Aston Martin One-77 - Controversial style and price, heart of a grand touring supercar.

The One-77 is perhaps the last thing Aston Martin needs on its plate right now, or alternatively one of the greatest decisions the historic British road and race car company could have made. Its styling is certainly different than other high-end models of the world. Though it carries classic Aston Martin genes to a new level, in excecution it has garnered more than a few head scratches.

Look at, for example, the manner in which the headlights integrate with the front fenders and airdam. The heavily smoked lenses are actually split between two separate pieces of aluminum, a detail which the eye sticks on, and not in a good way. The crease at each extreme front corner is perhaps more emphasized than necessary, and takes away from the overall clean and muscular appearance of the car.

Other design decisions are big hits. The huge--and we do mean huge--rear haunches wrap rear tires thicker than anything M3 or 911 Turbo. The meshed outlet just aft of the front wheel wells, housing dual side-exit exhaust tips on each side, is a well-excecuted and clever design detail. Star Trek-y wrap around tail lenses might be pushing it on a car no one can afford, but on the Aston Martin One-77, it works.

Power will come from a 7.0 liter V12, that much we know. Official figures have not been released yet, except for the fact that the One-77 will have a top speed of more than 200 mph. Several reports have pegged the power output in the ballpark of 700 bhp. The One-77 release date is a reported late 2009, though Aston Martin has said they are already in talks with potential buyers for all 77 models to be issued.