2006 Aston Martin Vantage on 2040-cars

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Aston Martin reveals new V12 Vantage S Roadster as its fastest droptop to date

You have to hand it to Aston Martin. Its entry-level V8 Vantage may be nearly a decade old, but the British automaker never tires of rolling out ever more powerful versions. Where the original packed a 4.3-liter V8 derived from a Jaguar design and producing 380 horsepower, this latest version packs 565 hp to become the company's quickest and fastest roadster to date, not to mention its most powerful. Following the debut of the V12 Vantage S coupe, the new V12 Vantage S Roadster packs the most powerful iteration of Aston's ubiquitous 6.0-liter V12 engine to date. Equipped with CNC-machined combustion chambers and hollow camshafts, unburdened of 44 pounds of excess weight and mated to Gaydon's latest Graziano-developed Sportshift III seven-speed sequential gearbox, that engine is capable of propelling the open-top rocket to 60 in 3.9 seconds en route to a top speed of 201 miles per hour. That's considerably quicker than the flagship Vanquish Volante, which runs to 60 in 4.1 seconds and tops out at 183 mph, painting the V12 Vantage S Roadster as Aston's most performance-focused droptop to date. It's also got a flatter and fatter torque curve than the previous V12 Vantage Roadster, three-stage adaptive damping, three-stage stability control and two-stage ABS, carbon-ceramic disc brakes and a lightweight exhaust derived from the pipes on the One-77. Like what you see? There are more details to digest in the press release below, including a full range of customization options from the Q by Aston Martin catalog. ASTON MARTIN V12 VANTAGE S ROADSTER – AN OPEN INVITATION TO EXCITEMENT - Debut of the luxury brand's most potent and exhilarating roadster yet - 6.0-litre V12 engine: 565 bhp and 620 Nm delivers 201 mph top speed - Supreme agility and intense excitement characterise new model Aston Martin is opening up a new world of exhilarating driving excitement with the announcement of the hotly anticipated V12 Vantage S Roadster. When it arrives in markets around the world later this year the new sports car will become the luxury British marque's most potent, fastest and fastest-accelerating series production roadster to date and follows in the broad tyre tracks of the V12 Vantage S Coupe that was launched to worldwide acclaim in 2013.

Henrik Fisker presents 'Thunderbolt,' a take on the Aston V12 Vanquish

Henrik Fisker's name no longer even appears on the vehicles from his former brand, but since leaving the company, the man is slowly transitioning back into what made him famous in the first place: design. Fisker has already put pen to paper for a concept motorcycle and a carbon-fiber-bodied Ford Mustang. For his latest project, Fisker has made his unofficial return to Aston Martin to create a one-take on the Vanquish called the Thunderbolt. Debuting its carbon fiber skin at the 2015 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, Fisker keeps his transformation of the Vanquish far more subdued than his recent work on the Mustang. He enlarges the grille to take up the entire front end but retains Aston Martin's traditional shape, and the hood receives a power dome with triangular air intakes on each side. In profile, this is still clearly an Aston just sharper and leaner. It's also lowered 0.6 inches and rides on 21-inch wheels. A big change comes at the back where Fisker adds wraparound rear glass and transforms the taillights into thin strips of LEDs. The interior offers a mix of high-end leather and more carbon fiber, plus an 11.6-inch Curved Control Screen from Panasonic. Unfortunately, even if you have the means and want to buy this Thunderbolt, it's not for sale. However, Galpin Aston Martin is taking limited orders for a tweaked version with a revised front end that includes different intakes on either side of the grille and without the Panasonic infotainment screen. As designer for the Aston Martin DB9 and V8 Vantage, the Thunderbolt can be thought of as Fisker's return to the British brand, albeit in an unofficial and extremely limited way. Still, it's fascinating to get a glimpse at what the marque's models might look like, if he were still there. Related Video: HENRIK FISKER UNVEILS HIS LATEST DESIGN STUDY, A TIMELESS GT COUPE, AT 2015 AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE One-Off V12 Vanquish-Based Coupe Features Carbon Fiber Coach-Work and World's First Panasonic Curved Screen Infotainment System Amelia Island, Florida (March 14, 2015) – Henrik Fisker today took the wraps off of his latest design study, the "Thunderbolt," at the 2015 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. Designed by Henrik Fisker as a powerful GT coupe; this is his personal interpretation of how his Aston Martin V12 Vanquish coupe could look like.

New Aston Martin V12 Vantage rumored with 670 hp

In August, spy photographers at the Nurburgring took pics of an Aston Martin Vantage mule doing hard laps. The primer black test car sported an extra wide body, a big ol' V-shaped mesh net on its hood likely hiding heat extractors, an enormous grille with extra intakes along the sides, and dual pipes jutting out the center of the rear diffuser. It looked like Aston Martin had put its 5.2-liter V12 into a Vantage engine bay, and reports from ears on the ground said it sounded that way, too. Remember, last year's Aston Martin Speedster was based on the Vantage chassis and was powered by that 5.2-liter V12, an engine not available in the series production Vantage. In the Speedster, that engine produced 690 horsepower and 555 pound-feet of torque. The Supercar Blog reports that its sources say a reborn V12 Vantage might have its engine restricted to 670 hp. That seems a logical number, possibly putting the V12 Vantage a notable step down from the 715-hp DBS and the 690-hp special edition Speedster. If it does get 670 hp, that figure would put it 40 ponies ahead of the DB11 with the same V12, but TSB reports the V12 Vantage will be a limited edition. Expected to arrive for the 2023 model year as part of the standard Vantage's model update, sources say there will only be 299 made.  The last time Aston Martin put its biggest engine in its smallest car, the result was arguably the best and most enjoyable car in the automaker's range. We have the same expectation this time around. Unlike the last time, though, there won't be a manual transmission on the menu; it's said the updated Vantage will go with the eight-speed automatic only. Now that the Vantage F1 Edition starts at over $160,000, a V12 Vantage could start beyond $190,000 and even creep over $200,000. Company CEO Tobias Moers has said he plans 10 derivatives of existing models by 2023, so it seems likely that this won't be the only special edition Vantage on the way.