Description
This is lot number 187 in the Bonhams Goodwood Revival Auction on September 7th, please see the Bonhams website for full details.
Seven-speed automated manual transmission
Two owners from new
Present ownership since January 2019
Circa 13, 700 miles from new
In early 2008, Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez confirmed that production of the V12 Vantage would commence in mid-2009, though with the 510bhp engine shared with Aston Martin's other 12-cylinder models rather than the Vantage RS prototype's 580bhp dry-sump racing unit.
The classic hot-rodding technique of shoehorning a big engine into a small car is a well-trodden route to increased performance, and so it had been with the V12-engined Vantage RS prototype, which combined Aston Martin's largest engine with its most compact model. Built in just four months by Aston Martin's Special Vehicle Operations department, the first prototype was unveiled to an invited audience of more than 700 VIP guests by Dr Bez at the official opening of the British manufacturer's new design studio at Gaydon, Warwickshire on 11th December 2007. Dr Bez promised that a production version would be considered should there be sufficient demand; the result was a deluge of enquiries from enthusiasts eager to get their hands on what promised to be Aston Martin's fastest road car ever.
Based on the V8 Vantage Coupé, the production V12 Vantage was powered by Aston Martin's familiar 6. 0-litre V12 as found in the V12 Vanquish, DB9, and DBS models. Getting the V12 to fit the V8 Vantage chassis involved grafting on the engine cradle from the DB9, while the resulting weight increase and more forward weight distribution (52/ 48 front/ rear as opposed to the Vantage's 48/ 52) was accommodated by revised suspension settings. Boasting a kerb weight of 1, 695kg (3, 737lb), the V12 Vantage accelerates from 0-62 mph (100 km/ h) in 4. 2 seconds and can achieve a top speed of 190mph (306 km/ h). In the finale of the 13th series of BBC Television's Top Gear, presenter Jeremy Clarkson summed up the V12 Vantage saying, 'It's wonderful, wonderful, wonderful'.
In May 2013, Aston Martin announced the V12 Vantage S, a more powerful version of the original with 565bhp and 457lb/ ft of torque on tap from a revised AM28 engine. Also new was the seven-speed Sportshift III automated manual transmission. Styling and aerodynamic changes included a carbon-fibre front grille, black roof and rear grille; lightweight forged alloy wheels; and new finishes for the seats, doors and controls.
The V12 Vantage S was lighter than the standard V12 Vantage and featured new adaptive damping for the suspension system; new carbon-ceramic brakes; and a new 'track' mode for their more enthusiastic owners. Claimed performance figures for the V12 Vantage S were 0-62mph (100km/ h) in 3. 9 seconds and a top speed of 205mph (330km/ h), making it the joint fastest production Aston Martin alongside the One-77. When production ceased in 2018, 1, 277 V12 Vantage S Coupés had been sold, plus 363 roadsters.
Finished in the Classic Tungsten Silver with Obsidian Black trim, and currently displaying a total of only circa 13, 700 miles on the odometer, this stunning V12 Vantage S Roadster has had only one former keeper and has belonged to our vendor (an international chartered engineer) since 6th January 2019. A wonderful opportunity to own a little used and well-maintained example of what was the fastest Aston Martin of its day.
