Good keeps getting better over at Aston Martin, who never seem to tire of making their sports cars faster and faster. The latest in the speed wars from their new headquarters in Gaydon is this adrenaline-dripping special-edition V12 Vantage RS.
Into what could very well prove to be the fastest, hottest Aston Martin yet, the newly independent British automaker has dropped the V12 reactor not from the recently demised Vanquish, nofrom the road-going DB9 or Bond-tastic DBS derivative, but from the DBRS9 race car. With somewhere in the neighborhood of 600 horsepower (!) pushing 3500 lbs, the V12 Vantage RS is anticipated to clock a 0-60 time in the 3's on its way to a 200-mph top speed. Performance target: Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. That's highly ambitious, considering that the Fiorano is widely acclaimed as one of the most competent supercars on the planet, but with that kind of juice in such a brilliant package as the Vantage's, it might not be so far-fetched.
At the time of writing, AutoWeek was the only source carrying the information, and we hope to have more details soon on the special Vantage which was unveiled earlier today on the occasion of the company's new design center. Although it was launched as a concept, sources suggest it could very well find its way into limited production and slot into the Aston Martin line-up above the current flagship DBS. We certainly hope so.
[Source: AutoWeek]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Paul P. @ Dec 11th 2007 11:29AM
I want it.
nissanfreak87 @ Dec 11th 2007 11:31AM
+1
Andrew @ Dec 11th 2007 2:17PM
+5
EMC @ Dec 11th 2007 5:36PM
+ eleventy billion
Conor @ Dec 11th 2007 6:08PM
Plus... um... MORE!
Guillermo @ Dec 11th 2007 11:50AM
Wow! What a car! :P
Aston is doing what Porsche hasn´t got the balls to do, that is to give serious power to it´s "cheapest" model.
I would love to see a 600hp Cayman S, but I know It´s not gonna happen anytime soon...perhaps never.
Ubizzle @ Dec 11th 2007 1:04PM
not forgetting that Porsche's cheapest model is less than half the price of Aston's... So i'd say more around 400bhp for the Cayman as a fast, fast version, not 600bhp, that'd be ridiculous (and pointless).
lovice @ Dec 11th 2007 1:23PM
I think you should say it other way around. Coz DB9/Vantage's rear lights were introduced before the current Eclipse.
Will @ Dec 11th 2007 11:57AM
I think it was R&T this month that compared an AMV8 Vantage against a C6 'Vette, Audi R8, and a Ferrari F430. In the article, they praised it's interior as having many British quirks, something that gives this car a personality, something the R8 sorely lacks.
I think with this V-12 iteration, "British Quirks" has a new meaning.
Long live the engine-swap shoehorn!
zamafir @ Dec 11th 2007 12:26PM
Lol, I love it, really, with the best interior of any car in it's class, the fact that it's screwed together with the utmost precision makes it lack character. Not to self, various ford parts smattered about the interior provide 'character', yet another reason to read British articles about British cars, at least their press is a little more self critical of the meh nature of Aston's interiors.
Interior aside, WOW. That car, that body, 600hp V12? Astounding. Utterly astounding proposition.
Derek C @ Dec 11th 2007 12:08PM
If its above the DBS it is going to have a price tag to match those HP numbers
Carlos @ Dec 11th 2007 12:08PM
I didn't realize the British were into hot rodding lol
Zane @ Dec 11th 2007 12:17PM
Freakin amazing! The best looking car combined with one of the best V12s. Some Lambos and Ferraris just went flying out of my dreams.
DCragtop @ Dec 11th 2007 12:20PM
Shoehorning never looked or felt soooooo good. I'm going to need some 'private' time after this post. I'll catch up with ya'll later.
mk @ Dec 11th 2007 12:27PM
Holy Moly!!!
racing V12 in a 2-seat vantage... Smokin'!
All there is to say, really.
This is why I love Aston Martin, especially the renaissance they have had in the last decade or so, which is only accelerating.
I second the comment about Porsche, as well. They should take notes when Aston puts power to the smallest, lightest sports car in the line. Heck, I would love a 350-400hp X51 or GT3 powered Cayman S, with the inherent balance of that chassis, and my love of mid-engine layouts, and boxer engines.
Joel @ Dec 11th 2007 12:29PM
The article has been removed by Autoweek.
Ed @ Dec 11th 2007 1:01PM
autoweek pulled it... I guess that's about as good a confirmation as they get =)
Tom @ Dec 12th 2007 3:12PM
topgear.com has the Vangage RS as their featured article. In it Aston boss Dr Ulrich Bez is quoted saying,"We'll listen to feedback on this and if there's sufficient demand, then we'll seriously consider a low volume production."
Rocketboy @ Dec 11th 2007 1:30PM
Can someone please finally ban Priusguy, or at least his ability to post links? At this point, shouldn't he owe AOL money for his advertisement links?
Andrew @ Dec 11th 2007 2:18PM
This car was released well before the econobox Eclipse.