Aston Martin today unveiled its most extreme roadster today, the Vantage GT12. It's a one-off so you can't buy one unfortunately as it was made to order by Q at Aston Martin. I do love an Aston Martin but I must admit at first glance I'm not won over. It just looks a bit to try-hard and it doesn't have the same elegance as other Aston Martin models. Personal opinion aside, let's look delve deeper in the details of the GT12 Vantage roadster.
More carbon, less majesty
As you will soon see the GT12 has plenty of carbon fibre which is a good thing for performance but I do feel it has cheapened the look of the car somewhat. It's like someone has added the carbon fibre panels on with aftermarket bits - really not my cup of tea. But we have to remember that this was made to order so this would have been what the customer wanted which is a shame really. In my opinion the GT12 does not have the same level of majesty as other Aston Martins but each to their own I suppose.
Power and handling
Let's move on from the questionable styling and move on to what will propel this carbon fibre one-off. Underneath the muscular body sits a 6.0 litre V12 which develops 592 bhp and making use of that power is a seven-speed Sportshift III paddle-shift transmission. The car should have the same handling capabilities as the V12 Vantage Coupe on which is based on thanks to those carbon fibre panels that give lightness and strength.
Landmark
The GT12 Vantage roadster represents a landmark as it's the first time a customer has been able to make use of the full scope of Aston Martin's design and engineering capabilities as part of the Q by Aston Martin bespoke commission service. The service first started by offering colour personalisation and trim combinations but has since expanded to give customers more flexibility.
David King, Vice President and Chief Special Operations Officer, said: “The GT12 Roadster is the first project to combine all of those skill sets in one magnificent car. In just nine-months we took a customer’s dream and realised it, with a fully-formed, exactingly engineered and fully road-legal one-off. That is the essence of the Q by Aston Martin service”.
“The GT12 Roadster is the first project to combine all of those skill sets in one magnificent car. In just nine-months we took a customer’s dream and realised it, with a fully-formed, exactingly engineered and fully road-legal one-off. That is the essence of the Q by Aston Martin service”.
Dr Andy Palmer, Aston Martin President and CEO, commented: “The Vantage GT12 Roadster is a hugely exciting project. Not just because it’s sensational to look at, but because it vividly demonstrates the expanded capabilities of Q by Aston Martin. By incorporating the exceptional engineering capabilities of Aston Martin Advanced Operations within the Q by Aston Martin bespoke commissioning service we have a truly formidable creative team.”