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2013 Aston Martin V12 Vantage Race Car 
This weekend, the 41st ADAC Zurich 24 Hours of Nürburgring (N24) in Germany takes place and Aston Martin will be on-hand to join in on all the fun. The British automaker recently announced that it will bring three very different race cars to the event. Two of them, the championship-winning V12 Vantage GT3 and the record-breaking Hybrid Hydrogen Rapide S, are particularly noteworthy for pretty different reasons. The third and last one, a close-to-production specification 2013 V12 Vantage, probably won’t get as much attention as the other two. But that doesn’t mean we’re not going to show it the love it deserves. This is the Aston Martin V12 Vantage Race Car and it was designed and developed particularly for this weekend’s race. Far more than just being dressed for the party, the V12 Vantage Race Car also comes packed with a 6.0-liter V-12 engine that delivers a stout 510 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque, good enough to allow it to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.2 seconds and go up to a top speed of 190 mph. Click past the jump to read more about the Aston Martin V12 Vantage Full story
2013 Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 Bilstein
Aston Martin, and the damping and suspension specialist, Bilstein, have been partners for a long time and now, the British automaker is paying homage to its long-standing partners with the unveiling of a special Bilstein-liveried V12 Vantage GT3. It’s safe to say that Bilstein’s iconic blue and yellow colors fit the V12 Vantage GT3 to a tee the same way its dampers do on all of Aston’s road cars. It’s a tie-up that seems natural too, considering the history between the two companies. And let’s not forget; the V12 Vantage GT3 is a pretty fantastic race car, too, one that is a direct line to Aston Martin’s V12 Vantage road car, sharing the same chassis and a modified version of the 6-liter V-12 engine. This is capable to deliver more than 600 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, but due to race regulations the output has been restricted to to approximately 550 horsepower. With the Bilstein and Aston Martin tie-up, we can only expect big things to come for this car in 2013. The Bilstein-liveried V12 Vantage GT3 will first be seen in action at the ADAC Westfalenfahrt four-hour race (VLN1) on March 23rd before proceeding to the ADAC ACAS H&R Cup (VLN3) on April 27th in preparation for the ADAC Zurich 24-Hour race on May 19th and 20th. UPDATE 05/15/13: The Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 is ready to rumble out on the track after the British brand officially announced plans to compete in this weekend’s Nürburgring 24 Hour race. Best of luck, fellas! Aston Martin will Race in North America Next Season
Aston Martin and TRG (The Racers Group) have just signed a partnership that will bring the famous British sports car to a North American racing series starting next season. TRG will receive a total of 10 race cars that will be seen in competitions like the Twelve Hours of Sebring, Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, The Grand American Rolex Series and the Pirelli World Challenge Series. The first model we will see on the race track is the Vantage GTE. It will be unveiled at the Sebring winter test session on February 7th and then raced in the Twelve Hours of Sebring in March. The TRG-AMR Vantage GT3 will be raced in competitions like The Grand American Rolex Series and the Pirelli World Challenge Series, while the V8 Vantage GT4 will be raced in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. The GTE version and the GT4 are based on the production version Vantage V8 and are powered by a 4.7-liter V-8 engine producing 420 horsepower, while the GT3 is based on the V12 Vantage and will be offered with a 6.0-liter V-12 engine. "We are delighted to form this innovative new partnership with TRG which presents great potential across a variety of racing competitions. In TRG we have a proven race partner who clearly knows how to be competitive and win races, helping us achieve new levels of success in North American motorsport for Aston Martin," said John Gaw, Managing Director of Aston Martin Racing.
2010-2012 Aston Martin V12 Vantage Recalled Quality and safety took a hit this week as a number of vehicles are headed back to the dealer for some much needed repairs. It started with 432 units of the 2013 SL-Class recalled due to an air-conditioner refrigerant line before the Toyota whammy of 7.4 million units recalled because of a potential malfunction with the power window systems. Today, the recall affects a total of 169 Aston Martin V12 Vantage coupe models produced between 2010 and 2012. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, those models have failed to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems." "On these vehicles, the low tire pressure warning light will not illuminate until the tire pressure in the front tires is more than 25% below the recommended cold tire pressure." Under certain situations, this problem could lead to tire failure and a possible crash. From the 169 units, only 148 were delivered to customers, while the other 21 units are being put on hold until the problem is solved. The owners who have received their models are being asked to take their vehicles to the nearest dealer where their car will have the software for the tire pressure monitoring system reprogrammed free of charge.
2012 Aston Martin V12 ZagatoBack in 2011, Aston Martin introduced the V12 Zagato Concept to the world, a supercar that was born from the creative minds of Aston Martin and Italian coachbuilder, Zagato. The overwhelming popularity of the concept prompted the folks over at Aston to expedite the release of the production car and lo and behold, the production car was supposed to make an appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show. But what we saw at Frankfurt appeared to be the same one we saw at Pebble Beach and Villa d’Este, albeit with a new trunk lid as opposed to the huge spoiler we saw before. The ’production version’ of the V12 Zagato was one of the highlights of Aston Martin’s booth at Frankfurt, where it was joined by the pair of V12 Zagato race car variants that participated at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring - ’Zig’ and ’Zag’ - as well as the One-77 supercar and the newly released Virage and Vantage S. Now, Aston Martin has finally revealed all the goods for their exquisite super car. UPDATE 07/23/12: Aston Martin has announced that only 101 units of the V12 Zagato will be produced, making an already exclusive car that much more limited. The number is also 49 less than what the British automaker initially suggested so keep this new update in mind when you’re thinking of making a purchase. Hit the jump to read more on the Aston Martin V12 Zagato. Full story 2013 Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster
After being rumored for about three years now, the new V12 Vantage Roadster is finally here! Aston Martin hasn’t released any details on it just yet, but the first official images and specs have already surfaced the web. Before you get too excited, we have to tell you that this news comes with a dark side: the new V12 Vantage Roadster will be limited to only 101 units making it almost as exclusive as the One-77 and the V12 Zagato supercars. Just like the coupe version, the V12 Vantage Roadster will be powered by a 6.0 liter V12 engine that delivers an amazing 510 HP and 420 lbs-ft of torque. Unlike the coupe, however, the new roadster has received a few updates: a revised rear deck lid with a re-designed spoiler, a redesigned front air gurney, and modified front and rear suspensions. These changes were made in order to ensure that the open-top version would have the same aerodynamic results as the coupe. UPDATE 07/11/2012: Aston Martin has unveiled a new set of images for the V12 Vantage Roadster and have also confirmed that the model will only be available in select markets as a limited edition. For the massive group of us that will more than likely never be able to own one, revel in the new images of the V12 Vantage Roadster in the gallery provided. Hit the jump for the full review on the Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster. Full story 2012 Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3
Aston Martin will be entering the ADAC Zurich Nürburgring 24 Hours for the seventh successive year. On May 19, 2012, a total of eight Vantage racers will line up for the start, with the most impressive being the V12 powered Vantage GT3. The Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 will carry the iconic #007 designation, and will be driven by Johannes and Ferdinand Stuck (A) – sons of triple Nürburgring 24 Hour winner Hans-Joachim Stuck – alongside Dennis Rostek (D) and Aston Martin Racing factory driver Darren Turner (GB). According to Aston Martin, the company did everything possible to keep the racing car as close to the production version as possible, except of course for the aerodynamic package needed and a few changes to the technical parts of the vehicle to adapt the car to the circuit. David King, Aston Martin’s Head of Motorsport, said: "The Nürburgring 24 Hour race is the most important 24-hour race in the world for GT cars. The quality of the entry in the GT3 class and throughout the field is truly impressive. It is a hugely important step for us to be challenging in the SP9 class, with a top class partner team and a fine driver line up. The V12 Vantage GT3 has a direct line to our V12 Vantage road car, sharing the same chassis and base engine, and I know all the fans will love to see and hear these cars hopefully running near the front of the pack." 2013 Aston Martin VantageThe history of the Aston Martin Vantage began back in 2005 with the unveiling of the V8 version. Then in 2009, the model expanded with the addition of a V12 version. After a series of technological updates received in 2008, the model has now been revised once again. The updated Vantage will be displayed this year at the Geneva Motor Show next to the recently announced Zagato version. Most changes have been made to the V8 version, while the V12 model continues unchanged. For the V8 model Aston Martin has replaced the optional six-speed Sportshift automated manual transmission with a new seven-speed Sportshift one. Also, a series of updates have been made to the car’s chassis and a new braking system has also been added. As for the exterior and the interior updates, most changes have been inspired by the Vantage S and N400 limited edition and make the car looking more aerodynamic and sportier. UPDATE 04/11/2012: Aston Martin has announced the US prices for the new V8 Vantage model. The coupe version will be priced at $118,370 while the roadster version goes up to $132,870. We are still waiting to see how much we will have to pay for the V12 version. Hit the jump to read more about the new Aston Martin Vantage. Full story Video: Forza 4 March Pirelli Pack features V12 ZagatoTurn 10 Studios has announced the launch of the new Forza 4 March Pirelli Pack on March 6th. The new pack will add ten more cars to your Foza 4 garage, including the new Aston Martin V12 Zagato. As the V12 Zagato will be limited to only 150 units this might be your only chance to actually drive it. The car is powered by a 6.0-liter V12 engine mated to a six-speed automated manual transmission for a total output of 510 horsepower and 420 lb/ft of torque. Next to it the pack will also include: 1971 Ferrari #2 Ferrari Automobili 312 P, 2012 Ultima GTR, 1969 Chevrolet Nova SS 396, 2010 Renault Clio RS, 1966 Ford Country Squire, 1995 BMW 850C Si, 1986 Alfa Romeo GTV-6, 2011 Wiesmann GT MF5, 1969 Chevrolet Corvair Monza.
Production model of the Aston Martin V12 Zagato set to be revealed in Kuwait The highly-talked about Aston Martin V12 Zagato has been a source of great interest from all four corners of the auto industry since it was first revealed last year. Now it appears that we’re headed closer and closer to the production version’s official world debut at the Kuwait Concours d’ Elegance this coming February 15. While it appears curious for Aston Martin to pick Kuwait to reveal their new supercar, such a decision was made in large part because it’s the only event of its type in the Middle East, which is a burgeoning market for Aston Martin. "We are excited to show the new V12 Zagato for the first time in production form at the Kuwait Concours d’Elegance," said Dr Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin. "Over 50 years since the introduction of the iconic DB4GT Zagato, Aston Martin and Zagato have collaborated to create this modern interpretation which remains true to the original focus of craftsmanship, performance and exclusivity." Aston Martin has yet to announce any modifications - if there are any - for the production version, so you can expect it to be as awesome as the dynamic concept seen in May 2011 which packed a walloping 6.0-liter V12 engine that developed 510 horsepower and 420 lb/ft of torque. Only 150 units of the carbon and aluminum supercar will be built with an expected price tag of around £330,000 - that’s about half-a-million greenbacks - making it a hefty purchase for even the most financially-endowed auto enthusiast. Check out Aston Martin’s press release after the jump. Full story | Aston-Martin V12 latest reviews:Find us on Facebook | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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