With only 100 examples to be made, and just five
delivered to date, your chances of seeing a David Brown Speedback GT are pretty
slim. But the automaker brought two to the Geneva Motor Show this year.
Don't let the name or the design
fool you: it has nothing to do with Aston Martin. Except it does celebrate the
same spirit of British craftsmanship, in the form of a classically styled grand
tourer.
Revealed in 2014, the Speedback GT is the only
product from David Brown Automotive, whose founder has nothing to do with the
former Aston chief whose initials still adorn that company's sports cars.
It's actually based on the discontinued Jaguar XK
and powered by its 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine. Only it's completely
rebodied by hand with styling reminiscent of the old Aston DB5. Updated for
2017, the Speedback GT is now further refined, but no less exclusive. Each
example is made to order, and priced at £ 495,000 before taxes.
Details of the latest enhancements remain scarce,
but we do know there are some new wheel options. Each of the two examples on
display feature “further refinements in design and engineering, including
examples of unique bespoke features, as well as colour & trim
personalisation.” The 2017 Speedback
GT has undergone a wide-range of significant engineering and design
developments.
In Geneva, the niche automaker announced its move
from its current base in Coventry to new headquarters at the Silverstone
circuit. Set to open in May, the 18,000-square-foot facility is located right
opposite the entrance to the track that's home to the British Grand Prix and so
many other quintessentially English motorsport events.
