Manuel Nathan
Revealed in 2015, the Vulcan was designed for track use only, although some cars were later converted for street use. Under the hood, we find naturally aspirated 7.0-liter V-12 delivering 800 horsepower. Produced by Aston Martin’s motorsport arm, the engine sits in a front-midship position for better weight distribution.
When it launched, Aston said the car had a better power to weight ratio than the Vantage GTE race car then running in the World Endurance Championship. All of that happening thanks to a carbon fiber monocoque.
Although the car has very impressive specs, it could be surpassed very soon by another one of its kind.
The Aston Martin Valkyrie was produced in agreement with the Red Bull Racing Formula One team. It will blast 1,160 hp, thanks to a Cosworth-developed 6.5-liter V-12 working with the famous KERS-style hybrid system.
The track-only version of the Aston Martin Vulcan is claimed to be one of the rarest hypercars. Just 24 were ever made, for $2.3 million each. So how do you customize a car this rare and expensive?
Really carefully as they show in a video from Topaz Detailing, it’s a meticulous method that requires multiple cleaning solutions and numerous passes over panel gaps, wheel arches, and every spot dirt might hide.
Just like every time, the entire process starts with the decontamination of the vehicle’s chassis, which includes treating the wheels with a non-acidic solution. Each wheel is then dusted with a delicate brush and the whole car is covered with a gentle citrus solution to eliminate the dirt from the body.
Once the car is rinsed to remove the citrus solution, panel gaps and openings are cleaned carefully with fine horsehair brushes. The car is next rinsed once more and it’s ultimately time for the body to be clayed to eliminate the dirt embedded in the clear coat.
After the car is thoroughly washed and the paint is fixed, the Topaz team starts to put the paint protection film. Because of the Vulcan’s comprehensive shape and crazy aerodynamic elements, this is a really challenging assignment.
That’s a clear element that covers painted surfaces, improving the prevention of stone chips and other possible damage. Using it is a bit like installing waterslide decals on a model car—the element adheres to wet surfaces but can still be moved around for proper alignment.
