February 9, 2009 faii Automotive

Aston Martin V12 Vantage – First Thoughts

Aston V12 Vantage Front

This came in with the top gear newsletter just this fri. It is simply drop-dead gorgeous. An automotive little death. Up yours ford (former owner) e il italiano! Aston’s had prototypes, but i’m guessing this is it.

This still looks rather small in the pictures, as with the normal V8 Vantage. But trust me, in real life, the baby aston is very VERY imposing. It’s bonnet is pretty wide. And oh, those LED headlights!

I always think astons should always come in gunmetal gray. Icky colours like this (it’s the original concept prototype):

don’t quite cut the mustard. Astons are driven by Bond, not Austin Powers. The low ride height, side crease, subtle flared side skirts and it’s cabin to bonnet proportions just make it look ever more so the track rocket. Gosh, i can’t take my eyes off it.

However, the new photos seem to indicate a lack of a rear spoiler. Thought the prototype’s pop-up one looked quite cute.

And now i’m just fantasising about it exhaust. Would so dearly love to hear it in person. The prototype had an uprated DB9 V12, producing 600bhp thereabouts, shoehorned into the engine bay. The current one produces only 510bhp apparently. Powerful, but a somewhat disappointing considering what was inside originally. Recall an article stating the prototype’s power to weight ratio to be higher than a Ferrari 599. But i suppose with the new specs, it’s anticipated monstrosity has lost some shine.

Personally i’m wondering how they’ve managed not only to fit the bigger V12 in a bay meant for a V8, it’s amazing how they’ve come up even more wiggle room to ensure the engine block is low and essentially sufficiently deep to ensure optimal balanace and handling.

Aside from that, this will be a track monster. Look at those vents on the bonnet. It’s as if this iteration has levelled up from a bluefin to a shark. I can’t wait for people to put it through it’s paces on a track and see how it compares to ferraris and lambos. Oh man, this has really good odds.

Also, i’d pick this over the DBS anytime. Though both are astons, and that the DBS has a more aggressive front with all those bumpers and curves and scoops, this is clearly the powerpup. Though smaller, which is a niggling consideration, the Vantage V12 thus has a much higher power to weight ratio as compared to the DBS. However, the DBS is the romantic holiday cruiser but part time bruiser, while this, i reckon, is hard and stiff and perpetually on the overly-masculine side of things. Look at that humongous front splitter! It’s true that factory specced cars with huge front splitters often forebear brutal performance. I is like, very, very much. It’s still a two seater like it’s bigger brother, and has roughly the same lines, so there’s not much else to consider in deciding which one. However, the DBS has all the romantic things about it. The DBS is like Sean Connery at the end of the movie – i.e. with a girl in his arms, paragliding (or something like that) into the sunset. His strength is well tempered under his immaculate suit. This bulldog of a Vantage is, well, Jean Claude van Dame – has looks that could kill, and looks like it would kill.

Yet, this latest aston is just so taut and tight. That’s exactly what you get by looking at the rear shot below. Strangely, it’s almost like an embodiment of human sexiness. The gloss does for cars what oil and strong direct light does for a pinup model. For me it translates into a virtual, though tactile, emotive experience. Look at the ever-so-slightly turned wheel. Combined with those haunches and shadows it makes me say ‘hotness!’. So coy, so notty!

Anyways, two things i’d wish they’d do:

Nicer rims. Though the ones in the pics are better over the standard ones, astons deserve something on par with lambo.
More aggressive rear styling. I’m not a huge fan of ferrari, but the Scuderia 430′s crazy rear diffusers are just so ogle-worthy. We like bums that go RAWR!, don’t we?

Related stuff i found: