Aston Martin Adds V12 Vantage

The V8 Vantage gets a big brother later this year -- the Aston Martin V12 Vantage. After a year in development, the V12 version will be ready to ship as early as third quarter 2009. Only a handful of units, 300-500, will be produced each year, so expect to pay for the privilege of those extra cylinders. Prices will be finalized at the Geneva Motor Show in March, according to a press release from Aston.

The external dimensions are the same as the V8 Vantage, but the interior of the front part of the car had to be redesigned to fit the larger engine. And, since the extra cylinders make the engine 100 kg heavier, weight-saving measures were taken throughout the rest of the car to make up half that difference. Overall, the V12 Vantage only weighs 50 kg more than the V8 Vantage. The new engine also has a "normal" mode for around-town driving and a "sport" setting that takes full advantage of its power.

Speaking of power, here are the specs on the new V12 Vantage, straight from Gaydon:

• 6.0-liter V12 engine with 510 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque
• Top speed of 190 mph
• 0-60 in 4.1 seconds
• Combined fuel economy of 17 mpg

Image courtesy of Aston Martin.