Hypercars like the Aston Martin Valkyrie that can break the 200-mph barrier are not uncommon now, but this was unheard of over 40 years ago. Back in 1979, Aston Martin built a one-off mid-engine concept called Bulldog, which was designed to hit over 200 mph. It came close, setting a speed record of 191 mph at the MIRA test track in 1980.

While impressive for the time, this fell short of Aston Martin's lofty target. Sadly, the Bulldog was canceled after Victor Gauntlett took over the company in 1981 because it was too expensive to put into production. Over 40 years later, the one-and-only Aston Martin Bulldog in the world has been fully restored to its former glory and is nearly ready to re-attempt its original 200-mph record.

Before the record attempt, the fully restored Aston Martin Bulldog was recently spotted parked in Central London, where it instantly stood out and attracted a large crowd thanks to its futuristic styling that inspired the Tesla Cybertruck and dramatic DeLorean-style gullwing doors. You can tell it was styled by William Towns, who also designed the wedge-shaped Aston Martin Lagonda luxury sedan.

It's a shame it never entered production because it looks unlike anything else on the road today. Caught on video by TheTFJJ, the Bulldog concept was spotted parked next to a Bizzarrini 5300GT Strada and a Bentley Continental GT styled by Zagato.

We get to see the gullwing doors open and the hood lower, revealing the Bulldog's five centrally-mounted headlights. With Victor Gauntlett's son Richard Gauntlett overseeing the project, the Bulldog is being fully restored by Classic Motor Cars. While the stunning exterior is complete, work is still being done on the engine, which we get to hear start up. Originally, the Aston Martin Bulldog was powered by a mid-mounted twin-turbo 5.3-liter engine generating 600 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque, but the aim is to boost the output to 650 hp in the restored car.

Once the restoration is complete, Aston Martin racing driver Darren Turner will attempt to reach 200 mph in the Bulldog more than 40 years after the first failed attempt. We're keeping our fingers crossed it will finally achieve its original goal.