2009 Aston Martin V12 Vantage

[Bones Brigade]

The DBS is still useful for making the DB9 irrelevant...

at least, would say so.

 

[Philly]

Isn't this old news? I swear I saw an article in Car and Driver a couple months ago about this.

That be the V12 Vantage RS Concept. This is the real car.

 

[GT Pro]

So we now have a V12 Vantage, a V12 DB9, a V12 DBS and to top it all off a V12 Vanquish. Can someone please explain why AM have decided to screw up the simple hierarchy of AM cars and instead develop yet another 12-cylinder beast that will give anyone a stroke trying to choose between them all?

 

[McLaren]

So we now have a V12 Vantage, a V12 DB9, a V12 DBS and to top it all off a V12 Vanquish. Can someone please explain why AM have decided to screw up the simple hierarchy of AM cars and instead develop yet another 12-cylinder beast that will give anyone a stroke trying to choose between them all?

The Vanquish has been out of production since 2007 and was succeeded by the DBS. Perhaps, in a way, the DBS is Aston's way of trying to give people the new Vanquish, just by using the DB9 has a base.

But...this new V12 Vantage is a tad much, imo....

 

[GT Pro]

The Vanquish has been out of production since 2007 and was succeeded by the DBS. Perhaps, in a way, the DBS is Aston's way of trying to give people the new Vanquish, just by using the DB9 has a base.

But...this new V12 Vantage is a tad much, imo....

What was the difference between the Vanquish and DB9 in the first place?

 

[McLaren]

What was the difference between the Vanquish and DB9 in the first place?

TBH, I don't know, though I assume the Vanquish had a bit more power and was more of "sports car" than the DB9. I would suggest asking Venari for that answer, though.

 

[Jay]

Very nice.

Except I am not a fan of the holes in the hood and the clear tails, but otherwise 👍

I came.
I saw.
I came.

Heh... wait.. what?

 

[Speedster502]

I think I would prefer it to be just the normal V8V body with the V12 underneath, that would be perfection in my mind. I didn't mind the concept too much but it still looks like someone has taken a axe to its bonnet. Not a good look in my mind.

It'll still be good, but the normal one looks better.

 

[Keef]

How many Vanquishes does Aston produce every year? Will this car infringe on its big brother's exclusivity?

 

[McLaren]

How many Vanquishes does Aston produce every year? Will this car infringe on its big brother's exclusivity?

They produce 0, Keef.

 

[Tornado]

The DB9 is a Grand Tourer...
The V8 Vantage is the Sport Tourer

Huge differences, those.

Though of note, it is somewhat odd that they have two cars (DBS, this) filling the exact same niche with the exact same powertrain under the exact same brand.

 

[ExigeEvan]

Huge differences, those.

I'm not saying there is, but neither is there between the 3 series sedan and 5 series, and I don't see a whole load of people complaining aout that.

 

[Tornado]

That was a joke based on the wording you used. I understand the differences between the DB9 and V8 Vantage. Its the idea that Aston will essentially have two DBS' on sale at the same time that confuses me, as the idea between those two seems identical.

 

[Dave A]

The DBS does seat 4, the two in the back can't have legs but there are seats there for the skinny enough. It think this will be more racy than the DBS which you have to remember is still a GT no matter what anyone says, it's best at being a GT.

 

[Stotty]

Personally I always felt AM missed a trick with the V8... it was originally talked about as a proper sports car (a la 911), but ended up being a slightly cheaper, 2 seat DB9.

As I understand it, the recently undated version is a bit more in this mould, but what I'd really like to see is something similar to a 911 GT3... less weight, more harcore suspension, bit more power. That would be interesting.

 

[Sureboss]

So we now have a V12 Vantage, a V12 DB9, a V12 DBS and to top it all off a V12 Vanquish. Can someone please explain why AM have decided to screw up the simple hierarchy of AM cars and instead develop yet another 12-cylinder beast that will give anyone a stroke trying to choose between them all?

Add to the list this years One-77.

 

[Famine]

And the Rapide...

 

[YSSMAN]

Personally I always felt AM missed a trick with the V8... it was originally talked about as a proper sports car (a la 911), but ended up being a slightly cheaper, 2 seat DB9.

I think thats debatable, the V8V ends up being a pretty well-mannered option to the 911 or even the R8, but the problem was that the performance overall fell flat. You essentially end up paying for the Aston Martin badge (and the gorgeous looks), but for the same price, you're pretty much in 911 Turbo territory. God forbid the ZR1...

I've always looked to the V8V as the "adult" alternative to what the Germans and Italians offered. A bit more refined inside and out, it takes a real gentleman to opt for that model. Now that they've thrown the new 4.7L V8 under the bonnet, undoubtedly its a much strong proposition. But, unfortunately, there is one major problem with the V8V (and even the DB9):

Cheaper, just as fast, just as good-looking.

 

[Sureboss]

And the Rapide...

4-door? On a scale of 1-10, what do you rate the chances I could fit in the back of that?

Brad - Not quite, the front doesn't have the, "Can I hump you?" looks compared to the DB9 and V8V.

 

[Famine]

Somewhere between 2 and no.

 

[TheCracker]

I think the trouble Aston Martin has is they are trying to keep to their core market in a world where there is so much market overlap. Whilst the DB9 is a perfect modern interpretation of the DB4, DB5, DB6 etc, any manufacturer who wants to shift a reasonable quantity of cars these days has to diversify to keep up with the competition. Maserati i would say is in the same boat too. Porsche, on the other hand, has come under a lot of criticism for doing just this, but has now become a big hitter and can afford to keep making cars true to their heritage alongside the other less enthusiastically received models. If Aston needs a second or third model line-up, then it needs to be a lot less similar to what it was already producing. I would guess that a lot of V12 or even V8 Vantage customers were probably potential DB9 customers in the first place.

 

[Sage]

As I understand it, the recently undated version is a bit more in this mould, but what I'd really like to see is something similar to a 911 GT3... less weight, more harcore suspension, bit more power. That would be interesting.

 

[Holdenhsvgtsr]

Thought there was a thread on this but couldn't find it, this is NOT the Vulcan but the swansong for the vantage.

 

[Peatrie]

More information here
V V V

http://jalopnik.com/the-aston-martin-vantage-gt3-the-ultimate-v12-lightwei-1686422920

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

*Starts planning second bank robbery*

 

[SlipZtrEm]

Good lord...

...it's ugly.

Doesn't stop me from wanting to help with @Leonidae@MFT's new plan, though.

 

[Holdenhsvgtsr]

That noise.....

 

[Holdenhsvgtsr]

Now renamed the GT12 due to Porsche spitting their dummy and toys out of the pram.

 

[AudiMan2011]

Now renamed the GT12 due to Porsche spitting their dummy and toys out of the pram.

That's just stupid. It's not like Porsche trademarked the GT3 name. I never heard VW complaining when Peugeot started putting the GTI name on some of it's hot cars.

 

[Holdenhsvgtsr]

That's just stupid. It's not like Porsche trademarked the GT3 name. I never heard VW complaining when Peugeot started putting the GTI name on some of it's hot cars.

Then you also have the lotus espirt gt3 and the Bentley gt3r.

Porsche do have previous with the 901 though.