RE: Aston Martin Vantage V600 Le Mans | Spotted
Discussion
mrclav said:
ChickenvanGuy said:
Is it listing to starboard in the last pic?
I'd so yes, slightly.Also, what an hideously ugly car. People on here moan about modern BMWs for example but this definitely outranks them all!
Obviously not 100% accurate on my part but it doesn't look all that bad to me, maybe it's just the effect of the shadow giving the illusion that something is more amiss than it is in reality.
Six Potter said:
Harrypop said:
Why would anybody buy this when you could buy a Ford Puma, a silo, a piece of Concorde and two Alpacas whilst still leaving plenty of money left over for Sherbert Dib Dabs?
https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-spottedykywt/f...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/142421544150?hash=item2...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154683406570?hash=item2...
https://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/121202431/...
Er, that's quite the random assortment, nice. The answer seems to be, because none of those items are a rare, 600 horse, manual 'box Aston Martin. Unless I'm missing something?https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-spottedykywt/f...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/142421544150?hash=item2...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154683406570?hash=item2...
https://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/121202431/...
Edited by Harrypop on Thursday 25th November 15:07
florian said:
However, I would really be interested from an owner how these beasts actually drive. I have heard the De-Dion rear suspension can be quite a handful ...
I spend most of my time driving Miss Daisy so can't really comment on their handling and dynamics compared to a sports car. A sports car they are not. My Le Mans had a different clutch cylinder fitted and so is far less tiresome to change gear. It isn't easy to change gear quickly, but in a GT one doesn't need to. You could also drive everywhere in 2nd or 3rd if you wished. 30 mph in 2nd is 2000 rpm, 70 mph in 3rd is 3,500 rpm. Brakes are OK, but the car weighs 2 tons.The ride is normally excellent, although now we have the problem of tyres: Those made specially for the car (Goodyear) are no longer available (last batch was 2006 I think). The only other manufacturer of the size is Pirelli (for the Bentley Continental). These are in short supply, and don't handle (or look, which is important for me) as nice. The wheels are also an issue. These are magnesium and hollow spoked so the air goes from the tyre all the way to the hub, effectively increasing the tyre profile. If mistreated, or after time, they can crack and/or become porous, and then leak.
The interior is a lovely place to be. The Recaro seats are wonderful. Mine has an old school audio system (Soundstream Ref amps, Dynaudio and Focal speakers, JL Sub, with Alpine MiniDisc Nav head unit).
The sound of the car alone is just glorious.
These are a GT car, designed for the run down to the South of France, where it isn't raining. In the wet one needs to be careful as the superchargers have vacuum-operated bypass valves to decrease fuel consumption when not under acceleration (if that is an issue) and close when the throttle is opened. There is a fraction of a second delay, therefore, between putting your foot on the accelerator and the superchargers 'banging' in. On a bend, in the wet, this is not great.
The cars also have a habit of twisting their half shafts. I've known several break. Mine managed to throw its diff pinion gear through the casing:
Compared to the Le Mans, my Vantage is much harder and rawer. 'Bag of nails' sometimes comes to mind. This is because it is the prototype and was never meant to be driven. It has the standard clutch, which is hard work. It has wooden floors and no sound proofing, only carpets. Ever since I saw it on that Top Gear video being pushed out of the engineering shed at Tickford Street it has been my dream car. And I'm so fortunate to have it.
Always wanted a V600, whilst the Le Mans is special I don’t like the nostrils and much prefer the look of the standard grille. Mine is the red V550 at the front of the line up in an earlier photo on this thread. Brute of a car, supercharger whine is fantastic, somehow the back of the car looks jacked up and somewhat awkward and I did find the interior a bit disappointing compared to bentleys of the same era but the car has massive presence, it’s a special feeling being behind the wheel and I love it.
Benmac said:
I grew up a few miles down the road from Thruxton. You could often hear stuff going round if the wind was in the right direction. I would occasionally pop up for a nose if it sounded interesting. Bored one afternoon during my A levels there was indeed something interesting sounding so I headed up.
Some sort of test day was running for mainly race minis and a couple of formula Fords. The manic scream of the A series and CVHs were interesting but they certainly weren't what I'd heard.
Then a pit garage door opened and out rolled something large and (mostly) matte black and it headed out on to the track. I could recognise it as some form of Aston but not exactly what. Anyway, it proceeded to thunder round for a few laps, then come in, be swarmed upon and then it would head out again. Most amusingly into and through the chicane at the end of the lap the minis and Formula Fords would be all over it but once it got onto the pit "straight" it was game over and off it went.
That was indeed the noise I'd heard.
Then a week or so later on Top Gear Clarkson did a piece on the Vantage firstly showing a completed one for static shots but the one he actually drove was this same tatty prototype I'd seen. Mystery solved.
Then there was this. Obviously it gets monstered by the TVR (as did everything else) but the noise!
https://youtu.be/XGATSb54YEQ
This old black thing? Some sort of test day was running for mainly race minis and a couple of formula Fords. The manic scream of the A series and CVHs were interesting but they certainly weren't what I'd heard.
Then a pit garage door opened and out rolled something large and (mostly) matte black and it headed out on to the track. I could recognise it as some form of Aston but not exactly what. Anyway, it proceeded to thunder round for a few laps, then come in, be swarmed upon and then it would head out again. Most amusingly into and through the chicane at the end of the lap the minis and Formula Fords would be all over it but once it got onto the pit "straight" it was game over and off it went.
That was indeed the noise I'd heard.
Then a week or so later on Top Gear Clarkson did a piece on the Vantage firstly showing a completed one for static shots but the one he actually drove was this same tatty prototype I'd seen. Mystery solved.
Then there was this. Obviously it gets monstered by the TVR (as did everything else) but the noise!
https://youtu.be/XGATSb54YEQ
Not matte, just rarely washed. I’ve probably posted this before somewhere, but this is the same car in the less glamorous location of outside my Mums house in the frost. My carefully positioned sister is covering the red thermocouple wiring running down the wing.
I’ve still got one of the wheels from this car in my garage.
It was a hacked up beast of an old Virage with the new rear suspension and of course the superchargers, but with still with Virage rear lights etc.
gary71 said:
This old black thing? Not matte, just rarely washed.
I’ve probably posted this before somewhere, but this is the same car in the less glamorous location of outside my Mums house in the frost. My carefully positioned sister is covering the red thermocouple wiring running down the wing.
I’ve still got one of the wheels from this car in my garage.
It was a hacked up beast of an old Virage with the new rear suspension and of course the superchargers, but with still with Virage rear lights etc.
DP2055/4. This has the bonnet style from the clay model that went all the way to the front. This was changed when launched and for the production cars with the front separate from the bonnet (easier to produce I think). This car had an extended boot at one point, and was crash tested. Not matte, just rarely washed. I’ve probably posted this before somewhere, but this is the same car in the less glamorous location of outside my Mums house in the frost. My carefully positioned sister is covering the red thermocouple wiring running down the wing.
I’ve still got one of the wheels from this car in my garage.
It was a hacked up beast of an old Virage with the new rear suspension and of course the superchargers, but with still with Virage rear lights etc.
www.astonmartins.com
Edited by V8LM on Friday 26th November 22:39
gary71 said:
This old black thing? Not matte, just rarely washed.
I’ve probably posted this before somewhere, but this is the same car in the less glamorous location of outside my Mums house in the frost. My carefully positioned sister is covering the red thermocouple wiring running down the wing.
I’ve still got one of the wheels from this car in my garage.
It was a hacked up beast of an old Virage with the new rear suspension and of course the superchargers, but with still with Virage rear lights etc.
Where was that pic taken? Not matte, just rarely washed. I’ve probably posted this before somewhere, but this is the same car in the less glamorous location of outside my Mums house in the frost. My carefully positioned sister is covering the red thermocouple wiring running down the wing.
I’ve still got one of the wheels from this car in my garage.
It was a hacked up beast of an old Virage with the new rear suspension and of course the superchargers, but with still with Virage rear lights etc.
Looks like the road my Nan used to live in
sean ie3 said:
I do like this car in profile and from the rear, from the front it looks similar to the Allegro prototype I've just seen on James May's cars, and just one thing MPG must be available and the size of the fuel tank is a number I'd like to know, having to stop every hour to fuel does not scream luxury to me.
It’s probably closer to two hours, if you’re not on a track or Autobahn. 
Either way, the marginal running costs are going to be numbers more commonly associated with a small plane, than anything with four wheels!
sean ie3 said:
I do like this car in profile and from the rear, from the front it looks similar to the Allegro prototype I've just seen on James May's cars, and just one thing MPG must be available and the size of the fuel tank is a number I'd like to know, having to stop every hour to fuel does not scream luxury to me.
Motorway cruising is 13.5 mpg and with a 105 litre tank (although never run it low enough to get anywhere near that in) would be around 300 miles. V8LM said:
waynecyclist said:
It says in the advert It was delivered from new in the ultimate V600 specification package including a close-ratio 5 speed gearbox, is that not the case then
Being a complete nerd on these, this car doesn't have the 'ultimate V600 specification' as it doesn't have the Supersports exhaust.https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/24880/lot/7/
V8LM said:
Motorway cruising is 13.5 mpg and with a 105 litre tank (although never run it low enough to get anywhere near that in) would be around 300 miles.
I wince filling an 80 litre tank. 105 litres at motorway services super U prices… would probably not concern any potential buyer at all.
I was lucky enough to be taken round Snetterton in a 550 in the very early noughties; great fun until it fried it’s clutch. There’s no need to repeat everything that’s already been said here but they are quite incredible cars, even taking into account their flaws. I see a couple of them most weeks in West London and they aren’t really like anything any manufacturer has made since. I also see a few of the original Vanquishes on a regular basis and whilst they are also quite imposing, they just seem a bit less authentic somehow.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff