New Vantage?

[RichB]

DB9VolanteDriver said:

Jon39 said:

AlexT said:

Doug's review. Interesting as he is an owner of the previous gen Vantage.
Funny reponse in the comments section: "The older engines have "FOMOCO" on all the parts, as far back as the DB9 that I had the pleasure of replacing the pistons in". I didn't even know this so I looked up an OEM AM V12 5.9 piston and it actually does have 'Ford' stamped on it! So I don't know why there is this whole argument of AM going with equally excellent AMG engines?

An interesting snippet on this aspect has now surfaced. Aston Martin in the past have referred to the, 'Aston Martin Engine Plant' in Cologne. If you read the risk section of the Company's stock market prospectus, there is reference to, 'engines built by Ford'. (Don't tell Speedraser?)

This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. Ford creates a v12 out of the v6 Duratec architecture for a show car and then sometime later hands it to AM to engineer it into a production engine to be made at its Cologne engine facility. Don't care if all the internals are stamped Ford; it was only ever used in Aston vehicles. Since Ford owned Aston at the time, it is not remotely the same as using an AMG engine found in lots of other Mercedes products.

Don't know why people get so steamed up about this. Last time I was in the factory in April, there were Volvo crates all over the place. So what?

[Jon39]

RichB said:

DB9VolanteDriver said:

Jon39 said:

AlexT said:

Doug's review. Interesting as he is an owner of the previous gen Vantage.
Funny reponse in the comments section: "The older engines have "FOMOCO" on all the parts, as far back as the DB9 that I had the pleasure of replacing the pistons in". I didn't even know this so I looked up an OEM AM V12 5.9 piston and it actually does have 'Ford' stamped on it! So I don't know why there is this whole argument of AM going with equally excellent AMG engines?

An interesting snippet on this aspect has now surfaced. Aston Martin in the past have referred to the, 'Aston Martin Engine Plant' in Cologne. If you read the risk section of the Company's stock market prospectus, there is reference to, 'engines built by Ford'. (Don't tell Speedraser?)

This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. Ford creates a v12 out of the v6 Duratec architecture for a show car and then sometime later hands it to AM to engineer it into a production engine to be made at its Cologne engine facility. Don't care if all the internals are stamped Ford; it was only ever used in Aston vehicles. Since Ford owned Aston at the time, it is not remotely the same as using an AMG engine found in lots of other Mercedes products.

Don't know why people get so steamed up about this. Last time I was in the factory in April, there were Volvo crates all over the place. So what?

My amusement about this, was the hype surrounding 'our' dedicated Aston Martin Engine Plant. There was even a grand opening ceremony. Perhaps in reality, it is just some signs above a door at the Ford factory, because AML have now written in an official document, 'engines built by Ford'. It does not bother me though. Nothing wrong with some frothy marketing.

[AlexT]

Graze01 said:

Alex

the darker one gets my vote on the new Vantage

but the Lightning silver is a beautiful colour - it just lets too much emphasis on the darker trims

IMHO

Graze

I fully understand what you are saying re. Lightning Silver. In the pictures that I've seen there appears to be a lot of contrast between the silver paintwork & black bodypack and that concerned me. AM should offer an option to have the bodypack painted to match. Will have to see an example in real life.

Magnetic silver I haven't seen in real life either - only the dealer sample - but in pictures (especially those of Gene's new DB11) it does present beautifully.

[nickv8]

Jon39 said:

My amusement about this, was the hype surrounding 'our' dedicated Aston Martin Engine Plant. There was even a grand opening ceremony. Perhaps in reality, it is just some signs above a door at the Ford factory, because AML have now written in an official document, 'engines built by Ford'. It does not bother me though. Nothing wrong with some frothy marketing.

^This

Like when I went for a blast down B roads yesterday. Every time it was getting near the red line, my first thought was never "Which company accounts has this engine been through?"

[JB65]

lets face it - new vantage design in and out is the real issue of contention between owners and afficionados and something I quit frankly hope they can fix with future facelifts.
Engine a blessing in disguise tbh.. both Ford and MB engines are reliable and will make sure we can enjoy them on a regular basis with acceptable upkeep cost.

[IanV12VSRs]

Jon39 said:

My amusement about this, was the hype surrounding 'our' dedicated Aston Martin Engine Plant. There was even a grand opening ceremony. Perhaps in reality, it is just some signs above a door at the Ford factory, because AML have now written in an official document, 'engines built by Ford'. It does not bother me though. Nothing wrong with some frothy marketing.

Have you ever visited the Cologne plant Jon? I did a couple of years ago and it is a great place to visit. Has a real feel of being in Gaydon, the staff all wear their AM polo shirts with pride and it would be very hard to guess it was anything other than an Aston factory.

There are something like 30 plus work stations that the engine build process goes through and one person, if he moved from station to station, could easily build an engine. In reality that doesn’t happen but it could. We were there on a bank holiday but some of the team had very kindly come in to show us how an engine was built. A great day!

You then go next door to the Ford engine plant and it is just about totally automated and a huge contrast.

[Jon39]

IanV12VSRs said:

Have you ever visited the Cologne plant Jon?

No I have not been for a visit Ian. Sounds like an interesting experience. Presumably the hand versus automated contrast that you describe, is due to the vastly different volumes involved. Automation not being commercially viable for low volumes.

As you will have read, I spotted a comment in the Prospectus, where amongst the list of business risks, was Ford stopping production of engines. Presumably they are now only assembling the V12 for production, and some V8s for spares.

[alabbasi]

I own an 07 V8V which in my mind is beautiful. I was not impressed with the new vantage until this week. I'm visiting the UK and saw one while driving (sitting) on the M4 heading back to London. Pictures don't do it justice.

[Emilio Largo]

Jon39 said:

Presumably they are now only assembling ...., and some V8s for spares.

No, Jon, it seems V8 production in Cologne already ended quite some time ago. There was a very nice "waving good-bye" article in an internal Ford employees´ gazette. You find it below. Sadly there is no date of this event given, but I assume it must have been around October/November 2017. According to this article 22,655 V8 engines in total were built over the 13 years of production.

The article also mentions that the Ford Director Powertrain Operations thanked his Aston Martin team for their work and commitment. So, yes, it seems that legally speaking Ford built these engines (and still builds the V12 Twin Turbo) for AML. Members of the German Aston Martin forum and AMOC Area 16 had visited the Cologne plant in Spring 2017 and reported first hand on the German forum that the workers are Ford employees.

But this is really no news. It always was and is an Aston Martin specific and Aston Martin-only engine. Unlike the AMG unit it is not a German engine.



To get back on topic: Every time I see the AMG Vantage at the main dealer or even once or twice in the streets I am really trying to like it. But I can´t help it. The car is unconvincing from almost every angle both outside and inside. And the terribly chavvy exhaust farting when shifting is right out inacceptable!

Edited by Emilio Largo on Monday 24th September 15:22

[AstonV]

Emilio Largo said:

No, Jon, it seems V8 production in Cologne already ended quite some time ago. There was a very nice "waving good-bye" article in an internal Ford employees´ gazette. You find it below. Sadly there is no date of this event given, but I assume it must have been around October/November 2017. According to this article 22,655 V8 engines in total were built over the 13 years of production.

The article also mentions that the Ford Director Powertrain Operations thanked his Aston Martin team for their work and commitment. So, yes, it seems that legally speaking Ford built these engines (and still builds the V12 Twin Turbo) for AML. Members of the German Aston Martin forum and AMOC Area 16 had visited the Cologne plant in Spring 2017 and reported first hand on the German forum that the workers are Ford employees.

But this is really no news. It always was and is an Aston Martin specific and Aston Martin-only engine. Unlike the AMG unit it is not a German engine.



To get back on topic: Every time I see the AMG Vantage at the main dealer or even once or twice in the streets I am really trying to like it. But I can´t help it. The car is unconvincing from almost every angle both outside and inside. And the terribly chavvy exhaust farting when shifting is right out inacceptable!

Edited by Emilio Largo on Monday 24th September 15:22

I wonder if this article is available in English?

[David W.]

Does anyone know how this F type-esk “chavvy exhaust farting” is produced? Is it computer controlled over fueling at engine end something injected in the exhaust or just tube engineering?
Either way can it be modified away somehow?.
DW

[Beefmeister]

It’s all ECU controlled, it has to be as it is different in different drive modes.

I’d love to see a ‘tuning’ company do an ECU tune to get rid of them!

[Beefmeister]

Nice to see a couple of stunning blue examples up for sale now, rather than the usual grey or black.

Flugplatz looks amazing, and I think I may need to see a doctor because I don't even think the Kahn wheels look bad, they actually suit it! :shocked:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...



And a lovely Cobalt one too:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[flow99]

Beefmeister said:

Nice to see a couple of stunning blue examples up for sale now, rather than the usual grey or black.

Flugplatz looks amazing, and I think I may need to see a doctor because I don't even think the Kahn wheels look bad, they actually suit it! :shocked:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...



And a lovely Cobalt one too:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Blimey flugplatz does look very good, and probably the most tasteful wheels ever from Kahn

[matrignano]

That Flugplatz is the first new Vantage I like the look of!
The interior is super boring though, there isn't any touch of colour in there!

Not sure about the wheels...remind me of these from science class at school...

[IMG] https://cdn4.explainthatstuff.com/horseshoemagnet.... [/IMG]

[anonymous-user]

That flugplatz one looks awesome and I like the blue contrast stitching inside.

What I’m now not liking is the small single tailpipe - it really needs the double option.

[anonymous-user]

What was the list price of the flugplatz car? I’m selling my house in a few weeks and might do something crazy

[Beefmeister]

garyhun said:

What was the list price of the flugplatz car? I’m selling my house in a few weeks and might do something crazy

£134k!

That explains the lacklustre interior though, it's very light on options after the Q paint!

[anonymous-user]

Beefmeister said:

garyhun said:

What was the list price of the flugplatz car? I’m selling my house in a few weeks and might do something crazy

£134k!

That explains the lacklustre interior though, it's very light on options after the Q paint!

Thanks! I’ll wait a while in that case as I would never pay ‘overs’ for a car. Hopefully down to £4.50 next year

[Wayne95]

garyhun said:

That flugplatz one looks awesome and I like the blue contrast stitching inside.

What I’m now not liking is the small single tailpipe - it really needs the double option.

I think the blue, and angle of the photo shows more detail in the bonnet, it usually looks so flat and featureless.

Calling out for some bonnet vents, but there is that AMG cooling duct thingy for the turbos in the way.

Would definately consider it in flugplatz