Aston Martin V12 Vantage - Geneva Motor Show

Aston Martin has revealed the V12 Vantage, its most powerful production car ever which will debut at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show and will feature a 512 hp V12 engine and an aggressive look with enhanced aerodynamics.

Scheduled to debut at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, the Aston Martin V12 Vantage is the most powerful production sports car in the marque's 95-year history.

Based on the hugely successful Aston Martin V8 Vantage, the V12 Vantage will feature a naturally aspirated 6.0-litre V12 engine producing 510 bhp (380 kW / 517 PS), and 570 Nm (420 lb ft) of torque with a top speed of 190 mph (305 km/h) and 0-62 mph (0-100 kp/h) time of 4.2 seconds.
The V12 Vantage has been developed in just 12 months starting from the Aston Martin V12 Vantage RS concept, unveiled to guests at the opening of the Aston Martin Design Studio in December 2007.
The V12 Vantage will be built at Aston Martin's global headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire. Production will be limited up to 1,000 units over the life span of the car.

The Design

The Aston Martin V12 Vantage visually expresses its performance potential through its lower, purposeful stance created by enhanced aerodynamic and cooling aids optically widening the car, while retaining traditional understated Aston Martin design.
Avoiding purely cosmetic changes, each modified panel on the Aston Martin V12 Vantage has been altered to enhance the vehicle's dynamics.
Knowledge gained from the N24 race car programme has led to body revisions designed to improve downforce while not increasing the drag coefficient of the car.

A revised front splitter channels cooling air to the brakes and to the radiator while also producing increased down force.
Hood louvres remove heat from the engine bay and help increase front-end down force by limiting the built up air pressure under the hood.
New side sills derived from the N24 race car channel air towards the rear of the car rather than under it, reducing rear-end lift.

A more pronounced boot 'flip' and the new rear carbon fibre diffuser work in harmony with a redesigned rear under floor to channel air through the new high-capacity oil cooler and maintain an area of low pressure under the rear of the car producing increased down force and aiding grip.

Interior

Complementing the taught exterior, the Aston Martin V12 Vantage's interior hints at the car's dynamic capabilities and feature optional carbon fibre and Kevlar composite seats.Saving 17 kg per car, the seats which are manufactured by a supplier to the motorsport and aviation industries are hand-trimmed at the Gaydon production facility.
The instrument cluster has been revised with even clearer dials to allow the driver to completely focus on the information being relayed from the car. The door pulls are made from carbon fibre, where even the carbon weave has been meticulously aligned.
Additional light weight materials in the form of Alcantara are used to save valuable weight throughout the cabin.

(Source: Aston Martin)