Aston Martin would have been forgiven if, in these prudent times, it quietly wheeled the fabulous
V12 Vantage concept into a dark corner of the factory and threw a dust sheet or two over it, but fellow enthusiasts, sing halleluiah with us, as the first details and pictures of the new, showroom-ready V12 Vantage arrive.
This is no far-fetched, future-looking press release either, as the production version of the V12-engined Vantage will debut next month on the biggest automotive stage of the year:
the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. Rumour has it that a DBS Roadster will also be revealed in Switzerland, though we'll be happy enough to just see this beauty in the flesh.
Although styling modifications are modest, the V12 Vantage wears several new panels to differentiate it from the
V8 model, most notably a low front splitter and heavily vented bonnet. Those shapely side sills are apparently derived from the N24 race car, which has also influenced the V12's aerodynamics - leading to a new underfloor and more pronounced lip spoiler. Those natty 19-inch alloys are standard too, and they're diamond-turned no less.
Further extravagance will be found within the V12's cockpit, where plenty of carbon fibre and tactile Alcantara swathes every surface, and new instruments make their debut. For the full racecar experience, buyers can pay extra for a set of hand-trimmed carbon fibre and Kevlar seats, which reduce the car's weight by a handy 17kg.
Speaking of weight, the V12 engine is 100kg heavier than the V8, so Aston has gone to great lengths to use lighter components elsewhere, including the standard-fit carbon ceramic brakes. The result is a car that it just 50kg heavier than its less powerful sibling, while weight distribution is 51:49 front-to-rear, in part thanks to the fitment of a transaxle at the back - part of the six-speed manual gearbox.
Now to the heart of the car: that 6.0-litre V12. Peak power is a healthy 510bhp (at 6,500rpm), while torque tops out at 420lb.ft at a relatively high 5,750rpm. That's enough to catapult the Vantage to 62mph from rest in 4.2 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 190mph. This isn't the sort of car that worries about fuel economy or emissions, but for the record the figures are 17.3mpg and 388g/km respectively...
One of the most important figures, the price, has yet to be revealed. Aston Martin will tell us that in Geneva.
Shane O' Donoghue - 4 Feb 2009