If it drives good, that tends to affect driver's mind how it looks. That said, it won't fix the design for everyone.
I like the design of the 12 Cilindri. Side view silhouette is the best it has ever been for a front engined Ferrari V12. I also like the efforts made for compacting the car. They managed to reduce the already tight wheelbase by further 2 cm even though larger wheels were fitted. The car is a bit longer in the center line, but the overall design indicates that work has been done to reduce overhang masses, particularly at the rear. The design philosophy is in dark contrast with the new Vanquish. According to Top Gear video, Aston increased the wheelbase by 8 cm, not for handling or aerodynamics, but for the looks only.
On September 4th, the Italian publication AlVolante.it published an article written by Alberto Amedeo Isidoro about the 12 C vs the Vanquish. I leave you with the translation from Italian to english. FERRARI 12 CILINDRI vs ASTON MARTIN VANQUISH: V12 ITALIAN or ENGLISH STYLE? LONG LIVE THE V12 - In dark times for lovers of "old school" engines, and in which rowing against the "green" wave that has overwhelmed the car industry is increasingly difficult for manufacturers of petrol supercars. There are some exceptions that confirm an unwritten but always valid rule: an ultra-luxury grand tourer is more desirable if it hides a powerful twelve-cylinder engine under the bonnet, even better if it lacks any electrical "help". A perfect example of this is the latest creation under the sign of the prancing horse, named, not surprisingly, Ferrari 12Cilindri, and its natural rival, the brand new Aston Martin Vanquish. SO SIMILAR, SO DIFFERENT - The Ferrari 12Cilindri and the Aston Martin Vanquish have very similar proportions, daughters of a long grand touring tradition with a large V12 engine placed in a front-longitudinal position and traction on the rear wheels only. More than two meters wide, they are both 129 cm high, but the Italian, 12 cm shorter, has a more rearward passenger compartment, which gives further impetus to the long front bonnet. For its part, the Englishman has a higher and more imposing front, with slightly more sinuous sides and a hint of a tail which is absent, however, in the Prancing Horse berlinetta, in which the rear window, almost horizontal, connects seamlessly to the spoiler fixed with movable side wings painted in black. Although reinterpreted in a modern key, both the 12Cilindri and the Vanquish present stylistic features that have made the history of the prestigious brands which they carry on the bonnet: the first, in the band that joins the headlights, recalls the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 “Daytona” of 1968, while the second gives particular emphasis to the typical grille nicknamed “Hunter”, the trademark of the company's sports cars. Gaydon since the late 1950s. TWO VERY DIFFERENT TWO-SEAT LOUNGES - Just like the exteriors, the interiors of the two cars also reflect their "spirit": those of the Aston Martin Vanquish are more refined and elegant than those of the 12 Cilindri which are more sporty and hi-tech, with lots of exposed carbon fibre. The interior of the latter is not very different from the other Ferraris on the list; the dashboard, in particular, takes up the "split" layout with two symmetrical parts for the pilot and the passenger (for which, by paying extra, you can have a thin display which, among other information, also shows the speed and the gear engaged). The Englishman's cockpit, however, is a triumph of leather and follows a more classic layout, with a large tunnel separating the massive seats in which there are many physical buttons; as for multimedia, it should be underlined that operating systems and screens are no longer derived from Mercedes-AMG, but were designed by the company. TWO SCREAMING V12s - Both the Aston Martin Vanquish and the Ferrari 12Cilindri are powered by powerful V12 petrol engines. None of them uses a hybrid system, but the 5.2 of the English supercar, to provide the 835 HP which makes it the most powerful Aston Martin engine ever for a production car (apart from Valkyrie), uses two turbos; this is not the case for the 6.5 from the Maranello company, which despite having no turbo manages to reach 830 HP, 30 more than the unit of the same fraction and displacement that powers the previous 812 Superfast. ONLY FOR THE FEW - Finally, let's talk about prices. The Ferrari 12Cilindri, which at the end of the year will also be offered in an attractive spider version, to fully enjoy the notes of the powerful V12, costs 395,000 euros. As for the Aston Martin Vanquish, the price list has not yet been communicated, but the check to be written to take it home should be around 400,000 euros.
This blue 12 C with yellow calipers and light camouflage was spotted yesterday in Maranello. The only explanation I can find for Ferrari to continue maintaining the camouflage is to keep covered those black parts that Manzoni swore could only be painted over his dead body. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Highly unlikely the 12C is less expensive than the Vanquish as has been stated here the 12C starts at around 450000 euros. The market will decide which it prefers and the secondary market will decide if this new Vanquish will depreciate as badly as prior AM cars or will it depreciate similar to the 12C. The driving dynamics on the street will decide that I think. Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
Vanquish production is being capped at 1,000 units per year. Thank you. I REALLY REALLY wish Ferrari would adopt this strategy for a mid-engine regular production V12 which they could easily price at 749k before options so going out the door at roughy $1mm each and the entire 4 year production run would be sold out within 6 months of launch. Imagine the profit per vehicle on that as cost to manufacture would be similar to 12C. Then they could wrap up with a 1,000 unit aperta final production run. That’s an easy $5-billion sitting there on the table for them. But instead they choose to make cars that look like Jaguars.
The Vanquish is so long and has a very different waist line to the predecessor cars. Very level and high level, not really sloping at all. It makes it seem more like a Bentley. The side view seems to be a very different car from Aston history. Not sure I like it at all. From some angles it looks great but just far too long in the wheelbase and side view and not really sports GT to me. And the rear when spec’d with the carbon or dark painted centre piece looks odd. I somehow get Volvo/Polestar vibes from that floating centre piece?! The interior is nice and clean but there is a plus side to haptics. Avoids so many buttons which can get confusing. Neither the Vanquish or the 12C look to be as usable as the plain old 992 which to me has the ideal mix of hard buttons and electronics. The 12C is unmistakably Ferrari to me by comparison. Haunched rear, muscular arches - especially at the rear, sloping forward, long and sculpted bonnet, low front. Couldn’t dream of paying a similar price for these two cars. The Aston should be 30% less. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Even checking every box, the Vanquish will likely come in much cheaper than an equivalent 12C (full exterior and interior carbon, carbon racing seats, uograded wheels, etc). Here’s a fully loaded Vanquish at $531,500 (base of $429,000 before options). Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Remember guys, it doesn’t matter what it looks like from the outside. It only matters what it looks like from the inside. That’s what they say about the sound anyways… otherwise your just a poser (this is sarcasm)
There is no comparison. The Ferrari looks many times better than the Aston which has some good qualities however is a bit of a lazy design. Furthermore the gaping mouth is the Aston looks ridiculously out of proportion.
Here’s my stab at 3 year “ownership cost” for equivalent cars. Vanquish = $530,000 >>> $280,000 up to maybe $320,000 12C = $650,000 >>> $425,000 up to maybe $475,000 The bottom line is that depreciation will be returning to normal for V12 Ferrari’s. In part, because of normalizing supply/demand structures, but largely because Ferrari is pricing any buffer out of the MSRP’s. And while the Vanquish price is less on day one, the ownership cost across 2 or 3 years will likely be more. Just my take. I’m not an economist, I just like cool cars.
He has a few good points however I quit following him years ago because he’s insufferable, completely intolerable.
In the 12 C coupé Sci-fiction and aeronautic evocations are no mistake, with Flavio Manzoni also highlighting the rear end design as especially significant: “Here we find what is possibly the Ferrari 12Cilindri's signature theme, demonstrating how we have been able to meld technical and functional demands with beauty. Two active aerodynamic flaps are integrated with the rear screen, creating a signature delta theme.”This clear reference by Manzoni to elements from the world of aeronautics and specifically to a type of aircraft wing, the delta, may suggest that this had been his main source of inspiration for the design of the rear end of the 12 C coupé. Although Manzoni considers himself a genius and a visionary, if we go back in time more than five decades to 1970, we see that there was another Italian, Marcello Gandini, from the Bertone house, who took his vision to the extreme also marrying concepts of aeronautics , sci-fiction, architecture and pure artistic expension to create a concept car in which everything was futuristic. As with the 12 C coupé the rear bonnet of the Lancia Stratos HF Zero has a clear “signature delta theme”. I bet that Flavio Manzoni would love to have created something like the Stratos HF Zero, which is a car that still shocks, inspires and dazzles today as when it was revealed more than 50 years ago. Still regarding what Flavio Manzoni characterizes on the rear of the 12 C coupé as the “signature delta theme”, I discovered something curious. In the world not of aeronautics nor of Sic-fiction but of motorcycling, there is a seat cowl rear (third picture) that has been using the “Delta Theme” at least since 2020. When we fit the lower rear part of the 12 C into that seat cowl we obtain what appears in the fourth picture. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Now I remember where I’ve seen that before, I sit on every time I get on my Ducati Panigale. Apropos Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
Thank you Mario for some fascinating discussion regarding the design. I am still understanding the new design. I think they made the spider as a bit of a nod to those who tend to be a bit more traditional, which is why I tend to favor the spider vs the more avant guard coupe. This discussion reminds me a little of some famous sayings- at least in English. The only constant is change The more things change, the more they stay the same I find both designs to be appropriate to their brands, the Aston being a little bit more reserved, but also a bit tougher looking. Where there Ferrari is more overtly sporting. Whats interesting, I think the Ferrari design might be a little more elegant. And this also goes for the interiors. At first I find myself thinking the Aston has the more appealing interior, but I also think it looks a bit flat. The Ferrari is a little more interesting and a little more whimsical. Sent from my iPad using FerrariChat
Jerry, thank you for your kind words. Even not being a fan of the 12 C coupe design overall I prefer it to the AM. The only thing I like more in the Vanquish is the view of the rear side.
