Saturday, September 12, 2009

2010 Aston Martin V12 Vantage Review

2010 Aston Martin V12 Vantage


2010 Aston Martin V12 Vantage taillight and liftgate badge


2010 Aston Martin V12 Vantage


2010 Aston Martin V12 Vantage taillight

The 2010 Aston Martin V-12 Vantage is the perfect example of what springs from the deepest urge felt by enthusiastic automotive engineers: stuff the biggest engine into the smallest possible body. Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez, by all accounts, is truly an enthusiastic automotive engineer.

2010 Aston Martin V12 Vantages and DBSs

Proof? At Porsche, he spearheaded the 989 project, a four-door which still looks so right that the company won't let the prototypes come near the Panamera. Moving to BMW, he created the cultish Z1 roadster. He finally took the ultimate position at Aston Martin in 2000.

2010 Aston Martin V12 Vantage

A Hot Rod for the Old Country

And so Dr. Bez could not leave his smallest child, the stunningly beautiful, compact, and neatly packaged V-8 Vantage, alone. He wondered whether the 5.9-liter V-12 that powers the elegant DB9 and the more aggressive DBS would fit in the car’s engine bay. It was nearly a given, since the V-8 Vantage is based on the "VH" platform that also forms the foundation of the DB9 and DBS, but the smaller car was never really designed to hold the massive, Cologne-built V-12 engine.

2010 Aston Martin V12 Vantage

You can see now that the transplant was successful, albeit after extensively revising the V-8 Vantage’s front structure. Nevertheless, Aston Martin managed to achieve a near-perfect 51/49-percent front-to-rear weight balance. The extra mass of the engine, an additional 200 pounds or so, is partly offset by carbon-ceramic brakes and lighter wheels, as well as lighter seats and rear quarter panels. The total weight of the V-12 Vantage, at around 3700 pounds, is only about 100 pounds more than the V-8 Vantage.

2010 Aston Martin V12 Vantage

This extra weight is effortlessly neutralized by the V-12's 510 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque, available at 6500 rpm and 5750 rpm, respectively. The engine is tuned the same as in the larger DBS and thus catapults this relatively tiny coupe into a completely different league. We peddled a DBS to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds—a time identical to the one posted by the V-8 Vantage. Aston says the sprint from 0 to 62 mph takes 4.2 seconds in the V-12 Vantage, so we expect it would become the fastest Aston ever were we to test it—well, the fastest until the One-77 goes on sale. Top speed is now 190 mph, up from 180 for the V-8. However, what really makes the difference is the incredible agility and responsiveness of the engine.

2010 Aston Martin V12 Vantage

The V-12 Vantage charges forward with brutal force inconceivable in the V-8, or even in the DB9 and DBS. Those two bigger and heavier models dilute the raw punch provided by this powerhouse. Too, the combination of the Vantage’s lower seating position, more compact dimensions, firmer suspension, and louder exhaust add a massive dose of excitement. Unlike other Astons, the V-12 Vantage gives you a very comfortable power margin to take on pretty much any Porsche 911, and have the occasional BMW M3 as a snack.

2010 Aston Martin V12 Vantage

Torque is plentifully available across the rev band and the engine’s soundtrack is pure music. The power is transmitted to the rear wheels by means of a smooth-shifting six-speed manual transmission, still the best solution for a sports car targeting real enthusiasts. The automated manual transmission available in the other Aston Martin models isn't even offered here.

2010 Aston Martin V12 Vantage


2010 Aston Martin V12 Vantage

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