The Vantage has always been the Aston that gets people to like it. It carries the unmistakeable family resemblance and when chosen with the V8 engine, doesn’t cost near as much as the others.
The introduction of the V12 Vantage brought twelve-cylinder performance to a more affordable plane – those two terms don’t go really together. Now though, there’s an even more extreme one.
The new Vanquish has successfully climbed into many hearts by now and the more powerful engine, with all of 573 PS and 620 Nm of torque, set it above all the others in the company’s line-up as far as performance was concerned, the One-77 hypercar excluded. Even the new Rapide S received a 558 PS version of that engine. So, it may come as a pleasant surprise to learn that Aston Martin have now plonked a similarly powerful V12 lump into the bonnet of the Vantage and, rightfully so, have appended an ‘S’ to its badge.
So then, say hello to the new Aston Martin V12 Vantage S – a 573-PS, 6.0-litre, V12-engined monster with an air of British luxury abound, which will replace the V12 Vantage in markets around the world. The new AM28 engine is paired to an all-new 7-speed Sportshift III AMT (automated manual transmission) driving the rear wheels. The transmission is 25 kgs lighter than even the old 6-speed manual. It is also much faster-shifting and provides greater control, being a race-derived and motorsport-proven technology from the Vantage GT4, GT3 and GTE competition cars. Peak power comes in at 6,750 rpm while the peak torque of 620 Nm arrives at 5,750 rpm, with 510 Nm available from just 1,000 rpm. The top speed is 330 km/h. It also features an exhaust system derived from the One-77, which is lighter, smaller and better yet, more sonorous than that of the older car. Furthermore, adaptive damping makes its debut on the Vantage line with three modes – ‘Normal’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Track’, allowing the driver to fine tune the car’s dynamic performance.
Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ulrich Bez said: “The new V12 Vantage S is our most extreme Vantage to date – engineered to bring race car performance and technology to the open road. It is our most powerful engine in a beautifully tailored suit. It is elegant, yet brutal, and it is at the same time easy to control. It has everything that sums up Aston Martin: power, beauty and soul!”
The V12 Vantage S will also make its debut in India soon. Those looking for a V12 sports car need look no further.
