Aston Martin had a hectic last year; not only did it add an SUV to its portfolio for the first time in history, but the British automaker also completed the final round of testing for its Valkyrie hypercar. At the same time, it collaborated with Brough Superior to introduce the first-ever motorcycle to wear the brand’s winged logo. It seems like Aston Martin is in no mood to slow down in 2020 either; the marque has unveiled its latest wild collaborative creation – a helicopter. The brand reviled the ACH130 Aston Martin Edition chopper at Courchevel in the French Alps. The chopper created in collaboration with Airbus has been introduced as a highly-limited collector’s piece. “We have our own set of automotive design principles, but in recent years, we have been learning how to apply our principles to other areas of design, such as architecture, motorcycles, and now helicopters,” said Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s vice-president and chief creative officer. “This first application of our design practices to a helicopter posed several interesting challenges, but we have enjoyed working through them.”
Aston Martin has created a range of four interior and exterior designs for the ACH130 that are inspired by the automaker’s flagship GT car DB11.
Customers can choose from four external liveries with complementary interiors. The color schemes include Stirling Green that transitions into Jet Black with Skyfall Silver accents, Xenon Grey, Arizona, and Ultramarine Black.
On the inside, the cabin draws inspiration from Aston Martin’s sports cars and uses materials from the Aston Martin automotive palette. The cabin is wrapped in pure black ultra-suede with a selection of leathers, including Oxford Tan, Pure Black, Cormorant, and Ivory.
Design teams from Airbus Corporate Helicopters and Aston Martin worked closely for over a year on this project to immaculately craft all the fine details, like the Aston Martin logo embossed onto the headrests.
According to both the brands, the special edition has brought a new level of aesthetics and rigorous attention to detail to the helicopter market.
The chopper is powered by an Arriel 2D jet engine that provides 952 shaft horsepower at take-off. Airbus says the chopper can cruise at 134 knots (154 mph), carry up to six passengers, and stay in the air for up to four hours on a full tank of fuel.
[Via: Gulfnews]
