[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/by-manufacturer\/aston-martin\/aston-martin-bulldogs-40-year-wait-for-200mph\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/by-manufacturer\/aston-martin\/aston-martin-bulldogs-40-year-wait-for-200mph\/","headline":"Aston Martin Bulldog’s 40 Year Wait For 200mph","name":"Aston Martin Bulldog’s 40 Year Wait For 200mph","description":"Aston Martin Bulldog launched in 1977 finally fulfils 200mph promise in 2023 Aston Martin Bulldog, If At First You Don’t Succeed… It\u2019s quite rare that a supercar, originally conceived more than 40 years ago during the Queen\u2019s Jubilee year of 1977, would suddenly find itself thrust into the limelight of the modern car world but the wonderfully retro 1970s Aston Martin Bulldog which was visually mastered by William Towns, has somehow managed to do that.   The Aston Martin Bulldog […]","datePublished":"2023-06-30","dateModified":"2023-07-04","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/sean-neylon\/#Person","name":"Sean Neylon","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/sean-neylon\/","identifier":34,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a036ec19c690fbd907de932d0ede682f992b96e00164fbf2238ccfb7c3681767?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a036ec19c690fbd907de932d0ede682f992b96e00164fbf2238ccfb7c3681767?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/aston-martin-bulldog-200mph-1.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/aston-martin-bulldog-200mph-1.jpg","height":1044,"width":2408},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/by-manufacturer\/aston-martin\/aston-martin-bulldogs-40-year-wait-for-200mph\/","about":["ASTON MARTIN","LATEST CAR NEWS","Sports, Performance & Prestige Cars"],"wordCount":684,"keywords":["Aston Martin Bulldog","aston martin gullwing","classic car","classic motor cars Ltd","Darren Turner","supercar"],"articleBody":"Aston Martin Bulldog launched in 1977 finally fulfils 200mph promise in 2023Aston Martin Bulldog, If At First You Don’t Succeed…It\u2019s quite rare that a supercar, originally conceived more than 40 years ago during the Queen\u2019s Jubilee year of 1977, would suddenly find itself thrust into the limelight of the modern car world but the wonderfully retro 1970s Aston Martin Bulldog which was visually mastered by William Towns, has somehow managed to do that.  The Aston Martin Bulldog fits into what I would suggest is our new ability to deconstruct the looks of the 1970s and reconstruct them into worthwhile works of art – cars that were deemed to be ugly and highly dismissive not so very long ago are being given a new lease of life.Considered ‘ugly’ at the time, Aston Martin cut their losses and sold the only Bulldog built to a collectorWhat the Aston Martin Bulldog has done here is to achieve something it was incapable of doing 40 years ago; it\u2019s the over-200mph-kudos that Aston Martin had claimed the Bulldog to be capable of as far back as in 1979.In fact, Aston claimed the car could achieve 237mph – but in an official timing at the Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA), it only managed (a quite possibly very humbling) 191mph.So: what on earth has happened to the Aston Martin Bulldog over the past 40-odd years to get it to where it is today?Aston Martin Bulldog Supercar ‘On Ice’ After Failed 200mph PledgeThe gullwing-doored Bulldog was somewhat unfortunately named after an aircraft owned by the Managing Director of Aston Martin, Alan Curtis; unfortunate, as even in the 1970s there were people ready to mock the look of the seventies – we went from a bulldog that looked rather incapable of achieving any land-speed record to the car being nicknamed K9; and if you are old enough to remember the motorised dog from Dr Who, then you too might be thinking that this could have all been avoided by giving the Bulldog a rather more in-your-face colour – or not naming it after a dog. Aside from being called K9 and the failed attempt at 200mph, Aston Martin had originally intended to build around 15 to 25 of the vehicles, but delays and the improbable expense of such an exercise eventually put the idea on ice.Eventually, Aston Martin cut their losses and sold the Bulldog to a collector based in the Middle East for \u00a3130,000 who then moved it on to a collector in the USA.As our general perception of what we saw as anything 1970s to be unattractive waned, the Bulldog was seen again at 2009\u2019s Goodwood Festival of Speed and then again during Aston\u2019s 100th anniversary year in 2013.Classic Motor Cars Ltd Rise To Bulldog 200mph ChallengeAnd so it began; this renewed interest in the Bulldog saw that a full and dedicated ground-up restoration was to be performed by Classic Motor Cars Ltd under the management of Richard Gauntlett, with the intention of finally achieving that elusive 200mph record.Bulldog’s dashboard was considered futuristic in 1977Of course, Classic Motors were only going to perform a perfectly excellent restoration on the Bulldog – and as an incentive, in all the 7,000 hours of carefully re-crafting the car, the design team at Classic Motors knew that way back in 1979 Aston had already claimed that the car could achieve well over 200mph…Le Mans 24-Hour Champion Drives Bulldog To SuccessThree-times Le Mans 24-Hour winner Darren Turner was the deserved driver of the Bulldog at Machrihanish in Campbeltown in Scotland, where the conditions were described on the 6th June as near perfect. Darren said later that the Bulldog had fulfilled its promise.The Bulldog\u2019s new owner Phillip Sarofim described the moment as one where we are \u2018making dreams come true\u2019 and Richard Gauntlett, who is the son of former Aston Martin owner Victor Gauntlett, described the 200mph event as a fine achievement and heartwarming.A great moment: Let\u2019s honestly hope there are more classics from that era waiting to be reborn.Images: classic-motor-cars.co.uk, @astonmartinheritagetrustofficial (Facebook)"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"By Manufacturer","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/by-manufacturer\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Aston Martin","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/by-manufacturer\/\/aston-martin\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Aston Martin Bulldog’s 40 Year Wait For 200mph","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/by-manufacturer\/aston-martin\/aston-martin-bulldogs-40-year-wait-for-200mph\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]