Automobile Division Yorkshire Centre Technical Lecture - 26 March 2013

Speaker:  Ian Minnard, Director Product Development - Aston Martin Lagonda

Now into its fifth consecutive year, the IMechE’s ADYC and Northern Division was proud to have the Director of Product Development at Aston Martin Lagonda – Ian Minnard – returning to present the latest technical lecture on the newest Aston Martin road car.  The event was generously hosted by the JCT600 Aston Martin Dealership in Leeds, where the full range of Aston Martin Road Cars were on show for the 70+ people in attendance.  The event was well attended, despite taking place during a period of extremely changeable weather.  Included in the audience were young members of King James’ School Greenpower team, a scheme for secondary schools to design and build their own electric cars. 
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Surrounded by the cars on which the technical lecture was based, Ian took the audience through the plotted life of Aston Martin road cars from the Aston Martin DB9, Vantage V8 & V12, Virage, DBS to the new Rapide S and the star of the evening’s lecture the new Aston Martin Vanquish.  Expanding on previous lectures given, Ian described the process of designing the latest car utilising the new Aston Martin V-H (Vertical-Horizontal) architecture.  The V-H architecture allows for modular scalability of parts and chassis such that it allows for quicker turnaround of new models and subsequent updates through the product life cycle.  Ian also took the audience through the technical challenges faced due to the introduction of legislations worldwide – notably crash and pedestrian safety.  The engineering challenges of this were highlighted with the difficulties in lowering the position of the engine in the car.  As ever, the depth of testing required was staggering but the solutions ingenious, as the Vanquishes engine was lowered onto a reinforced floor as well as redesign of components on the engines.

As is now becoming a tradition for this event, a raffle was carried out to raise funds for King James’ School Greenpower project.  Raffle prizes included an extended test drive of one the latest Aston Martin courtesy of JCT600, a couple of goodie bags direct from Aston Martin HQ as well as several smaller IMechE and Aston Martin themed prizes.  The total raised from the event was £130.  The evening was thoroughly enjoyed by all, including Ian who has already indicated his desire to make it a sixth consecutive year in 2014.    
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