Aston Martin V12 Vantage RS Thread

[PanterroR]

Originally Posted by atuv

I DEFINITELY ave to agree with ARTIST here,the AM is FAR from touching Zonda in termsd of looks and engineering point of view,Pagani managed to beat supercars giants likeFerrari and Porsche let alone poor AM.

Pagani and Aston Martin are 2 different cars and in performance i'm also sure Zonda will beat it every time.

Originally Posted by The Artist

ofcourse the dude likes his new car.. why would he buy it if he didnt?

on the other hand i would like to know if he thinks its superior to other cars in that range.. in anything else than looks..

he if anyone should know

We're only talking here about looks...

[The Artist]

^well if your only talking about looks..then im out
no point in discussing it..as everyone has a personal taste..

and like we said..when it comes to things that are compareable..
Astons more or less suck.. for the price they want for their machines..
and thats the cold truth..
sorry

[PanterroR]

Originally Posted by The Artist

^well if your only talking about looks..then im out
no point in discussing it..as everyone has a personal taste..

Fair enough.

Originally Posted by The Artist

and like we said..when it comes to things that are compareable..
Astons more or less suck.. for the price they want for their machines..
and thats the cold truth..
sorry

Yeah, that's why the DBS is sold untill 2012, because it sucks....

[SDNR]

Originally Posted by The Artist

Astons more or less suck.. for the price they want for their machines..
and thats the cold truth..
sorry

Hmmm, that is a little harsh Artist. Astons are not exactly second rate rubbish .....Afterall, Ferrari still takes it seriously as a competitor.

[The Artist]

^looks looks and looks again..thats why its sold out..

[The Artist]

Originally Posted by Rob

Hmmm, that is a little harsh Artist. Astons are not exactly second rate rubbish .....Afterall, Ferrari still takes it seriously as a competitor.

ofcourse they are no LADA´s thats now what im saying..
they just dont have much to show for.. other than design..
compared to the league they want to play in
thats what im saying

[PanterroR]

Originally Posted by Rob

Afterall, Ferrari still takes it seriously as a competitor.

Porsche too...

[PanterroR]

Originally Posted by The Artist

^looks looks and looks again..thats why its sold out..

Quality too, i'd say:

[The Artist]

^sure.. the least you can ask for at that price

PS
Not sure it has so high quality though..have seen several occasions where AM´s just stop working..
like on Fifthgear..and so on..

So yes interior and button quality..
but the rest is abit dodgy

[PanterroR]

Which car maker doesn't ask high price for such quality?

[bmer]

Originally Posted by atuv

I DEFINITELY ave to agree with ARTIST here,the AM is FAR from touching Zonda in termsd of looks

You're right, it doesn't touch the Zonda, it actually bitchslaps it in looks.

[PanterroR]

Originally Posted by bmer

You're right, it doesn't touch the Zonda, it actually bitchslaps it in looks.

WORD!

[Merc1]

A V12 Vantage RS? Excuse me while i mop up my drool…

I'm afraid we've had the same problem while writing this story. This little coupe does indeed have a 12 cylinder engine under its bonnet, and we all know what RS means.

Aston Martin unveiled this car last night at the opening of its new design studio, and while the car is tagged as a concept, it looks set to make production. Click 'Next' for the full story on Aston's first RS car.

Sorry, let me just check. A V12?

Oh yes. Aston’s engineers deserve massive credit for managing to shoehorn this 600bhp block in there. Yes, 600bhp. The engine is a development of the DBRS9’s – Aston’s ‘gentleman racer’, one rung down from the Le Mans winning DBR9 – but tweaked to give a nice round 600. The engine is dry-sumped and features forged pistons and conrods. Peak power arrives at 6250rpm, while 509lb ft is available at 5000rpm.

To save weight the boot lid and louvred bonnet are carbonfibre. Aston says the RS weighs ‘under 1600kg’, but officials wouldn’t be drawn into specifics. A regular V8 Vantage is 1630kg, and while a V12 engine adds weight, we’d hope it’s closer to 1500kg, especially when a 911 GT3 RS is 1375kg.

So is it quick?

Aston reckons on a 4.0 second sprint to 62mph, while 100mph is covered off in 8.5 seconds. By comparison the standard V8 takes 4.9 seconds for the 0-60mph run, and the GT3 RS 4.2 seconds.

This concept is one quick car, and to help keep it on the ground there’s a carbonfibre front splitter, and a pop-up rear spoiler.

This RS tag, significant?

Without doubt. Aston’s boss, Dr Ulrich Bez, was in charge of Porsche R&D when a certain 993 RS was rolling out of Stuttgart. The ‘RS’ script on the brake callipers looks suspiciously Porsche-esque, and a Harm Lagaay was there last night: he’s the man who penned the 993-generation 911.

But for Aston RS is not ‘rennsport’ (which is German for motorsport). Instead it stands for ‘road sport’, signifying that the Vantage RS is a road car that can be used on the track, rather than being an all-out trackday racer.

Will Aston build the RS?

Almost certainly. The concept car is a runner, and there’s also a Vantage development mule running around near Gaydon with a V12 under the bonnet.

Bez made the point that: ‘Over the last five years, we have established a reputation for presenting fully functional, feasible concept cars, and the V12 Vantage RS is no exception. We will listen with interest to feedback on this concept and, as ever, if there is sufficient demand then we will seriously consider a low volume production run in the near future with a price that will reflect the exclusivity of the car’. That’s a yes then, and a price of at least £150,000.

And Aston can do all this easily?

Yes. That was the point of last night: Aston unveiled its new design studio at Gaydon, so they now have that, a factory, and an engine plant. According to Bez it’s all about ‘speed, variability, flexibility and sensitivity’. The studio, factory and engine plant give them that, so it would seem rather foolish not to utilise this trio.

The VH platform that the DB9 and Vantage use is also very flexible, meaning limited-run variants are relatively easy to produce. First down the line next year will be the DB9 LM and V8 Vantage N400, as an example.

Aston says the design studio is 80 percent more energy efficient that an equivalent building, thanks to geothermal heating and wood from renewable Austrian and Swiss forests. Apparently the forests are so renewable (and so large) that all the wood Aston has used grows back in just nine minutes.

So is Aston on a roll?

Undoubtedly. It’s just announced the DBS will appear in the next Bond film due at the end of 2009, after, Bez joked" ‘we have repaired it from the seven rolls’.

Aston has strong financial backing, is opening dealerships in China and Russia, and a one-make race series for the V8 Vantage is starting next year in Asia, while the Rapide will appear in summer 2009.

Aston is banking on the brand being strong enough to sustain lots of limited edition cars, but they’re going to have to be careful. But to keep their cool credibility, their signing up with lots of other prestige names, and first on the cards is a tie-up with Bang & Olufsen.

Look out for a production version of the Vantage RS appearing towards to end of 2008, and CAR will be there first to bring you all the details.


Aston Martin V12 Vantage RS concept - First Official Pictures - Carmagazine.co.uk


M

[Bruce]

Originally Posted by The Artist

meh!!!

You know, I kind of agree with The Artist here.

Now, don't get me wrong. I've had the chance to see the standard V8 Vantage on a number of occassions, and there's little doubt that's it's a fantastic little car. Not only does it look superb, but it's well assembled and I truly have little qualms that it's a fantastic car to drive.

And now with a V12 under the bonnet, I should like it even more... but I just don't. It somehow fails to excite me.

[SDNR]

^^well I will also declare (as I have before) that I am not an Aston guy either ...I prefer both Porsche and Ferrari, but I do think Aston is making some really beautiful cars nonetheless.

[Amo]

Nice. Very nice. Just doesnt have the same wow factor that the DBS gave me.

[Bruce]

Originally Posted by Rob

^^well I will also declare (as I have before) that I am not an Aston guy either ...I prefer both Porsche and Ferrari, but I do think Aston is making some really beautiful cars nonetheless.

Oh for sure, and I agree 100%.

Honestly, I think by and large, I much prefer the Aston's of the hey-days; you know, the DB7 (specifically the GT), the V8 Virage and that big 'ol hunk of twin-supercharged iron called the Vantage 600. I acknowledge that were technically inferior to the new age Aston's, but my enthusiasm for them is no less than great.

I also prefer Porsche to Aston, though I must say that I definitely prefer Aston to Ferrari.

[Tarek]

Originally Posted by bmer

You're right, it doesn't touch the Zonda, it actually bitchslaps it in looks.

,Man u gave me a great laugh .

After all it's a matter of looks when it comes to looks,but we can't be much different when it comes about performance and dynamics

[Tarek]

Originally Posted by Bruce

though I must say that I definitely prefer Aston to Ferrari.

Always wondered about why u hate Ferrari? is it the looks?

[bmer]

Originally Posted by atuv

,Man u gave me a great laugh .

Sometimes truth can be funny.

Originally Posted by atuv

After all it's a matter of looks when it comes to looks,but we can't be much different when it comes about performance and dynamics

Well, we were talking about looks here.

Anyway back to the real topic. I'm anxiously waiting to see how much more sport-element they are able to put into this car. Can it seriously challenge Porsche?

[Tarek]

^Did usee the Zonda F in person? it's simply mindblowing,i'm sure u'll change ur mind

And about being able to beat lets just say a Scuderia or 997 GT2,i highly doubt it,the othr two cars are just too much of a dynamic machines!

[MBZFAN]

Purely from an "intellectual" perspective, for $265,000.00, the Ferrari 599 is the "correct" choice. It has the fabled prancing horse, substantially more power, faster 0-60 and avant GT styling.

Deep within my gut, back to my youthful dreams and visions of grandeur, I would select the Aston DBS. The car is electric!

[Bruce]

Originally Posted by atuv

Always wondered about why u hate Ferrari? is it the looks?

Why I dislike Ferrari? Well, it goes a little like this:

When I was much younger, I was a huge Ferrari fan. And for the longest of time I had been, but when I saw my first 550 Maranello in the flesh I cannot remember being more disappointed in what I had seen. Not because it was all that bad, but because it had not exceeded my personal expectations. Prior to seeing the car, I had expected it to be something truly wonderful; something fantastic in all respects... But my first impression was very different. Rather than noticing it's positive attributes, I couldn't help but notice it's vast amount of downfalls. For instance, I almost blew a brain-chip when I saw what Ferrari had passed off as a proper paint job on the vehicle. I had expected it to be cleany finished, but it just wasn't; it was awful, bubbly, rippled and stretched to no-end. Additionally, I couldn't help but notice the vehicle's lacklustre quality; particularly in it's window sealing and metal gapping.

And it wasn't just that particular 550 - I've seen a few more since and it's always the same bloody thing. And I happen to feel the exact same wayabout the F355. I'm not going to doubt that it's a fantastic car (nor that it looks fantastic), but I'm am not overly fond of how the vehicle has/had been assembled.

In that moment, my dreams had essentially been crushed and I choose to disregard Ferrari as a dream car. Thankfully, I needn't to worry as my second favourite manufacturer at the time (Porsche) had yet to disappoint me. So, I more or less moved on, and never looked back at Ferrari.

There's little doubt that the newer generation of Ferrari's are much better in most every respect over their past iterations, but I was also greatly disappointed by the Enzo. Especially it's rippling paint job... After all, If I'm paying $600k for a vehicle, I want a proper paint job. I don't care how much weight it "supposedly" adds, It's just something that one expects. I'm glad to say that the Carrera GT did not disappoint me in this regard.

You do make a fair point about asking me if it's the styling though. Assembly and quality aside, I absolutely loved the design of the older Ferrari's. The 550 Maranello is and always will be a classic design, the F355 is stunning, the F40 is an absolute monster and don't get me even started on the 456. The 456 is actually one of the very few Ferrari's I would consider buying.

The newer cars however, yes, the styling certainly doesn't help. Don't like the F430, nor the 612 and am somewhat confused on whether I like the styling of the 599. There are certain elements to it's design that I like, while there are others that I really dislike.

Additionally, I should mention that (by and large) I was never a fan of Ferrari's design element when it comes to interior.

And frankly, I'm not only sick of hearing how good Ferrari's are, but how superior they are to everything else and how they're technological wonders. Yes, of course they are good sports car, and they're jam-packed with technology, but lest we forget about all of the the other sports car manufacturers who have proven themselves time in and time out. Needless to say, Porsche is one of those companies that never faults when it comes to offering top-notch technology and an awesome driving experience.

And last, but certainly not least, I disapprove of the company's general attitude. I think it's highly arrogrant that they choose not to loan cars out to magazines when the magazine wishes to test one of their vehicles' against a competetior, let alone the fact that they most always send a pit-team over to make sure that nothing goes wrong.

And that whole thing about Ferrari choosing it's customers (pertaining to the Enzo) did not sit well with me. I understand why Ferrari felt inclined to make sure that the car remained exclusive, but I'm sorry, when purchasing a car worth $600k I don't expect to be treated like I'm a member of a golf-coutnry club.. And if we reach back into the late 80's, Ferrari absolutely screwed every customer who purchased the F40 as they had been expecting some 300 vehicles only. After realizing demand for such a vehicle, I suppose they thought it'd be ok to overstep that production figure by 1,015 vehicles?

My apologies for the long post (as well as it it's lack of revelance to the original topic)... And do take note, that is only a summary of why I'm not fond of Ferrari. I could certainly write even more relating to the subject.

I'm sure there aren't many that'll agree with my post, nor look fondly upon me because of it. But that's my opinion and I'll stick by it.

[Pagani]

I am very impressed at Aston for stuffing a tuned version of their premium engine into their smallest and sexiest car. This engine will no doubt clear the only reservation I have had about the AMV8, namely the lack of power. If this car does succeed in remaining south of 200K, I am sold.

[Pagani]

Oh, and whoever says that Zonda is ugly, seek a therapist. The car has an exterior that is the epitomy of what a super car should be, and has one of the most breathtaking interiors there are.