Do you want the good news or the bad news?
Well, the good news is that Aston Martin has unleashed a blistering new version of its beloved V12 Vantage that delivers power of 700 PS and some blistering straight line speed.
The bad news, is that only 333 will be built - with a price tag of around £265,000 each - and order books have already closed due to ‘unprecedented demand’.
An Aston Martin spokesperson boasts:
“For fifteen years the V12 Vantage has boldly represented Aston Martin’s passion for performance. Fast and fierce in equal measure, successive iterations of these great cars have formed an iconic bloodline. One built around the premise of fitting the most compact and driver-focussed model with the largest and most potent series production engine. With this unique lineage nearing its end, Aston Martin is proud to introduce the fastest, fiercest and most dynamically accomplished of them all; the new V12 Vantage.”
So what does that hefty asking price buy you, exactly?
At the heart of the fastest V12 Vantage ever built is a quad-cam 60-deg 5.2-litre V12 producing 700PS at 6500 rpm and 753 Nm of torque from just 1800rpm to 6000rpm.
With a top speed of 200mph, the V12 Vantage reaches 0-60 mph in just 3.4 seconds. The new V12 Vantage also has a power-to-weight ratio of 390 PS-per-ton - an increase of more than 20% compared to the V8 powered Vantage.
These weight saving measures include carbon fibre front bumper, clamshell bonnet, front fenders and side sills, composite rear bumper and deck lid, lightweight battery and a special centre-mounted twin-exit exhaust system.
That new exhaust system is made from lightweight 1mm stainless-steel, saving some 7.2kg compared with the system fitted to the old Vantage.
The power is fed through a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission and mechanical Limited-Slip Differential (LSD) mounted at the rear of the car.
Aston Martin have also borrowed transmission wizardry from the V12 Speedster and Vantage F1 Edition.
A spokesperson explains:
“The transmission’s adaptive software is designed to gauge the conditions the car is operating in, along with the demands the driver is making, to ensure the car is in exactly the right gear at the right time providing a truly connected driving experience.”
To hone the handling for face-melting track days, Aston Martin has increased suspension rates by 50% at the front and 40% at the rear. Top mount stiffness has increased by 13% and new anti-roll bars are 5% stiffer at the front and 41% softer at the rear.
Lightweight carbon ceramic brakes come as standard.
Meanwhile the new V12 Vantage is also wider than its predecessor, for optimised cornering performance and stability.
Aerodynamics have been improved, by way of a larger front grille, new rear bumper and rear wing, contributing to a maximum downforce of 204kg at top speed.
Step inside the cabin and it’s all leather quilting, carbon fibre and tinted lacquers, and customers are encouraged to create a ‘true one-of-a-kind specification’.
Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer, Tobias Moers, said of the V12 Vantage:
“Every great sportscar brand has a hero car. For Aston Martin in more recent years that car has been the V12 Vantage.”
Enjoy it while you can.
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