Aston Martin Vulcan meets . . . the Vulcan

The image says it all – two heavyweights of modern engineering in the same picture frame.

The last remaining airworthy strategic bomber, the Avro Vulcan, flies for the last time later this month.

But ahead of that date the iconic delta wing aircraft, operated by the Royal Air Force from 1956 until 1984, has been united with its modern namesake – the Aston Martin Vulcan.

Vulcan XH558, presently being operated by the charitable trust Vulcan To The Sky, is due to be grounded to form the centrepiece of the educational Vulcan Aviation Academy & Heritage Centre at Robin Hood Airport near Doncaster.

But first, the Cold War-era long range bomber was paired with new track-only racer the Aston Martin Vulcan in a special fly-past at Elvington Airfield in Yorkshire.

Described by Aston Martin as its most intense and exhilarating creation to date the all-carbon fibre 800bhp + Vulcan supercar delivers extreme performance.

Uniquely for Aston Martin the new supercar – limited to just 24 examples worldwide – allows owners the opportunity to tailor their track day experience through a scale of detailed power and dynamic performance adjustments.

Company chief Andy Palmer said: “Clearly the Avro Vulcan provided the inspiration for the naming of our most extreme sports car, and I’m delighted that we have been able to unite the ‘two Vulcans’ and deliver our own tribute to this world-renowned aeronautical phenomenon.”

Vulcan XH558 is flown by chief pilot and operations director Martin Withers DFC, who said: “Being at the controls for this unique fly-past was a memorable occasion.

“Personally, it is great to know that the Vulcan name will live on not only in the history books, and at the new educational centre in Yorkshire, but via Aston Martin’s incredible new sports car.”

More details of Vulcan XH558 and its final month of operation are available via the Trust’s website at http://www.vulcantothesky.org/

First deliveries of the track-only Aston Martin Vulcan to customers worldwide will take place before the end of the year.