V12VR finally public

[jonby]

It's been a long wait but official photos are now out in the public domain with Dutch top Gear being the first to publish now the embargo period has ended
http://www.topgear.nl/autonieuws/aston-martin-v12-...
and a photo of the plaque appears on another Dutch site
http://www.autoblog.nl/aston-martin-v12-vantage-ro...

The Dutch site gives very little info but from the specs I received a few weeks ago, I can clarify that the Carbon rear lamp infills (and black surrounds), side blades and mirror caps are all standard, as are the two tone (supposedly slightly narrower spoked) wheels and glass buttons.

As the eagle eyed amongst you will spot, the first 2 interior shots of the centre stack on the second link above show the interior of a car with paddles but the AML info pack states this and goes on to say it just shows these photos to illustrate what glass buttons look like

There is a very marginally revised suspension set-up (rear damper tube length, rear tube cap & modified rear springs), new rear spoiler and new front gurney. Piano Black is the standard interior finish on V12VR

All the usual options including lightweight seats plus a unique option of CF interior pack, which consists of ski slope & gear stick surround. The other unique options to V12VR are black exhaust trim, black mesh behind strakes and black grille. Reverse camera becomes a factory option on this car too

ALL MY14 Vantages, including all V12VRs, will have auto wipers & lights

THe V12VR has a leather steering wheel instead of Alcantara and semi-analine leathers not allowed - assume this is all weather related ?

101 worldwide, none for China/Taiwan/S Korea, U.S./Canada, or most of the Middle East but it is in South America, South Africa, Far East, Australasia and throughout Europe including Russia

All 22 UK dealers get at least one, two if they have a definite order and then request a slot before they are all allocated. Don't think the exact number for UK is set in stone but the figure of 40 quoted a week or two ago is probably a fair estimate

Guide price for UK customers is indeed £150,000 as quoted previously

[jonby]

Oh one thing I forgot to mention is that in the pack I saw, it looked like the chrome window trim extends to run onto the tonneau cover, arround the base of the humps. These photos also have that appearance - on my roadster I'm sure there is no chrome trim. But this is a CGI so not sure if it's representative - there's no mention o fit in the literature

[George H]

What is it with Aston and ste wheel designs, and bolting on unnecessary carbon tat on every new model?

[Grant3]

I think it looks awesome .................. Just heard the official launch has been slightly delayed - oops - photos down until next week.

Edited by Grant3 on Tuesday 3rd July 11:54

[Slarti]

George H said:

What is it with Aston and ste wheel designs, and bolting on unnecessary carbon tat on every new model?

Neverthess, it looks a darned sight prettier than the farmer giles spec 9 that you run around in!

[George H]

Slarti said:

Neverthess, it looks a darned sight prettier than the farmer giles spec 9 that you run around in!

Probably does for people like yourself so you can tell us all how rich you are (or think you are). You seem to enjoy doing that

[Ice27]

Wow!!!
That looks amazing!!!!

[silverspeed]

I like the wheels and they will be unique to ths car. There ia a nice carbon interior trim pack too that is an option. This will help reduce the suns reflections hopefully. I'm fortunate to have a deposit down on one and cant wait. The interesting part is now getting it specced !

Edited by silverspeed on Monday 2nd July 09:13

[900T-R]

Independent observer here (I do like Astons rather a lot) - the wheel designs indeed have become more than a bit Project Kahn in recent years, and the applications of carbon are a bit hit and miss IMO - some fine, some are purely added tinsel.

[jonby]

900T-R said:

Independent observer here (I do like Astons rather a lot) - the wheel designs indeed have become more than a bit Project Kahn in recent years, and the applications of carbon are a bit hit and miss IMO - some fine, some are purely added tinsel.

Well I too am lucky enough to have one ordered and I think you have given the fairest assesment - some work and some don't

For me, it's the CF rear light infills which look the worst, primarily on lighter colour cars. As it happens, I think I'll be ordering mine in a dark colour but if not, I may ask to have them painted. Likewise the wheels - I may request all polished - this two tone stuff drives me nuts

I think it's fair to say that many (though not all) cars look best, particularly when looked back upon with hindsight, in their initial guise. Having said that, the later cars are often better under the skin

My V8S is the car the Vantage always should have been and in many ways, IMO, the sweetest handling car AM have ever made but I think my earlier sports pack V8 looked better without all the add-ons. Problem is, if they don't make visual changes, often just for the sake of it, people don't take it seriously as a 'new' car. I think those comments apply to many cars, for instance the Countach which kept being a better car in every new incarnation but looks wise, I prefer the original

[mikey k]

George H said:

What is it with Aston and ste wheel designs, and bolting on unnecessary carbon tat on every new model?

I'm going to have to agree with George on this one

Other than that it looks good.
But then I would say that with a similar looking S

Edited by mikey k on Monday 2nd July 09:53

[silverspeed]

jonby said:

900T-R said:

Independent observer here (I do like Astons rather a lot) - the wheel designs indeed have become more than a bit Project Kahn in recent years, and the applications of carbon are a bit hit and miss IMO - some fine, some are purely added tinsel.

Well I too am lucky enough to have one ordered and I think you have given the fairest assesment - some work and some don't

For me, it's the CF rear light infills which look the worst, primarily on lighter colour cars. As it happens, I think I'll be ordering mine in a dark colour but if not, I may ask to have them painted. Likewise the wheels - I may request all polished - this two tone stuff drives me nuts

I think it's fair to say that many (though not all) cars look best, particularly when looked back upon with hindsight, in their initial guise. Having said that, the later cars are often better under the skin

My V8S is the car the Vantage always should have been and in many ways, IMO, the sweetest handling car AM have ever made but I think my earlier sports pack V8 looked better without all the add-ons. Problem is, if they don't make visual changes, often just for the sake of it, people don't take it seriously as a 'new' car. I think those comments apply to many cars, for instance the Countach which kept being a better car in every new incarnation but looks wise, I prefer the original

Agree about some of the carbon bits especially the rear light in fills. Will you spec the lightweight seats or go for heated sports seats?

[Adam2S]

Well I like it, but as soon as I saw it I knew there was going to be a few members here who didnt like the wheels!

jonby said:

For me, it's the CF rear light infills which look the worst, primarily on lighter colour cars. As it happens, I think I'll be ordering mine in a dark colour but if not, I may ask to have them painted. Likewise the wheels - I may request all polished - this two tone stuff drives me nuts

Yup agreed the CF light infills are odd - they look like a little like the N400 infills. Go for Quantum or Meteroite and you will never notice them or most of the rest of the CF either.

[jonby]

silverspeed said:

Agree about some of the carbon bits especially the rear light in fills. Will you spec the lightweight seats or go for heated sports seats?

That's a big question for this time of the morning !!!!! :-)

For those that have driven cars with both, there doesn't seem to be an inbetween opinion and I'm in the lightweight camp - dealbreaker for me if not ! Yes heated would be nice, but too much of a compromise for comfort/grip/specialness for me. I know mikey k has toyed with heating his but not sure if you have started that project yet mikey ?

I have survived pretty well with heating on full blast, roof down, in some cold conditions - footwell heating is particularly good in the Vantage. IIRC, V12V gives off some extra cabin heat according to one recent review ?

I won't be ordering B&O however - premium audio is best IMO and prevents the space robbing hump in the boot

Very excited to finally get to spec up my own AM.....

[silverspeed]

Adam2S said:

Well I like it, but as soon as I saw it I knew there was going to be a few members here who didnt like the wheels!

jonby said:

For me, it's the CF rear light infills which look the worst, primarily on lighter colour cars. As it happens, I think I'll be ordering mine in a dark colour but if not, I may ask to have them painted. Likewise the wheels - I may request all polished - this two tone stuff drives me nuts

Yup agreed the CF light infills are odd - they look like a little like the N400 infills. Go for Quantum or Meteroite and you will never notice them or most of the rest of the CF either.

Quite like the new Ceramic Grey with a red interior or there again Colbalt with black/blue interior or possibly Volcano Red ...... . Heart says be brave head says be sensible.

[hornbaek]

I just fail to get really exited about this car. To trade in my V12V for the convertible will be a switching cost of say 70k for what?. They should have offered the increased engine power, the newly developed dash etc. When comparing convertible premiums you quickly see, that Ferrari, Porsche, McLaren & Maserati offer the open top equivalent at a 10k-15k premium to the standard coupe. In the V12V's case this gap is much wider as the actual (not the advertised) price paid for a coupe is somewhere around max 120k and hence the premium to the roadster is approaching the double of all other manufacturers. I doubt very much that they can sell the 100 cabrios at the the 150k list price.

[cayman-black]

Agree. Much prefer the coupe any way.

[whoami]

mikey k said:

George H said:

What is it with Aston and ste wheel designs, and bolting on unnecessary carbon tat on every new model?

I'm going to have to agree with George on this one

Other than that it looks good.
But then I would say that with a similar looking S

Edited by mikey k on Monday 2nd July 09:53

Presumably the aftermarket-look wheels can be changed for something less revolting?

[mikey k]

jonby said:

silverspeed said:

Agree about some of the carbon bits especially the rear light in fills. Will you spec the lightweight seats or go for heated sports seats?

That's a big question for this time of the morning !!!!! :-)

For those that have driven cars with both, there doesn't seem to be an inbetween opinion and I'm in the lightweight camp - dealbreaker for me if not ! Yes heated would be nice, but too much of a compromise for comfort/grip/specialness for me. I know mikey k has toyed with heating his but not sure if you have started that project yet mikey ?

I have survived pretty well with heating on full blast, roof down, in some cold conditions - footwell heating is particularly good in the Vantage. IIRC, V12V gives off some extra cabin heat according to one recent review ?

I won't be ordering B&O however - premium audio is best IMO and prevents the space robbing hump in the boot

Very excited to finally get to spec up my own AM.....

That dilema is one of the reasons I didn't order one (that and the £80k on top of my 7 month old car they wanted )
I always wanted the light weights and love them in my S. But on driving a couple of V12V coupes I found the shoulder support makes 2nd, 4th & 6th selection very awkward.
I will be heating my light weight seats late on this year. I'm just waiting on AM replacing the passenger seat cover under warranty before I start messing. I find the roadster heating inadequate compared to my old Honda S2000. That and the dash lighting proves it was designed as a coupe

Jon - enjoy the process, it's great fun, the waiting is hard though

[Adam2S]

mikey k said:

That dilema is one of the reasons I didn't order one (that and the £80k on top of my 7 month old car they wanted )
I always wanted the light weights and love them in my S. But on driving a couple of V12V coupes I found the shoulder support makes 2nd, 4th & 6th selection very awkward.

I assume this is because the aluminium gearstick is a bit taller than the leather stick in the V8S? You must have long arms and short legs too!

You could just ask them to fit the standard short leather stick from a V8 instead? Problem solved!