The late-2000s marked a period of rediscovery for Aston Martin, with new backing and bold ideas. After a decade-and-a-half under the leadership of Ford, the famous British marque was acquired by a consortium led by Prodrive’s Dave Richards in March 2007. While the DB9 and Vantage were the mainstays of its product line-up, bosses at Aston Martin eyed limited-run production as a means of showcasing its newfound ambition and capabilities. The One-77 was revealed—partially covered, as a non-running prototype—at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, setting the trend for later special edition models to follow, such as the Vulcan and Victor.

Under the guidance of then-CEO, Dr. Ulrich Bez, the One-77 instantly made headlines. Aston Martin announced that its newest endeavour—with the allure and daring vision of a concept car that would typically be too fanciful for road-going production—was indeed available to buy, but would cost as much as £1,000,000. The Aston Martin hierarchy signalled a clear message of intent, framing its desired trajectory to return to the company’s roots of building boutique speed machines.

In the same phase of its rebirth, Aston Martin relocated from its famous Newport Pagnell factory, moving to impressive new manufacturing facilities in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The One-77 project signified the company’s transition from its historic home, and will forever be associated with the new era of Aston Martin. The second phase of the One-77’s launch came at the Geneva International Motor Show, some six months after the first glimpse had been teased. The total price had risen to £1.1 million, coinciding with the full release of the new car’s technical specifications.

A 7.3-litre development of Aston Martin’s acclaimed V-12, specially reworked by race engineers at Cosworth, would spearhead the raft of exciting, newly announced performance details. The free-revving V-12 was rated with factory figures of 750 horsepower and 553 ft lb of torque, making the One-77 the most powerful naturally aspirated road-going car in the world at launch. The engine sat 10 centimetres lower than in the DB9, positioned behind the front axle, thanks to the adoption of a dry-sump lubrication system. Power was transferred via a six-speed automated manual transmission through a carbon propshaft and magnesium-alloy torque tube, with control of the 20-inch rear wheels managed by a limited-slip differential.

From Aston Martin’s impressive stable, only the Formula 1-inspired, hybrid powertrain Valkyrie—developed in partnership with Red Bull Racing, and also made in limited numbers—can match the One-77’s performance. Able to sprint to 97 km/h from a standstill in just 3.5 seconds, the incredible machine could storm to a top speed exceeding 360 km/h. The One-77 was sprung with fully adjustable suspension that automatically lowered at high speeds, at which point a huge rear wing was deployed to increase downforce. Cross-drilled carbon-ceramic brakes were fitted to slow the car just as relentlessly as it accelerated.

With captivating aesthetics masterminded by Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s long-serving head of design, the One-77 embodies the marque’s modern take on a unique visual identity. Its low-slung, sleek coupé shape with a handsome face fronted by a large grille capture the signature Aston Martin design language, sharing many similarities with the DB9 that it was made alongside. Engineers at Gaydon invested huge amounts of time to perfect each of the 77 examples constructed, with every single-piece aluminium front wing requiring three weeks of shaping and fettling by individual craftspeople. These panels were mounted on a stiff and lightweight carbon-fibre monocoque chassis that tipped the scales at just 180 kilograms, helping to keep overall kerb weight to a minimum.

Inside the One-77, carbon fibre and black anodised aluminium trim adorn nearly every surface, while the electronically controlled sport seats and panelling were upholstered with leather and Alcantara. A squared steering wheel and graphite instruments completed the elegant design. Despite the obvious emphasis on performance, the model was equipped with all the amenities of a modern grand tourer, including a multi-function infotainment screen with satellite navigation, iPod and Bluetooth connectivity, and a premium Bang & Olufsen sound system.

This example, numbered 65 of just 77 built, was manufactured in 2011 in left-hand-drive configuration. The car left the Gaydon factory finished in a shade of metallic black, contrasting against a monochrome interior that features both white and black leather, beautifully sculpted sports seats made of a mixture of braided fabric with leather, and generous application of carbon fibre trim throughout. The first recorded registration of the Aston Martin is in the United Kingdom in November 2011. The accompanying service book shows that while the car was in England, it returned to Aston Martin Works for servicing in September 2015. Owing to its consistently low odometer readings throughout its life, the One-77 received its 16,000 km and 24,000 km services at the same time, when it had covered just 1,077 km. At the time of cataloguing, the odometer reads only 1,785 km. In October 2020, the car was registered for road use in Switzerland.

The One-77 is a car every inch as striking and exotic today as when the public caught its first fleeting glimpse at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. A hypercar in the truest sense, the One-77 is a machine that pushed the boundaries of both engineering and style, perfectly embodying the newfound ambition that has marked Aston Martin’s modern revival. The limited production run only adds to the allure of a special model that is so highly revered yet so seldom seen.