Perfection, thy name is....

[Beefmeister]

..... Vantage S V12 Roadster, manual, in dark blue with tan lightweight seats. Bestill my beating heart....

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108116...

[randlemarcus]

That's lovely. Leather's a smidge towards brown, rather than tan, but it will fade in the mind. My only criticism would be the rear spoiler - is that just an odd angle, or is it trying to be a ducktail?

[AdamV12V]

Yeah that is LOVELY! A manual too!

Can't help thinking the leather on the seats looks like its had more than 15k miles, but otherwise very nicely put together spec car.

EDIT - one minor grip, its got the cheapo bonnet vents added in from that model year. Otherwise lovely!

[AdamV12V]

randlemarcus said:

My only criticism would be the rear spoiler - is that just an odd angle, or is it trying to be a ducktail?

I think its just the angle of the piccy, pretty sure that's the std rear boot lid for a V12VS.

[IanV12VSRs]

Hendy had another one for sale in Onyx Black that went very quickly. Amazing that they had similar models so close together, perhaps having an ex Aston sales guy there is getting them these cars

[EVR]

Lovely. Maybe just the Bang & Olufsen option shy of 100% perfection?

[AdamV12V]

EVR said:

Lovely. Maybe just the Bang & Olufsen option shy of 100% perfection?

As I now own both a car with Premium audio (V12VS) and one with B&O (AMR Rapide) at the same time I can honestly say there is almost no difference. If anything I think premium sounds better, but that could just be down to the smaller cabin of the V12VS. At best they are equal, but its certainly not worth the £5495 for B&O and the further £495 for black B&O speaker grills on the MY17 model year spec. The only thing about B&O is the novelty of the rising tweeters, which is cool - but £6k of cool? Sadly not...

Instead the full CF bonnet vents were £1995 to reinstate, which would have been far better money well spent and only a third of the cost of B&O. The new CF edged and mesh bonnet vents just look naff in reality when you see them in person, well compared to the old ones they do anyway.

Its a shame that on MY17 AM chose to reduce the spec of the V12VS and to freeze the price, rather than just increase the price. They did however make all the old removed items available as options to add back (at cost), it's just some owners either didn't realise, or didn't care enough to bother.

[KevinBird]

I’m going to look at this car later in the week when it’s back from a service

It’s an ex AML car, not sure if that’s a good or bad thing?

This or a GT8?

[AdamV12V]

KevinBird said:

I’m going to look at this car later in the week when it’s back from a service

It’s an ex AML car, not sure if that’s a good or bad thing?

This or a GT8?

An ex-AML car is generally a good thing in that it will have been maintained and serviced to a top notch level and the cars always get a full check before being released to the market.

That said Ive seen more than one where the wear and tear is above average for the cars age (as can perhaps be seen here on the leather on the seats). I suspect some of the execs who are given AM's as a company car, dont treat them with the same respect somebody who has spent their hard earned cash on them would.

[KevinBird]

Also liking this. Better price, lower miles and arguably a better gearbox

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104191...

[Beckson]

Nice!
Have any of the V600 roadsters come up for sale?

Wasn't the "reborn" V12 Vantage Zagato going to be offered as a manual and droptop?

[Beefmeister]

Beckson said:

Nice!
Have any of the V600 roadsters come up for sale?

One is up for sale at the moment, though I hope you're sitting down for the price!

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/12040453

[quench]

AdamV12V said:

As I now own both a car with Premium audio (V12VS) and one with B&O (AMR Rapide) at the same time I can honestly say there is almost no difference. If anything I think premium sounds better, but that could just be down to the smaller cabin of the V12VS. At best they are equal, but its certainly not worth the £5495 for B&O and the further £495 for black B&O speaker grills on the MY17 model year spec. The only thing about B&O is the novelty of the rising tweeters, which is cool - but £6k of cool? Sadly not...

You are not imagining things.

I've owned Vantages with Premium and B&O. The Premium (made by Alpine IIRC) is definitely better. B&O is a rip-off.

Gorgeous car in the ad, BTW. So wish we could have gotten lightweight seats here in NA.

[EVR]

quench said:

You are not imagining things.

I've owned Vantages with Premium and B&O. The Premium (made by Alpine IIRC) is definitely better. B&O is a rip-off.

Gorgeous car in the ad, BTW. So wish we could have gotten lightweight seats here in NA.

Oh well, good to know. I never heard a B&O.

[AdamV12V]

KevinBird said:

Also liking this. Better price, lower miles and arguably a better gearbox

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104191...

I would argue with you on the gearbox point. It is most certainly not a better gearbox IMHO. I have owned both. The 7dps dogleg is an absolute delight, it just needs to be driven regularly so that your mind isnt constantly being turned upside down when switching from a conventional layout and back to dogleg.

I assume you are aware the 6sp manual in the V12V is in fact the same gearbox as the 6spd in the V8. In the V8 of course the gearbox is rarely showed in praise, but with the twin plate lightweight clutch fitted in the V12V it transformed the feel. And I do think the rather lovely V12V aluminum gearnob influences peoples view on the gearbox as a whole - with good reason to be fair. Whereas of course the 7spd manual is the same gearbox as the 7spd ASM just with the automation removed.

Aside from all that there are other countless improvements in the S version over the std V12V. Im not knocking the V12V cos it is an excellent car too, but the S had so many improvements to many areas the cumulative effect of which was quite considerable. Im also not knocking the V12V gearbox, its lovely and feels good, but the 7spd dogleg is something very rare and very special indeed and really adds an extra splash of unique specialness to the V12VSM rarely found in any car.

In terms of rarity both similar, but likely even less V12VSM Roadsters than the 101 V12V Roadsters. Also to point out that the V12VS linked is half the age of the V12V linked, which perhaps goes a long way in itself to explain the price difference, not to mention the V12V has the sports seats, not lightweights....

Edited by AdamV12V on Tuesday 17th August 17:55

[Beefmeister]

AdamV12V said:

Yeah that is LOVELY! A manual too!

Can't help thinking the leather on the seats looks like its had more than 15k miles, but otherwise very nicely put together spec car.

I remember seeing a normal V12 Vantage with that leather at AM Cambridge, I think it's a special aged leather, meant to look more old school than the newer shinier leather. More like a saddlbag

Unless you mean the sagging and wrinkles, in which case I agree and that's sadly just down to poor workmanship.

[AdamV12V]

Beefmeister said:

Beckson said:

Nice!
Have any of the V600 roadsters come up for sale?

One is up for sale at the moment, though I hope you're sitting down for the price!

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/12040453

To be fair thats actually a lot less than I thought it was going to be, and of course a lot less than original price too. Id say thats a bargain compared to some recent Zagato models Ive seen priced similarly. Much much rarer too, and super super special. If I had £1M to spare on a car right now, I would buy that in a heatbeat.

[Beckson]

At the 1M mark, even being a huge AM fan... ya it'd either be a DB5, F40 or a Carerra GT.

Were any of the R forged zagatos made?


The v600 is nice, but I'd honestly struggle with that price over the linked V12VSRM.

[AMVSVNick]

AdamV12V said:

KevinBird said:

I’m going to look at this car later in the week when it’s back from a service

It’s an ex AML car, not sure if that’s a good or bad thing?

This or a GT8?

An ex-AML car is generally a good thing in that it will have been maintained and serviced to a top notch level and the cars always get a full check before being released to the market.

That said Ive seen more than one where the wear and tear is above average for the cars age (as can perhaps be seen here on the leather on the seats). I suspect some of the execs who are given AM's as a company car, dont treat them with the same respect somebody who has spent their hard earned cash on them would.

Mine is ex AML, nothing to worry about.

[AdamV12V]

Beckson said:

Were any of the R forged zagatos made?

Yup - not cheap though again...