Sam Sheehan wrote:Bradford engineering firm Kahn has revealed a new coach built two-door coupé called the Vengeance at the Geneva motor show.
Based on the Aston Martin DB9, the two-seat sports car has received a reworked exterior that’s completely hand built. The design is said to take influence from Aston Martins of the 80s and 90s.
Most noticeable is the Vengeance’s wide-mouth front grille, which comes finished in chrome and sporting seven individual slats. The dominating feature will likely split opinion, and is joined by a new front bumper, front wings and bonnet.
Things are slightly more restrained at the rear, where a DB7 Zagato-inspired tailgate and light arrangement give the car a more classic look. Wider C-pillars and rear wings add width to the DB9 chassis’s footprint.
The car sits on a set of retro-looking wheels, which take heavy influence from the angular designs of the 1980s. To add muscle, the rear wheels are 335mm wide, while each of the fronts is 225mm across.
The modifications are only skin deep, however, because no mechanical work has been carried out on the car. Instead, Kahn wanted to focus purely on design to “take on coach building in its traditional sense”.
Company founder and designer Afzal Kahn emphasised the importance of this new reveal: “I want to leave a legacy which I can be proud of. The 2016 Geneva motor show is the ideal platform to launch such a handcrafted vehicle.”
Aston Martin purchasing director Gary Archer welcomed the arrival of a reworked DB9. “There is a rich history of specialist coach-built Aston Martins,” he said. “We wish Kahn every success with the Vengeance.”
There’s no word on pricing, but Kahn’s suggestion that the Vengeance will serve as a “sound investment” hints at a hefty increase in the DB9’s sticker price, which is about £125,000.
