What's all this about?
This is the new Aston Martin V12 Vantage, the last of its kind according to Aston and, going out with a bang and 700hp, it’s the most powerful take on the Vantage yet seen. In addition to 200mph performance, the V12 has been honed for sharper driving dynamics and greater driver engagement by a suite of aerodynamic upgrades, a stiffer body and chassis, revised suspension and a fairly drastic diet.
So it's not just a Vantage with a V12 shoehorned in?
A lot of work has gone into making the new car cope with the extra power, and the differences between the V8 model and new V12 are immediately obvious when the two cars are placed side by side. The V12 is 40mm wider than the V8 thanks to a different chassis. So too is it festooned with aerodynamic aids such as a new front bumper and full-length splitter, a large rear wing and a new rear bumper with integrated diffuser. The grille too is 25% bigger than that of the V8 to allow for the extra cooling requirements, and the bonnet is pocked with holes and vents to dissipate excess heat from the engine bay. All in, when running at full speed, the aero aids add around 204kg of downforce to keep the car stuck to the road.
What weight reduction has taken place?
A lot of the V12’s weight loss comes from replacing panels and parts with equivalents made from lighter materials. The front bumper is made from carbon fibre, for example. The bonnet, front wings, sills, rear bumper, deck lid and battery are also made from lightweight composites. The twin-pipe centre-mounted exhaust is made from 1mm-thick stainless steel, saving 7.2kg. The use of carbon-ceramic brakes rather than steel ones saves 23kg. When it comes to the wheels (all 21-inch and black), there’s even another lighter option which saves 8kg. Overall, the new car’s power-to-weight ratio of 390hp per ton is 20% higher than that of the V8.
How has the rest of the car been designed to cope?
The adaptive damping suspension has seen a significant upgrade with new anti-roll bars, bushes and spring and damper assemblies. The suspension spring rates have been increased by 50% at the front and 40% at the rear; top suspension mount stiffness is increased by 13% and new anti-roll bars are 5% stiffer at the front and 41% softer at the rear. With extra bracing, the whole body is around 8% stiffer than that of the V8 model which should improve driving and cornering characteristics.
What's the stopping power like?
As well as the carbon-ceramic brake discs, there are six-piston calipers at the front and four-pots to the rear. The system has been designed to resist brake fade up to 800°C so there’s clearly some potential for occasional track-day use.
What about the glorious engine?
Two turbos, 5.2 litres, 752Nm of torque and a well-proven eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox whose calibration has been lightly fettled to better suit the V12. Despite this being the last V12 Vantage, the engine isn’t going away for the time being. According to Aston boss Tobias Moers, the company will continue making the V12 engine until 2026 or 2027, by which time incoming Euro 7 emissions regulations will likely kill-off all but a minuscule minority of twelve-cylinder engines.
Can I buy one?
Nope, sadly not. Even if you had the requisite wodge of cash in hand (that’s £265,000, in case you were wondering) the 333 units slated to begin production shortly are already sold out. Deliveries for the lucky few are expected to commence in spring/summer of 2022.
David Mullen - 16 Mar 2022
