At last year's Geneva Motor Show, David Brown Automotive lifted the wraps off the ultra-luxurious Speedback GT. Based on a Jaguar XKR, its bespoke, retro-inspired styling is a modern take on the Aston Martin DB5. It features a beautifully handcrafted aluminium body, a Jaguar-sourced supercharged 5.0-liter V8, and costs nearly $700,000. If you thought that asking price was absurd, DBA has revealed a more powerful version of the Speedback GT that can be yours for $860,000. Yikes.
Dubbed the Speedback GT Silverstone Edition, this is DBA's "most performance-focused model ever." Power from the Jaguar-sourced 5.0-liter V8 has increased from 510 horsepower to 601 hp, while torque has increased by 100 lb-ft to 565 lb-ft. 0-60 mph takes 4.2 seconds before the Silverstone Edition tops out at 155 mph. Limited to only 10 examples, the Silverstone Edition name celebrates one year since DBA moved to its current Silverstone base. The powertrain is mated to a six-speed ZF automatic transmission that sends power to the grand tourer's rear wheels. Sportier suspension, performance brakes, and active rear differential enhances the handling and comfort.
It also runs on uniquely designed 20-inch alloys with 255/35 tires up front and 285/30s at the rear. Compared to the standard Speedback GT, the Silverstone Edition features more aggressive styling inspired by "the dawn of the jet age and classic racers from the 1960s" to attract younger buyers. The handcrafted aluminium body is streamlined with extended side skirts, a front spoiler and enhanced rear diffuser, while larger side vents distinguish the more performance-focused model, as do the jet-inspired exhaust tips. Inside, the two-seat interior is trimmed with high quality leather and a dashboard featuring open-pore wood veneer finish and metal inlays.
Heated and adjustable sports seats are adorned with a Silverstone Circuit outline embroidered into the tan leather, and the rear seats have been removed to allow for extra luggage space. "Ever since David Brown Automotive relocated to Silverstone, we have wanted to mark the significance of the circuit's aeronautical and motorsport heritage," said David Brown, company founder and CEO. "Speedback Silverstone Edition addresses our ambition on every level, as a visually stunning Grand Tourer and the most performance-focused model we have ever made. We have developed Speedback Silverstone Edition to appeal to a new customer," he continued.
"The driver who wants the very best in performance at all times, but still wants to retain usability and driveability in an exclusive model which still offers both comfort and luxury. The David Brown Automotive DNA is clear to see again, building on the success of Speedback GT and Mini Remastered models, while our inspiration from the heritage of the Silverstone Circuit shapes this new model as a classically-inspired performance Grand Tourer for the modern market." Considering the astronomical cost of this exclusive grand-tourer, you would think they would make sure that no detail is overlooked no matter how minute.
Embarrassingly, an eagle-eyed reader on Carscoops noticed a spelling mistake on the door sill. Ironically, this is supposed to be a quintessentially British car, but the inscriptions says it's "Handcrafted by David Brown Automotive in Great Britian" instead of Great Britain. Oops.
