Aston Martin One-77 uses heat-resistant composites under bonnet with new cooling technology

Related Tags: Aston Martin, Zircotec, under the hood, Innovation

Aston Martin One-77 uses heat-resistant composites under bonnet with new cooling technology

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Published: 6 February 2013

ASTON MARTIN's designers are always seeking new innovations, technology and lightweight materials to enhance their cars.

So it should come as no surprise that the ceramic based material originally allowing Formula One teams to exploit the 'blown diffuser' aerodynamic advantage has made its road car debut on Aston Martin's One-77 - a luxury supercar priced at over £1.1m.

Aston Martin One 77

When Aston Martin's engineers discovered Zircotec's technology could allow composites to be used under the bonnet without simply melting away, they jumped at the opportunity to use it.

Reaching speeds of 200mph and achieving 750bhp with a V12 7.3-litre engine, the Aston Martin One-77 could have serious cooling issues if it did not use the specially-made ThermoHold technology developed by Oxfordshire-based Zircotec, who are taking the automotive industry by storm with new technology this year.

Applied to both the diffuser and under-bonnet air intakes, it enables Aston Martin's delighted designers to specify lightweight and aesthetic materials for high temperature environments and is likely to feature on future models.

"Composites are often unsuited to high temperature environments," explained Zircotec's managing director Terry Graham. "Traditionally this leads to vehicle makers opting for more conservative materials that add weight or they rely on bulky heat shields that ultimately blunt performance. Our discreet ceramic coating protects the One-77 composites components and in the case of the diffuser, enables exhaust gases to pass through, just as they did in F1."

Aston Martin

With all but one of the Formula One teams using Zircotec's heat-resistant technology last season, it has been proven to lower temperatures while racing - by at least 125 degrees Celsius.

"Our coating not only protects the composite induction system from heat but also ensures that the air intake temperature is lower. Moreover, a decrease in this temperature creates a denser charge and is a feature relied upon by many Le Mans racing teams we supply," added Graham, who last month spoke to Motortrades Insight about its ravishing Zircotec Gold technology, which took three years to develop.

Aston Martin

Zircotec's proprietary process uses a gas plasma flame running at 12,000 degrees Celsius to apply the unique ThermoHold heat resistant formulation in molten powder form on to the composite components. Unlike paint, Zircotec's plasma spray application process ensures better adhesion.

It is hoped the technology will improve the supercar's reliability and performance, reducing maintenance costs for the 77 owners and improving the already pristine reputation of Aston Martin.

As the automotive industry seeks to adopt more composites to achieve higher efficiency, the coating technology pioneered on the Aston Martin One-77 is likely to be adopted by other OEMs.

"Engine downsizing is leading to hotter engines with tighter packaging," suggests Graham. "We are seeing future specifications suggesting under bonnet temperature increases to close to 200 degrees Celsius. Our coating is a true enabling technology and will enable composites to be considered in this area of the car."
The Aston Martin One-77
One-77 fuses advanced technology with stunning Aston Martin design to create possibly the world's most desirable automotive art form. Based on a sophisticated carbon-fibre One-77 chassis with a hand-crafted aluminium body, this 7.3 litre V12 supercar will deliver exhilarating performance for a strictly limited number of discerning customers.

The personal touch. Aston Martin's performance extends to the interior. Here, a worker carefully prepares upholstery.

Technical Specification:

Two door carbon fibre monocoque body structure sports coupe with hand crafted aluminium exterior body panels

Front Mounted 7.3 litre naturally aspirated V12 - 750bhp (760 PS, 559 kw)

Rear Mid Mounted 6 speed Automated Manual Transmission.