Listen To The Sublime Sound Of The New Aston Martin V12 Vantage

May. 15, 2022 12:27 PM ET byChris Teague Industry News /1 Comment

There's no hope for you if that sound doesn't make you feel warm inside.

Aston Martin has a long history of shoehorning 12 cylinders into small coupes,but that run is coming to an end, as the automaker is fitting a V12 to theVantagefor the last time. While that's a big bummer, the final car looks to be properly epic. The car was recently caught testing on the Nurburgring, making all the right noises and looking great in the process.

The new V12 Vantage coupe is scheduled for a very limited production run of just 333 units, and we knowanother 199 convertibles will be built. All of them are spoken for, as Aston sold out of the car just days after its debut. The car is expected to have a price tag of around $300,000 when deliveries begin in the second quarter of 2022.

Automotive Mike/YouTube

The glorious soundtrack from the video comes courtesy of a twin-turbocharged 5.2-liter V12. Beyond a tremendous noise, it pumps out 690 horsepower and 555 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Underneath, the car features a limited-slip differential and an active differential that can shift torque between the rear wheels for better traction and faster cornering.

Aston gave the Vantage a laundry list of carbon-fiber components to shave weight, including the hood, fenders, bumpers, and trunk lid. Other weight-saving measures include adelightfully sonorous lightweight exhaust systemand a battery that cut almost 16 pounds and carbon-ceramic brakes that save 51 pounds over traditional steel brakes.

Automotive Mike/YouTube

In addition to trimming fat, Aston tightened the Vantage's body with new anti-roll bars, updated springs and dampers, and revised bushings. The changes give the V12 Vantage 50 percent stiffer springs up front and 40 percent stiffer springs in the back compared to its V8-powered counterpart.

Though we're talking about the end of the V12 Vantage, we're not talking about the end of the V12. The Ferrari Purosangue SUV will get a dozen cylinders, and Lamborghini will offer a hybrid V12 in the upcoming Aventador successor. Rolls-Royce offers V12s as well, though the days of gasoline are numbered for the storied British automaker, as itplans to go all-electric by 2030.