Project Neptune delivers luxury under the sea

Work has begun on the first production model of the submersible Project Neptune, a creative collaboration between Aston Martin and Triton Submarines, after the design phase was successfully completed in May this year.

The submersible is the first project to be carried out by Aston Martin Consulting, an entity created to promote Aston Martin’s dedication to beauty and innovation beyond the automotive sector, and further into uncharted territories in the luxury world.

In Project Neptune, Aston Martin’s elegant design meets Triton’s operational expertise, and both companies are eager to take the opportunity to branch out into new industries while building on long-established reputations.

Triton Submarines President Patrick Lahey celebrates the Aston Martin marque for its "deeply held passion for technology, engineering, and timeless, elegant design".

"From our first interaction, it was apparent that Triton and Aston Martin were natural partners and our complementary values will be realised in this truly exciting project," he continues.

Global sales of submersibles are on the rise, and Louise Harrison, sales director of Triton in Europe, attributes their increasing popularity to a growing desire among younger members of the super-rich to explore areas of the world that were once exclusively the purview of dedicated researchers and explorers. Between 25 and 30 submersibles were sold in 2017, ranging in price from £1 million to £30 million.

There is a growing desire among younger members of the super-rich to explore areas of the world that were once exclusively the purview of dedicated researchers and explorers.

The Project Neptune vehicle contains ample room for a pilot and two passengers, offering visibility of almost 360 degrees. The submersible can dive to depths of 500 metres, and improvements in hydrodynamic efficiency have given it roughly four times the acceleration of Triton’s flagship 3300/3 model. Its sprint speed is projected to clear five knots.

Aston Martin Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman praises his design team’s use of "forms and proportions that express the same devotion to design, engineering and beauty that shape our cars".

For John Ramsay, Triton Submarines Chief Technical Officer, the beauty and functionality of the Project Neptune prototypes offer reason to rejoice.

"The interior is quintessentially Aston Martin: a luxurious mix of hand-stitched leather and high-performance carbon fibre, assembled without obstructing the panoramic sight-lines that Triton submersibles are famous for."

The limited-edition vehicle is scheduled for a public reveal later in 2018, and is expected to retail for US$3.3 million.

Aston Martin has been busy recently. Read about the DBS Superleggera, the DB11 AMR, and the Rapide AMR, all of which have entered the market in the past two months alone.