An afternoon at Works... V12v, v12v s, vanquish and ++
Discussion
This is what the Aston 'experience' is all about.
A few people there are exceptional. I cannot thank them enough.
Drove back to back my v12v, the new vanquish (well not so new anymore) and the latest v12v S.
A quick word on the 3 cars:
Now, I have been for a tour around the place yet another time. It is a fantastic place with fantastic cars. These guys can do anything, convert a DB5 and adding modern aircon or power steering. Body work using the original DBS or DB5 factory moulds shown below...
One of the cars will be familiar to a few people I suspect...
Original moulds on which every single DBS and DB5's were formed. Can see brand new handcrafted panels at the back.
Ali Panels as they arrive at the Factory
Charlie's DB6 Vantage in for a service, a new roof. My guide was saying how they struggled to convert it to Ethanol (Prince's green credentials). Initially, they burned the whole lining of the engine and the piping..
A big hole in the bonnet to fit the sterling silver Mascot (in the safe whilst being serviced!).
The car is overall orginal, non-restored with original paint, leather, carpets. A lovely thing.
One of the rare DB3 S in for restoration. Rebuilding every single panel without any original drawings and any bronze-form to refer to. Apparently a nightmare. Can't think of the cost of the thing.
My car in for TLC sitting quietly next to a Zagato... Strange looking that one! Not sure about the wing on the back.
There were a couple of 1-77s in for servicing. Listening to the lumpy V12 at idle is a striking contrast (very old school race-car) with how modern looking the car is.
Conclusion?
Awesome people. Awesome experience.
After having driven the newer cars, i am even more convinced that the regular manual v12v is THE car. Love my car even more now!
A few people there are exceptional. I cannot thank them enough.
Drove back to back my v12v, the new vanquish (well not so new anymore) and the latest v12v S.
A quick word on the 3 cars:
- V12v with manual box a modern day classic in my books. I love this car. I am biased. But first car I ever bought I am not dying to offload. Not the fastest, not the best handling. Just great fun. Beautifull no-non-sense thing.
- Vanquish, similar but heavier, great place to cruise in. Unthinkable at £200k.
- V12v 'S', did not like the paddle shifter. performance extremely similar to my current car. The only good thing was the switchable suspension. But can happily live without it. The current car has a well judged (firm) analogue suspension.
Now, I have been for a tour around the place yet another time. It is a fantastic place with fantastic cars. These guys can do anything, convert a DB5 and adding modern aircon or power steering. Body work using the original DBS or DB5 factory moulds shown below...
One of the cars will be familiar to a few people I suspect...
Original moulds on which every single DBS and DB5's were formed. Can see brand new handcrafted panels at the back.
Ali Panels as they arrive at the Factory
Charlie's DB6 Vantage in for a service, a new roof. My guide was saying how they struggled to convert it to Ethanol (Prince's green credentials). Initially, they burned the whole lining of the engine and the piping..
A big hole in the bonnet to fit the sterling silver Mascot (in the safe whilst being serviced!).
The car is overall orginal, non-restored with original paint, leather, carpets. A lovely thing.
One of the rare DB3 S in for restoration. Rebuilding every single panel without any original drawings and any bronze-form to refer to. Apparently a nightmare. Can't think of the cost of the thing.
My car in for TLC sitting quietly next to a Zagato... Strange looking that one! Not sure about the wing on the back.
There were a couple of 1-77s in for servicing. Listening to the lumpy V12 at idle is a striking contrast (very old school race-car) with how modern looking the car is.
Conclusion?
Awesome people. Awesome experience.
After having driven the newer cars, i am even more convinced that the regular manual v12v is THE car. Love my car even more now!
Great write up and some lovely pics. Aston have it spot on with Works Service. So many older models of other brands are forced into the Indy market because the modern version of the manufacturer can't adequately support the vehicle. My Dad has a P reg range rover which he has owned from new and would live to keep it with Land Rover but all they know is modern era stuff. Imagine if there was a works service version of brands like Alfa Romeo or Jaguar or even BMW. I wonder how many more old classics would be on the road today.
Little Donkey said:
Great write up and some lovely pics. Aston have it spot on with Works Service. So many older models of other brands are forced into the Indy market because the modern version of the manufacturer can't adequately support the vehicle. My Dad has a P reg range rover which he has owned from new and would live to keep it with Land Rover but all they know is modern era stuff. Imagine if there was a works service version of brands like Alfa Romeo or Jaguar or even BMW. I wonder how many more old classics would be on the road today.
Works is not owned by AM. One of the assets stripped by the current owner's of AM.IanV12VR said:
It does make it quite difficult for WS when people take pictures of owners cars in their possession and publish pictures of them without the owners permission. And to do it on someone's car who could have you put in the Tower
If i offended anyone, i'll take the thread down.They are a great bunch of guys and being there is a car lover's dream. Just sharing.
I can understand if it causes anyone a prob. Just pm me.
Ps: i was allowed to take pics whilst there this time around.
Neil1300r said:
Little Donkey said:
Great write up and some lovely pics. Aston have it spot on with Works Service. So many older models of other brands are forced into the Indy market because the modern version of the manufacturer can't adequately support the vehicle. My Dad has a P reg range rover which he has owned from new and would live to keep it with Land Rover but all they know is modern era stuff. Imagine if there was a works service version of brands like Alfa Romeo or Jaguar or even BMW. I wonder how many more old classics would be on the road today.
Works is not owned by AM. One of the assets stripped by the current owner's of AM.Neil1300r said:
Little Donkey said:
Great write up and some lovely pics. Aston have it spot on with Works Service. So many older models of other brands are forced into the Indy market because the modern version of the manufacturer can't adequately support the vehicle. My Dad has a P reg range rover which he has owned from new and would live to keep it with Land Rover but all they know is modern era stuff. Imagine if there was a works service version of brands like Alfa Romeo or Jaguar or even BMW. I wonder how many more old classics would be on the road today.
Works is not owned by AM. One of the assets stripped by the current owner's of AM.erics said:
IanV12VR said:
It does make it quite difficult for WS when people take pictures of owners cars in their possession and publish pictures of them without the owners permission. And to do it on someone's car who could have you put in the Tower
If i offended anyone, i'll take the thread down.They are a great bunch of guys and being there is a car lover's dream. Just sharing.
I can understand if it causes anyone a prob. Just pm me.
Ps: i was allowed to take pics whilst there this time around.
yeti said:
F1 NDW said:
I think Works are still part of AML.
My understanding is that they're not!Great thread and a place I must visit one day
erics said:
This is what the Aston 'experience' is all about.
A few people there are exceptional. I cannot thank them enough.
Drove back to back my v12v, the new vanquish (well not so new anymore) and the latest v12v S.
A quick word on the 3 cars:
Now, I have been for a tour around the place yet another time. It is a fantastic place with fantastic cars.
Conclusion?
Awesome people. Awesome experience.
After having driven the newer cars, i am even more convinced that the regular manual v12v is THE car. Love my car even more now!
Hello EricsA few people there are exceptional. I cannot thank them enough.
Drove back to back my v12v, the new vanquish (well not so new anymore) and the latest v12v S.
A quick word on the 3 cars:
- V12v with manual box a modern day classic in my books. I love this car. I am biased. But first car I ever bought I am not dying to offload. Not the fastest, not the best handling. Just great fun. Beautifull no-non-sense thing.
- Vanquish, similar but heavier, great place to cruise in. Unthinkable at £200k.
- V12v 'S', did not like the paddle shifter. performance extremely similar to my current car. The only good thing was the switchable suspension. But can happily live without it. The current car has a well judged (firm) analogue suspension.
Now, I have been for a tour around the place yet another time. It is a fantastic place with fantastic cars.
Conclusion?
Awesome people. Awesome experience.
After having driven the newer cars, i am even more convinced that the regular manual v12v is THE car. Love my car even more now!
You've saved me the bother of a starting a thread entitled 'A MORNING at Works… V8VS, V12VS & DB9.2..'
Probably saw you at lunchtime as the morning gathering were fed & entertained along with the afternoon group. Like yourself it was not our first time at NPWS and it is a great place to visit and they are very, very good to their visitors.
A quick word on the cars that I was privileged to drive:
Our V8VS (BR Special Edition 'Pearl') - Rob was driving y'day but I drove it this morning - Obviously, like Erics & his car, I am biased, but I love it! It has the noise, the handling, the power & the looks that tell me this is all we need.
The V12VS - loved the gearbox! A step on even from ours! Its a fabulous car and I really enjoyed driving it. If you macho got-to-have-a-gear-stick types just give the gearbox a chance then you will love it too. You simply cannot change gear as swiftly and safely (both hands on the wheel) with a conventional manual!
The DB9.2 - Lovely car, lovely experience & a great place to be. A wonderful car for long distance touring and not short of oomph either!
Our group were asked not to take photos inside WS but here's a photo of the V12VS that I took out yesterday
Cheers guys.
One of the major ambitions of going there, was testing the v12v S and see if i really really really wanted one.
I left thinking how very right they got the normal v12v first time around. That was not what i imagined before going there!
I told all the guys there how strongly i felt about the fact that aston missed a trick for not making the S available in manual form. I thought they would tell me i was mad. Strangely enough, a LOT of them silently nodded!
Driving the S, i felt like there was an unwanted interface between the car and me, which i never felt in my car. It annoyed me.
They also said the new engine had more to do with emissions than outright performance.
They added that performance gains had more to do with the gearbox...
Finally the sound of the new car... How strangely similar it was to my v12 with capristo rear cat delete!
My mod cost 500 quids though!
I am under no illusion that the new car would be faster around a track. Certainly due to keeping 2 hands on the steering wheel.
But for a weekend car proposition and it terms of drivers entertainment, the old car wins.
Would love the trick suspension on my motor even though i did not notice a *massive* difference in the real world. Sport setting was roughly like normal v12.
One last point, the new steering. How incredibly light it was in comfort mode! The new car was extremely easy and docile in normal traffic. Not that the old car was a toughie. The new car will appeal to a broader audience and in my view, people who do not necessarily spend time on these forums.
One of the major ambitions of going there, was testing the v12v S and see if i really really really wanted one.
I left thinking how very right they got the normal v12v first time around. That was not what i imagined before going there!
I told all the guys there how strongly i felt about the fact that aston missed a trick for not making the S available in manual form. I thought they would tell me i was mad. Strangely enough, a LOT of them silently nodded!
Driving the S, i felt like there was an unwanted interface between the car and me, which i never felt in my car. It annoyed me.
They also said the new engine had more to do with emissions than outright performance.
They added that performance gains had more to do with the gearbox...
Finally the sound of the new car... How strangely similar it was to my v12 with capristo rear cat delete!
My mod cost 500 quids though!
I am under no illusion that the new car would be faster around a track. Certainly due to keeping 2 hands on the steering wheel.
But for a weekend car proposition and it terms of drivers entertainment, the old car wins.
Would love the trick suspension on my motor even though i did not notice a *massive* difference in the real world. Sport setting was roughly like normal v12.
One last point, the new steering. How incredibly light it was in comfort mode! The new car was extremely easy and docile in normal traffic. Not that the old car was a toughie. The new car will appeal to a broader audience and in my view, people who do not necessarily spend time on these forums.
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