The Aston Martin V8 Vantage has been known for its great looks since its debut in 2006, but it is also well known till today for its lack of performance. The car simply is slow compared to its Porsche, Ferrari and Lamborghini rivals but that is about to change as Aston Martin just revealed the latest entry to its family line, the V12 Vantage. Many will get to enjoy the power of the V12 found in the DB9 and the DBS but in a much smaller size car, which means that this new baby Aston should have no problem hanging with the big dogs. There is however one major problem. Will we ever see one in the US?
The 2010 V12 Vantage looks very similar to a mini Aston Martin DBS, it has many exterior upgrades including a carbon fiber rear splitter, a new redesigned front bumper and grill, a vented carbon fiber hood, a new front carbon fiber lip, a new set of taillights and a new style of wheels. Aston Martin has made it clear that they would not sell exterior panels to anyone that cannot prove ownership of the beast, which should limit regular Aston Martin owners from trying to copycat this masterpiece. They did however announce that the wheels will be available through the Aston martin catalog at an astronomical $2600 per wheel.
The interior of the new V12 Vantage is just about the same as a regular V8 Vantage with just a few details being different. You do get piano wood standard, along with a chrome shifter a la DBS style. The main difference however lays in the $20,000 carbon fiber sport seats, which come in two tone suede/leater combination and are a great touch to the luxurious interior. Having kept the overall design of the interior is a great thing as the original V8 Vantage really shines in this way. Why change perfection?
Finally, the part we have all been waiting for the infamous V12 6.0 liter V12 powerhouse that is found in the new V12 vantage will be boasting an impressive 510 BHP and 490 TRQ, achieving a top speed of 190 mph through a conventional 6 speed or 7 speed paddle shifting electronic clutch. This benchmark and long awaited transplant will be available only in Europe as Aston Martin fears that the V12 Vantage would not sell well state side just yet.
Here is what 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.”
Pricing for the Aston martin V12 Vantage will be starting north of $200,000 Euros which makes you think, is the V12 worth the extra $100,000 or should consumers buy the slower Aston martin V8 vantage and add a used Lamborghini Gallardo to their collection for the same price? We will let you guys decide…
