Significance
When the V8 Vantage debuted in 2005, it quickly took the crown for the most successful Aston Martin in the company’s history. Priced to compete with the Porsche 911, it offered classic Aston design paired with a new V8 that made great noises and provided plenty of performance to go along with it. The Vantage proved so popular that Aston Martin wanted to expand the Vantage lineup to offer cars with even more performance potential, and in April 2008, they debuted the V12 Vantage. Aside from some vents on the hood and a new set of wheels, the car looked nearly the same as the V8 on the outside but under the hood, a 5.9-liter V12 out of the DBS made the car a completely different animal. Once the V12 Vantage made its way to automotive journalists and enthusiasts, the ringing endorsements came pouring in. The combination of the increased power, paired with the smaller Vantage chassis made the V12 model one of the most exciting and engaging driving experiences in Aston Martin's history and prompted the company to continue revising and refining the model. In 2013, they unveiled the V12 Vantage S- building off of what they learned with the first generation, the Vantage S featured numerous changes, intended to turn it into an even more focused driver’s car. A heavily revised V12 offered a bump of 50 horsepower and 35 lb-ft of torque and was paired to a 7-Speed Sportshift III single-clutch automated manual transmission. The suspension offered three-stage adaptive dynamic damping and the car was graced with a completely revised carbon ceramic braking system. In total, the V12 Vantage S was more than 200 lbs lighter than the previous V12 Vantage and offered sharper handling as well as improved acceleration and top speed.
About this vehicle
This 2015 V12 Vantage S was first sold at McLaren West Palm Beach in West Palm Beach, FL, and has had just two owners from new. Finished in beautiful Skyfall Silver, the exterior is broken up by optional carbon fiber hood vents, side strakes, and grille surround while a set of red brake calipers add a nice pop of color on the outside. The interior is outfitted with Obsidian Black leather that features red accents on the seats, door cards and shift paddles while white deviated stitching is present on the steering wheel, heated sport seats, and center console. Carbon Fiber covers the cascading center stack and offers great contrast against the silver knobs and buttons. Although the V12 Vantage S is more focused on aggressive driving, at its core, it is still a grand touring car. In light of this, the optional 700W premium audio system has been selected and front proximity sensors and a reversing camera both help maneuver the car in town and while parking. A fully integrated K40 radar and laser detection system has been professionally installed with sensors in the front and rear of the car and a remote to program the system sits in the center console. At the time of cataloging the car shows just 3,287 miles and has clearly been exceptionally kept from new with nearly no wear evident on the interior or exterior of the vehicle. The V12 Aston Martin is a dying breed- with former CEO Tobias Moers stating last year that after 2026, the brand will cease production of the engine. The V12 Vantage and Vantage S represent a high spot for the brand, where they stepped away from their typical focus of long-distance touring and straight-line performance, and put a greater emphasis on making a car that was purely built for the driving enthusiast.
