Project Neptune: Aston Martin and Triton’s luxurious submarine

Aston Martin is one of the most admired British car manufacturers, building luxury grand tourers that appear in James Bond movies and high-tech hypercars like the upcoming Valkyrie.

But never in the carmaker’s illustrious history has it built a submarine – until now.

Partnering with sub manufacturer Triton, Aston Martin has released details of the Project Neptune submersible it hopes will help its brand expand beyond the automotive industry.

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Project Neptune’s styling is unlike that of any submarine on the market, featuring sleek body panels made from materials sourced by Aston Martin’s design team. It’s built around Triton’s three-passenger glass cockpit, blended seamlessly with the submersible’s bodywork.

Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s chief creative officer, said: “We have used forms and proportions that express the same devotion to design, engineering and beauty that shape our cars, such as the Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar project.”

Triton says the vehicle is “strictly-limited” and is being constructed through Aston Martin Consulting – the carmaker’s special operations department.

Details about the new sub are scarce – but Triton’s existing three-person submarine can stay under water for up to 12 hours and reach a depth of 3,300ft (1,000m). It also comes with air conditioning and humidity controls to make deep-sea diving a little more comfortable.

No pricing for Project Neptune has been revealed, but private submarines can sell for eight-figure sums.

While Project Neptune is the carmaker’s first submersible, the Daily Telegraph says Aston Martin collaborated with Quintessence Yachts and naval architects Mulder Design to build its AM37 powerboat last year.

It was revealed at last year’s Monaco Yacht Show, the newspaper says, measuring 11.1 metres in length and capable of a top speed of 50 knots (57mph).