Thursday 5th July 2012

Aston Martin to make V12 Vantage Roadster

We thought they'd forgotten! V12 Roadster emerges three years after Coupe

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Our esteemed editor Mr Trent may not be too keen on the Aston Martin V12 Vantage, but he does very much enjoy his Mazda Eunos.

Roadster likely to be a limited edition

So perhaps he’ll like this; a Roadster version of the V12 Vantage. Its arrival was perhaps inevitable given the progression of Vantage models from hard-top to Roadster, but the timing is perhaps surprising. Not only is it years since the launch of the V12, Aston’s current focus is seemingly on the new Vanquish.

Still, the V12 Roadster certainly appears a compelling package. The 5.9-litre V12 remains unchanged and so provides the Roadster with 510hp and 470lb ft. Perhaps more importantly, the six-speed manual has been carried over also. With the new Vanquish being automatic-only, the Roadster could be the last manual V12 Aston.

Externally, the V12 can be identified from the V8s with its kicked-up rear spoiler, a carbon fibre front splitter and the unique bonnet louvres.

Could this be the last V12 manual Aston?

The Roadster’s suspension has been modified to accommodate the loss of stiffness, implying that the Roadster could be a less uncompromising (or more compromised, depending on your point of view) drive than the Coupe. There is no word yet on the car’s weight but, given the hard-top V12 weighs 1,680kg and a soft-top conversion inevitably adds weight, expect a kerb weight somewhere around 1750kg.

Also, the image show a sill plaque that suggests only 101 will be made. This makes any predictions on price very hard; a standard V8 Roadster costs £14k more than the Coupe, and a V12 Coupe is £135,000. But then this (apparently) limited edition could be the last V12 manual Aston, so will prices reflect this status?

[PascalBuyens]

Yummie

[Jasper Gilder]

I want one - but I'll never afford one

[DanB7290]

Beautiful looking thing. Expensive though.

[rohrl]

I assumed they made one already. Seems a bit of an oversight.

[Stew2000]

The P.H. O'Meter doesn't go to 11.

[cabbron]

yep on the lotto win bucket list

[Beefmeister]

Have a look here, plenty of information from dealers already out there:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

£155k, 101 examples to be made. Carbon mirrors, rear diffuser and side strakes standard, options for carbon interior pack and black exhausts.

This will be utterly epic. The sound of that V12 with nowt between it and your ears. Wow.

[monthefish]

Not bad.
Still prefer the DBS.

[TNH]

Wow.

Weak at the knees and all that.

[mr2j]

a two tonne, open top slab of roaring road-eater.

[Froomee]

Whilst I agree this is a lovely car and will sound epic having seen a few v12 coupes I have I say the design doesn't seem as cohesive as the v8 versions.

All of the vents and add ons ruin the lines of the original v8 coupe(same with this) I much prefer the looks of the regular v8 with the later wheels, etc.

My ideal would be the v12 engine in a car not to dissimilar from the current v8 coupe.

[kambites]

I agree - the bonnet vents look absolutely terrible on the V12. Presumably necessary, though?

[F1GTRUeno]

In before 'it looks like every other Aston'

If it were upto me I'd have one then take it to the Works service to replace the rear lights with original V8 Vantage ones and stick some nicer wheels on.

Would be amazing to hear the V12 wail as you cruise down the coast to Monaco in this though.

[Hitch78]

Nice enough for a pose-mobile but would anyone really choose one over a droptop 458 or MP4-12?

I'm a bit bored of Aston. They needed to move the design theme on after the DBS but they seem to be sticking with it. I think it is an iconic shape, but you can't use the same iconic shape for all of the cars in your range without it getting tired.

[Zod]

kambites said:

I agree - the bonnet vents look absolutely terrible on the V12. Presumably necessary, though?

You should see and feel the heat coming out of them after even a short journey.

[TheHeretic]

Now that is a lovely Aston.

[kambites]

Zod said:

kambites said:

I agree - the bonnet vents look absolutely terrible on the V12. Presumably necessary, though?

You should see and feel the heat coming out of them after even a short journey.

Yes, I thought that would probably be the case - a shame from an aesthetic point of view but just a question of function over form I suppose.

[jason61c]

Its a little boring looking, it already looks 5-7 years old.

[Raitzi]

TheHeretic said:

Now that is a lovely Aston.

Aren't they all

But that is like luxury sail boat for roads

[Driller]

[Basil Fawlty]

"Give it to me, give it to me!"

[/Basil]