamic downforce will be possible to aid road-holding via a rear spoiler that can activate at higher speeds.

Aston says that the chassis is derived from the DTM German touring car series, which is based around front-engined, rear-wheel-drive cars.

The car is built around a lightweight carbonfibre monocoque, and features a race car-derived suspension layout.

This is enhanced by dampers that can have their shock absorbing characteristics changed according to a driver's preference.

Aston says it will tailor these settings to an owner's requirements following delivery of the car, and that they can be adapted to suit a long-distance GT car or thoroughbred racer.

The One-77 is limited to 77 cars, and will be available in right- and left-hand-drive specification.

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