Photo: Aston Martin
Were you surprised by the styling of the all-new Vantage? How about the twin-turbo V8 of Mercedes-AMG origin or the lack of a manual transmission? After lots of rumors regarding the addition of a six-cylinder engine option, the V8 Vantage gears up for the soft-top convertible towards the end of 2019.
Speaking to Car Advice about the roadster, chief creative officer Marek Reichman made it clear “it’s ready and waiting.” Aston Martin plans to reveal the newcomer in the second half of the year, meaning that the V8 Vantage Roadster would go official for the 2020 model year.
“They're going through some of the final testing; the car's all done," concluded Reichmann, who started his career in 1991 with Rover. He then went to BMW Designworks in California, penning the 2003 Range Rover as senior designer. Turning our attention back to the roadster, don’t expect too many differences over the DB11 Volante with the twin-turbo V8.
When asked about the V12 Vantage, Marek couldn’t confirm nor did he deny the twelve-cylinder land missile from Gaydon, England. "That’s too much, "but it would be a good idea.” Reading between the lines, it’s possible there's not enough room in the engine bay for the 5.2-liter twin-turbo engine from the DB11 AMR and DBS Superleggera.
Aston Martin barely squeezed the 5.9-liter V12 in the previous generation, but then again, this particular engine transformed the Vantage from a British sports cars into a tire-shredding firecracker. The V12 Vantage was available with three pedals while the V12 Vantage S received a seven-speed transmission with a dog-leg layout for sportier driving.
Oddly enough, the biggest demand for manuals comes from the United States according to chief executive officer Andy Palmer. Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, the head honcho reiterated that “we’d have it” at some point in the nearest of futures.
The V8 from Mercedes-AMG was never offered with a three-pedal setup, leaving Aston Martin to foot the bill despite the fact the Vantage doesn’t sell as much as the GT. Specific control electronics and other complexities add to the cost of development, but then again, there’s a profit to be made given the demand for this type of transmission.
Aston Martin took Geneva by storm this year with three concepts, but what’s next in the pipeline is the DBX. The DB11-based crossover will premiere in a handful of months, most likely this summer.
“They're going through some of the final testing; the car's all done," concluded Reichmann, who started his career in 1991 with Rover. He then went to BMW Designworks in California, penning the 2003 Range Rover as senior designer. Turning our attention back to the roadster, don’t expect too many differences over the DB11 Volante with the twin-turbo V8.
When asked about the V12 Vantage, Marek couldn’t confirm nor did he deny the twelve-cylinder land missile from Gaydon, England. "That’s too much, "but it would be a good idea.” Reading between the lines, it’s possible there's not enough room in the engine bay for the 5.2-liter twin-turbo engine from the DB11 AMR and DBS Superleggera.
Aston Martin barely squeezed the 5.9-liter V12 in the previous generation, but then again, this particular engine transformed the Vantage from a British sports cars into a tire-shredding firecracker. The V12 Vantage was available with three pedals while the V12 Vantage S received a seven-speed transmission with a dog-leg layout for sportier driving.
Oddly enough, the biggest demand for manuals comes from the United States according to chief executive officer Andy Palmer. Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, the head honcho reiterated that “we’d have it” at some point in the nearest of futures.
The V8 from Mercedes-AMG was never offered with a three-pedal setup, leaving Aston Martin to foot the bill despite the fact the Vantage doesn’t sell as much as the GT. Specific control electronics and other complexities add to the cost of development, but then again, there’s a profit to be made given the demand for this type of transmission.
Aston Martin took Geneva by storm this year with three concepts, but what’s next in the pipeline is the DBX. The DB11-based crossover will premiere in a handful of months, most likely this summer.
Google News