Aston Martin will premiere the V12 Vantage coupe at the Geneva motor show next month. Based on the hugely successful V8 Vantage, the car follows on the V12 Vantage concept unveiled at the opening of the Aston Martin Design Studio in Dec 2007.It will be powered by a normally-aspirated 6.0l V12, which features a number of enhancements over the standard 6.0l V12 found in the DB9. These include a ‘by-pass’ engine air intake port that opens up at 5,500rpm, a revised induction system and re-profiled air inlet ports that further improve airflow into the combustion chamber to improve performance.
The block offers 510bhp and 570Nm of torque, and performance figures include a 305kmh top speed and 0-100kmh time of 4.2secs. The car will be available with a six-speed manual transmission, with the gearbox utilising a transaxle configuration to aid weight distribution, which is 51:49, in case you'd like to know.
Externally, the care features body revisions to enhance the vehicle’s dynamics, with knowledge gleaned from the N24 race car programme. Among these, a revised front splitter, bonnet louvres and new side sills derived from the N24 race car; this channels air towards the rear of the car rather than under it, reducing rear-end lift.Elsewhere, there's a more pronounced boot ‘flip’ and a new rear carbon fibre diffuser works in tandem with a redesigned rear underfloor tochannel air through the new high-capacity oil cooler and also maintain an area of low pressure under the rear of the car, helping to increase down force and aiding grip.
Inside, the instrument cluster has been revised, with clearer dials, and there's plenty of lightweight material on call - the door pulls are made from carbon fibre, and there's heavy use of Alcantara throughout the cabin to help save valuable weight.
If you want to whop off a massive 17kg, then the specially-made - and optional, of course - carbon fibre and Kevlar composite seats are it.
Kit-wise, the rear suspension has been modified, with a more compact dual-rate spring design, in order to accommodate a wider wheel and tyre combination, improving grip and traction. The ride height is lowered by 15mm, while the spring rates have been stiffened by 45% and the anti-roll bars are 15% (front) and 75% (rear) stiffer than the standard car.
Among the parts inventory are diamond-turned forged 19-inch, 10-spoke alloy wheels, with Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres specifically designed for the car, as well as Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brakes, featuring 398mm front and 360mm discs and six-piston front and four-piston rear callipers, as standard fitment.
The car also features a revised Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system offering three modes of operation - switched on, a ‘track mode’ which raises the manner and threshold at which the system intervenes, and switched off completely.
The V12 Vantage will be built at AM’s global headquarters in Gaydon in the UK alongside the DBS, DB9 and V8 Vantage model lines. Production will be limited to between just 300-500 examples per year, and deliveries of the car are expected to commence during the third quarter this year, with prices to be confirmed in Geneva.
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