Here we are — the last Aston Martin V12 Vantage we’ll ever see.
This isn’t the first time Aston’s packed a massive twelve-cylinder engine into its smallest car, as we saw it with the last-generation Vantage — and that was an awesome package. Now, it’s time for the follow-up, and we finally have a current-generation Vantage with the familiar 5.2-liter twin-turbocharged V12 from the DB11 and DBS (not to mention the V12 Speedster). This time is a special occasion, though, as this will be the last Aston Martin V12 Vantage we’ll ever see.
As an enthusiast, that’s a bit painful to swallow. However, there’s plenty to be excited about if you’re one of the folks getting your hands on one of the 333 examples. Yep, I say “getting” because all those cars (and that’s Aston’s global allocation) are already spoken for. Needless to say, pricing is completely irrelevant here.
Still, it’s fun to dream, so let’s do that with the newly debuted V12 Vantage. What you see here is a car tuned similarly to the V12 Speedster. That means its engine kicks out a whopping 690 horsepower and 555 lb-ft of torque through an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission. As a result, this new V12 Vantage packs a 200 mph top speed, as well as a 0-60 time of 3.4 seconds, according to Aston Martin. Is it the absolute last word in acceleration or speed? Perhaps not, but the point here has always been that you’re getting all that power (and all that aero) in a small, nimble package.
Carbon fiber everywhere!
To that end, there is a huge amount of carbon fiber, all in pursuit of saving weight. That’s not the only reason it’s there, of course, as those wide fenders accommodate the car’s wider track and properly wide tires (275-mm at the front and 315-mm at the back). The spoiler, side skirts, rear wing and large diffuser also work to provide up to 450 pounds of downforce at high speeds. As you’d expect, Aston also stiffened the car’s chassis, and the adaptive suspension plays into making this feel far more hardcore than your run-of-the-mill Vantage. To help bring it all to a halt, carbon ceramic brakes with 6-piston front calipers and 4-piston rear calipers come standard.
Inside, the new Aston Martin V12 Vantage largely mirros what you’ll see with the V8 model. However, you get standard Sport Plus seats here, as well as an option for lightweight carbon fiber seats. Naturally, that theme continues with the steering wheel, shift paddles and accent pieces — and those who landed one of these cars can take it further with extra-cost customization choices.
Production for the V12 Vantage begins this quarter, with deliveries set to start in spring 2023. The order books may already be closed, but it’s still pretty awesome just to know this car exists, especially as we say goodbye to the V12 and usher in the electric performance car era.
