Wednesday, April 22, 2015
campaignseries.co.uk
31 Beautiful Vantage gets better and better
THE Vantage has been the main-stay of the Aston Mar- tin range since 2004, and it has been constantly tweaked and improved over the years. The V12 S designation means
the highest output version of the sensational 6.0-litre power- plant, as well as the option of an updated seven-speed Sport- shift III transmission. There’s firmer suspension
too, while the S designation also means some tasty exte- rior details to mark it out from the regular car. Slot all that into the Roadster body and you have a folding fabric roof to enjoy the sensations even more vividly. Time hasn’t done any harm
whatsoever to the Vantage’s shape, and in V12 S Roadster form it’s arguably looking its finest. Specified in a light me- tallic blue and with matt black alloy wheels it is still one of the most beautiful designs at any price. It’s worth thinking about
what you need and don’t need before packing your V12 S Roadster. The boot is a reason- able 239 litres, enough to swal- low a couple of well-shaped bags and you can squeeze jack- ets and the odd thin item be- hind the seats, but otherwise it’s worth packing light. The two occupants have reason- able room too, only the wide transmission tunnel eating into elbow room a little, but it’s unlikely to bother anyone of a normal width. Get settled in the driver’s seat
and the familiar Vantage fas- cia still looks good, although the newer Vanquish layout is easier to use. The updated sat nav is much improved. The seven-speed automated gearbox works best in manual mode which also allows you to exploit the performance. Consider the opposition the
V12 S Roadster is up against and it stands up well in the val- ue stakes. You get the highest output version of that mighty
engine, carbon ceramic brakes, alloy wheels, climate control and sat-nav all thrown in. Sure there’s a mountain of options to choose from but the standard £147,000 version is far from Spartan.
FACTS AT A GLANCE Aston Martin Van-
tage V12 S Roadster, £147,000
Engine: 6.0-litre unit
producing 565bhp and 457lb/ft of torque Transmission:
Seven-speed automated manual gearbox driving the rear wheels
Performance: Top speed 201mph, 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds
Economy: 19.2mpg combined
Emissions: 343g/km
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