V12VS 3,500mile European Road Trip report

V12VS 3,500mile European Road Trip report

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Phil74891

Original Poster:

1,064 posts

132 months

Monday 27th July 2015
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So, we got into the Aston world in 2013 in a V8VS, which we swapped for a V12VS on Christmas Eve 2014. We’re currently living in Bermuda, but get back to the UK fairly frequently – so my wife and I decided to take the car on a bit of a summer road trip.

First was England, from LGW up to Manchester to see relatives, then down to the tunnel, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italian Alps for a few days, further south to Tuscany for a week, then back to the UK via a similar route.

I realise many on here have done all this before – but here’s how we got on:

England – 550 miles in pretty good weather. Too many road works and lots of traffic. This was our first time with the tunnel. Apart from an initial diversion backwards up the M20 from near Folkestone, it worked pretty well with ‘only’ a three hour delay due to migrant issues on the French side. I wonder what the French blame us for? Booked the high vehicle lane and got on and off with no issues at all.

France – blasted down the empty roads to Epernay and stayed a night at Chateau Etoges. (Thanks for the recommendation Graham). Superb Chateau in the middle of nowhere with an unbelievable restaurant. Their Euro45 fixed price menu was simply magnificent. Best meal of the trip. Spent significantly more on their wine of course. They have a covered parking area outside which we shared with a couple of Porsches, a Spanish registered Tesla Mode S – do they still have electricity in post Financial Crisis Spain? – and a Renault Megane.

Chateau Etoges in a dull light - (all pics from iPhone)


Still France – more toll roads to Mulhouse. Visited the auto museum there. Was very well set up with hundreds of cars. Unfortunately the vast majority of them were from the early part of the 20th century and looked like they needed a horse in front of them. Not our thing really. A few good F1 cars and lots of Bugattis. They had a Veyron on display, but the swirl marks on the dark blue paintwork would have Paddy delivering several sets of kittens. Give them a call mate, there’s three week’s worth of work there, just on the nearside front wing.

Germany – drove the 20km across the Rhine to Badenweiler to stay the night. Roman Spa town which was kind of handy to Mulhouse. All very nice and that, but the average age of the inhabitants was well over a hundred. Highlight was seeing a duck trying to eat a fish on the town pond. Was this the dawn of a new species?

Switzerland – fired up the V12VS (sans Fuse 15) at 8am and woke up every resident in Badenweiler who hadn’t passed away during the night. Quick blast down an all too short stretch of unrestricted Autobahn to Basel. Only managed about 130mph – too many Porsche SUVs in the way. Handed over CHF40 to a very nice Swiss border control officer for a Vignette, stuck that on and headed South to Davos. The Swiss are very well behaved. Didn’t see anyone doing more than 5km over the speed limit. We complied most of the time and soaked up the great scenery and third gear tunnels. Turned left just before Davos for the best driving road of the trip. Can’t remember the name of the pass, but it’s Route 28.

Italy – our favourite country. Across the border and up the north side of the Stelvio. First time in an Aston, but I’ve done it before several times in a rental car or on a push bike so knew what to expect. Truly iconic, but overrated as a driving road. Poor surface and very tight turns. Straight over the top and down the much better driving south side to Bormio. Highlight was an Italian registered Alfa 4C. Thumbs ups in both directions as we just missed each other going in opposite directions on turn 42 on the north side. Stayed at our friends cycling hotel in Bormio for a few nights with some mates from Bermuda, which included a number of south side Stelvio and Gavia Pass runs in the Aston.

Stelvio North Side

Stelvio south side


More Italy – due south to Milan. Then the fast blast down to Florence on the Autostrada. Strangely enough, every single car doing over 110mph had a Swiss plate on it. All that pent up compliance and rule following taking its toll apparently. One guy in a BMW SUV was eating a Toblerone as he went past at 120mph. Imagine what you’d get for that in Switzerland?

Even more Italy – ten of us in a magnificent hill top villa just outside Florence. Not a cloud in the sky for 7 days. Simply stunning. Only drove the Aston three times, Lucca, Sam Gimignano and then closer to Florence to another hotel for a couple of nights. Villa Olmi. Very highly recommended and will be back.

Villa Olmi. Pic of car ruined by yet another Porsche SUV

Heading home – back the way we came, but slightly west to Lucerne. First time we’d been. Sort of a nicer, slightly less serious Zurich. Warrants further investigation.

Germany – headed via Basel to try and get a bit more of that autobahn in. We were stopped at the border and met another nice officer who wasn’t at all fazed by my Bermuda driving licence, UK passport, Isle of Man registered car and Swiss Toblerone. Again, too much traffic for any serious monkey business. Managed 137mph just before Strasbourg, but just too many bloody Porsche SUVs in the way again.

France – Strasbourg to Reims. Virtually no traffic the whole way. Not much else either! Stayed in another PH recommended hotel, Assiette Champenoise. Very nice, although their three star Michelin restaurant was closed on the Tuesday night. Not the end of the world. Went for a curry. Would stay there again for sure. Another fast blast to the tunnel expecting burning tyres, riots, millions of lorries……….and saw none of that. The place was empty, got on an earlier train for free, left ten minutes later and within 40 minutes we were driving up the M20. Lucky or what?

England – so after two and a half weeks of glorious weather, it started raining as we hit the M25. Stayed a night near LGW, dropped the car off at its secure storage facility and now back in Bermuda. One of the best holidays ever. Here’s some lists:

Best road conditions:
France
Switzerland
Germany
England
Italy

Worst Drivers – (all better than Bermuda):
Italy
England
France
Germany
Switzerland

Worst traffic:
England
Italy
Germany
Switzerland
France

Astons spotted on the trip:
V12V black – A1 north of London
DBS black – south of Epernay
Rapide black – Lucerne
New Vanq red – Lucerne
New Vanq turquoise – Reims hotel

Other cars of Note:
Alfa 4C red – Stevio (could be tempted!)
Aventador orange – Swiss Reg near Davos
Aventador black – Swiss Reg near Milan
430 spider – near Lucerne
458 spider – near Lucerne

Most positive comments from complete strangers re the V12VS:
England/Italy tied
Switzerland
Germany
France

Most negative comments / hand gestures:
None

Some private comments about the Aston/Garmin Satnav:
This is a fking piece of st
Why does it say we’re driving in the middle of Lake fking Como
Doesn’t this bd thing do Italy?
Pass the fking map again
Just turn the fker off

And finally, the V12VS:

What can I say? Absolutely superb. Didn’t miss a beat the whole trip. More than enough room for luggage for two people for three weeks. Incredible sound, really comfortable lightweight seats. Quiet motorway cruiser in 7th even with the fuse out, press sport, select sports suspension and it’s glued to the road. Turns heads everywhere – but only in a positive way. The car is a work of art with the engine, brakes, suspension and sound to match, and to cap it all it even returned several miles to the gallon over the whole trip.

Wouldn’t swap it for anything. (Can post some more pics if asked).




Ed50

2,574 posts

180 months

Monday 27th July 2015
quotequote all
Great write up Phil especially the personal comments section,we've all been there……hehe

You should have let Mrs T do all the map work and just left the f**kin thing switch off,does your system give you a buzzing
noise every time the tw*tting voice instruction comes on with an instruction out of interest………mine does..frown

Incidentally we had a ride out on Saturday and I left my nav off as we had been given a clearly defined route map which her indoors took
control over……...:roll eyes:.

Didn't like to say anything as you do but I glanced over at one stage to take reference only to see she had it up side down…….eek

Back to the trip it looks excellent and a few places there including Etoges we're looking forward to visiting shortly.

The car looks magnificent as usual and I'm pleased it was well received……..thumbup

V8V Pete

2,496 posts

125 months

Monday 27th July 2015
quotequote all
I am not jealous, not at all nono

cayman-black

12,625 posts

215 months

Monday 27th July 2015
quotequote all
Superb write up Thanks.

Phil74891

Original Poster:

1,064 posts

132 months

Monday 27th July 2015
quotequote all
Ed50 said:
Great write up Phil especially the personal comments section,we've all been there……hehe

You should have let Mrs T do all the map work and just left the f**kin thing switch off,does your system give you a buzzing
noise every time the tw*tting voice instruction comes on with an instruction out of interest………mine does..frown

Incidentally we had a ride out on Saturday and I left my nav off as we had been given a clearly defined route map which her indoors took
control over……...:roll eyes:.

Didn't like to say anything as you do but I glanced over at one stage to take reference only to see she had it up side down…….eek

Back to the trip it looks excellent and a few places there including Etoges we're looking forward to visiting shortly.

The car looks magnificent as usual and I'm pleased it was well received……..thumbup
Thanks Ed. First thing I did with the satnav when I got the car was select the 'Turn off the ttting voice instruction' option.

That goes someway towards aleviating its complete uselessness..........to be fair though it was just about ok in most places except Italy, it's just when it sends you off course you don't trust it any more.

DB9VolanteDriver

2,612 posts

175 months

Monday 27th July 2015
quotequote all
Seriously jealous of you types who can drive on the continent any time you wish. We have some excellent roads and scenery over here in the good ol', but nothing to compete with the Alps region. I spent a week in the Alps on a BMW RT100 a lot of years ago; best trip of my life. Would love to do it again in a convertible Aston some day.

Little Donkey

1,544 posts

140 months

Tuesday 28th July 2015
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I enjoyed that. Very stylishly done - exactly what an Aston Martin should be doing.

IanV12VR

2,749 posts

154 months

Tuesday 28th July 2015
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Great write up. We visited many of the places you have over a two year period and the Aston does get a great reaction. Have to say that in 5k miles on the trips we have done our Garmin worked without problems at all, including in Italy. in fact, we were normally used as the lead car because we always found our way to the destination!!!!

Also, Great car to do it in - just one thing wrong - it has a roof wink

Voldemort

6,087 posts

277 months

Tuesday 28th July 2015
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We stayed in Etoges last month! The Tesla was there then too. We were on the top floor looking out on to the back garden. Echo the restaurant comments and would happily stay again if/when on a booze cruise ;-)

ds2000

2,681 posts

191 months

Tuesday 28th July 2015
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Enjoyed the write up, reminded me of my road trip. Hopefully next year I can get the V12 back over there and have some fun again smile

mikey k

13,011 posts

215 months

Tuesday 28th July 2015
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28 South from Davos is Flüelapass
Lovely bit of tarmac!



I'm with you on the Stelvio - Umbrial is next to it and quieter
Oh and the Garmin - always use a TT on our Euro hoons
Ians spot on on the roof thing wink
I've heard mixed reports about Etoges, good to hear some recent good ones

IanV12VR

2,749 posts

154 months

Tuesday 28th July 2015
quotequote all
LCheers Mikey. Good to see you keeping an eye on us. Not too long know for your new one bounce

Stelvio looked a bit different when I was there in June 2013 - still had the roof down though biglaugh



We got turned around because there had been three avalanches - not good in a roadster smile