Nürburg, Germany—Keys to an Aston Martin V12 Vantage , exclusive access to the Nordschleife…I guess wishes do come true. But today the Green Hell is currently White Hell—the Eifel Mountains are clogged with fog so dense it’s hard to see the other edge of the track from the pit wall. I’m not the only one concerned; the teams that will be campaigning Astons in the upcoming 24-hour Nürburgring race are also here to shake down their cars.
A line of U.S.-spec V12 Vantages with their 510-bhp engines sits quietly along the pit wall, the lead Vantage a limited-production $194,950 Carbon Black variant (40 of which are slated for America). Its 50-man-hour paint job sparkles in the diffused light. If black’s not your thing, no worries. The base $179,950 V12 Vantage is more than enough for most. It already comes with the same performance plus a carbon-fiber splitter, Alcantara steering wheel, raised spoiler and carbon-ceramic brakes.
For the V12 Vantage, the 5.9-liter engine replaces the 4.7-liter V-8, and it is mated to the only transmission available—the superb Graziano 6-speed manual transaxle shared with the 8-cylinder model. As the Aston Martin VH chassis architecture was designed to cradle the longer engine, it required only a slight modification to the radiator placement and structural bracing needed to meet U.S. safety requirements.
Perfectly balanced and well developed, the V-12 is a staple of the brand, with quad cams, 4 valves per cylinder and port injection. It makes torque just off idle…enough to spin the rear 295-width Pirelli P Zero Corsas when leaving a stoplight with any vigor. The sprung center clutch of the V-8’s gearbox is replaced by a lighter, solid center clutch that gives better feel, but results in a bit of gear chatter at low speeds and light loads. There are other quirks as well. The limited-slip differential squeaks on tight turns around town. The brakes are fabulously strong, but make a grumbling noise at low speed. And although the engine is quiet at idle, it starts with a menacing bark that any enthusiast would love.
The V12’s chief platform manager, Paul Barritt , says this is a driver’s car; a notch above the V8. It’s meant for those who appreciate the techniques of rev-matching, heel-toe downshifting and making music with an uncorked exhaust. It’s biased toward proper driving feel and performance, not fuel economy and comfort. The mechanical noises emanating from the car don’t detract at all, but rather draw out the flavor, like balsamic vinegar to fresh cut strawberries. To sweeten the mixture, a sport button opens the exhaust and gives the throttle a quicker response. On back roads, the V12 was subdued and surprisingly quiet. But hit the sport button and aim for speeds only legal on the Autobahn, and it will awaken your senses like a strong hit of smelling salts.
Fortunately, later in the day the fog lifts and the Ring is open for business. We went quickly to work, strapping into the bolstered seats and inserting the sapphire key fob. As the V-12 came to life, my heart started to beat to the rpm of the engine while the Vantage thundered into Turn 1. With stability control engaged there is little fear. The V12’s stiffer suspension, Bilstein dampers and added negative camber force the corners to yield and the apexes to succumb. Even with four extra cylinders extending beyond the front axle resulting in a 51/49 weight bias compared to the V8’s 49/51, there is no tendency to understeer. The extra 154 lb. of mass up front is of no concern.
With stability control disabled and the sport mode engaged, the V12 Vantage’s ride and performance are sublime, with easily correctable understeer and benign power-on oversteer. It was the ride of a lifetime, that is until the Rapide and Vantage competition cars shot by at race pace. Although the V12 was more than capable on the track, it wasn’t until a ride in a team-prepped car with slicks that I realized just how fast they could be when on proper rubber. The uprated Vantage really is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Beyond the superb leather, aluminum and carbon fiber, what’s left is superb speed and handling, precisely what makes enthusiasts giddy. We’re glad the visceral V12 Vantage is coming; it’s sure to make more dreams come true.
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