Aston Martin V12 Vantage lined up for Goodwood
The 'final edition' Vantage makes its UK dynamic debut at FoS, alongside the new DBX707
Despite considerable upheaval behind the scenes at Aston (you can read about the very recent departure of CEO Tobias Moers here), the firm will feel like it’s turning up to Goodwood this week in fine fettle. Or at any rate it has certainly lined up some crowd pleasers. Most prominent amongst them is unquestionably the new V12 Vantage, which is due to make its dynamic public debut on the famous hillclimb. You’re unlikely to need any help recalling the last-ever 12-cylinder Vantage - although it’s definitely worth reminding yourself what we thought of it - and we’re willing to bet it lives up to its blaze-of-glory billing in person.
Not that anyone needs persuading at this stage. Aston had sold all 333 examples of the car before it was even officially unveiled. So while it might be the most significant car for spectators, the manufacturer is probably more interested in accruing goodwill for its undercard fighter - the ‘world’s fastest and most powerful ultra-luxury SUV’. Yes, the DBX707 is also lined up for its UK public debut, and will apparently showcase several bespoke Q by Aston Martin finishes that are available to order, including the 2022 Aston Martin Racing Green paint – seen on the AM Aramco Cognizant Formula One™ Team’s car, Q design graphics and a set of lime green brake calipers. Lovely.
Or possibly not. Either way, the SUV underneath is properly good - yes, we’ve driven that, too - and its appearance in the ‘First Glance’ category is obviously intended to have any prospective buyers in the crowd fall off the fence, especially now that the first customer cars have started rolling off the line at St Athan. Of course, if that all sounds a bit humdrum, there’s always the extraordinary sound of the Valkyrie to look forward to. We were introduced to this at last year’s Festival of Speed, but clearly Aston couldn’t resist bringing it back to the paddock. No surprise there; long-running its gestation might very well have been, but the 6.5-litre V12 is a thunderclap on wheels.
Also making up the numbers is the Vantage F1 Edition and the V12 Speedster in DBR1 livery, plus the brilliantly restored Aston Martin Bulldog, which is appearing ahead of its first-ever attempt at 200mph. Renato Bisignani, Aston’s global head of comms, said: “When launching the final-edition V12 Vantage, we told our customers to ‘Never Leave Quietly’, and we hope that everyone leaves Goodwood Festival of Speed this year with the same addictive sound – and sight - of Aston Martin’s most powerful line-up of performance cars, ever.” Like you needed another excuse to visit the South Downs later this week…
Both were wild, the DBS felt almost too powerful from the passenger seat (although there is no such thing in my mind really!).
This must be epic and bonkers. Awesome. How much does a well used kidney go for nowadays?
Sometimes less is more. And this is a perfect example.
Where did it become important to consider lap times?. Porsche will always beat them at all parameters in that game. They'd be better of getting Louis Vuitton to design bespoke luggage for a new car rather than Bilstein to design suspension. Just build a couple of thousand a year in a paid for factory with no debt. Expansion into all markets after all types of customer is a recipe to please none.
te I give you that but I saw a black on black one in the fast lane of the m25 the other day in the drizzle and it looked incredible te I give you that but I saw a black on black one in the fast lane of the m25 the other day in the drizzle and it looked incredible te I give you that but I saw a black on black one in the fast lane of the m25 the other day in the drizzle and it looked incredible To my eyes the new V12 is an absolute horror. Even in the press car shown above they can't line up the bonnet properly to hide the massive and wonky panel gap across the nose.
I'd also guess that most of the design team couldn't afford to buy the car they were designing and never will. Id further speculate that the repeat customer of the 90's and noughties isn't interested Instagram so their echo chamber of you-tube provided the worn out drum brakes on their creative juices bus.
This is over-styled, brutish, not elegant and seems to lack quality. Replace Dunhill with Ted Baker, half decent but not of the same quality or desirability.
I'd also guess that most of the design team couldn't afford to buy the car they were designing and never will. Id further speculate that the repeat customer of the 90's and noughties isn't interested Instagram so their echo chamber of you-tube provided the worn out drum brakes on their creative juices bus.
Ditto many other cars of course - but why have AM done this? Have they given up on what made their name?
I may - I hope - be proved wrong, but unless they can produce desirable, good looking cars, I don’t see a long term future for sports car companies like Aston Martin. Relying on luxury SUVs for brand image is not going to cut it.
There’s too much of the everyday about SUVs to distinguish the humble from the exotic. Bentley and Range Rover get away with it, but AM are famous for svelte, desirable GT cars.
They need to find some form in this department, and quick.
I'm sorry to say. I'd much rather support jobs in the UK and drive a great British brand if i could afford it.
IMHO the latest DBS is the most beautiful car currently on sale, period, and just as timeless as the stunning Vanquishes and DBSs of the last decade. The Vantage is an amazing car, in almost every respect, the interior is good, the tech is dated, yes, but compared to the tech in the previous generation cars? It's miles better. A huge advance. But yes, they absolutely need to up their game for the next refresh/updates on the tech side in 23/24. Just hope they can keep going 'till then. The DBX is an amazing car (for an SUV), but the tech suffers from that same stupid deal with Mercedes to have their old tech inside. You can't have a daily driver SUV with average tech at that price point. DB11 for me is the weakest car. You look at the DBS next to it, and you know you'd rather be driving the DBS. Or if you just want a sporty daily, the Vantage is better. And I'm in a minority as I like the "hunter" grill. It has grown on me. It's distinctive and yes, it's not like the old Vantage - that's the point! I'm sure you could see the same comments about the 1970s V8 Vantage/DBS not being as beautiful as the DBs from the 1960s. Which is kinda true but also about design language moving on. Those "brute" cars are now classics. As for the management of the company, its marketing, customer relations, that still feels hit and miss. I hope they can pull things around before totally squandering their customer loyalty.
Plus ça change, plus c'est la même...
So its tech failure isn't what's stopping me. Its the giant grill sucking up my money like a basking shark. The icing on the money draining cake is buying a Porsche monthly and seeing 911 GTS owners are driving their cars for free because the depreciation is glacial.
If i didnt have kids university bills and a wife i might be able to sod it.
The new design aesthetics polarises people, the DB9 simply made love to the petrolheads eye sockets.
Obviously looks are totally subjective etc etc etc but this thing still looks like total cack and naturally anyone who disagrees with me is just measurably wrong
...in seriousness, if I had to pick a car from the current Aston lineup it'd be the DB11 Volante any day. Best grille and avoids the weird roofline they put on the coupe. Probably not as special to drive as a V12 vantage, though, I'll grant.
Tbf, English designers in general are doing a very good job these days. Lotus with the Emira and I think the rest of the range too but haven't paid that much attention to them, Aston Martin pretty much everything, JLR pretty much everything, Bentley maybe not my cup of tea but the Conti isn't bad, McLarens are generally very nice looking too, and probably some that I'm forgetting.
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