2015 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Keeps Hope Alive for Car Enthusiasts

Less than a month after rumors started circulating that Aston Martin would kill its V12 Vantage sports car, the British automaker has stunned us with a new version that is even more powerful than before.

As the name implies, the 2015 V12 Vantage S has a high-revving V12 engine, just as its predecessor did. Only this time, it is a new one with lots more power. The engine gains 55 horsepower and 37 foot-pounds of torque for a total output of 565 hp and 457 lb-ft.

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With such a monstrous engine crammed into a small, two-seater body, the V12 Vantage S is perhaps the company’s most extreme production car. Aston Martin says it will be its fastest road car ever, excluding the ultra-rare, million-dollar One-77. Top speed is 205 miles per hour. No word yet on acceleration times.

Aston Martin’s latest concoction proves that concerns over the demise of sports cars—even ones with old-school, fuel-chugging engines—could be premature. Like fellow British luxury automaker Bentley, Aston Martin remains one of the last bastions of unbridled automotive excess, though it did just announce a hydrogen-powered prototype Rapide S, which you can read about here.

The small company is, however, making incremental improvements with each new car to not only boost performance, but also efficiency. For example, the new V12 Vantage S will drop up to 50 pounds compared to the car it replaces, an Aston Martin spokesman said.

The weight savings come from lighter components like a more compact exhaust system derived from the One-77, and a new seven-speed paddle-shift transmission.

That gearbox brings some controversy, though—at least for auto enthusiasts. It will be the only transmission offered, which means the V12 Vantage S joins the new Porsche 911 GT3 among the growing ranks of sports cars no longer offering a traditional stick-shift. The purists are no doubt in mourning.

On the upside, the new transmission enables quicker gear shifts and creates a closer link between the V12 Vantage S and Aston Martin GT3, GT4 and GTE race cars, which use similar technology.

A new suspension system with three settings—normal, sport and track—debuts on the 2015 V12 Vantage S. The settings not only firm up the ride, but also sharpen the steering, throttle and transmission response, as well as amplify the sonorous exhaust sound.

Looks-wise, the 2015 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S doesn’t change much. It gets a new carbon-fiber front grille inspired by the one on the recently unveiled CC100 Speedster Concept, which you can read about here. Special wheels and a black roof are among other minor trim changes. The interior gets new seats and subtle updates, such as revised stitching in the high-grade leather.

Aston Martin is already taking pre-orders for the 2015 V12 Vantage S. Deliveries begin in January. Official pricing is to be determined, but it should come in just under $200,000, the spokesman said.

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