Tag Archives: Aston Martin

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Aston Martin and Champagne Bollinger Toast to a Partnership Steeped in Craftsmanship

There are brand pairings that feel engineered in a boardroom, and then there are those that just make sense. Aston Martin’s latest announcement falls squarely in the latter category: the British marque has named Champagne Bollinger as its Official Champagne partner. In return, Aston Martin becomes Bollinger’s Official Automotive Partner—a neat symmetry that’s more than a marketing handshake.

The collaboration isn’t just about logos on event backdrops. It’s a meeting of two houses that have built their legacies on patience, precision, and an unrelenting pursuit of quality. Aston Martin, founded in 1913, has spent over a century perfecting the art of blending performance and elegance. Champagne Bollinger, established in 1829 in Aÿ, France, has earned a reputation for wines as complex and meticulous as the steel and leather that define Aston Martin’s GTs.

Both names carry the gravitas of tradition, but neither is shy about pushing forward. Bollinger still employs its own cooper to maintain more than 4,000 oak barrels—an artisanal touch nearly extinct in modern winemaking—while embracing innovative techniques that refine its style without diluting its heritage. Aston Martin, meanwhile, continues to handcraft cars that stand as much for design purity as for engineering excellence.

The two brands also share a uniquely British connection. Bollinger has supplied the Royal Household since 1884, while Aston Martin has long been a darling of British motoring royalty. Both carry Royal Warrants, underscoring a bond not just of heritage, but of pedigree.

“The partnership is a natural alignment of two iconic brands,” said Charles-Armand de Belenet, Managing Director of Champagne Bollinger. “Both our Maisons share a commitment to timeless elegance, heritage, and the mastery of our respective crafts.”

That alignment will now come to life in Aston Martin’s most exclusive spaces: private unveilings, VIP gatherings, even race paddocks where victories are measured in tenths of a second. From corks popping beside new supercar launches to flutes raised after podium finishes, Bollinger will be there to elevate the occasion.

“At Aston Martin, we believe in creating unforgettable experiences that blend performance, craftsmanship, and artistry,” said Stefano Saporetti, Aston’s Director of Brand Diversification. “The partnership with Champagne Bollinger exemplifies this spirit.”

It’s hard to argue with that. Champagne has always been about celebration, and Aston Martin has always been about occasions worth celebrating. Together, they promise moments as effervescent as the bubbles in a Bollinger Brut—and as thrilling as a downshift in a V12 Vantage.

And, as both brands are quick to remind, there’s one golden rule: raise your glass, but never your right foot. Never drink and drive.

Source: Aston Martin

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When Renault Meets Aston: Laurens van den Acker and Marek Reichman Swap Keys

It’s barely past sunrise when Laurens van den Acker, Renault Group’s design supremo, bounds out of a Rafale at Aston Martin HQ. He’s running on little sleep after a predawn flight to the UK, but you wouldn’t know it. “This is like Christmas for me,” he grins, moments before taking the keys to a V12 Vanquish from his old friend Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s chief creative officer.

Reichman, in turn, takes the keys to something altogether smaller and sunnier: a bright yellow Renault 5. On paper, it’s a mismatch. In practice, it’s a fascinating collision of worlds—the kind of car swap you only get when designers, not accountants, call the shots.

A Vanquish Dream, a Hot Hatch Reality

The duo set off into the Warwickshire countryside, where Aston routinely fine-tunes its cars on a diet of lumpy cambers, tight corners, and potholes that could swallow a Twizy whole.

For van den Acker, the experience borders on spiritual.
“I don’t think I’ve ever experienced this type of acceleration before,” he says, still laughing as if the Vanquish’s V12 tickled him rather than tried to rearrange his organs. “You feel the adrenaline pumping, and the car just invites you to go faster. I thought I’d be intimidated, but it just wants you to come play.”

Reichman, meanwhile, wrings surprising joy from the pint-sized Renault. “It was really good,” he admits. “Responsive, fun, even a little wheel screech at one point. If you see an opportunity, you can take it. The Vanquish behind me probably helped.”

Cross-Pollination at 7,000 RPM

Design directors rarely get to sample cars outside their own segment. When they do, they can’t help themselves—they drive with one eye and inspect with the other. Reichman admits he spent as much time studying the R5’s material transitions and screen integration as he did hustling it down the B-roads. Van den Acker, for his part, treats the Vanquish as both fantasy fulfillment and a benchmark: “For us, Aston Martin is a reference in design. It’s the whole brand experience.”

Despite the gulf between their products, both men agree we’re living through a “golden age of car design.” With new competitors from China, electrification reshaping proportions, and consumers expecting premium execution at every price, the arms race is hotter than ever.

Mainstream vs. Luxury: Same Game, Different Budgets

Reichman has spent two decades shaping Aston Martin’s form language, racking up more than 50 production cars, one-offs, and specials. Van den Acker, by contrast, has overseen Renault, Alpine, and Dacia—brands that sell in high volume and tight budgets but now carry a design coherence he’s proud of.

“The level of car you can get for the money now is incredible,” he says. “With the Renault 5 we pushed to the last five percent of detail. It’s like Formula 1: that last bit has the biggest impact.”

Reichman nods. “At Aston, we might spend the budget on carbon fiber. At Renault, you might tool plastic differently. The shape is what matters—the rest is about where you allocate the money.”

It’s a reminder that whether you’re sketching a €20,000 hatchback or a €300,000 GT, the essential challenge is the same: create desire.

Old Friends, New Roads

The chemistry between the two is obvious. They first met in California in the early ’90s, part of a wave of young designers lured by surfboards, barbecues, and big dreams. They later crossed paths at Ford in Detroit, where their competitive streaks spilled over into a legendary football match that left Reichman with a scar courtesy of van den Acker’s uncompromising attack. “He should have been sent off,” Reichman jokes. “Deserved,” van den Acker admits.

Now, decades later, they find themselves on parallel but opposite trajectories: one drawing dream machines in Gaydon, the other shaping icons of the street in Boulogne-Billancourt. Both insist they’d happily swap challenges. Reichman fancies designing a Twizy as much as a Valkyrie; van den Acker, meanwhile, still dreams of penning a sports car. “Give me a package,” he says, “and it would come naturally.”

Parked side by side at Caffeine & Machine, the Vanquish and Renault 5 attracted equal amounts of attention—proof that charisma doesn’t always correlate with cylinder count. “Popular cars need to be flexible,” van den Acker says. “But whether it’s a Renault 5 or an Aston Martin, people know when it’s right and when it’s wrong.”

That’s the unspoken bond between two friends from opposite ends of the automotive spectrum: respect for the craft, the competition, and the sheer joy of a good drive.

And judging by the grin still plastered across van den Acker’s face, the Vanquish delivered exactly that.

Source: Autocar

News

Aston Martin Plots Roman Expansion with New Boutique Showroom

Few brands can pull off the combination of heritage, luxury, and pure theater quite like Aston Martin. And now, the British marque is doubling down on its European ambitions with a fresh expansion in Italy—this time planting its flag in the heart of Rome.

Later this year, the Eternal City will gain a new attraction of its own: a boutique Aston Martin showroom designed not just to sell cars, but to serve as a statement of intent. This sleek new hub will handle both sales and service, while a full-fledged dealership is scheduled to open in 2026. For Aston, Italy isn’t just another market—it’s one of the brand’s top five in continental Europe, and one where design, craftsmanship, and performance resonate on a cultural level.

To make it happen, Aston Martin has tapped Maldarizzi Automotive S.p.A., a retailer with a reputation for white-glove service and a flair for luxury partnerships. The Rome outpost will join a strong national network that already includes Milan, Verona, and Bologna, giving Aston Martin a tighter grip on a country that lives and breathes beautiful machines.

Portfolio at Full Throttle

The timing couldn’t be better. Aston Martin’s product range has never been stronger—or broader. The reimagined Vantage and its Roadster sibling have brought sharper dynamics and a more modern interface to the brand’s entry point, while the DB12 and DB12 Volante usher in a new generation of GTs that lean heavily into both power and tech. On the SUV front, the fire-breathing DBX707 continues to carry the “supercar of SUVs” mantle.

But the halo comes from the future: the Valhalla, Aston’s first mid-engined plug-in hybrid hypercar, set to begin deliveries in Europe before the end of 2025. The car promises to inject a Formula 1–inspired edge into Aston’s lineup and signal just how far the company is willing to go to stay relevant in a rapidly shifting luxury market.

Customization remains another trump card. Through the Q by Aston Martin program, customers can co-create their dream machine, right down to the smallest stitch or paint hue. In Italy, where individuality and flair are part of the culture, that kind of bespoke approach plays directly to the crowd.

Strategic Partnerships and Market Moves

The Rome expansion isn’t the only play Aston Martin is making. In Northern Italy, Gino S.p.A. has just acquired the Verona operation, complete with showroom and service center, as part of a broader plan to reinforce the brand’s footprint. These moves underscore Aston Martin’s commitment to strengthening its dealer network, while ensuring that its growing portfolio of cars is backed by equally polished service experiences.

Design Still Reigns Supreme

For all the horsepower, hybrid systems, and Apple CarPlay Ultra integration (yes, Aston is finally catching up on tech), the brand knows its real ace in Italy is design. At a Milan Fashion Week event, Aston’s Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman made it clear: beauty and craftsmanship remain the pillars of the brand’s philosophy. In fact, Aston Martin’s obsessive focus on form has helped push its average selling price to a record €268,000—proof that customers are willing to pay a premium for rolling works of art.

“Every Aston Martin is born from the fusion of design excellence and engineering innovation,” Reichman said. “Our customers don’t just buy a car; they acquire a work of art that reflects their personality.”

Rome, Meet Aston

It’s hard to think of a better stage for Aston Martin’s Italian push than Rome, a city where style is eternal and beauty is currency. The boutique showroom may just be a prelude, but it signals something bigger: Aston Martin isn’t just selling cars here—it’s selling culture, lifestyle, and a chance to drive something that looks as at home outside the Colosseum as it does tearing down the Autostrada.

In the end, this is less about volume and more about presence. For Aston Martin, Italy isn’t simply another market. It’s a proving ground where passion, design, and performance collide—and where the brand intends to shine brighter than ever.

Source: Aston Martin