Aston Martin’s obsession with words beginning with a ‘V’ seems to know no bounds. Before Vanquish, Victor, Valkyrie and Valhalla, there was Vantage, dating right the way back to 1977, and standing for a luxury British sports car that was built to be driven, as well as admired.
As the decades have rolled by, the talented ladies and gents at Gaydon would release another iteration of the Vantage in 2005, one that was arguably a complete contrast to the weighty, grand tourers that once carried the Vantage name. This new era of Vantage would go on to become one of Aston Martin’s most loved and successful models in the brand’s 110-year history, with dozens of limited-edition models bolstering its popularity over its lifespan.
The truth is, a V12-powered Vantage very nearly didn’t happen, and it was a concept car in 2007 and the surge of intense demand for a production version that would eventually sway Aston Martin’s bosses to create this small but very mighty car. 11 years later, models such as this example from Nicholas Mee & Company would prove that the brand got it oh-so-right with the V12 Vantage.
Powered by a naturally aspired V12, the Vantage is no slouch at the best of times, but this example sports the ‘S’ designation as well as the factory-optioned Performance Pack, which means it produces a whopping 595bhp. This blistering performance, combined with a 7-speed dog-legged manual gearbox, sets the Vantage alight on any journey, fully immersing the driver in an unforgettable twelve-cylinder orchestra.
Despite its gorgeous looks and supercar-scaring performance figures, sales of the V12 variant were somewhat slower than anticipated, and this example is one of just 31 right hand drive V12 Vantage S Manual Roadsters in the UK. Its rarity is elevated further by the Q Special Red Lion paint, with Red Satin tint Carbon Fibre used for the hood louvres, front grille and along the side strakes leading to the rear diffuser. Inside, this Vantage sports a Pure Black Caithness Leather interior, with aptly named Spicy Red stitching working to bring some colour to the slick cabin space. As summertime cabriolets go, there are few that ooze style quite like this generation of Vantage, all while offering brutal performance. We firmly believe this is something of a bargain right now!
