A legendary engine with glorious history comes to an end.
With internal combustion engines’ demise closing in and car brands slowly shifting to alternatives like EV’s, it is a bittersweet era for us car enthusiasts as most sports cars that are renowned with their big, loud engines are gradually but surely becoming a thing of past, and Aston Martin is one of the brands that want to move on with their amazing V12 engines. Since 1999, Aston Martin has been using naturally-aspirated and turbocharged V12 engines in their renowned high-end grand tourers like the DB7, DB9, V12 Vanquish and the immensely powerful Valkyrie and these engines are loved and desired for their subtle yet raw power once you put your foot down. Sadly, however, thanks to several factors like cutting costs and the rising of climate change and EV’s as a result, Aston Martin has decided to move on from V12 powertrain for the Vantage model, but was kind enough to give us mortals a wonderful final sendoff, the new, limited edition V12 Vantage.
”Never Leave Quietly”
The announcement of the V12 Vantage surely caused a big stir in the motoring world as a symbol of end of the V12 era for Vantage models and the start of a new one, therefore, Aston Martin’s engineers let their hair down for a final Vantage with a V12. The new addition to Aston’s collection of big, loud brutes is based on the V8 Vantage that was introduced in 2018, albeit with more spice to illustrate that mad power under its skin. The new V12 Vantage houses a 5.2L twin-turbo V12 producing 690 BHP and 555 lb-ft, making it the most powerful Vantage ever built, a fitting feature for the final member of the big brutes club. The new V12 allows the car to accelerate from 0 to 60 in just 3.5 seconds to a top speed of 322 km/h (200 mph), which are serious numbers and vastly superior to any other V12 Aston Martin to date except the track-oriented Valkyrie and the exclusive One-77.
”We wanted to celebrate that sense of raw, explosive performance with something extreme and unapologetic” says Marek Reichman, EVP and Chief Creative Officer of Aston Martin, and they certainly succeed in applying the manifestation of the brute performance of the V12 engine in the new model, as it features an aggressive exterior that include twin rear exhausts and a wing that keeps the enormous power in check, a body widened by 40mm to vastly improve cornering performance, a clamshell bonnet, 21 inch forged alloy rims and a bigger front grille ensures a mighty presence wherever it goes. Obsessed with performance, the 5.2L V12 is connected to an 8-speed automatic transmission offering seamless shifting and minimal power loss. The standard carbon-ceramic brakes, new adaptive dampers and anti roll bars ensure that the new V12 Vantage is glued to the tarmac.
It all sounds like a perfect recipe for the finale, and to complete the recipe for maximum performance, the exterior is dominated with carbon fibre parts that reduce the weight to 1795kg (3957 lbs) which offsets the weight gain from the V12 engine. The light weight, combined with the new streamlined bumpers, large composite fender vents that merge with widened sills and aerodynamic side skirts, makes the new V12 Vantage the wildest of the family. The V12 Vantage also produce 204kg of downforce at its top speed thanks to the new front splitter and rear wing, which can be removed as an option. The Michelin Pilot 4S tyres provide maximum grip and the new exhaust system is 7.2 kilograms lighter than the exhaust system of the V8 Vantage. It’s safe to say, then, that this new and final addition to Aston’s V12 Vantage range will be a new benchmark for all upcoming Aston Martin models powered by internal combustion engines. We’re not finished, though, the monster is just as wild inside.
An interior that reminds you of the exclusivity you’re in.
The interior of the new V12 Vantage continues to illustrate the extensive weight saving program the car’s been in, ranging from the flappy pedals, the steering wheel to the centre console, the carbon fiber working in tandem with the typical vast luxury of the Aston models reminds you that you’re in one of the most performance-focused and meticulously designed cars ever. The positioning of the dials and the overall design ensures maximum visibility and focus to the driver lucky enough to drive one of these. Aston Martin should also be praised for keeping the steering wheel as minimalist as possible, to ensure a perfect blend between luxury and performance, yet keeping the driver-oriented knobs and buttons close enough, so the driver can fully focus on nothing but the savagery of the final V12-powered member of the family.
A Glorious Finale
For car enthusiasts, especially for Aston Martin fans, seeing the V12 Vantage name pine away is like seeing your own offspring graduate and leave home, you’re excited for the future, but you feel emotional for the departure and the feeling of absence. However, we should feel a little relief the Aston’s final V12-propelled Vantage is having its last hurrah as hectic as possible, the massive power, extensive lightness and driver-focused elements make the new V12 Vantage a worthy final successor to the previous V12 Vantage and its bigger brothers, the vastly successful DBS and the bone-shatteringly beautiful DB9. First deliveries of the new V12 Vantage is expected to commence in April 2022 and it will cost £108,376 ($142,086). The V12 Vantage is limited to 333 units and sadly all of them are already sold out. Perhaps one day one of them will be on sale, so if that time comes and if you have enough greens in your pocket, as a keen Aston Martin enthusiast, buy one, and savor the moment.
What do you think about the new V12 Vantage, do you like how it looks? Let us know in the comments below.
