Yahoo Autos Aston Martin Bulldog Finally Breaks the 200-MPH Barrier
The one-off Aston Martin Bulldog concept has finally broken the 200-mph barrier that it failed to achieve all the way back in 1979.
Classic Motor Cars, the U.K.-based shop behind the Bulldog's 18-month, 7000-hour restoration, said today the Bulldog was able to achieve a top speed of 205.4 mph at the Machrihanish airfield, a former NATO base in Scotland. The car was driven by three-time Le Mans 24-hour class winner and Aston Martin factory driver Darren Turner.
The funky, gullwing door coupe was originally supposed to go 237 mph when it was introduced 44 years ago, but only managed to achieve 191 mph in testing. Shortly after, Aston Martin ran out of money and shelved the planned production variant.
The Bulldog has since been passed from owner to owner until the current owner asked Richard Gauntlett, the son of Aston's former owner Victor Gauntlett, to oversee a full restoration. Classic Motor Cars announced plans to break the 200-mph barrier all the way back in February 2020, before entering the shakedown testing phase earlier this year.
"It is a truly incredible moment to witness the close of a 45-year chapter in the history of the incredible Aston Martin Bulldog," Gauntlett said. "The team who built it and the team who re-built are deservedly celebrating their momentous achievements and it is heartwarming to see all their hard work rewarded.”
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