German Car Zone

The Nurburgring in Germany is the hot-spot for car spy photgraphers, and today we have spotted what can only be the new Aston Martin V12 Vantage RS (Road Sport). Aston Martin's concept car has been confirmed for a very limited production run while reports about when the four-door coupe will go into production vary between first and third quarter of 2009.
The Vantage spotted has a rear-diffuser remarkably similar to the Mako Blue concept car, distinguishing the V12 Vantage RS from the regular V8 Vantage. After all, big power needs big cooling capabilities.
The Aston Martin V12 Vantage RS will be powered by a 6.0 liter V12 engine, but where the concept came strapped to 600 horses, the production version will most likely have to do with 'just' 550 hp.
The limited production run is expected to take place at Gaydon, even though Aston Martin announced that the Rapide production will be outsourced to Magna Steyr in Austria insinuating that Gaydon production capacity is at, or close to, maximum. A price tag of Euro 225,000 plus is expected for the most powerful Aston Martin ever.

http://www.worldcarfans.com/9080401.011/aston-martin-v12-vantage-rs-spied

Aston Martin is deadly serious about building production versions of its V12-engined Vantage RS concept, as these spy pictures of early production versions at the Nurburgring prove.

The car, which squeezes the DB9’s 6.0-litre, V12 engine into a V8 Vantage chassis, was revealed in experimental form last December as part of Aston’s launch of its new design studio at Gaydon.

Aston insiders say the car — driven exclusively by Autocar last month — will be an ultra low-volume project, but decisions are still being made about exactly how many cars to make.

There are two ideas: to build about 100 ‘extreme’ units, related closely to the V8-powered N24 lightweight racer and only just road-legal, or to make 300-400 better trimmed and equipped versions, with slightly more compliant suspension and a little less engine power than the 600bhp race-bred unit in the prototype we tested.

The rarer option would be priced around £150,000; the more road-oriented option would cost between £135,000 and £140,000.

Aston wants to have the Vantage RS on sale by the end of 2009, by which time new FIA GT race regulations may have been finalised to give the car a competition future as well. All in all, the fastest-ever Aston looking bound for a big future.


Autocar - Scoop: Aston Martin Vantage RS


Absolutely brutal looking. I'd have my order in now if I could.

M

Motor Authority Spy video: Aston Martin Vantage V12 RS


Aston Martin teased us with a V12-powered concept version of its Vantage coupe late last year, which officials claimed was built only as a styling and engineering exercise to promote the opening of a new dedicated design center, however in the months since the unveiling a number of Vantage prototypes have been spotted on German streets and on the Nurburgring. This latest spy video shows what appears to be a regular V8 Vantage, but the tell tale sign of a big rear-diffuser reveals the massive power underneath the prototype’s bonnet.

The original concept car had the 6.0L V12 from the stunning DBS shoehorned into its engine bay, which combined with the Vantage’s relatively small size and weight ensure the one-off ‘RS’ model was the quickest road-going Aston ever as testified by the car’s 0-60mph time of four seconds.
The production V12 Vantage is expected to feature a slightly down-tuned version of the 510hp engine in the DBS – likely to be around 450hp. The DBS and upcoming DBS Volante are to remain Aston’s flagship models until the arrival of the long-rumored ‘NPX’ supercar. Other features of the production V12 Vantage will likely include a vented bonnet, clear-lens taillights and carbon-ceramic brakes.
While production of the Rapide is taking place at Magna Steyr’s facility in Austria, for now it seems as though the V12 Vantage will be produced at Gaydon alongside the regular V8 model. The first cars should hit showrooms within the next year.

Aston Martin Vantage RS spy shots

Spy shots: Aston Martin Vantage V12 RS

I hope they make,at last a true interesting competing worthy rival to the italians from AM