RE: Aston announces V12 Vantage V600

RE: Aston announces V12 Vantage V600

Wednesday 9th May 2018

Aston announces V12 Vantage V600

Thought the old Vantage was dead and buried? Think again!



Remember the last Aston Vantage V600? (You should do - we featured one not so long ago.) 20 years old this year, it signed off the Newport Pagnell-era Astons in spectacular fashion; a twin-supercharged, 200mph, V8 palace on wheels, it could have come from nobody else but Aston Martin. And now there's a new V600. Based on an old one. But it's newer...

Promising to be the very last - honest, guv - of the 'VH' derived sports cars (the architecture ushered in soon after the last V600, when the Vanquish arrived) this V600 is based on the old V12 Vantage S. And that's a car which needs very little more said about it, given how much we've been crowing on about it since the 2013 launch, and especially so since the introduction of a manual in 2016.


Only this V600 is a little different to both of those models, as it now runs the faithful 5.9-litre V12 in Vanquish S specification. So yes, as the name implies, that does mean 600hp in a Vantage (well, V573 doesn't really sound as good, does it?). The run-out GT12 edition - a car we coincidentally featured earlier in the week - was similarly blessed, but it had to make do with Aston's less-than-perfect auto box. The 21st century version comes exclusively with a seven-speed manual. Which is just better.

If this is all starting to sound rather expensive, you won't be surprised to hear that the production run is limited to 14 examples (equally split between coupe and roadster) and that assembly is the responsibility of the 'Q by Aston Martin - Commission' department at Gaydon. To that end, and as you might have guessed already, this car isn't just a V12 Vantage S with another 27hp...


Every exterior panel is carbon fibre, with "aggressive styling cues" such as new side strakes and a bonnet bulge that pay homage to the 90s original. Note as well a new front grille, carbon rear diffuser and an intricate set of forged aluminium wheels. Given Marek Reichmann is quoted in the press release as saying customers "can create truly bespoke sports cars by personally collaborating with myself and Aston Martin's design team", this may not be as bold as some of the 14 V600s end up looking.

Aston Martin says its "ultimate analogue Vantage" will be delivered in the third quarter of this year, the car said to still be available on request - best dig out all the pennies from the sofa before you make that call. Still, it means a plain old V12 Vantage S could be justified as somewhat of a bargain, seeing as its mechanical package is so similar to the V600. This one is barely run in at 1,600 miles...

 

 

 

 


Author
Discussion

sidesauce

Original Poster:

2,476 posts

218 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
quotequote all
What a way to go out...

That looks very tasty indeed!

RadQuinn

99 posts

161 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
quotequote all
Good lord it looks so good.

I want that perforated bonnet so badly. Maybe I'll take a drill out to my C-Class and replicate it...

unsprung

5,467 posts

124 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
quotequote all
RadQuinn said:
I want that perforated bonnet so badly. Maybe I'll take a drill out to my C-Class and replicate it...
hehe

Hobojim

134 posts

127 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
quotequote all

V8LM

5,174 posts

209 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
quotequote all
Nice, but a shame AML confuse its origins. The externior of the V600 was identical to the standard car save a chrome surround to the grille.

LasseV

1,754 posts

133 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
quotequote all
Beautiful car. My new favorite AM over 430.

wtdoom

3,742 posts

208 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
quotequote all
Part Designed by your own WTDOOM , previously codenamed Dreadnought

Paddy78

208 posts

146 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
quotequote all
Would (Hypothetically of course) have this over the GT12 any day of the week. I didn't see a price, but I bet they aren't trying to charge £400k for it either.

David87

6,658 posts

212 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
quotequote all
Yes please. I wonder if I'd have to put much extra cash in if I trade in my V8 Vantage? hehe Coupe only for me, thanks.

jonby

5,357 posts

157 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
quotequote all
Paddy78 said:
Would (Hypothetically of course) have this over the GT12 any day of the week. I didn't see a price, but I bet they aren't trying to charge £400k for it either.
You think they are asking more or less than 400k Paddy ?

Ikobo

511 posts

149 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
quotequote all
Looks at V600. Looks at new Vantage. Looks at V600 again, wipes away the pain of ever having seen the new Vantage.

Fire99

9,844 posts

229 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
quotequote all
Ikobo said:
Looks at V600. Looks at new Vantage. Looks at V600 again, wipes away the pain of ever having seen the new Vantage.
yes Now this is how a modern Aston Martin should look. beer Aggressive, no mad colours, handsome lines..

MDL111

6,942 posts

177 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
quotequote all
wtdoom said:
Part Designed by your own WTDOOM , previously codenamed Dreadnought
are you getting one - remember pics of your black V12V and you were speaking very highly of it as a road car

Macboy

739 posts

205 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
quotequote all
It's a little too Khan for me - I am always suspicious that moody Press picture lighting is hiding the "in the daylight" flaws. As run-out specials go, I am sure this will be epic to drive but the trying-too-hard add-ons don't enhance the basic V12 Vantage design.

matrignano

4,370 posts

210 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
quotequote all
They had 14 spare chassis that they didn't know what to do with?


epom

11,520 posts

161 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
quotequote all
They are going to ruin it with the worst steering wheel they can find frown

SturdyHSV

10,097 posts

167 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
quotequote all
Personally I'd still take the original (even in 'just' 550bhp guise), but that's a fine sign off, so good to see it's a manual smile

Jeenyus161

346 posts

95 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
quotequote all
in the side profile does the back end look a bit Lotus Elise?

VanquishRider

507 posts

152 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
quotequote all
All these people who knock the AM steering wheel, but have never held one in their hands.

I would sell my Vanquish for that If i could find the rest of the cash. There is not an angle that is not glorious. A true lifetime keeper.


wtdoom

3,742 posts

208 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
quotequote all
Macboy said:
It's a little too Khan for me - I am always suspicious that moody Press picture lighting is hiding the "in the daylight" flaws. As run-out specials go, I am sure this will be epic to drive but the trying-too-hard add-ons don't enhance the basic V12 Vantage design.
I am really surprised at the "Khan" and "trying to hard add ons" points .
This car has barely no add ons . If you look , there are no vents , wings , splitters , huge diffusers , contrast colours , in fact there aren’t even any side skirts ! We even removed the bonnet vents and replaced them with discrete holes .
It’s the old sleek Vantage but a wide body , smoothed out with as little add ons as possible . We even removed as many shut lines as possible .
The only "out there" detail is the AMR style grill shape with a unique finish to the actual grill and you can finish this as discretely as you wish .


Edited by wtdoom on Wednesday 9th May 11:47