British racing legend hits 205mph Aston Martin Bulldog record after 4 decade wait
More than four decades after the Aston Martin Bulldog was made to be the fastest road car in the world, it has finally recorded a speed of over 200mph
Last updated 6th Jun 2023
It’s been 44 years in the making.
More than four decades after the Aston Martin Bulldog was made to be the fastest road car in the world, it has finally recorded a speed of over 200mph – something that was promised back in 1979.
Three time Le Mans 24 winner Darren Turner clocked a speed of 205.4mph at the Machrihanish airfield in Campbeltown today.
The car had reached a speed of 191mph back in 1979, but Aston Martin had always promised it could do 200mph.
In the 80’s it was deemed to costly to continue, and the one and only car was sold to a Saudi Prince with the engine blowing up on it’s first drive.
After renowned car collector Philip Sarofim bought the car a few years ago, he asked Richard Gauntlett, the son of the former owner of Aston Martin, Victor Gauntlett, to restore the car.
In early 2020 nut and bolt restoration began, and changes were made to make the car more robust in its prep for the 200mph run.
"Being part of a legacy is a fantastic feeling"
Now, after 7000 hours of restoration it has finally fulfilled the promise from all those years ago
Driver Darren Turner said it was an incredible feeling to be part of a historic moment.
He said: “Bulldog's 200mph goal has been over 40 years in the making, being part of that legacy is a fantastic feeling.
“The Bulldog has now fulfilled Aston Martin's promise and everyone who has worked on the car - from those who first designed and built it, to Classic Motor Cars who undertook the restoration under the management of Richard Gauntlett, can feel very proud.”
The Perfect Conditions
It was a tense morning, and after Darren reached 176mph during a test in 2021, it almost seemed like it was too good to be true for the team behind it.
Richard Gauntlett told Clyde 1: “I went to bad last night worrying everything was too good to be true. We had the weather on our side, the smooth runway tarmac. But it was so lovely to achieve this in an undramatic way.”
“I think what is wonderful, is that is an absolute reward for hard work and the people behind it. Because a project like this isn’t just about the hours that go into it, it’s about the passion and the life story behind those hours. The people that worked on that car during the pandemic tirelessly and I’m thrilled we achieved this today.”
Darren Turner told Clyde 1: “The conditions were perfect for the run and the car performed perfectly too, easily hitting the 200mph mark.”
Once I got out of second gear was under control, and the car was unbelievably stable. So once I was up to speed it was actually quite relaxing.”