RE: Aston Martin Vantage V600 Le Mans | Spotted
Discussion
Nice car, eye watering price though. Loving the fact that it's a 6 speed manual, it must be a hoot to drive with that motor.
Overall it's a good looking machine with a dash of 90's naffness thrown in, I guess that kind of adds to the appeal for me. I'd have to change a few things up, don't think I could cope with the 90's black plastic blob of an air-bagged steering wheel in such a car, I'd swap it out for something more racy but still period correct.
That stance is all wrong for me, far too much wheel arch gap especially at the rear, the car looks like it's sticking it's arse up in the air. It could also do with a staggered set of wheels with a lower offset and more dish please.
Overall it's a good looking machine with a dash of 90's naffness thrown in, I guess that kind of adds to the appeal for me. I'd have to change a few things up, don't think I could cope with the 90's black plastic blob of an air-bagged steering wheel in such a car, I'd swap it out for something more racy but still period correct.
That stance is all wrong for me, far too much wheel arch gap especially at the rear, the car looks like it's sticking it's arse up in the air. It could also do with a staggered set of wheels with a lower offset and more dish please.
Bob_The_Builder said:
Fuel consumption:n/a
Does that mean not applicable, or not available.
If memory serves me right these were in the single digit it terms of mpg.
Also were they not one of the loudest cars of their time.
Ps I love it
I think more accurately it should be:Does that mean not applicable, or not available.
If memory serves me right these were in the single digit it terms of mpg.
Also were they not one of the loudest cars of their time.
Ps I love it
Fuel Consumption: Yes
TypeRTim said:
Bob_The_Builder said:
Fuel consumption:n/a
Does that mean not applicable, or not available.
If memory serves me right these were in the single digit it terms of mpg.
Also were they not one of the loudest cars of their time.
Ps I love it
I think more accurately it should be:Does that mean not applicable, or not available.
If memory serves me right these were in the single digit it terms of mpg.
Also were they not one of the loudest cars of their time.
Ps I love it
Fuel Consumption: Yes
Fuel Consumption: Oliver Reed….
Personally I like the styling, very brutalist, until it get past the rear of the doors, then I see the rear bumper and it’s associated stage line which is all wrong and at the ‘wrong’ angle for me
And yes f memory serves, standing next to one reveals that the top of the boot is above waist height, which seems quite bizarre to me.
V8LM said:
waynecyclist said:
Front lights, mirrors, bonnet vents, wipers and side repeaters
Two of those, and thank you - there are at least six things different. I had forgotten about the windscreen wiper. This car had a single wiper.So, six things different (one being the wiper).
I worked at Aston Martin Works Service when the Virage was launched and saw them all go through including the V600 LeMans.. I've got boxed engine plaque somewhere which all staff were given back then.
I believe the Virage cost around half a million quid to develop, from drawing board to getting on the road - This was always going to limit it's sophistication amongst other things..
I believe the Virage cost around half a million quid to develop, from drawing board to getting on the road - This was always going to limit it's sophistication amongst other things..
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
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
rjfp1962 said:
I believe the Virage cost around half a million quid to develop, from drawing board to getting on the road - This was always going to limit it's sophistication amongst other things..
I'd be pretty shocked if it really was such a low cost. I guess it is going back quite a few years, but as a design engineer myself (although not in automotive) I know now development costs can stack up significantly on even relatively simply products.For me the V600 Le Mans is the worst looking version of this car. A standard V8 Vantage 550 in a dark colour is a much better resolved car to look at. https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/11107669
Those of us old enough remember the Clarkson video where he described it as a "Rolls-Royce with attitude" and the sound of the twin supercharged V8 made every other car there sound rather tame.
Certainly not a good car by modern standards but still on my list of dream garage cars.
Those of us old enough remember the Clarkson video where he described it as a "Rolls-Royce with attitude" and the sound of the twin supercharged V8 made every other car there sound rather tame.
Certainly not a good car by modern standards but still on my list of dream garage cars.
Pommy said:
V8LM said:
Do tell...Different vent style on the bonnet. This had plain mesh whereas the production cars had a grille over mesh.
Lack of 'Vantage' badge on the side vent (this photo was taken in the summer of 92 and they changed various things, including the bonnet vent, before launch in October)
No heating elements in the glass in front of the headlights. The headlights were changed from these square units (as used on the Alfa Romeo SZ) to round projector lamps during production.
Different mesh below the bumper.
No headrests.
(There is also the lack of a recess in the sill cover as this car didn't have any jacking points, but this is in shadow in the photo)
The wing mirrors and door handles were changed (From Citroen to Jaguar and Vauxhall to Ford) during production.
Absolutely peak Aston Martin for me, would love to see one (up close) in person as I have been a huge fan ever since that Clarkson: Unleashed on Cars video.
I have once seen one driving through Milton Keynes but was sadly going the opposite way to me as I went to work, else I'd have probably followed it for a while just to see / hear one!
I'd want a V600 but without the nostrils personally. The hardest part about buying one on Gran Turismo 2 was deciding on which colour looked best, ended up getting a couple of colours and keeping one of them stock.
Love them and am loving all the little facts about them. I had no idea so few were made either.
I have once seen one driving through Milton Keynes but was sadly going the opposite way to me as I went to work, else I'd have probably followed it for a while just to see / hear one!
I'd want a V600 but without the nostrils personally. The hardest part about buying one on Gran Turismo 2 was deciding on which colour looked best, ended up getting a couple of colours and keeping one of them stock.
Love them and am loving all the little facts about them. I had no idea so few were made either.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say but it’s no beauty to my eyes. That kind of money as others have said also offers lots of other choices. Glad it exists though, a throwback to the hand built Aston era now gone forever
The perfect car for someone who:
- likes going very fast
- in a straight line
- on dry roads
- that are quite wide
- has a fuel card with a ‘healthy’ limit
- has half a million quid in readies and doesn’t give a stuff what anyone else thinks!
The perfect car for someone who:
- likes going very fast
- in a straight line
- on dry roads
- that are quite wide
- has a fuel card with a ‘healthy’ limit
- has half a million quid in readies and doesn’t give a stuff what anyone else thinks!
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