Motoring / Cars and Bikes

Limited Edition 2018 Aston Martin V12 Vantage V600 Sports Car

Most of the time, when a brand launches a new edition based on an older model. It tends to be further back in the brand’s heritage. Not so for the new Aston Martin V12 Vantage V600.

May 14, 2018 | By Jonathan Ho

Most of the time, whenĀ a brand launches a new edition based on an older model. It tends to be further back in the brand’s heritage. Not so for the newĀ Aston Martin V12 Vantage V600 Sports Car. The 2018Ā V12 Vantage V600 Sports CarĀ finds its muse from theĀ 1998 V8 Vantage V600. Rather than turbo-it up like every souped up luxury sports car today, theĀ  Aston Martin V12 Vantage V600 Sports Car is aĀ great tribute to naturally aspirated power.

With expected deliveries to begin third quarter 2018, AstonĀ Martinā€™s bespoke division, Q, will produce seven coupes and seven roadster V12 Vantage V600s.

NewĀ Aston Martin V12 Vantage V600 Sports Car

Aston Martin redesigned the new Vantage V12 Vantage V600 Sports Car for 2018Ā turned to an older model, barely 20 years old, for a limited-edition run. Finding muse in the Virage series sold from 1989 to 2000, the V600 edition from 1998 was a full throated, 600 horsepower supercharged beast, one of the most powerful sports cars of the era. But, to understand where Aston Martin is going with the new 2018Ā Aston Martin V12 Vantage V600 Sports Car, one has to understand how the legend was built.

In 1992, Aston Martin looked to updating its two-tonne Virage V8 Grand Tourer, great on straights, terrible on winding roads, it wasĀ more luxurious but not as performance driven as its competing Ferrari 456. When the carmaker rethought their Grand Tourer, they decided that the follow up would be a Vantage V600 withĀ outputs ofĀ 600 horse power thanks to the supercharged engine delivering 447kW versus the older model 410kW (550hp) behemoth.

With tweaked suspensions and improved roll-bars, the two tonne 1998 Vantage V600 could complete its century sprint in 4.6 seconds, performed nimbly on bends and on straights, swallowed asphalt at 320kmh. The newĀ V12 Vantage V600 Sports Car is designed to elicit unrivalled excitement and deliver dynamic drivability with its lightweight, carbon fibre body potentiallyĀ cutting its weight by 1/4 toĀ just 1,530kg and near perfect 50:50 weight distribution.

A rigid subframe within this backbone delivers enhanced stability for the suspension. The overwhelming benefit is beautifully responsive control behind the wheel while theĀ seven-speed manual transmission and front and rear dual independent forged wishbone suspension together with adaptive damping with sensors on the car to detect the prevailing driving conditions,Ā make the 2018Ā Aston Martin V12 Vantage V600 Sports Car one of the most driver responsive to date.Ā More technological innovation comes with Dynamic Torque Vectoring and an Electronic Rear Differential, linked to the Vantageā€™s electronic stability control system. A first for an Aston Martin, the Electronic Rear Differentialā€™s speed and sensitivity of response enhances cornering performance, high speed stability and manoeuvrability, enabling the driver to fully explore the Vantageā€™s dynamic capabilities.

Furthermore, the master cylinder and booster of the newĀ V12 Vantage V600 have been updated to ensure the 2018 Limited Edition Vantage feels and responds as a true sports car, creating a more responsive, confidence inspiring drive. The heart of the new Limited Edition Vantage beats with a naturally aspirated 5.9-litre, 592bhp V12 whichĀ is also usedĀ in the Rapide and Vanquish S.

The sports car is available on request with deliveries set to begin in the third quarter of 2018.

 


 
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