New Aston Martin V12 Vantage brings 690bhp, track focus

The upgrades over the standard Vantage extend far beyond the motor. To go along with the power increase, the V12 Vantage has been radically re-engineered and redesigned in line with its bespoke brief.

Aston Martin has sought to offset the weight of the larger engine with a front bumper, bonnet, wings, sills, rear bumper and deck lid made from carbonfibre and lightweight battery and exhaust systems, the latter of which saves 7.2kg alone.

The company claims a power-to-weight ratio of 385bhp per tonne – a 20% increase over the standard model. That puts the V12 Vantage at roughly 1795kg, some 165kg heavier than the V8 car but with a 20% greater power-to-weight ratio.

It's stiffer, too: the suspension's spring rates have been increased by 50% at the front and 40% at the rear, while the top mounts are 13% stiffer and the anti-roll bars 5% stiffer at the front (but 41% softer at the rear). The body itself has been made more rigid courtesy of a new strut brace and fuel-tank brace at the rear, which boosts stiffness by 8%.

Aston Martin claims the V12 delivers sharper turn-in response courtesy of a newly calibrated steering system, while lightweight, high-durability carbon-ceramic brake discs boost stopping power while also saving 23kg.  

The transformation is most immediately obvious from the V12's visual makeover, though. Its track has been widened by 40mm at each end to boost cornering stability, there's a radical new front-end treatment with a bespoke (25% larger) grille and full-width splitter, the bonnet now hosts a massive horseshoe-shaped cooling intake and the rear end houses a new centre-exit exhaust, a race-style diffuser and a sizeable rear wing that adds 204kg of downforce at top speed.