New Arrival (Long and Pic Heavy)
Discussion
So after popping out for a few days and decided to change from my V8 Vantage S (see history here
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
.....I am popping back in with my new arrival. Another daily driver and one that required careful consideration.
My shortlist was short. I looked yet again at the Maserati Granturismo (this time the last of the MC Stradales) but it became clear to me that I really would not be able to live with the technology which is more ancient than the Vantage and the Stradale is not perhaps a daily driver proposition much as I have a soft spot for these cars.
More seriously there is of course now the DB11, I tested one of these this week and good as it is I prefer for now my actual choice. And at the DB11 price point I owed it to myself to look at Ferrari, an FF in this case which left me strangely cold. I did not test drive the F12 as this was above my price point. The F12 is a very good looking car though in the way the FF is not and will be considered next time around along with whatever Aston have developed off the back of the DB11. Certainly front-engined V12 Grand Tourer is my thing which leads me to the winner here:
Aston Martin Vanquish
Now that sounds easy but having made the choice I assumed I would be in for a long search since I am a fussy bugger. I test drove both 6-speed and 8-speed versions and for me the 8-speed is worth the price premium on used examples for a whole host of reasons just improving the whole package in almost every area. 6-speed is a great car but I wanted no nagging doubts with a purchase of this magnitude. I also preferred the whole ethos of Vanquish versus DB11 though I get where Aston are going with the DB11 and look forward to future derivatives.
Other no-nos on a Vanquish were of a completely personal choice:
Not Black
Not White
Not Obsidian Black Interior
No Cooled Seats (don't like the resultant slab seat design)
Prefer 2+0 to the useless 2+2 configuration
The above rules out the vast majority of used Vanquish on the market but I was prepared to wait for the right car.
Whilst having my Vantage serviced at AM Bristol a short while ago I was having a mooch around I came across a Vanquish there with the most wonderful seats and quickly realised they were Lightweights. I did not realise these were even available as an option on the Vanquish but indeed they are but just very rare - only 9 built (boy do I wish it were 7 or less like a certain configuration of DBS
So this was the configuration I wanted. Other must haves included CF roof, One-77 steering wheel and, having realised they existed, Lightweight Seats all set off in a gorgeous colour combination.
Was this the car I wanted though? Concern was the paintwork was 'black' and the interior was 'black', not a good start!
However not any old black.....
Exterior paint is Ultramarine Black - AML Special Colour
Interior colour is Black Damson
Both these colours were newly introduced for MY16 and Aston Martin built this car for themselves I assume as a showcase for them along with several 'Q' touches such as Baltic Blue upper instrument panel, Quilted Lightweight Seats with Baltic Blue stitching and carpet binding (Q Exclusive again) with Pure Black leather headlining.
Aston Martin thought enough of the car to register it with the famous plate
V12 AML
One year on from registration, fate seemed to decide that I should own this car. Black on Black whether I liked it or not. So on paper not my ideal spec but in reality not at all black. The exterior is more a very dark blue (clue in the Ultramarine bit) and the interior more a purple/plum colour (clue in the Damson bit). The car has been GTechniq Crystal Serum protected again and I am considering PPF this time around.
Full spec
Exterior colour: Ultramarine Black Special AML Colour
Interior colour: Upper - Black Damson Lower - Black Damson
Lightweight Quilted Seats - Baltic Blue Stitching
Registration date: 11 September 2015 MY: 2016
Headlining: Pure Black Leather
Carpet: Caspian Blue/Baltic Blue Q Binding
Facia trim: Carbon Fibre - Herringbone
High Line Trim Split: Baltic Blue Q Exclusive
Brake calipers: Black
Door cappings: Black Damson
Technical Specification
Engine: All alloy, quad overhead camshaft, 48 valve, 6.0 litre V12 Transmission: Touchtronic III 8-speed automatic Power: 568 bhp (424 kW) @ 6650 rpm Torque: 465 lb ft (630 Nm) @ 5500 rpm Acceleration: 3.6s (0-60 mph) Maximum speed: 201 mph
Standard Equipment
1000 W Bang & Olufsen BeoSound audio system
AMi II Infotainment System
Adaptive Damping System (ADS)
Alarm and immobiliser
Aston Martin Tracking by Cobra
Automatic headlights
Automatic wipers
Bluetooth telephone preparation
Cruise control
Dual stage driver and passenger front airbags
Dynamic stability control (DSC)
Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)
Emergency brake assist (EBA)
Front and rear parking sensors
Glass Switches
Heated rear screen
High Intensity Discharge headlamps (dipped beam)
Infotainment system with capacitive switching
LED rear lamps and side repeaters
Launch Control
Memory seats and exterior mirrors
Powerfold exterior heated mirrors
Reversing Camera
Satellite navigation system
Traction Control (TC)
Trip computer
Tyre pressure monitoring system
USB input including integrated Apple iPod® connector
Options
Carbon fibre side strakes
Black vaned front grille
Centre Stack Rotaries - Shadow Bronze
Carbon Fibre Lightweight seats with six-way adjustment
Alarm upgrade - Volumetric and tilt sensors
Black One-77 Steering Wheel w/ Alcantara
Paint - Special AML Colour Ultramarine Black
Auto dimming interior rear view mirror
Carbon fibre roof panel
Seat belts - Warm Charcoal
Decklid Model Name Badge
Black Paddleshifts
Black bonnet and side strake meshes
Black Textured Tailpipe Finisher
Leather colour - Contemporary Black Damson
Facia Trim - Carbon Fibre Herringbone centre stack
Carbon fibre mirror caps
20 Inch 10-spoke Gloss Black diamond turned Wheels
Brake Calipers - Black
Shadow Bronze jewellery pack
2+0 Seating
Umbrella
Pictures will follow shortly. I like that someone really thought about the specifying this car and I don't think I would have done anything differently.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
.....I am popping back in with my new arrival. Another daily driver and one that required careful consideration.
My shortlist was short. I looked yet again at the Maserati Granturismo (this time the last of the MC Stradales) but it became clear to me that I really would not be able to live with the technology which is more ancient than the Vantage and the Stradale is not perhaps a daily driver proposition much as I have a soft spot for these cars.
More seriously there is of course now the DB11, I tested one of these this week and good as it is I prefer for now my actual choice. And at the DB11 price point I owed it to myself to look at Ferrari, an FF in this case which left me strangely cold. I did not test drive the F12 as this was above my price point. The F12 is a very good looking car though in the way the FF is not and will be considered next time around along with whatever Aston have developed off the back of the DB11. Certainly front-engined V12 Grand Tourer is my thing which leads me to the winner here:
Aston Martin Vanquish
Now that sounds easy but having made the choice I assumed I would be in for a long search since I am a fussy bugger. I test drove both 6-speed and 8-speed versions and for me the 8-speed is worth the price premium on used examples for a whole host of reasons just improving the whole package in almost every area. 6-speed is a great car but I wanted no nagging doubts with a purchase of this magnitude. I also preferred the whole ethos of Vanquish versus DB11 though I get where Aston are going with the DB11 and look forward to future derivatives.
Other no-nos on a Vanquish were of a completely personal choice:
Not Black
Not White
Not Obsidian Black Interior
No Cooled Seats (don't like the resultant slab seat design)
Prefer 2+0 to the useless 2+2 configuration
The above rules out the vast majority of used Vanquish on the market but I was prepared to wait for the right car.
Whilst having my Vantage serviced at AM Bristol a short while ago I was having a mooch around I came across a Vanquish there with the most wonderful seats and quickly realised they were Lightweights. I did not realise these were even available as an option on the Vanquish but indeed they are but just very rare - only 9 built (boy do I wish it were 7 or less like a certain configuration of DBS
So this was the configuration I wanted. Other must haves included CF roof, One-77 steering wheel and, having realised they existed, Lightweight Seats all set off in a gorgeous colour combination.
Was this the car I wanted though? Concern was the paintwork was 'black' and the interior was 'black', not a good start!
However not any old black.....
Exterior paint is Ultramarine Black - AML Special Colour
Interior colour is Black Damson
Both these colours were newly introduced for MY16 and Aston Martin built this car for themselves I assume as a showcase for them along with several 'Q' touches such as Baltic Blue upper instrument panel, Quilted Lightweight Seats with Baltic Blue stitching and carpet binding (Q Exclusive again) with Pure Black leather headlining.
Aston Martin thought enough of the car to register it with the famous plate
V12 AML
One year on from registration, fate seemed to decide that I should own this car. Black on Black whether I liked it or not. So on paper not my ideal spec but in reality not at all black. The exterior is more a very dark blue (clue in the Ultramarine bit) and the interior more a purple/plum colour (clue in the Damson bit). The car has been GTechniq Crystal Serum protected again and I am considering PPF this time around.
Full spec
Exterior colour: Ultramarine Black Special AML Colour
Interior colour: Upper - Black Damson Lower - Black Damson
Lightweight Quilted Seats - Baltic Blue Stitching
Registration date: 11 September 2015 MY: 2016
Headlining: Pure Black Leather
Carpet: Caspian Blue/Baltic Blue Q Binding
Facia trim: Carbon Fibre - Herringbone
High Line Trim Split: Baltic Blue Q Exclusive
Brake calipers: Black
Door cappings: Black Damson
Technical Specification
Engine: All alloy, quad overhead camshaft, 48 valve, 6.0 litre V12 Transmission: Touchtronic III 8-speed automatic Power: 568 bhp (424 kW) @ 6650 rpm Torque: 465 lb ft (630 Nm) @ 5500 rpm Acceleration: 3.6s (0-60 mph) Maximum speed: 201 mph
Standard Equipment
1000 W Bang & Olufsen BeoSound audio system
AMi II Infotainment System
Adaptive Damping System (ADS)
Alarm and immobiliser
Aston Martin Tracking by Cobra
Automatic headlights
Automatic wipers
Bluetooth telephone preparation
Cruise control
Dual stage driver and passenger front airbags
Dynamic stability control (DSC)
Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)
Emergency brake assist (EBA)
Front and rear parking sensors
Glass Switches
Heated rear screen
High Intensity Discharge headlamps (dipped beam)
Infotainment system with capacitive switching
LED rear lamps and side repeaters
Launch Control
Memory seats and exterior mirrors
Powerfold exterior heated mirrors
Reversing Camera
Satellite navigation system
Traction Control (TC)
Trip computer
Tyre pressure monitoring system
USB input including integrated Apple iPod® connector
Options
Carbon fibre side strakes
Black vaned front grille
Centre Stack Rotaries - Shadow Bronze
Carbon Fibre Lightweight seats with six-way adjustment
Alarm upgrade - Volumetric and tilt sensors
Black One-77 Steering Wheel w/ Alcantara
Paint - Special AML Colour Ultramarine Black
Auto dimming interior rear view mirror
Carbon fibre roof panel
Seat belts - Warm Charcoal
Decklid Model Name Badge
Black Paddleshifts
Black bonnet and side strake meshes
Black Textured Tailpipe Finisher
Leather colour - Contemporary Black Damson
Facia Trim - Carbon Fibre Herringbone centre stack
Carbon fibre mirror caps
20 Inch 10-spoke Gloss Black diamond turned Wheels
Brake Calipers - Black
Shadow Bronze jewellery pack
2+0 Seating
Umbrella
Pictures will follow shortly. I like that someone really thought about the specifying this car and I don't think I would have done anything differently.
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