ASTON MARTIN V12 VANTAGE

Biggest engine, smallest body formula never gets old

- ANGUS MACKENZIE

THE NEW ASTON Martin V12 Vantage was never part of the plan. The current Vantage, unveiled in late 2017, was always intended to be powered by Aston-tweaked versions of the versatile MercedesAMG 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. Former AMG boss Tobias Moers' tenure as Aston Martin CEO may have been brief, but one of the things he did while in the job was to rip up the plan. The V12 Vantage is his car. And this staggeringly fast Aston Martin is a fitting legacy.

The starter motor spins with that curious keening whirr you associate with a V12 before the 5.2-litre twin-turbo engine fires up and settles to a brisk metallic idle that betrays an edgy intensity under the bonnet. As well it might: though it doesn't boast quite the ultimate muscle of the version in the big and beautiful DBS Superleggera, the V12 in the Vantage pumps out a healthy 515kW at 6500rpm and 753Nm of torque from 1800rpm to 6000rpm.

Stuff a big engine into a small car - it's a performance formula that's worked for more than a century. The V12 Vantage is more than just a simple engine swap, though.

To ensure the suspension has the best possible platform to work with, overall body stiffness has been increased with additional front and rear shear panels, a rear suspension tower strut brace, and fuel tank bracing. Suspension changes include new adaptive dampers, revised bushings, and stiffer front top mounts.

The track has been widened 41mm, and spring rates have been increased 50 percent at the front, and 40 percent at the rear, while the front stabilizer bar is five percent stiffer. The rear anti-roll bar is 41 percent softer, and an additional tender spring with a lower rate than the main spring has been added to help ride comfort without compromising dynamics.