New V12 Vantage: harder, faster and the last of its kind

Wider, more aggressive and louder, the new V12 Vantage packs a 690PS (507kW) 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 from the DBS, detuned slightly to stop its transaxle gearbox from exploding. This car, as with all of them, feels like a proper skunkworks project. It’s not necessarily the most focused track car, it’s perhaps not going to topple the immortal 911 GT3 from its throne, but there’s an indescribable character that makes the V12 Vantage and cars like it impossibly addictive. A shame, then, that this latest car is also the last of its kind, limited to 333 units exclusively and branded a run-out model by Aston itself. We’re almost welling up.

So it’s fabulous to see those engorged arches, that enlarged mouth, that sculpted carbon bonnet and that sprawling wing here, moving to the beat of twelve drums, especially now the weather’s improved.

You'll be able to catch the V12 Vantage and so much more by clicking here for our Festival of Speed live stream.

Photography Phil Hay