It looked like something out of an action movie, perhaps one from a James Bond film. Tires from a sleek luxury car kicking up fine powder as they glide over the surface of a frozen lake. The roar of a powerful engine accelerating around a sharp turn.
Although not for a movie, the event did have something in common with Bond—the Aston Martin. Last February, the small independent luxury British sports car manufacturer invited an exclusive group of customers to Crested Butte, Colorado, for its first ever Aston Martin on Ice event. There, drivers got behind the wheel of Vanquishes, Vantage V12 Ss, and Rapide Ss to hone their skills on a professionally built ice track with a skid pad, slalom, and other features.
These driving experiences are the brainchild of Julian Jenkins and his colleagues at Aston Martin as they seek to grow the iconic brand in the United States and surrounding territories. The company made quite a splash last year when it announced a sub-$100,000 sports car for North American markets. The vehicle, a V8 Vantage GT, starts at $99,900 and went on sale in the second half of 2014.