Sport Cars i8 Concept

Aston Martin will unveil one of the most eagerly anticipated convertibles of the year when the V8 Vantage Roadster. 2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster SPORT SHIFT designed with new specifications that include Convertible body style, 14 CT / 21 HW fuel economy. 2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster embodies the qualities that are integral to Aston Martin: Power, Beauty and Soul.

The rationale behind the Aston Martin V8 Vantage S was to push the boundaries of the already acclaimed V8 Vantage with the highest levels of driver involvement possible. Aston Martin engineers set about enhancing nearly every dynamic element of the car to create a highly distinctive driving experience. The Aston Martin Vantage range comes of age with the new Aston Martin V8 Vantage S characterised by a host of new driver-focussed features all designed to push the honed dynamics of the standard Vantage to a new benchmark level.

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage and the Aston Martin V12 Vantage are a series of hand built sports cars from the British manufacturer Aston Martin. Aston Martin has previously used the “Vantage” name on high performance variants of their existing GT models. “The Vantage S epitomizes every attribute of the V8 Vantage and pushes the driver experience beyond what we have offered before”, says Dr. Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin, “It combines dynamic exhilaration with all the charming finesse, beauty and practicality already associated with the Vantage range”.

"With every new model we continue to evolve and enhance our VH architecture," said Aston Martin Product Development Director, Ian Minards. "The engineering team at Gaydon looked at every single performance attribute of the V8 Vantage, from engine and transmission to suspension, steering, brakes and tires and considered what was required to make this car deserving of the coveted 'S' badge. The result is a pure driver-focused package that, in both the coupe and Roadster form, exploits and emphasizes the sporting nature of the iconic Vantage."

Power for the 2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster comes from a 4.7L V8, which has been re-engineered to deliver 430 bhp (436 PS / 321 kW) at 7300 rpm and torque of 490 Nm (361 lb.ft) at 5000 rpm. The engine is mated to a new round-up developed 7-speed Sportshift II transmission specifically designed for the Vantage S with seven short ratio gears. Aston Martin says that the transmission is twenty percent quicker than its Sportshift. The 2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster also benefits from its own sound with a new exhaust muffler, quickened steering rack ratio of 15:1 compared to 17:1 on the standard car and a larger diameter front brake disc with new six-piston front brake calipers, new dynamic stability control (DSC) system and bespoke Bridgestone tires.

The power and torque delivery on the 2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster is delivered at the most frequently used mid range engine speeds which creates tractable and effortless acceleration. Most demand for power and torque is in the mid-range which on the 2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster is where the greatest torque is delivered at 5000 rpm. As with all Aston Martins, the 2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster benefits from near perfect weight balance of 49:51 front to rear owing to the placement of the gearbox on the transaxle contributing to the excellent dynamics. The 2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster has an automatically retracting fabric hood which can be operated up to 20 mph (30 km/h). The S variant features a unique exhaust muffler specifically tuned to aurally define its sporting intent. A revised map opens the bypass valves earlier in the rev range at 3500 rpm and even earlier in 'Sport' mode producing more crackle on the overrun.

The 2012 Aston Martin Sport Cars V8 Vantage S Roadster weighs 3726 lbs, 66 lbs (30 kg) lighter than the standard Vantage owing to weight optimization of the new Sportshift II transmission and use of carbon fiber. Air cooled, rather than oil cooled, the Sportshift II system takes advantage through the deletion of the oil pump and associated ancillaries saving 53 lbs (24 kg) over the conventional six speed Sportshift system.

The optional carbon fibre and Kevlar® composite seats cosset the driver providing support during spirited driving while remaining comfortable on long journeys. Saving 17 kg per car, the seats which are manufactured by a supplier to the motorsport and aviation industries are hand-trimmed by craftsmen and women at the Gaydon production facility.

Both the Vantage S coupe and Roadster are hand built at Aston Martin's global headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire alongside the V8 Vantage and V12 Vantage. Each Aston Martin V8 Vantage S takes in excess of 185 man-hours to build including 50 man-hours to paint and 70 man-hours to hand trim the interior. Each car undergoes meticulous attention to detail in not only the build phase but quality control and handover processes too.