BREAKING: Aston Martin shoehorns V12 into Vantage RS
by Noah Joseph on Dec 11th 2007 at 11:22AM 
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]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Paul P. 11:29AM (12/11/2007)
I want it.
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nissanfreak87 11:31AM (12/11/2007)
+1
Andrew 2:17PM (12/11/2007)
+5
EMC 5:36PM (12/11/2007)
+ eleventy billion
Conor 6:08PM (12/11/2007)
Plus... um... MORE!
Guillermo 11:50AM (12/11/2007)
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.
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Ubizzle 1:04PM (12/11/2007)
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 1:23PM (12/11/2007)
I think you should say it other way around. Coz DB9/Vantage's rear lights were introduced before the current Eclipse.
Will 11:57AM (12/11/2007)
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!
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zamafir 12:26PM (12/11/2007)
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.
Roy Now 11:47PM (12/15/2007)
keeping in it real with the manual
Jaguar, not the difference bettween a touring car and an enthusiast car
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Derek C 12:08PM (12/11/2007)
If its above the DBS it is going to have a price tag to match those HP numbers
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Carlos 12:08PM (12/11/2007)
I didn't realize the British were into hot rodding lol
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Zane 12:17PM (12/11/2007)
Freakin amazing! The best looking car combined with one of the best V12s. Some Lambos and Ferraris just went flying out of my dreams.
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DCragtop 12:20PM (12/11/2007)
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.
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mk 12:27PM (12/11/2007)
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.
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Joel 12:29PM (12/11/2007)
The article has been removed by Autoweek.
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Ed 1:01PM (12/11/2007)
autoweek pulled it... I guess that's about as good a confirmation as they get =)
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Tom 3:12PM (12/12/2007)
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 1:30PM (12/11/2007)
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?
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