One of the rarest Aston Martins ever is about to return

Aston Martin Bulldog. Perhaps to some of you this name says little or nothing. A quick briefing for the unaware, it was a concept presented in 1979, ready to be produced in a very limited series (10 or 15 examples at most) for very select owners, but as fate would have it, only the concept remained.

An unfortunate model not only for the lack of production, but the intention of the British company was in fact to produce the fastest production car in the world, ready to break through the 300 kmh (186 mph) barrier. We know how that turned out. Well, after these and other vicissitudes, the only Aston Martin Bulldog ever produced will be presented live again, at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

Long work

It took 7,000 hours of restoration and 1,664 days spent at Classic Motor Cars Ltd in Bridgnorth, England, to bring the boxy English coupe back to its former glory. It finally returned to the United States, in the hands of its owner - entrepreneur and car collector Philip Sarofim - and is ready to show itself fully restored at Pebble Beach, in the concept car and prototype category. Perhaps not the most expensive of the lot, but with a value of more than £1 million it will defend itself well.

Aston Martin Bulldog

Designed by William Towns (the pencil man behind the shapes of the Lagonda and later the DeLorean DMC12) the Bulldog was characterised by particularly angular shapes, to shake up the world of two-seater GTs. With a length of 4.75 metres and a height of just 1.1 metres, the Bulldog's original shape combined with a cx of 0.34, an almost record-breaking value for the time. 

In search of the missed record

During the restoration phases, the Aston Martin Bulldog was entrusted to Darren Turner, the British company's official driver, and given a very specific mission: to exceed 300 km/h, something that had never been achieved before. 

Aston Martin Bulldog

And so in 2021, during the first tests, the concept reached 162 mph (260.7 km/h) and then climbed with each test, exceeding 200 mph in June 2023, reaching 205.4 (330.5 km/h). Merit for the hours spent tuning the and twin-turbo 5.3-litre V8 with 600 PS and 678 Nm of torque.

More Bulldog:

Aston Martin Bulldog spotted at Villa d'Este still looking futuristic 43 years later

Restored Aston Martin Bulldog hits 162 mph at first stage of testing

Restored Aston Martin Bulldog spotted in London looking futuristic

1980 Aston Martin Bulldog one-off to try and crack 200-mph barrier