GT12 performance pack for V12VS
Discussion
JCT have applied the performance pack upgrade to one of their stock/demo V12VS cars and I've been invited down to give it a blast this afternoon! I'm guessing the car will most likely be a SSIII but I didn't ask.
I will be keen to see if I can perceive the power difference and just as importantly keen to see how the sound compares to my cat bypassed V12VSM.
They are also applying the Factory AMR Aerokit to the same car in a couple of weeks, so will be back down again to take a look at that to help me make my mind up on applying it to Kermit.
I will be keen to see if I can perceive the power difference and just as importantly keen to see how the sound compares to my cat bypassed V12VSM.
They are also applying the Factory AMR Aerokit to the same car in a couple of weeks, so will be back down again to take a look at that to help me make my mind up on applying it to Kermit.
AdamV12V said:
JCT have applied the performance pack upgrade to one of their stock/demo V12VS cars and I've been invited down to give it a blast this afternoon! I'm guessing the car will most likely be a SSIII but I didn't ask.
I will be keen to see if I can perceive the power difference and just as importantly keen to see how the sound compares to my cat bypassed V12VSM.
They are also applying the Factory AMR Aerokit to the same car in a couple of weeks, so will be back down again to take a look at that to help me make my mind up on applying it to Kermit.
Although I assume it possible that the revised inlet manifolds make a difference to the noise, I assume the primary difference (noisewise) between yours & theirs will be down to the titanium given yours is already de-catted . Will be fascinated to hear your thoughts on the differences, both pitch & volumeI will be keen to see if I can perceive the power difference and just as importantly keen to see how the sound compares to my cat bypassed V12VSM.
They are also applying the Factory AMR Aerokit to the same car in a couple of weeks, so will be back down again to take a look at that to help me make my mind up on applying it to Kermit.
If the gearbox is different, I imagine it will be very hard to pick up on a performance difference, other than very possibly at teh absolute top end where I think the performance pack engine revs a little higher (or at least gets it's peak power a little higher up the rev range)
jonby said:
Although I assume it possible that the revised inlet manifolds make a difference to the noise, I assume the primary difference (noisewise) between yours & theirs will be down to the titanium given yours is already de-catted . Will be fascinated to hear your thoughts on the differences, both pitch & volume
If the gearbox is different, I imagine it will be very hard to pick up on a performance difference, other than very possibly at the absolute top end where I think the performance pack engine revs a little higher (or at least gets it's peak power a little higher up the rev range)
Ok, so the test drive was limited to a short sprint a couple of miles up the road and back as its not a demo, its a brand new stock car. But still I think it was enough to get an idea of the sound, but obviously not able to comment on any performance changes. It was fitted to a SSIII car with Sport Pack Plus fitted as std by the factory.If the gearbox is different, I imagine it will be very hard to pick up on a performance difference, other than very possibly at the absolute top end where I think the performance pack engine revs a little higher (or at least gets it's peak power a little higher up the rev range)
Sound wise I think the decat probably adds 15% to 20% more volume over a stock V12VS setup, with similar pitch and more pops and crackles. The full performance kit was louder still, but not by much and again similar pitch with pops and crackles. I think I would say 20% to 25% more volume so an incremental 5% over the decat? So yes it is a bit better still, but you would have to find value in the 27-32BHP and the weight saving to justify the price as the sound increase alone is a very close race with just a decat at a fraction of the cost.
Interestingly the tech engineer said he had fitted the manifolds and the exhaust but not a valved airbox, but then this car had Sport Pack Plus so it would have had the valved airbox already. He said after fitting it sounded louder by not much, but then he flashed the engine management firmware (same as the GT12 firmware he said), and it came alive. So make of that what you will in terms of what bit offers what...
Such a shame about the lack of the "ASTON MARTIN" on the inlet manifolds though and even colouring it black just dulls down the whole engine bay. If I was to buy it, I would most definitely find a local specialist who could etch the name back on before fitting.
Edited by AdamV12V on Monday 24th July 18:06
AdamV12V said:
jonby said:
Although I assume it possible that the revised inlet manifolds make a difference to the noise, I assume the primary difference (noisewise) between yours & theirs will be down to the titanium given yours is already de-catted . Will be fascinated to hear your thoughts on the differences, both pitch & volume
If the gearbox is different, I imagine it will be very hard to pick up on a performance difference, other than very possibly at the absolute top end where I think the performance pack engine revs a little higher (or at least gets it's peak power a little higher up the rev range)
Ok, so the test drive was limited to a short sprint a couple of miles up the road and back as its not a demo, its a brand new stock car. But still I think it was enough to get an idea of the sound, but obviously not able to comment on any performance changes. It was fitted to a SSIII car with Sport Pack Plus fitted as std by the factory.If the gearbox is different, I imagine it will be very hard to pick up on a performance difference, other than very possibly at the absolute top end where I think the performance pack engine revs a little higher (or at least gets it's peak power a little higher up the rev range)
Sound wise I think the decat probably adds 15% to 20% more volume over a stock V12VS setup, with similar pitch and more pops and crackles. The full performance kit was louder still, but not by much and again similar pitch with pops and crackles. I think I would say 20% to 25% more volume so an incremental 5% over the decat? So yes it is a bit better still, but you would have to find value in the 27-32BHP and the weight saving to justify the price as the sound increase alone is a very close race with just a decat at a fraction of the cost.
Interestingly the tech engineer said he had fitted the manifolds and the exhaust but not a valved airbox, but then this car had Sport Pack Plus so it would have had the valved airbox already. He said after fitting it sounded louder by not much, but then he flashed the engine management firmware (same as the GT12 firmware he said), and it came alive. So make of that what you will in terms of what bit offers what...
Such a shame about the lack of the "ASTON MARTIN" on the inlet manifolds though and even colouring it black just dulls down the whole engine bay. If I was to buy it, I would most definitely find a local specialist who could etch the name back on before fitting.
Edited by AdamV12V on Monday 24th July 18:06
For owners of AMR cars, with the full benefits of the power upgrade, the titanium exhaust costs just over £11k with fitting, of which, regardless of whether you allocate any value to it, the CF rear blade surely accounts for c £2k of that price based on typical AM CF prices. So that leaves 9k for the exhaust, with perhaps £1-1.5k achievable for the stock backbox & pipes that come out (you could use some of the pipes that come out on a regular V12V/S to achieve a de-cat but I'm not sure the old rear blade is particularly saleable ?).
That means a net cost for adding the titanium pipes & backbox of at best, depending how you view it, £7.5-8k. Or the full £11k if you place no value in the new rear blade & hold on to the old bits that come out. In return for which you get a 10kg weight saving & the big question, how much extra noise ? Doesn't sound like much difference based on your findings ? And I wonder if any of that comes from the inlet manifolds which along with the rear de-cat, the AMR cars already have ?
jonby said:
Interesting, thanks for the feedback
For owners of AMR cars, with the full benefits of the power upgrade, the titanium exhaust costs just over £11k with fitting, of which, regardless of whether you allocate any value to it, the CF rear blade surely accounts for c £2k of that price based on typical AM CF prices. So that leaves 9k for the exhaust, with perhaps £1-1.5k achievable for the stock backbox & pipes that come out (you could use some of the pipes that come out on a regular V12V/S to achieve a de-cat but I'm not sure the old rear blade is particularly saleable ?).
That means a net cost for adding the titanium pipes & backbox of at best, depending how you view it, £7.5-8k. Or the full £11k if you place no value in the new rear blade & hold on to the old bits that come out. In return for which you get a 10kg weight saving & the big question, how much extra noise ? Doesn't sound like much difference based on your findings ? And I wonder if any of that comes from the inlet manifolds which along with the rear de-cat, the AMR cars already have ?
Yup that's pretty much what I thought about it all. The rear CF blade if anything detracted from the look I thought as the car I saw was China Grey with the Yellow decals, so it had lost the Yellow on the blade and the whole back of the car was now just grey. I wouldn't want to loose the Kermit blade on my car either so not sure where that would leave me.For owners of AMR cars, with the full benefits of the power upgrade, the titanium exhaust costs just over £11k with fitting, of which, regardless of whether you allocate any value to it, the CF rear blade surely accounts for c £2k of that price based on typical AM CF prices. So that leaves 9k for the exhaust, with perhaps £1-1.5k achievable for the stock backbox & pipes that come out (you could use some of the pipes that come out on a regular V12V/S to achieve a de-cat but I'm not sure the old rear blade is particularly saleable ?).
That means a net cost for adding the titanium pipes & backbox of at best, depending how you view it, £7.5-8k. Or the full £11k if you place no value in the new rear blade & hold on to the old bits that come out. In return for which you get a 10kg weight saving & the big question, how much extra noise ? Doesn't sound like much difference based on your findings ? And I wonder if any of that comes from the inlet manifolds which along with the rear de-cat, the AMR cars already have ?
Will be interesting to hear how a AMR V12 Vantage sounds without the Titanium Exhaust. I guess at least one owner will spec it this way, but then they may not be so keen to do a side by side sound comparison with a stock V12VS.
Makes you really think about the option of buying the Vanquish S manifolds, a valved airbox and then asking for the remap. Bear in mind with the Sport Pack Plus they said the airbox gave +5BHP, so that's 5 of the 32 - how much is left for each of the magnesium inlet manifolds, the decat and the remap? Interesting stuff...
Trouble is I'd bet no AM franchised dealer would be allowed to do it as doing so would undermine the full performance pack somewhat, so that puts us back in the world of aftermarket mods again.
The Torque is interesting too. They don't quote a Torque increase on the Performance Pack, but they did on Sport Pack Plus and on AMR V12 Vantage. The std V12VS is 620NM, Sport Pack Plus adds 10Nm to this to take it to 630NM, which is the figure they also quote for AMR V12 Vantage, indicating therefore that there is no further Torque gains from the magnesium inlet manifolds, the decat or the remap! Anybody know what the Torque was on the GT12 - I can't seem to find any published figure.
All very interesting.
Before my AM I had a Ferrari 458. In that community, no-one talked about aftermarket upgrades, tuning, improvements. Basically, what you bought was what you had.
I have found AM ownership to be so different. Cat deletes, nickel plated interiors, suspension drops and so many more. All without any real agreement on what is good or bad.
Not sure what the conclusion is, but for sure when Ferrari brought out the Speciale it was considered an amazing thing.
There was none of the confusion that we're getting with the AMR of whether it's noticeable/unattractive/desirable etc.
Food for thought perhaps
Before my AM I had a Ferrari 458. In that community, no-one talked about aftermarket upgrades, tuning, improvements. Basically, what you bought was what you had.
I have found AM ownership to be so different. Cat deletes, nickel plated interiors, suspension drops and so many more. All without any real agreement on what is good or bad.
Not sure what the conclusion is, but for sure when Ferrari brought out the Speciale it was considered an amazing thing.
There was none of the confusion that we're getting with the AMR of whether it's noticeable/unattractive/desirable etc.
Food for thought perhaps
Ex Boy Racer said:
All very interesting.
Before my AM I had a Ferrari 458. In that community, no-one talked about aftermarket upgrades, tuning, improvements. Basically, what you bought was what you had.
I have found AM ownership to be so different. Cat deletes, nickel plated interiors, suspension drops and so many more. All without any real agreement on what is good or bad.
Not sure what the conclusion is, but for sure when Ferrari brought out the Speciale it was considered an amazing thing.
There was none of the confusion that we're getting with the AMR of whether it's noticeable/unattractive/desirable etc.
Food for thought perhaps
I'll just leave this here from a website not a million miles away from hereBefore my AM I had a Ferrari 458. In that community, no-one talked about aftermarket upgrades, tuning, improvements. Basically, what you bought was what you had.
I have found AM ownership to be so different. Cat deletes, nickel plated interiors, suspension drops and so many more. All without any real agreement on what is good or bad.
Not sure what the conclusion is, but for sure when Ferrari brought out the Speciale it was considered an amazing thing.
There was none of the confusion that we're getting with the AMR of whether it's noticeable/unattractive/desirable etc.
Food for thought perhaps
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
And also making the first page of the Ferrari forum
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
And page 1 of the Ferrari v12 section
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
My work here is done
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
My work here is done
Ex Boy Racer said:
Didn't read all of the first link. The other 2 were about old cars
Maybe you're right though
I think it's just the sort of people who frequent PH (and Sixspeed) to be honest. I would imagine the vast majority of Gaydon car owners have little interest in modifying their cars Maybe you're right though
Of course with the classics there's a huge scene in upgrades (power steering, engine conversions etc). But that's partly driven by necessity
Anyone knows if it is still available? If so probably not for long now that the Vantage's production will end this year and knowing Gaydon is clearing it's stock of Performance Packs with the AMR Vantage and also the intake manifolds in the Vanquish S.
I'm still tempted and am wondering if now is the time to make up my mind, especially as mine's a keeper.
I'm still tempted and am wondering if now is the time to make up my mind, especially as mine's a keeper.
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