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First Drive: 2011 Aston Martin V12 Vantage

The Automaker's Most Powerful Engine Meets Its Smallest Platform Sketched drawings of imaginary sports cars covered my notebook as an elementary school pupil. Assembled in the ether of a daydream, each penciled design came from an imagination unrestrained by reality, with nary a concession to things like outward visibility, bumper heights or ground clearance. Engines were huge, tires were wide and bodywork was unbelievably sleek. It didn't matter that none of the drawings represented real cars. From my naive perspective, I could bring the world's coolest cars to life in two-dimensional ... Read More

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    Aston Martin V12 Vantage
    Recalls: Aston Martin recalling 689 vehicles over faulty throttle arms
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    There have been quite a few recalls to report lately, but as proof that no automaker is immune from the bug, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a recall that affects almost the entire 2012-13 Aston Martin lineup of vehicles. A total of 689 DB9, Rapide, Virage, V8 Vantage and V12 Vantage models built between May 2012 and April ...

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    Aston Martin V12 Vantage
    Official: Aston Martin V12 Vantage S rings up 565 hp, 205 mph top speed
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    This is the "something very fast" that Aston Martin teased last week. With a brief to bring "race car performance and technology to the open road," the Gaydon firm introduces the new V12 Vantage S that makes changes throughout compared to the V12 Vantage it replaces. The heart of the matter is the new AM28 engine, a more evolved species of the 6.0-liter ...

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    Aston Martin V12 Vantage
    Video: Aston Martin teases something very fast
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    Aston Martin has released a short teaser video entitled Coming Soon that features the image above near its close. Based on the profile and the hood intakes, the short money is on this being the V12 Vantage S, since the standard model has yet to earn the addition of the 19th letter of the alphabet. It looks like there might also be a new roof treatment on ...

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    Aston Martin V12 Vantage
    Teased: Aston Martin teases "very special concept" to be unveiled May 19 [w/video]
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    We knew Aston Martin was taking three cars to the Nürbrurgring 24-Hour race this weekend, they being a V12 Vantage GT3 car, the Rapide S Hybrid Hydrogen concept and a V12 Vantage N24 that is close to road-legal. We've just discovered that the automaker is bringing a fourth, a concept to be revealed on Sunday, May 19 that we know nothing about save ...

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    Aston Martin V12 Vantage
    Recalls: Aston Martin and Lotus each issue recalls
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    A pair of head-turning high performance cars are catching some attention off a different kind, in the form of safety recalls. Aston Martin and Lotus have issued recalls for the V12 Vantage Coupe and Evora, respectively. Aston Martin's affects 169 examples of the 2009-2012 V12 Vantage Coupe. It concerns the tire-pressure monitoring system, and is less a ...

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    Aston Martin V12 Vantage
    Official: Aston Martin makes V12 Vantage Roadster official
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    Here it is in all of its open air glory: The 2013 Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster. Aston Martin has just released official photos and specs for its all-new roadster that will have limited availability around the world. It is powered by Aston's 6.0-liter naturally aspirated V12 engine that cranks out 510-horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. The ...

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    Aston Martin V12 Vantage
    Report: Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster revealed early
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    Well, it's about time. Just like how the Aston Martin V8 Vantage coupe became the V12 Vantage coupe, a similar treatment is now being done to the company's smallest droptop. And thanks to the magic of the Interwebs, a smattering of details and photos of this, the V12 Vantage Roadster, have leaked out early. Just like the coupe, the roadster will be ...

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    Aston Martin V12 Vantage
    Geneva: 2012 Aston Martin V8 Vantage emerges with a slew of improvements
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    It is hard to believe, but the gorgeous Aston Martin V8 Vantage is pushing seven years on the market. In that time, the British automaker has worked hard to keep its sporty coupe relevant and current. Along those lines, and in a move expected to be embraced by enthusiasts worldwide, the 2012 model is on the receiving end of yet another comprehensive ...

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    Aston Martin V12 Vantage
    Geneva: Aston Martin V12 Zagato is the Red Baron of coupes
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    Aston Martin showed off a few photos of the production version of the V12 Zagato last month, and then a video recently. If you're one of the no-more-than 150 customers who manages to take one home, then here are detailed views of what you can expect. The rear end is particularly striking, even with a wing that's the least stylized object on the entire ...

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    Aston Martin V12 Vantage
    Video: Aston Martin releases first footage of V12 Zagato
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    Aston Martin has never had a problem making its cars look and sound glorious. A contributing hand from Zagato has only made the pointy end of its capabilities that much sharper. The V12 Zagato, built with a slew of extra man-hours on top of a V12 Vantage, will deliver 510 horsepower of twelve-cylinder, limited-edition happiness to 150 buyers. We'll see ...

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    Aston Martin V12 Vantage
    Official: Aston Martin unleashes new Vantage GTE on WEC, Le Mans [w/video]
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    Few outfits have benefited from the kind of success that Aston Martin Racing has enjoyed. The team has emerged as an absolutely dominant force in the numerous GT classes of endurance racing around the world. But Aston's success arguably went to its head a little, prompting AMR to abandon its GT racing program to privateers as the team itself attempted to ...

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    Aston Martin V12 Vantage
    Official: Aston Martin debuts production V12 Zagato
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    Aston Martin has pulled back the sheets on the first images of its production V12 Zagato. The road car is headed for an official debut at this year's Geneva Motor Show in March. Following in the tradition of the automaker's ultra exclusive One-77, the V12 Zagato will take more than 2,000 man-hours to manufacture thanks to hand-hewn body panels, including ...

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    Aston Martin V12 Vantage
    Report: Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster coming to Geneva
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    It's amazing what a company like Aston Martin can do with what essentially amounts to two product families. Discounting the Toyota-built Cygnet and the exclusive One-77, the company's entire line-up is based around either the Vantage or the DB9. While the latter has also spawned the Virage, the DBS and the Rapide, Aston has also done a lot with the ...

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    Aston Martin V12 Vantage
    Official: Aston Martin gets to work on new V12 Vantage GT3
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    It seems to us like Aston Martin never tires of rolling out ever hotter renditions of its Vantage sports coupe. As if the original V8 Vantage weren't enticing enough, Aston then shoehorned a V12 under the hood. Zagato then rebodied what we already thought was one of the shapeliest beasts on the market. And the improvements just keep on rumbling in. But ...

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    Aston Martin V12 Vantage
    Official: Aston Martin shows off new Vantage GT3 racer
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    Recent endurance races have seen Aston Martin fielding cars at every level of competition, and the British sportscar manufacturer isn't about to give up its strategy of proliferation. The proof? A few months back, we brought you word that Aston was planning on replacing its DBRS9 with a new Vantage-based racer for the GT3 category to slot in between the ...

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    Aston Martin V12 Vantage
    HBH sketches out one-off Aston-based supercar
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    HBH stands for Hermann, Brandt, Hartwig, the surnames of three Danes who have had hands in cars like the Kleeman GTK, Sondergard kit car and Zenvo ST-1. The partnership specializes in assisting other companies develop projects, but now HBH has one of its own: build a one-off, mid-engined concept based on the Aston Martin V12 Vantage. It has no name yet, ...

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    Aston Martin V12 Vantage
    Report: Danish firm HRH planning mid-engined Aston Martin supercar
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    Zagato, it turns out, isn't the only coachbuilder working on a supercar based on an Aston Martin: a Danish outfit called HBH is reportedly planning to build model based on the V12 Vantage as well, but theirs will be a unique mid-engine design. The company takes its name from its founders: Jesper Hermann, Christian Brandt and Torben Hartvig. Between ...

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    Aston Martin V12 Vantage
    Aston Martin adds V12 Vantage to Performance Driving Course [w/video]
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    Aston Martin wants you to push its cars to the limit – at least, after you've signed some waivers and paid $2,500. If that's the case, you're probably at Aston Martin's Performance Driving Course located at the Ford Proving Grounds in Romeo, Michigan. The fleet of cars at your disposal includes the V8 Vantage, DB9, Rapide and DBS, and now Aston ...

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    Aston Martin V12 Vantage
    Aston Martin launching new V12 Vantage GT3 to replace DBRS9
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    It used to be that Aston Martin race cars were staggered: the GT1 and GT3 cars were based on the DB9, while the GT2 and GT4 machines were based on the Vantage. But that was before the V12 Vantage came into the production lineup, and before the company veered into top-tier LMP1 racing. And while the DBRS9 is still competitive in the GT3 class, Aston has ...

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    Aston Martin V12 Vantage
    First Drive: 2011 Aston Martin V12 Vantage
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    The Automaker's Most Powerful Engine Meets Its Smallest Platform Sketched drawings of imaginary sports cars covered my notebook as an elementary school pupil. Assembled in the ether of a daydream, each penciled design came from an imagination unrestrained by reality, with nary a concession to things like outward visibility, bumper heights or ground ...

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