Aston Martin V12 Vantage S
Aston Martin’s most extreme sports car, the new V12 Vantage S, has been confirmed as the brand’s fastest accelerating production car to date – with the exception of the limited edition, and sold-out, One-77 hypercar. The new car replaces the outgoing V12 Vantage in markets around the world. Taking just 3.7 seconds to sprint from 0-60 mph (3.9 seconds 0-100 km/h) the sports
car underlines its position as not only the brand’s fastest accelerating production car, but also the most potent Vantage in Aston Martin’s glittering 100-year history.
Equipped with the new 573 PS AM28 6.0-litre V12 engine, featuring latest generation Bosch engine management, the car is capable of reaching 205 mph making it, also, the fastest sports car to wear the iconic Aston Martin wings – One-77 excepted.
With 620 Nm of torque available at 5,750 rpm the V12 Vantage S is as flexible as it is powerful. Low rev torque – measured at just 1,000 rpm – stands at 510 Nm and, driving the rear wheels through the new Sportshift™ III AMT (automated manual transmission) ensures the car boasts true sporting driveability.
Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez said: “The new V12 Vantage S brings our winning GT3 race formula to the road. It’s a car for those customers who want superior sporting performance in a ‘gentleman’s suit’. It’s the most pure, yet understated, driving machine we can imagine today.”
As might be expected of such a potent machine, race car technology features throughout the V12 Vantage S. Aside from significant development time spent lapping the ‘green hell’ of Germany’s infamous Nürburgring to hone its dynamic capabilities. The new car includes such track-inspired components as CNC machined combustion chambers and hollow cam shafts.Another clear example is the new car’s new gearbox. The Sportshift™ III AMT (automated manual transmission) is a major development of the automated manual gearbox that appears in the current V8 Vantage S.
Designed and engineered to exploit the full sporting potential of the V12 engine, the new Sportshift™ III hydraulically-actuated automated manual transmission provides motorsport-style paddle shift changes for optimum performance delivery and efficiency. The unit is also appreciably lighter than the outgoing six-speed manual gearbox – saving 25 kg.
This race-derived and motorsport proven technology – used routinely in Aston Martin Racing’s race-winning Vantage GT4, GT3 and GTE competition cars – provides for great driver control with only milliseconds of torque interruption and delivers precise and swift gear changes.
The Sportshift™ III transaxle, from transmission experts Oerlikon Graziano, joins an extensive array of new sport – and track-focused developments that ensure the V12 Vantage S is fully equipped to exploit the huge performance potential of its 6.0 – litre naturally aspirated AM28 engine.
The debut of three-stage adaptive damping – another ‘first’ for the Vantage family – allows the driver to more precisely tailor the car’s dynamic character. ‘Normal’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Track’ modes provide a broad swathe of dynamic performance that can be tuned to better suit the driver’s requirements. The system also governs the level of power steering assistance offered.
Working alongside the extended adaptive damping system is a ‘Sport’ mode, controlled via a button on the centre console, that alters throttle response, gearshift speed and timing, and exhaust note to, once again, tune the character of the car to the driver’s requirements.
A whole new exhaust system – derived from that of the One-77 hypercar, no less – is lighter, smaller and, crucially, even more sonorous than that of the outgoing car.
The ZF Servotronic power assisted steering is new, too. With a quicker 15:1 ratio, it is linked to the adaptive damping button and offers two-mode steering assistance designed to best match the ‘Sport’ or ‘Normal’ settings generated by the Adaptive Damping System.
Ian Minards, Product Development Director at Aston Martin, said: “Harnessing the sheer, raw, power of the AM28 engine – ensuring it is delivered in the most coherent, engaging way – has been a challenge for the Engineering team, but this record acceleration figure ably demonstrates that it is one we have more than met.
Pricing for the new V12 Vantage S is also confirmed.
In the UK the new car is available from £138,000 RRP; Germany €179,950 RRP; USA $184,995 MSRP; Dubai $230,995 (US$) and Australia AU$ 389,300, excluding local taxes where applicable.
Content and images provided by: Aston Martin
