V8 Vantage N430/GT12 half way house coming?

[AOK]

Waking to the news of the Porsche 911 R, an incredibly exciting lightweight manual normally-aspirated £130k offering, I'm left disappointed that due to the way Porsche now do business, even if I wanted to, I can't buy one!

All this leads me back to the N430, which is something I've been toying with for months. Does anyone know if 2016 will see a new iteration of V8 Vantage special edition? There can't be more than 12-18 months of production left surely?

We've had the N400, N420 etc... can we expect a manual-tran N450? Or GT8 of some sort? V8 Vantage GT? V8 Vantage R?

Any thoughts / information (vague rumours or otherwise!) would be very interesting to hear

I'm desperate to join the clan... absolutely LOVE my TVR, but I just find its not refined enough for long trips / daily use.

[V8 Vantage GT]

There is supposed to be 100 only Vantage GT-S cars slotted for the US, basically the last hurrah. Just a GT that can be ordered with unlimited options. I haven't seen any on dealer websites. I think the GT was perfect the way it is.

Maybe there will be something similar in Europe, an N430-S, or something.

Here is the US press release. I've been told US orders for Vantages have been closed for sometime now. What's out there, that's it, once it's gone, it's gone.

http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/attachment.php?...

[AOK]

V8 Vantage GT said:

There is supposed to be 100 only Vantage GT-S cars slotted for the US, basically the last hurrah. Just a GT that can be ordered with unlimited options. I haven't seen any on dealer websites. I think the GT was perfect the way it is.

Maybe there will be something similar in Europe, an N430-S, or something.

Here is the US press release. I've been told US orders for Vantages have been closed for sometime now. What's out there, that's it, once it's gone, it's gone.

http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/attachment.php?...

Thanks, that's very informative. That bulletin suggests that production ends June 2016 - no suggestion of it being that soon here in the UK?

[Big Ry]

I would assume they'll do something similar for Europe late this year or early next. Probably a good opportunity to pick up what would probably be a great value car spec vs price wise (assuming you like the spec that is), just like the SP10's were.

If they did, I wonder if they'll offer a run out V12S as well as V8............

[J12KJR]

AOK said:

V8 Vantage GT said:

There is supposed to be 100 only Vantage GT-S cars slotted for the US, basically the last hurrah. Just a GT that can be ordered with unlimited options. I haven't seen any on dealer websites. I think the GT was perfect the way it is.

Maybe there will be something similar in Europe, an N430-S, or something.

Here is the US press release. I've been told US orders for Vantages have been closed for sometime now. What's out there, that's it, once it's gone, it's gone.

http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/attachment.php?...

Thanks, that's very informative. That bulletin suggests that production ends June 2016 - no suggestion of it being that soon here in the UK?

The June 2016 end in the US is because the Vantage doesn't meet some of their regulations, they were given a dispensation to keep selling non compliant vehicles until June 2016.
After that they would have to redisgn the Vantage to comply and that isn't going to happen.
As for any runout models have a chat with say AM Works as they may be able to indicate what may or may not come about.

[JohnG1]

N450 does not make sense - would require investment in the v8 powertrain which is surely dead on it's feet now that AMG V8 is on the way.

Maybe a GT-12 body with an n430 engine as a parts bin special is an option...

[roughrider]

AOK said:

All this leads me back to the N430, which is something I've been toying with for months. Does anyone know if 2016 will see a new iteration of V8 Vantage special edition? There can't be more than 12-18 months of production left surely?

We've had the N400, N420 etc... can we expect a manual-tran N450? Or GT8 of some sort? V8 Vantage GT? V8 Vantage R?

I'd get in touch with a dealer, and ask the question...

[Big Ry]

As J12KJR has rightly said, i'd guess the chance of AM investing anything in increasing power output from the existing V8 (or V12 for that matter) lump would be fairly slim. If they were going to do that I think they would have done it before pulling the plug on US Vantage sales, as that would have been an easier way to shift a few units instead of parts bin specials.

In all fairness though, I think most of us would prefer that they focus on the new range now instead of spending valuable funds tweaking the outgoing one. Saying that, the new 7 speed V12S Manual would have taken a bit of investment I'd assume, so anything's possible.

[AOK]

Big Ry said:

Saying that, the new 7 speed V12S Manual would have taken a bit of investment I'd assume, so anything's possible.

They've brought back a manual transmission to the V12? This changes everything... the primary attraction of the N430 was the manual box. I'll have to look into it further. Thanks!

[Big Ry]

AOK said:

They've brought back a manual transmission to the V12? This changes everything... the primary attraction of the N430 was the manual box. I'll have to look into it further. Thanks!

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=70&t=1576985

Add to basket

[jonby]

Big Ry said:

As J12KJR has rightly said, i'd guess the chance of AM investing anything in increasing power output from the existing V8 (or V12 for that matter) lump would be fairly slim. If they were going to do that I think they would have done it before pulling the plug on US Vantage sales, as that would have been an easier way to shift a few units instead of parts bin specials.

In all fairness though, I think most of us would prefer that they focus on the new range now instead of spending valuable funds tweaking the outgoing one. Saying that, the new 7 speed V12S Manual would have taken a bit of investment I'd assume, so anything's possible.

One has to assume the investment into the manual box is because it will be rolled into several models going forward - one imagines if it works with the n/a engine in V12VS, it wouldn't take much change to work with 5.2 TT V12 in DB11 for instance

However I certainly wouldn't rule out a vantage product with slightly more power from the current V8 before vantage is replaced completely in a year or so :-) As others have said, speak to your dealer and all will be revealed....................

[AOK]

I've read the 'V12VS Manual' thread and, whilst it sounds very interesting, somehow it doesn't grip me as much as the idea of a road/track focused and lightweight (I use that term most vaguely!) car which can be used as a euro-blast GT on occasion. More a GT3 alternative than a Turbo S, if you catch my drift. Somehow I just don't think a V12 captures what I'm after. A 1,500kg manual N450 on the other hand... yum

The last post is the best steer yet - I think the previous hints went over my head! I'll follow that up right now, thank you!

Other than a few loose phone calls to Sevenoaks, I've never had any dealing with an AM centre before. I'm based in London/Cambridge but happy to use anyone... any recommendations which dealers are better than others? Feel free to PM me.

Edited by AOK on Wednesday 2nd March 15:03

[Jon39]

J12KJR said:

The June 2016 end in the US is because the Vantage doesn't meet some of their regulations, they were given a dispensation to keep selling non compliant vehicles until June 2016.
After that they would have to redisgn the Vantage to comply and that isn't going to happen.

Your mention of June 2016, does not match the dispensation that was originally reported.

http://www.reuters.com/article/astonmartin-autos-s...

End of August 2016 for DB9.
End of August 2017 for Vantage.

Perhaps something has changed, since the original safety decision in October 2014.

These USA safety decisions remind me of Morgan Cars. Their 4 wheel sports cars, are considered much too dangerous to be driven in USA. However, the Morgan 3 wheel sports car ( you wouldn't pursuade me to travel in one of those ), is considered safe, and is very welcome in USA.

I know, it is deemed to be a motor bike, but illogical how anyone can consider it safer than anything with 4 wheels.

[J12KJR]

AOK I would give Simon Stanton at Aston Martin Works in Newport Pagnell a call (01908 619218) he has always been very helpful.

[V8 Vantage GT]

Jon39 said:

Your mention of June 2016, does not match the dispensation that was originally reported.

http://www.reuters.com/article/astonmartin-autos-s...

End of August 2016 for DB9.
End of August 2017 for Vantage.

Perhaps something has changed, since the original safety decision in October 2014.

These USA safety decisions remind me of Morgan Cars. Their 4 wheel sports cars, are considered much too dangerous to be driven in USA. However, the Morgan 3 wheel sports car ( you wouldn't pursuade me to travel in one of those ), is considered safe, and is very welcome in USA.

I know, it is deemed to be a motor bike, but illogical how anyone can consider it safer than anything with 4 wheels.

This has expired. US dealers haven't been able to order Vantages for months now. No Vantage orders till its replacement. There may be a few old orders in the pipeline not built or shipped yet, but that door has been shut. They don't seem to be selling that well anyway. I've seen cars in dealers inventory as much as a year. One dealer fold me that the GT really destroyed the market and Vantages took a big hit in value. It is hard to sell a regular Vantage, when a GT with more horsepower, better sports exhaust, maybe few less options but just as beautiful sitting next to it was $30000 to $40000 dollars less. They said it really hurt the resale market too, you could purchase a new GT with a full warranty less than one that was a few years old.

[J12KJR]

Jon39 said:

J12KJR said:

The June 2016 end in the US is because the Vantage doesn't meet some of their regulations, they were given a dispensation to keep selling non compliant vehicles until June 2016.
After that they would have to redisgn the Vantage to comply and that isn't going to happen.

Your mention of June 2016, does not match the dispensation that was originally reported.

http://www.reuters.com/article/astonmartin-autos-s...

End of August 2016 for DB9.
End of August 2017 for Vantage.

Perhaps something has changed, since the original safety decision in October 2014.

These USA safety decisions remind me of Morgan Cars. Their 4 wheel sports cars, are considered much too dangerous to be driven in USA. However, the Morgan 3 wheel sports car ( you wouldn't pursuade me to travel in one of those ), is considered safe, and is very welcome in USA.

I know, it is deemed to be a motor bike, but illogical how anyone can consider it safer than anything with 4 wheels.

Jon

Your info is probably correct I had read about the dispensation and when June 2016 was mentioned earlier in the thread by someone I put 2 and 2 together and probably ended up with 5 in reality.
Whatever the date I at least hope the thoery is correct if not I will just give up

[SFO]

V8 Vantage GT said:

Jon39 said:

Your mention of June 2016, does not match the dispensation that was originally reported.

http://www.reuters.com/article/astonmartin-autos-s...

End of August 2016 for DB9.
End of August 2017 for Vantage.

Perhaps something has changed, since the original safety decision in October 2014.

These USA safety decisions remind me of Morgan Cars. Their 4 wheel sports cars, are considered much too dangerous to be driven in USA. However, the Morgan 3 wheel sports car ( you wouldn't pursuade me to travel in one of those ), is considered safe, and is very welcome in USA.

I know, it is deemed to be a motor bike, but illogical how anyone can consider it safer than anything with 4 wheels.

This has expired. US dealers haven't been able to order Vantages for months now. No Vantage orders till its replacement. There may be a few old orders in the pipeline not built or shipped yet, but that door has been shut. They don't seem to be selling that well anyway. I've seen cars in dealers inventory as much as a year. One dealer fold me that the GT really destroyed the market and Vantages took a big hit in value. It is hard to sell a regular Vantage, when a GT with more horsepower, better sports exhaust, maybe few less options but just as beautiful sitting next to it was $30000 to $40000 dollars less. They said it really hurt the resale market too, you could purchase a new GT with a full warranty less than one that was a few years old.

I bet the equivalent "run out" model will be made available in the UK market; and have the same effect ..

Stock cars are available with huge discounts already anyway.

[AdamV8V]

Vantage GT8?

[IanV12VR]

AdamV8V said:

Vantage GT8?

Indeed, I wondered when someone would say that

[jonby]

IanV12VR said:

AdamV8V said:

Vantage GT8?

Indeed, I wondered when someone would say that

Some remarkably similar guessing going on right now :-)