2018 Aston Martin Vantage

Aston Martin V12 Vantage review

WHAT'S THE VERDICT?

“Overkill in a pure form, but obviously the madness here is to be celebrated”

Overkill in a pure form, but somehow less wantonly silly as previous V12 Vantages; they’ve never been about absolute speed, but more about excitement and excess. This new version manages to look intense, but somehow also take itself a touch too seriously.

Obviously the madness here is to be celebrated, endorsed and enjoyed, but done so with the acceptance that this is a caricature. And it makes no difference anyway; the 333-car run has already sold out, presumably to people who understand the flaws, but enjoy the fireworks.

And like a firework, this is the V12 going out with a bang and then a fade to black, just like the boss of the company; Aston’s recently-replaced boss Tobias Moers has said that this car will be the last of the V12 Vantages as more efficient powertrains enter the Aston Martin portfolio. One last blast for the lucky few, but you get the feeling that it’s the right decision.

 
Aston Martin V12 Vantage 2022 review

Should I buy one?

Truth is there is an enormous abundance of force here, but a slight want of sensory soul. There is outright track pace and handling capability the likes of which no other Vantage has known, but also a driving experience that feels more often distorted by a behemoth of an engine than enhanced by it, and that is left slightly out of kilter.

Having had a baby Aston with too little power for so long, perhaps now we finally have one with too much for its own good. Could you call it the ultimate Vantage? In one sense, Aston already has. It's certainly an emphatic farewell letter; but, however fast it may be and however epic 690bhp may make it seem on paper, it doesn’t quite go down as this tester’s personal favourite.


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GALLERY: Vantage F1 Edition has arrived in South Africa

Daytona Johannesburg has recently received a small consignment of the limited edition Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition which comes with more power and some Formula 1 pedigree.

Competing in the top tier of motorsport comes at a considerable price tag. While each team on the grid covets the grand prize of a constructors championship, there are also secondary benefits that can trickle into commercial gain. Mercedes-Benz, for example, has been able to implement the hybrid and state-of-the-art turbocharging technology into their commercial products, increasing power and improving efficiency.

Most teams currently competing in the championship, save from the Haas Formula 1 Team, Scuderia Alpha Tauri and Red Bull Racing, are either a division of a commercial brand that shares their name or directly affiliated to them. Aston Martin has become one of the most recent automakers to do so after becoming a name-sponsor in 2021 with the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team.


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Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster

Aston Martin introduced the new V12 Vantage Roadster - a uniquely exciting and ultra-exclusive limited production model which combines the thrilling performance of the most powerful Aston Martin Vantage ever made with the freedom and sensory stimulation of roof-down driving.

With production strictly limited to just 249 customer examples globally, with all examples sold ahead of release, the Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster boasts a compelling combination of dramatic widebody design, ground-hugging wide-track suspension and - for the first time in a Vantage Roadster - the mighty 5.2-litre Twin-Turbo V12 engine. With searing straight-line speed and the unfiltered howl of Aston Martin's sonorous 700PS 12-cylinder engine, the V12 Vantage Roadster elevates the open-top driving experience to a scintillating new level.

Roberto Fedeli, Aston Martin Chief Technical Officer, said: "We have worked extremely hard to ensure the V12 Vantage Roadster possesses the same potency and dynamism that characterises the V12 Vantage, while surpassing it in terms of raw sensory excitement that you only achieve with roof down driving. With more power and torque than any Vantage Roadster before it, a wide-track chassis with precisely tuned suspension calibration, and up to ten times the downforce of the series production Vantage Roadster, this is a breathtaking machine created for our most enthusiastic customers".

Key to this exhilarating driving experience is the powerhouse of the engine. Developing 700PS at 6500 rpm and 753Nm of torque at 5,500 rpm, the quad-cam 60-deg 5.2-litre V12 is a true force of nature. With a power-to-weight ratio of 372PS-per-ton and an endlessly impressive delivery which combines effortless in-gear response with epic acceleration, every squeeze of the V12 Vantage Roadster's throttle leads to an unforgettable adrenaline rush.


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Aston Martin Chopped the Roof Off the V12 Vantage

Aston Martin will build just 249 examples of the 690-hp V12 Vantage Roadster.

Aston Martin is preparing to usher in the final era for its Vantage sports car with a V12-powered monster. But the V12 Vantage coupe won’t be alone when it starts tearing up the streets, as Aston Martin has just revealed this wonderful drop-top version as well. Say hello to the V12 Vantage Roadster.

This special edition will be limited to just 249 units worldwide. Each will feature the same 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 engine found in the coupe, which kicks out 690 hp. That, Aston Martin is keen to point out, makes this the most powerful Vantage roadster ever.

 
Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster is hardcore 690bhp drop-top

New limited-edition rival to Lamborghini Huracán Spyder is powered by a thunderous 5.2-litre V12

Aston Martin has unveiled a convertible version of its brutal new V12 Vantage, retaining the same 690bhp powertrain but in a toned-down body.

The roadster fills an important gap in Aston Martin’s range, with the last open-top V12 Vantage having gone off sale in 2018 – although the V8 Vantage is available as a convertible.

Revealed at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, it joins the “ultra-exclusive” Aston Martin DBR22 speedster, which also made its debut at the American event.

Expected to be the last V12 convertible the firm ever releases, just 249 are to be made, making it a little more exclusive than the coupé – all 333 examples of which sold out immediately.

The roadster’s fabric roof is the main distinguishing feature, but Aston Martin has also made a number of further styling tweaks to give the open-top car a more understated look.

For example, the rear spoiler has been removed (although it can be added back as an option) and the underbody aerodynamics tweaked to compensate for its loss. This means that it still produces “up to ten times the downforce of the series production Vantage Roadster,” according to Aston Martin chief technical officer Roberto Fedeli.

 
V12 Vantage Roadster the last of its kind and will be limited to 249 units

 
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