Q by Aston Martin is the brand's in-house bespoke division — a team of designers, craftspeople, and engineers whose only job is to help customers create Aston Martins that exist nowhere else in the world. From a single hand-stitched initial in a headrest to a fully re-engineered, one-of-one body, Q transforms a personal vision into a finished vehicle. For drivers in Montreal considering their first Aston Martin, understanding how Q works is the first step toward a truly personal commission.
This guide explains what Q by Aston Martin actually does, how a commission moves from idea to finished vehicle, and which current models — from the Vantage Roadster to the Vanquish Volante — can be specified through the service.
What Q by Aston Martin Actually Is
Q is Aston Martin's bespoke and personalisation arm. It exists to take an Aston Martin beyond the standard configurator and into truly individual territory. Q has been responsible for some of the most celebrated special editions of the past decade — Valour, Valiant, the 60th Anniversary of Volante Editions — as well as countless private commissions that the public never sees.
Three things separate Q from a typical luxury options list:
- Direct access to Aston Martin's design team, including its most senior designers
- The ability to engineer and produce entirely bespoke components, beyond simply choosing finishes
- A formal commissioning process that documents every choice for the customer
A useful way to understand the range is the spectrum Q itself describes: "from a single small distinguishing detail to full-scale engineering and production of entirely bespoke components to create a true one-off."
The Three Levels of Q Commission
Not every Q project is a one-of-one. The service is structured so that customers can engage at the level that suits their car and their ambition.
|
Level
|
What It Involves
|
Example
|
|
Personalisation
|
Curated materials, colours, finishes beyond the standard configurator
|
Custom paint match, hand-embroidered initials, unique stitching
|
|
Collection
|
Limited-run special editions designed by Q
|
60th Anniversary of Volante Editions, Valour, Valiant
|
|
Commission
|
One-of-one builds with bespoke engineering
|
Aston Martin Victor; private commissions for individual clients
|
How a Personal Commission Unfolds
A Q commission is a relationship, not a transaction. The process typically begins at an authorized Aston Martin retailer, where the client sits down with the local team to define what they want their car to feel like, look like, and do. From there, Q's designers in Gaydon become involved directly. Sketches are produced. Material samples — leathers, veneers, threads, paint chips — are couriered for review. Engineering teams confirm what is and is not feasible.
For more involved commissions, customers are often invited to Aston Martin's headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, where they can meet the design and craft teams in person, see materials under proper light, and walk the production line. Q describes this as "an unforgettable personal commissioning journey" — and for one-of-one projects, the journey can span many months.
Throughout, every change is logged. The finished vehicle arrives with documentation of its specification, signed by the team that built it, so the provenance of the commission is part of the car's history from day one.
Which Aston Martin Models Can Be Commissioned Through Q
Every current series-production Aston Martin is eligible for Q personalisation. That includes:
- Vantage Coupe and Vantage Roadster
- DB12 Coupe and DB12 Volante
- Vanquish Coupe and Vanquish Volante
- DBX707 and the new DBX S
- Valhalla, the marque's first hybrid supercar
- Valkyrie, the Formula 1-derived hypercar, which has its own Q programme called "Q by Aston Martin – Commission" with the most extensive personalisation options of any model
Some models, by their nature, are particularly suited to Q work. The Vanquish, as the V12 flagship, is the showcase for bespoke leather work, titanium exhaust options, and exposed carbon fibre detailing. The Valkyrie offers titanium switchgear, woven leather first seen on the One-77, and the option for clients to specify their own livery instead of choosing from the standard AMR designs.
Recent Q Highlights to Know
For Montreal buyers researching the service, a few recent Q projects illustrate what is possible:
- Aston Martin Valour — a 110th-anniversary, manual-gearbox V12 special edition produced by Q to celebrate Aston Martin's history
- Aston Martin Valiant — a 38-unit, track-focused, road-legal special originally commissioned by Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso through Q
- 60th Anniversary of Volante Editions — 60 examples each of the Vanquish Volante and DB12 Volante, finished in Q Pentland Green with Q Westminster Green hoods, anodised bronze accents, and bespoke 60th Anniversary embroidery
- Aston Martin Victor — a one-of-one V12 with manual gearbox, created entirely as a private commission for a single client
Each shows a different facet of what Q does: a celebration of history, a personal commission elevated into a small series, an anniversary edition, and a true one-off.
Why Commission an Aston Martin Through Q
Choosing Q is a choice to own something that is genuinely yours. There are practical reasons too. Aston Martin produces fewer cars than nearly any luxury manufacturer at its level, and a Q-commissioned car is rarer still. For collectors, documented bespoke provenance has historically held value well. For everyday owners, a Q car carries small daily reminders — a stitched motif, a personal colour, a material chosen for a meaningful reason — that a standard build cannot.
Q also gives the dealership team something to talk about long after the sale. Owners who commission through Q tend to commission again, because once you have worked with the Gaydon team to bring an idea to life, returning to a standard options list rarely satisfies.
Start Your Commission at Aston Martin Montreal
Q by Aston Martin commissions begin at your local Aston Martin dealership. The team at Aston Martin Montreal can walk you through the process, share material samples, and connect you directly with the Q design team in Gaydon when the time is right.
Visit our showroom in Montreal to begin the conversation and discover what a one-of-one Aston Martin could mean for you.
