V12 Vantage — 2009
The V12 Vantage was born of a simple, radical idea: slip the DB9’s 6.0-litre V12 into the compact chassis of the V8 Vantage. The result is a car of exceptional sporting density, with an engine out of all proportion to the car’s size that creates a unique driving experience — ultra-direct steering, concentrated mass, instant response. The engineers had to extensively rework the chassis, the suspension and the cooling to fit the V12 under the Vantage’s bonnet.
Produced in around 2,500 examples across its various versions — coupé, roadster, S and Carbon Black — the V12 Vantage is considered by many to be the high point of the classic Vantage range. The 2013 S version, with 573 bhp and a Sportshift III sequential gearbox, pushed the experience even further. On Aston Passion, V12 Vantage owners form a passionate community that shares a driving experience regarded as unique within the marque’s range.
The Vantage GT12: the ultimate extreme (2015)
In 2015, Aston Martin took the V12 Vantage philosophy to its peak with the GT12. The 6.0-litre V12 was raised to 600 bhp, the weight dropped to 1,565 kg thanks to intensive use of carbon fibre on the body, the bonnet and the bumpers. The aerodynamics were redesigned around an aggressive front splitter and an adjustable rear wing. Only 100 examples were built, all sold within a few hours. The GT12 represents the absolute culmination of the first-generation Vantage — a road-legal track car with nothing left to prove.