Aston Martin V12 Vantage

Aston Martin V12 Vantage



The Aston Martin Vantage has broken cover with a 12 cylinder model featuring some new exterior design and performance technology that should bring the aging Vantage back into relevance. The 2010 Aston Martin V12 Vantage, as the new British sports car is aptly called, gets a big bump in power and a new stability control system to help put it to the road.

Shaking the "grand tourer" moniker often applied to larger, more unweildy Aston Martin models, the V12 Vantage is pure sports car through and through. A 6 speed conventional manual is mounted behind the driver for better weight distribution and drives the rear wheels.

The V12 powerplant is the same excellent unit found in the current DBS, producing 510 horses and 420 lb-ft. of torque, good for 4.1 seconds through 60 mph and a top speed of 190 mph, Aston says.

On the outside, the 2010 V12 Vantage gets a host of minor styling changes to differentiate itself from "lesser" V8 Vantage models, most noticable of which is the louvered hood. Carbon fiber front and rear air dams, as well as low and lean skirts from Aston Martin Racing round out the package.

2010 V12 Vantage pricing is not yet announced, we'll have to wait for Geneva for that. Initial reports have put the V12 Vantage at around $250,000.

For those who want a piece of serious Aston Martin performance but don't want to drop a cool million for the exclusive One-77, Aston Martin may have just the remedy. Expect a V12 Vantage release date of Q3 2009.

-RSportsCars






V12 Vantage: Aston Martin's Most Exhilirating Sport Car

Official Aston Martin Press Release

• Fastest and most agile Vantage ever; ultimate performance interpretation of the Vantage range
• Purposeful, striking and functional styling signalling performance capabilities
• Everyday usability associated with a modern Aston Martin
• Race-derived technology used throughout

Gaydon, Warwickshire, Wednesday 4 February 2009. Aston Martin will present the most potent production sports car in the marque’s 95-year history at the Geneva motor show on 3 March. Based on the hugely successful V8 Vantage, the V12 Vantage will feature a 6.0-litre V12 engine producing 510 bhp (380 kW / 517 PS), and 570 Nm (420 lb ft) of torque with a top speed of 190 mph (305 km/h) and 0-62 mph (0-100 kp/h) time of 4.2 seconds.

The latest incarnation of the Vantage family has been designed to provide a unique character, appealing to different driver tastes and complementing the other models in the current Aston Martin line-up.

The original V12 Vantage concept was unveiled to guests at the opening of the Aston Martin Design Studio in December 2007. Continuing the marque’s impressive record of bringing concepts through to production, Aston Martin engineers have brought the V12 Vantage to market in an incredible 12 months.

Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ulrich Bez said: “This is the ultimate performance interpretation of the Vantage range, combining our most agile model with our most powerful engine. It represents the definitive driving package; providing spectacular performance to ensure a dynamically thrilling and everyday useable driving experience.

“The V12 Vantage has a unique character, one unlike our other cars. This will appeal to different people with different tastes, allowing more people to enjoy the Aston Martin experience.

“This also illustrates one of Aston Martin’s key strengths – the ability to act quickly and turn concepts and ideas into reality.”

Designed for the focused driver, every component of the V12 Vantage has been honed with pure driving enjoyment in mind. Benefitting from race-developed materials and components, and featuring lightweight carbon fibre; performance and agility have been tuned to perfection.

Visually enticing, the V12 Vantage expresses its performance potential through its purposeful stance created by enhanced aerodynamic and cooling aids optically widening the car, while retaining traditional understated Aston Martin design. Equally inviting, the cosseting interior permits the driver to extract maximum performance ability from the car while also enjoying customary levels of Aston Martin comfort on longer journeys. High levels of power and torque are available at all engine speeds making the V12 Vantage responsive and tractable in any driving situation.

The V12 Vantage will be built at Aston Martin’s global headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire joining the DBS, DB9 and V8 Vantage model lines which are built in the state-of-the-art production facility combining hi-tech manufacturing processes with traditional hand-craftsmanship. Production will be limited up to 1,000 examples over the life span of the car, making the V12 Vantage a truly exclusive driver’s car.

Deliveries of the V12 Vantage are expected to commence during quarter three 2009 with prices to be confirmed at the Geneva motor show.