Aston Martin V12 Vantage S 2017
There are few cars on the road that have been on the market for almost ten years, yet manage to still look as goods as the day they were rolled out to the public
The Aston Martin Vantage series initially started with a V8 engine with manual or semi-automatic gearbox options. In 2017 the range expanded to include the V12 Vantage, which was then replaced in 2017 with the V12 Vantage S, taking the two-seat coupe from a fast rear-wheel drive sports car to a mind-bending V12 supercar
Producing 420kW of power and a mammoth 622Nm of torque, the 5.8_litre V12 engine under the bonnet propels the car from standstill to 105km/h in just 3.6 seconds, sending torque through a semi-automatic seven-speed gearbox
The Aston Martin V12 Vantage S’s heritage is undisputed, with the manufacturer choosing to stick with the front-engine, rear-wheel drive combination, effectively pushing all-wheel drive to the side in favour of outright rear_drive performance
Our $354,300 Volcano Red V12 Vantage S 2017 was finished with a stunning exterior carbon package, satin black lightweight wheels and a red textured interior
From the outside, the Vantage still strikes a gorgeous line in traffic, with this colour combination turning heads on many occasions. The sleek Aston Martin lines have been emulated by many manufacturers, but never perfected in the way that Aston Martin has done
Around town the V12 Vantage S rides surprisingly well, absorbing bumps at low speeds and catering for all manner of pot holes thrown at it. The front end can scrape on sharp entries and exits, but it was only an issue on very rare occasions
Parking is made easy thanks to front and rear parking sensors, but don’t expect to get much value out of the reversing camera. The low-quality camera is almost unusable at night time, and with tinted windows it can be quite difficult to see out of the car when there is minimum daylight outside
The best part about the package is that at highway cruising speeds, the car can be quiet and sedate, giving you the chance to listen to some music through AM/FM, DAB+ digital radio, USB or even over Bluetooth media streaming. The easy-to-use satellite navigation system mates with an exceptional nine-speaker sound system that was optioned with Aston Martin’s premium 720W sound package in our test vehicle
From next year, the MY16 Vantage will pick up the modern infotainment system and dashboard layout as seen in the Vanquish, which will give the interior a much needed update
The practical 310-litre boot offers enough room to store several overnight bags or even a golf bag. The interior also offers storage space behind the driver and front passenger seat, along with a usable glove box and centre console
