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The Aston Martin V8 Vantage is about to get a performance makeover serious enough to worry Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini. At the opening of Aston’s new design studio at Gaydon, Warwickshire, the firm announced the V12 Vantage RS concept, a lightweight coupe with 375bhp-per-tonne, a twelve-cylinder racing engine, and a real production future. These are the first official pictures of it.
The V12 Vantag...Read the full article

Specific output of 100 bhp/litre at only 6250 rpm for a NA engine?

Who's bin smokin something?!

 

That looks amazing! Even with the same paint and wheels (basically) as the XK concept, this looks like a fantastically advanced car. It wasn't that long ago that the N400 version of the Vantage was announced, and now another variant that is "production feasible". I can imagine this making a very limited production run, but big numbers would seriously harm DB9 sales (the reason the V8 was slightly detuned). I am really excited about what Aston has in the pipeline for when I'm old and rich enough to become a customer!

Does anyone else worry slightly about the Alcantara fest inside? It's nice stuff, but on every surface? Reminds me of a Lancia Thema circa 1989

Straight six:

Does anyone else worry slightly about the Alcantara fest inside? It's nice stuff, but on every surface? Reminds me of a Lancia Thema circa 1989

I have to agree with that. This car is a huge step forward with goodies like its incredible engine and carbon ceramic brakes.

However, Aston HAS to realise that many of their potential buyers are not racing drivers. I do want a 600hp engine in a Vantage body, but I want comfortable leather seats like the original, an aluminium or wooden dash. I don't want a front lip-spoiler that will hit every single speed bump I go over, I don't want racer-style bonnet louvres, I don't want hard seats and 4-point harnesses, I don't want laminated carbon fibre everywhere, and I want smooth leather instead of alcantara.

 I know the weight will go up, but by what? 25kg? Thats fine with me. I realise some people will want all that weight gone, so option packs would be an ideal way to go.

The Vantage quite made it against its rivals such as the Gallardo, F430 and more importantly the 911. Other rivals have since appeared in the form of the Audi R8 and Nissan GTR and for whatever reason the Vantage has fallen into the background. What Aston needs is a reposte to the more powerful versions of rivals such as the 911 Turbo, Gallardo, F430, GTR and forthcoming V10 R8. A 500Bhp Vantage 'S' would be perfect to bring the Aston back into the limelight. And reaching the magic 400 Bhp wouldn't do the regular model any harm too.

personally i am finding it harder and harder to tell the difference between the various Aston models.  it seems that Aston have one mould (that started with the DB7) and just look to tweak it each time for new models.  oh, and you can have any colour as long as its grey!

 

I'm with you, more-or-less, on the general looks. What's most amusing, however, is the extra-ordinary likeness to the still-born F-type.

 As for the colour, though, check the website, mate. Maybe the designers prefer the grey paint for checking curves and so forth.