That’s the question Eterniti must answer, especially since their new SUV is to be priced at £210,000 plus local taxes – except China, which will have a unique pricing strategy.

The company is targeting the ‘super-wealthy’ in fast developing nations, and competing against the likes of Aston Martin, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Bentley and now cars such as Lamborghini’s new Urus.

The Artemis was initially showcased in 2010 as the Hemera, and is based on a Porsche Cayenne platform. The 4.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine produces over 600bhp (441kW) and 750Nm (553 lb ft) of torque and can accelerate from 0-62mph in 4.5 secs before topping out at more than 180mph.

Performance and handling have been developed by a race-bred British engineering team led by Alastair Macqueen, who previously developed the Jaguar XJ220 and engineered three outright Le Mans 24 Hour race wins for Jaguar and Bentley.

Body panels are hand-built carbon composite and finished in a large choice of paint colours, complemented by different chrome trim styles. Ultra-low profile 315/25 tyres sit on bespoke 23-inch super-lightweight forged alloy rims in a choice of styles.

The Artemis has a limousine-like rear cabin featuring up to 100mm of additional legroom, twin reclining rear seats with heating and cooling, iPad-ready holders with electronic reveal, and a drinks chiller. This satisfies a specific need, particularly in Asian markets, for a car suitable for both being chauffeured in and driving for pleasure.

The interior is lavishly handcrafted, with a specification which includes the finest leathers, quilted under carpets and boot trim, lambswool rugs, veneers including natural woods, piano black and carbon fibre, a choice of sunroofs and starlight roof lining, and a state-of-the-art audio system.

As has already been proven by Porsche, BMW and Mercedes, an SUV can offer excellent handling and driver appeal, with the ride height and ruggedness more suitable for poor road surfaces which can make limousines and conventional high-performance cars completely impractical. The Artemis is therefore billed as the ultimate crossover for the super-rich.

The Eterniti Artemis will be in production by summer 2012, beating Bentley, Lamborghini and Maserati’s luxury SUV offerings to market. Orders can be taken now through Eterniti’s sales operations in London, Hong Kong and Taipei, for deliveries starting in autumn 2012.

As expected the Urus is fitted with a 600hp (591bhp) engine, presumably based on the Gallardo’s 5.2-litre V10, although Lamborghini has yet to confirm this.

The SUV DNA – 1986 Lamborghini LM002

Ferruccio Lamborghini originally went into business building tractors after the second world war, using leftover military hardware, before founding Automobili Lamborghini in 1963. But under Ferruccio’s ownership, Lamborghini only ever built sports cars.

It wasn’t until 1986, under new ownership, that Automobili Lamborghini made its first ‘truck’ – the mighty V12 LM002. Dubbed ‘Rambo-Lambo’, the LM002 was powered by a 450bhp 5.2-litre engine with a top speed of more than 130mph. It featured a luxurious interior (for its time), huge Pirelli Scorpion off-road tyres and the most brutal looking appearance of any car on the road.

The Lamborghini LM002 remained in production until 1992, with just over 300 cars being built.

Despite its SUV proportions, the Urus is said to be a true Lamborghini – looking powerful but never bulky. With a length of 4.99 metres, the Urus is a little over 15 cm (approx 6″) longer than a Porsche Cayenne and 4.5 cm (1.8″) wider. With a height of 1.66 metres, it is around 2.2 cm (0.9″) lower than a Cayenne GTS.

The Urus will offer the lowest CO2 figure of any comparable vehicle, according to Lamborghini, although that very much depends on which cars they regard as the Urus’ peers. The reason for this is the Urus’ lightweight design, resulting in a car which Lamborghini describe as being considerably lighter than its competitors.

The designers from Sant’Agata have adopted a mix of materials for the structure and bodyshell, including carbon fibre and aluminium, with a clever light weight approach to the Urus’ interior using a materials innovation called Forged Composite.

Lamborghini claims the Urus will set new benchmarks in dynamics and handling for its class, which will be quite an achievement given how talented Porsche’s Cayenne and BMW’s X6 already are.

In addition to its low centre of mass and relatively light weight, the Urus also features a first for its class – adaptive aerodynamics.

In combination with its variable body height, a height-adjustable front spoiler facilitates both an optimum approach angle, whilst maintaining good obstacle clearance. At the upper edge of the rear windshield is a deflector that diverts the airflow along the rear windshield and onto the adjustable spoiler, which is likewise adaptive and can alter the aerodynamic balance of the Urus to suit the prevailing driving conditions.

Lamborghini describe the interior of the Urus as “..pure and minimalist, just like the Aventador sports car”, where the driver and up to three passengers feel like they are wearing a perfectly made-to-measure suit – fitted, but comfortable. The panels are finished in lightweight carbon fibre reinforced polymer, which look a little cold and foreboding, whilst the centre tunnel features an open, skeletal carbon fibre structure made from a new material called Forged Composite.

This carries through the whole interior and is only partially clad in leather-upholstered cushioning, where such comfort and protection is needed. Each of the individual four bucket seats are made from Forged Composite and clad in leather upholstery.

The switchgear and dials maintain the minimalist philosophy, with shift panels for the dual-clutch transmission situated behind the steering wheel and all other functions such as indicators, lights and windshield wipers incorporated into either the multifunction steering wheel or the centre console.

A programmable TFT (Thin Film Transistor) screen behind the steering wheel delivers information for the driver, whilst secondary functions like navigation, entertainment and climate control are operated via a touchscreen on the centre tunnel. A further touchscreen is available for the use of rear seat passengers.

A growing market opportunity

The luxury SUV segment continues to show strong growth, particularly in emerging countries such as Russia, the Middle East and China. The USA, United Kingdom and Germany remain popular markets, although perhaps not for a £200,000 SUV. Lamborghini predict a demand of up to 3,000 cars per year, and perhaps unexpectedly describe the Urus as an everyday vehicle, suitable for families to use as their primary car. Rather like a Ford Kuga or Volkswagen Tiguan..

The Cayenne-based Eterniti Hemera gets a new Face for the Beijing Auto Show. Photo credit: carnewschina.com

The Urus expands Lamborghini’s potential customer base, appealing to those drivers who might previously have driven another brand’s luxury SUV whilst leaving their supercar parked in the garage. The reasoning is very similar to that used when Porsche developed the Cayenne, having seen many of its loyal customers shopping at the doors of BMW, Mercedes and Range Rover for their family wagon.

In recent years, aftermarket tuners such as Gemballa (Porsche Cayenne) or Brabus (Mercedes ML) have been serving those customers who consider a 500bhp SUV a little ‘average’. This is the market that Lamborghini and new boutique manufacturers such as Eterniti are seeking to address.

“The Urus is a very concrete idea for the future of Lamborghini – as a third model line and as the perfect complement to our super sports cars,” says Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “SUVs stand for freedom and emotion. SUVs make up one of the most successful market segments worldwide. The Urus is the most extreme interpretation of the SUV idea; it is the Lamborghini of the SUVs.”

Gallery

Large is perhaps too modest a term to use for its 24″ wheels (which will surely not make it into any production version) and whilst its exterior is striking, the interior (seats in particular) of the Urus look garish and way over the top. Maybe the visitors to next week’s Auto China show will consider it a quintessential example of style and good taste..

Although it is billed as a concept car, it’s very close to the production version which will be on sale in 2015 or 2016. The 3-door body shell sits on a Porsche Cayenne platform but will be fitted with a version of the Gallardo’s 5.2-litre V10 and permanent four-wheel drive.

“The Urus is a very concrete idea for the future of Lamborghini – as a third model line and as the perfect complement to our super sports cars,” said Stephan Winkelmann, president and CEO of Lamborghini. “SUVs stand for freedom and emotion. SUVs make up one of the most successful market segments worldwide. The Urus is the most extreme interpretation of the SUV idea; it is the Lamborghini of the SUVs.”

At just 1.66 metres tall, the Urus is considerably lower than most SUVs and with Lamborghini’s focus on lightweight construction methods (as introduced with the Aventador), the Urus is said to set new benchmarks in handling and dynamics for the class.

We’ll find out a few more details when it’s official launched next Monday.

Will it sell?

The rule of thumb when it comes to supercars or high-end luxury cars is “the more you add, the better it is”. More power. More leather. More toys. More money. So does that rule still hold true for SUVs?

Who can forget Aston Martin’s stillborn Lagonda SUV from 2010? Or this year’s Geneva motor show dud – the Bentley EXP 9 F SUV Concept?

There’s something about the luxury SUV, with all its negative connotations (superior driving position, compromised off-road prowess) that can make them a questionable social statement at best. Would you really feel happy to park one at your local supermarket?

Of course Lamborghini are not targeting you or I, nor the sort of person who shops at Asda or Tesco. These cars are instead aimed squarely at the newly minted customer in China, the Middle East or Russia.

Gallery

The outline shown in the invite suggests a front-end similar in profile to the company’s Estoque sports saloon concept, sharp lines, and a sloping roofline similar in profile to BMW’s X6.

Lamborghini Estoque, unveiled at the 2008 Salon d’Automobiles in Paris.

The rest of what we know if merely speculation. It seems sensible to assume that it will be based on the floor plan and chassis of Audi’s Q7 or Porsche’s Cayenne – VW Group has plenty of experience in building high-performance SUVs, so it would make sense to start with a proven base.

The engine is rumoured to be a 600bhp version of the Gallardo’s 5.2-liter V10, although a hybrid powerplant is also mooted – most likely petrol/electric.

The name, Lamborghini Urus, has been speculated although Lamborghini also recently trademarked the name ‘Deimos’, who in Greek mythology was the son of Ares and Aphrodite and the personification of terror, whereas ‘Urus’ may refer to Aurochs, an extinct wild ox which was the ancestor of domestic cattle, or Urus Khan, a direct descendant of the indomitable Genghis Khan.

Neither reference seems quite in keeping with bullfighting ancestry of Lamborghini’s other models, so we’ll just have to wait until the formal announcement next week.

Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini’s CEO, said at last month’s Geneva motor show that the company needed a third line in the mid to long-term, which would enable Lamborghini to win new customers to the brand – especially in China and East Asia where demand for luxury SUVs is booming. Even though Winkelmann implied that it would take 48 months to bring a new model from concept to production, they will not be starting from scratch with the Urus.

Lamborghini’s new model – ‘Revolutionary Presence’ – will be revealed at 12:30pm (local time) next Monday 23 April 2012 at the Lamborghini Stand, Hall E5.

What better way to demonstrate these differences, than look at how each car maker has chosen to showcase their 700+ bhp flagship models?

The Pagani Huayra Story

The latest video from Pagani tells the story behind the Huayra (pron. Wai-y-ra), its design, engineering and philosophy (how it differs from the Zonda). In fact, one of the biggest differences between Zonda and Huayra is in the engine. Both hand-made by a single talented AMG engineer in Affalterbach, Germany, but whist the Zonda used a 7.3-litre naturally-aspirated V12, the Huayra comes with a smaller bi-turbo 6.0-litre V12.

[See the video above.]

Whilst the most powerful road-going Zonda (Cinque) unleashed close to 700 bhp (678 bhp) and 780 Nm of torque, the Huayra trumps this with 720 bhp and 1,000 Nm. According to Horacio Pagani, the Huayra does not replace the Zonda, carrying over its race-car character, but instead is a new breed of car, born from a new inspiration.

It’s a fascinating insight into the 5-year design journey of Pagani’s latest model, the contribution of its key suppliers and the sheer attention to detail that goes into the build of each car.

The overriding message conveyed by the 15-minute video is that of tailor-made perfection – a blend of art and science. The 1 million Euro Huayra is clearly far more than the sum of its parts. We’re impressed, which is precisely how you’ll feel after watching the video.

Lamborghini Aventador J

Lamborghini’s new Aventador Jota, may be a concept (at the moment), but I’ve little doubt they will make more than the ‘single car’ being promised this week at Geneva. Why wouldn’t they?

Unlike Pagani’s 15-minute film, Lamborghini’s video, “Aventador J – The making of”, is more of an adrenaline-fest of carbon fibre, ceramic discs and jaw-dropping power. You can’t fail to be drawn by its startling metallic red paint, hi-tech componentry and the kind of extrovert look that’s guaranteed to stop traffic wherever it goes.

It’s awesome, but obviously far less of an artefact than the Huayra.

As a one-off, the 690 bhp Aventador J is rumoured to wear a €2.1million price tag, but if I was spending that kind of money it would be very difficult to choose it over the Pagani. Whilst the Lamborghini looks like being a lot of fun, the Huayra is the kind of car that’s likely to appeal long after its performance has become familiar.

Ferrari F12berlinetta – The official video

Ferrari’s launch video for the new 730 bhp F12berlinetta treads a completely different line to the others we’ve mentioned. It waits all of 37 seconds, before it all hell kicks off and message conveyed is, “Never mind about the technology, materials and attention to detail. You know we’ve got that covered. Now sit back and watch what this baby can do!”

Who would have thought Ferrari would the one most willing to play?

It’s a measure of a newer, more modern Ferrari – eager to please, and keener to cultivate a younger audience who can dream of, and (perhaps) one day afford to buy.

Take your pick..

At around 320,000 Euros, the F12berlinetta is by far the cheapest of our trio, but loses very little to either in terms of build quality, visual drama or use of the latest high-tech materials.

If I’m buying a supercar then I first and foremost want it to be ‘super’ to drive, so I’ll take a F12berlinetta – even more so after seeing its propensity to play. But since my expectations have been irreversibly lifted to consider the 2 million Euro Aventador J, why don’t we add a Huayra to our fantasy garage, leaving just over 600,000 Euros to blow on a near-limitless supply of fuel and tyres.

The letter J is derived from the sporting rules of the FIA world motorsport organization. Its “Appendix J” defines the technical specification of race cars in the various classes, but ‘J’ is also a significant letter in the Lamborghini nomenclature.

The 1970 Miura Jota (pronounced “YO-ta”) was the first to take its name from the FIA’s Appendix J racing regulations, where Jota represents the pronunciation of the letter ‘J’ in Spanish. The Jota name reappeared again with the 1995 Diablo SE 30, but since then has remained dormant.

“With the Lamborghini Aventador J, we have molded our brand DNA into its most definitive form to date. This automobile is as extreme and as uncompromising as only a Lamborghini can be,” says Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini.

“The new Lamborghini Aventador J is the most radical open supersports car of Lamborghini’s history. Its name comes from our tradition and combines an unconventional design with technology innovation. The Aventador J is the proof that, despite the rules, Lamborghini will always make people dream, even in the future.”

The Aventador J is the proof that, despite the rules, Lamborghini will always make people dream, even in the future.

Powered by the production Aventador’s 6.5-litre 690 bhp V12 engine, ISR transmission, permanent all-wheel drive and push-rod suspension the Aventador J can perform every bit as strongly as its fixed-roof sibling.

The Aventador J has a significantly different interpretation to the Aventador coupé. In this open version, the monocoque has a largely new design, including the two safety bars behind the seats. The absence of a roof, of the large windshield, of the air conditioning system and of the navigation system reduces the car’s weight significantly lower than the coupé’s 1575 kg, although Lamborghini have yet to confirm exactly how much this amounts to.

Part of this weight saving is due to a brand new carbon fibre material, “Carbonskin”, which is made of woven carbon fibres soaked with a very special epoxy resin that stabilizes the fibre structure and keeps the material soft. Like a hi-tech fabric, the carbon fibre mats fit perfectly to every shape, creating the thinnest possible panels.

In the Aventador J, the complete cockpit and parts of the seats are clad in this material and shimmer in Matt Carbon-Fibre Black.

Naturally, the doors on the Aventador J also open upward. They are considerably thinner than on the Aventador and are fitted with a tiny, fixed side window.

The car maker is adamant that the Aventador J is strictly a one-off and will be delivered to a customer after the show, so this might be the only time we see it in public.

Gallery

Whereas Ferrari choose either the backdrop of a flowing mountain road, or some sideways action with Nando around Fiorano, their Italian neighbour Lamborghini usually adopt a more ‘edgy’ theme and with the more approachable 700 bhp Aventador, they seem more intent than ever to accentuate just how much rage there is left in the old bull.

These latest ads by the agency Philipp und Keuntje GmbH, Hamburg, Germany are beautifully illustrated by Herr Müller and depict four states of pain experienced when driving the Aventador.

Like the car, they’re unconventional, which is clearly Lamborghini’s intent behind the campaign, but it almost feels like they are compensating for the increased refinement and civility which has inevitably touched its most powerful of supercars.

But with Ferrari positioning itself as the automotive equivalent of Don Giovanni, the bull fighters from Sant’Agata are staying true to their heavy metal roots. On acid.

It’s good to see parent company Audi taking such good care of the brand.

The Truth Hurts: Gunshot

“It’s not a car, it’s a weapon. Sounds like a gunshoot and feels like one too.” - Michael Köckritz, Ramp Magazin.

The Truth Hurts: Delirium

“The acceleration is apocalyptic. It can deliver pure delirium on demand.” - James May, Top Gear.

The Truth Hurts: Eyeballs

“If you slam on the brakes at 100km/h, you come to a halt in just 30 meters. Your eyeballs should then pop back into their sockets.” - Ulrich Safferling, Auto-Illustrierte.

The Truth Hurts: Neck

“Gearshifts can be as unforgiving as a professionally executed punch in the neck.” - Jan Baedeker, Classicdriver.com.

Higher-res Image Gallery

Over the past few months you will have been bombarded with warnings about the upcoming winter weather and why we MUST fit a set of winter tyres to our cars, less we be doomed to an ignominious (and expensive) fate.

There is of course another way and perhaps the most prudent among us might consider doing both – improve our cars AND our driving.

The Opportunity

Do you remember Juha Kankkunen? Four-time World Rally Champion and holder of two ice-driving world records, most recently in the Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible in which he topped 205 mph earlier this year on the frozen Baltic Sea.

Unhinged? Perhaps. But who better to learn about driving supercars on ice?

That’s what we thought too.

Our colleagues at ROAD magazine have got together with D1 Ultimate GT Supercar Driving Holidays and are offering a special 10% discount off a range of 3 and 4-day driving experiences, together with a complimentary signed copy of Juha’s book, My Road. The offer is only open to ROAD magazine readers and available until the end of December 2011.

Supercars on ice with four time Rally World Champion Juha Kankkunen.

The courses aren’t cheap, but then neither are those repairs to your pride and joy, but with a 10% discount you’d be saving yourself up to £500 (or more, if you bring a few friends). Cars, which thankfully are provided, include – a four-wheel drive Volkswagen Golf (to learn the basics), then onto a Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Audi RS4 and Lamborghini Gallardo which you can see in the video above.

Non-driving guests are also welcome, so you could turn it into a winter vacation (of sorts).

To enter

To take advantage of this limited offer, contact Ultimate GT’s Daniel Eden at daniel@ultimate-gt.com, quoting Road Magazine Offer.

You can find out a little more on the Ultimate GT website and read about these unique driving experiences in the next issue of ROAD magazine, which will be out later this month.

If you do book a place, then we’d love to hear how you get on, just let Phil and the other ROADies know when you’re attending by leaving a message on their Facebook page.

The sequence was filmed by a camera mounted on the bumper of a Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9, then dubbed with the sound of Lelouch’s Ferrari 275GTB. The rest as they say is history.

33 years later, Lamborghini have used the theme of C’était un Rendezvous to promote their latest model, the Gallardo LP570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show last month.

The film, “SUPER TROFEO STRADALE. LIFE IS A RACE.” was produced by creative agency, Philipp & Keuntje GmbH, and Final Touch Filmproduktion GmbH and features a Super Trofeo Stradle driving through the city streets accompanied by the sound of that wonderful 562bhp 5.2-litre V10 engine.

At nearly two and a half minutes long, it’s somewhat shorter than Lelouch’s 9 minute original, but the message is clear – if life is a race, then the best car to experience it in is the Gallardo Super Trofeo Stradale.

It’s not the first time someone has either used C’était un Rendezvous as inspiration for a film or commercial, or made a homage of their own. In the following scene we see a Porsche 911 GT3 and Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera dicing it out through the streets of Paris, inspired by the original film:

This short film is reminiscent of the iconic C’était un Rendezvous and features a Porsche 911 GT3 and Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera.

The agency responsible for this latest film, Philipp & Keuntje GmbH, were also behind my favourite poster ads EVER, Lamborghini: A part of Italy. Take a look at them below and then tell me those aren’t amonsgst the most emotive car ads you’ve ever seen..

Gallardo LP570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale

The Super Trofeo Stradale is based technically on the 562 bhp Gallardo Superleggera, but it’s not just the performance which is impressive, Lamborghini have gone to the trouble of ‘tuning’ the V10’s firing order to deliver the same spine-tingling sound you hear in the Super Trofeo motor racing series.

Generous use of carbon fibre enables the Gallardo LP 570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale to boast a dry weight of 1340 kg – that’s 70 kg less than the already lean Gallardo LP 560-4, and gives the Gallardo LP 570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale a power-to-weight ratio of 419 bhp/tonne. Performance is suitably supercar-quick with a 0 to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds and 125 mph in just 13.8 seconds, with maximum speed a cool 200 mph (320 Km/h).

The Gallardo Super Trofeo Stradale sports a brand new “Rosso Mars” paint finish that underscores the special connection between ultimate race track performance and Lamborghini’s “Italian-ness”. The “Rosso Mars” colour symbolises Italy’s traditional racing red with a modern 21st century touch.

In contrast to the “Rosso Mars” finish Matte Black is used on the large rear spoiler, the engine hood and the front air intakes. The forged wheels are painted in high-gloss black, a colour that is also available on the roof as an option. The rocker panel covers, impressive rear diffuser and outside mirror housings are also made of carbon fibre polished to a high gloss, while the brake callipers are accented in red for the first time on a Lamborghini.

Besides the historically suggestive “Rosso Mars”, the new Gallardo Super Trofeo Stradale is also available upon request in “Grigio Telesto” or “Bianco Monocerus” with the roof available in gloss black as an option.

With such a strong racing connection, Lamborghini are also offering the LP 570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale with a tubular interior roll cage, 4-point safety belts and a fire extinguisher. However if you’ve buying one for ‘show’ more so than ‘go’, you can still equip it with satellite navigation, a Bluetooth connection for mobile phones, an anti-theft system, and a front-axle lifting system for those annoying speed bumps and parking garages.

Firstly we need to start with a rudimentary definition of what it means to be a ‘cool brand’, since, as I will explain, ‘cool’ doesn’t necessarily mean successful.

Stephen Cheliotis, chairman of the CoolBrands Expert Council, says “Cool is subjective and personal. But being identified as a Cool Brand by the British public and a panel of influential opinion formers implies it is a brand that most Brits wish to own.”

A brand is essentially an identity which reflects the qualities and values of its owner, one that used to be defined by the brand itself, but in this era of digital and social media is largely a product of public perception. If a brand really is cool, then the evidence should be visible for all of us to see.

So, a working definition of ‘cool’ will most likely include;

• a brand which people aspire to own,
• which people then feel proud to openly display within their peer groups,
• are happy to associate themselves with the other brand owners,
• and which conveys upon them the same distinctive qualities that they associate with the brand they like.

Or to put it another way, a cool brand must inspire admiration, aspiration, a willingness to associate and a mutual sense of identity.

American clothing brand, Abercrombie & Fitch, used to be cool; many of us admired the quality and style of their items, felt comfortable being identified as an A & F customer but then once everybody was wearing them, we felt less happy being associated with the brand.

I was reading an article this morning by Colin Morrison about ‘Five reasons why Facebook may be doomed’, and one of the reasons he cited is that Facebook is losing its cool because it’s simply too popular – too common.

What began as a community of students sharing their pictures and news, has now become an essential tool for parents keeping track of their kids. What may have been cool (in a geeky sort of way) has now become a metaphor for weirdness. Would you want to be like Facebook? Probably not.

Just as it would be hard to deny how successful Facebook has become (it’s on target for more than $1bn profit in 2011), the same cannot be said for phone maker RIM (producer of Blackberry devices), whose shares have plummeted 50 per cent in the past few months with calls for its joint-CEOs to step down. Despite the financial turmoil and loss of demand for its smartphone and tablet devices, the CoolBrands survey found that while 47% of women voted Apple their favourite tech brand, some 44% voted for Blackberry.

This news is unlikely to appease RIM’s current shareholder revolt, but shows that being cool (or not) doesn’t necessarily translate into the bottom line.

So how did Aston Martin become a cool brand?

Cheliotis commented; “Smooth, sexy and sophisticated; British built, high quality and hand finished, let’s be honest, young or old, male or female, opinion former or British public, who wouldn’t aspire to own what is truly the coolest car on the road. Number one in five of the last six years, this British icon is truly the coolest of the cool.”

From Aston’s continued association with the 007 Bond films, their passion and success in motorsport and the bold innovativeness of the One-77 supercar, Aston Martin as a brand, represents the kind of person we’d all like to be – confident, successful, well-liked and courageous, yet subtle and classy.

The brand as a tool for self-identity is strong in this most British of car makers – Aston Martin is like the guy at school which all the girls want to be with, whilst all the other guys just want to copy.

So how have the other brands being doing?

How other brands can get in on the action?

The one question we haven’t answered so far is, “what difference does it make if a brand is perceived to be cool?” As an accolade, this latest award bestowed on Aston Martin is generating thousands of news articles and millions of views – it’s called ‘earned media’ and you just can’t buy this kind of positive messaging for your brand.

People who read about a ‘cool brand’ will reflect on what it could mean for their own image and perception by in their peer group, so whilst being perceived as cool won’t automatically translate into a bottom-line revenue improvement, it’s certainly a very valuable asset – one that saves a huge amount of marketing spend and which should lead to increased profitability, providing, as was unfortunately lacking with RIM, that you continue to provide products which people want to buy.

So the takeaway message from Aston Martin’s success is two-fold; build a brand identity and personality that customers would like to adopt as their own, but make sure you then build the products that such an affiliation would normally lead them to buy. A cool brand without neat products is something of a hollow achievement.

But Aston Martin is not the only cool brand, and whilst this latest CoolBrands survey is notable for the iconic brands surveyed, it’s not entirely comprehensive or indeed conclusive. Nor is coolness the preserve of luxury brands.

Lexus is the top-selling hybrid car maker in 2011 and for many buyers the epitome of cool, when choosing to express their environmentally conscious values. MINI continues to be a cool brand for many, despite their ubiquity, whilst Citroen has made great progress in rebuilding ‘affordable chic’ back into its brand with cars such as the DS3 and now DS4.

Even Volvo shows signs of venturing cool-wards with its latest S60/V60 and XC60 models. The one thing they all have in common is a distinctive personality and attributes which make them stand out on our crowded roads.

Of the Top 20 CoolBrands, only Ferrari (8th) and Maserati (20th) were in the fight with Aston. Morgan were also in the Top 66 brands in the survey. The remaining automotive brands on the list were unclassified and included – Alfa Romeo, Audi, Bentley, BMW, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Land Rover, Lotus, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Porsche, Range Rover and Rolls-Royce.

So Aston Martin is yet again the coolest of the cool, but rather than dismiss it as a meaningless trinklet, it might be worth taking a closer look at how Aston have achieved this position.

Alex Vaidya, Head of Digital at Porsche Cars GB tweeted this morning, “Being voted the coolest instantly makes you uncool!” – well in that case I’m sure Dr Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin’s CEO, must be cursing the brand’s latest trophy and wishing he’d kept a lower profile.

Perhaps not.