Aston Martin V12 Vantage S review (2013 onwards) - MSN Cars UK
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5/7/2014 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S review (2013 onwards) - MSN Cars UK
http://cars.uk.msn.com/reviews/aston-martin-v12-vantage-s-review-2013-onwards 1/5
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Aston Martin V12 Vantage S review (2013onwards)Aston Martin's fastest accelerating production car ever
Aston Martin V12 Vantage S: summaryThis is the Aston Martin V12 Vantage S mark two. As if the original wasn’t bonkers enough, this latest version getseven more power but a host of useful tech that makes it more driveable than ever.
What: Aston Martin V12 Vantage SWhere: Palm Springs, CaliforniaDate: October 2013Price: £138,000Available: nowKey rivals: Ferrari 458 Italia, Lamborghini Gallardo, McLaren 12C, Porsche 911 Turbo S
We like: insane performance, improved dynamics, epic noiseWe don’t like: dated switchgear, potential handful in the wet
Aston Martin V12 Vantage v Porsche 911 Turbo S
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17/10/2013 13:45 | By Ian Dickson, senior editor, MSN Cars
Aston MartinSHOW THUMBNAILS
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5/7/2014 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S review (2013 onwards) - MSN Cars UK
http://cars.uk.msn.com/reviews/aston-martin-v12-vantage-s-review-2013-onwards 2/5
The V12Vantage S setsfire to commonsense
By the middle ofthird gear you'rein dangerousterritory
Read an Aston Martin reviewBuy an Aston Martin V12 Vantage on Auto TraderOn Bing: more pics of the Aston Martin V12 Vantage
Aston Martin V12 Vantage S: first impressionsNitpicking health and safety bods would be apoplectically foaming at the mouth if they could stand where I am inPalm Springs, California, surrounded by the vivid hues of Aston Martin’s most insane performance car yet – the V12Vantage S.
The deep roar of the V12 would drive any noise abatement officerround the twist and the Health and Safety Executive would argue thatputting Aston Martin’s most powerful engine into its smallest car isdangerous and foolhardy.
But the V12 Vantage S tears up the rulebook, sets fire to common senseand sticks two fingers up to conventional wisdom. For that you have tolove it.
First launched in 2009, the original V12 Vantage was widely regardedamong aficionados as the best car Aston Martin made, despite its keenness to spit you off the road if there was a hintof moisture on the ground.
Now there’s a V12 Vantage S in town, with a heavily revised version of the 6.0 V12, the wick turned up from 510hpto 573hp, a new automated manual gearbox and clever adaptive suspension to make this model an even morecompelling leftfield choice.
Aston Martin
Aston Martin V12 Vantage S: performanceFive hundred and seventythree horsepower. A wheelbase similar in size to a Honda Jazz. That’s an intoxicatingcombo.
Zero to 60mph takes 3.7 seconds and the car will top out at 205mph, rendering the V12 Vantage S – limitededitionOne77 aside – the fastest accelerating car Aston Martin has ever built.
At low speeds it trundles along in typical V12 fashion and you can feelthe lineage from the Vanquish, Rapide and DB9. But none of those carsoffers an experience like this when you open the taps. Floor the V12Vantage S in any gear and it punches forwards with a peakiness andhunger for revs that you just don’t equate with a V12.
You can drive it two ways: riding the gears using 457lb ft of torque andmaking relatively discreet progress, or take full control of the paddleshifters and rev the car hard in every gear. Bear in mind though that bythe middle of third gear you’re deep into dangerous territory and thenoise will quickly alert any Smokey Bears within the vicinity. Driving like this briefly across deserted Californianmountain roads, we’re in massive danger of having a roadside chat with the FiveO.
But it’s hard to resist the urge, such is the charisma of this engine. You even get used to the gearbox, a Sportshift IIIsevenspeed automated manual with paddle shifts behind the wheel. Change up under hard acceleration and thebox is quick, but if you’re only driving at a percentage of the car’s ability you feel a big lurch when you select the nextgear, though a slight lift of the throttle as you’re changing smooths it out.
The gearbox is just as stubborn when you’re changing down, and around town the Vantage S is too wired to drivesmoothly so you’re best just sticking the gearbox in automated D mode and letting the slush box do the changing.
Standard carbon ceramic brakes are reassuringly effective at reducing your speed with plenty of bite through thepedal.
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5/7/2014 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S review (2013 onwards) - MSN Cars UK
http://cars.uk.msn.com/reviews/aston-martin-v12-vantage-s-review-2013-onwards 3/5
The V12 S rocksan old-schoolvibe
Aston Martin
Aston Martin V12 Vantage S: ride and handlingWhen the road clears you will want to hit the button marked Sport. This makes the throttle response snappier,speeds up the gear shifts and opens up valves in the exhausts. The resulting noise is incredible, from a lowspeedgrumble to a highpitched wail, the V12 Vantage S sounds like a tiger in heat.
The V12 is also more planted than before and less willing to spin up therear wheels through the first few gears so you can pitch it into cornersharder, get on the power sooner and use more throttle than you wouldhave in the previous car. We’ve yet to experience the V12 S on a wetroad, so might end up eating our words when we try it in the UK.
The V12 Vantage S feels truly analogue and raw and rocks an oldschool vibe despite the automated gearbox and plethora of moderntech. This is a neat and refreshing trick.
Among the systems included as standard is a threestage traction control system, though even in default guardianangel setting, its intervention isn’t intrusive. This is matched with a new Servotronic power steering system that isquicker than before. While it doesn’t feel as meaty as the rack in the previous V12, the Vantage is now more preciseand agile.
You can also dial out steering assistance by pressing the adaptive damper button. The downside to this is that it alsotightens up the suspension, which minimises body lean in corners but transfers more bump into the cabin. On somegnarly stretches of road, we even felt and heard knocking from the front suspension. The third option is Track mode,but it’s best left for just that.
Aston Martin
Aston Martin V12 Vantage S: interiorThe interior is largely carried over from the rest of the Vantage range. It feels bespoke, with a large dash wrapped inleather and the V12 has a lovely Alcantaratrimmed steering wheel, but the Vantage’s mix of small buttons andoutdated satnav, controlled via an awkward dial, means it falls short of what you expect for the money.
On the outside the V12 looks every inch the animal, with a purposeful carbonfibre front grille lifted from the CC100Speedster Concept, and matched with cooling slats in the bonnet – one of the biggest giveaways that there’s a V12in situ.
Among the options is a graphics pack that includes a blackpainted roof and boot panel. You can also delve into acolour palette that would put Dulux to shame. For those who want a truly unique car, you can commission AstonMartin’s inhouse Q department. Projects it has recently handled include painting the badges gold.
5/7/2014 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S review (2013 onwards) - MSN Cars UK
http://cars.uk.msn.com/reviews/aston-martin-v12-vantage-s-review-2013-onwards 4/5
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Aston Martin
Aston Martin V12 Vantage S: economy and safetyThe threestage traction control does a great job of keeping the Vantage’s frisky tail in check but you need to have adeath wish to want to switch the system completely off on the road.
Five airbags should keep you safe should the worst happen and the chassis is a strong bonded aluminium affair thatshould prove tough.
As for fuel economy, the combined 19.2mpg is hopeful – we managed to drain a tank in 200 miles. Carbonemissions of 343g/km put you into the most expensive category for road tax and company car tax.
Aston Martin V12 Vantage S: the MSN Cars verdict The Aston Martin V12 Vantage S is a riot. Refreshingly oldschool in character, it marries modern tech with brutishpower to make it one of the most enthralling performance cars on sale. At £138k, it looks like a bargain incomparison to key rivals from Ferrari and McLaren, too. It’s Aston Martin’s best car.
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5/7/2014 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S review (2013 onwards) - MSN Cars UK
http://cars.uk.msn.com/reviews/aston-martin-v12-vantage-s-review-2013-onwards 5/5
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