Well done. Please post an interior picture when you can. To those who haven't seen Morning Frost in person, it is truly an incredibly deep tonal white which is simply beautiful to admire. It's a complicated color which adds to the cars intrigue.
What a beast...didn't think I'd ever call an Aston that...but it fits...I wonder what that v12 sounds like? Congrats...you are living our car dreams
This car really is an all around sophisticated beast. Just what I was looking for. I am figuring out the car this weekend and will post a more detailed review with more pics and vid to come..... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
So here is how my Saturday went...after running some morning errands, I fired up the V12VS to cruise over to the mall to get a haircut, then run some more errands in the car, and finally ended with a short spirited run through some canyons. This allowed me to get some varied driving experience with the car. I will also try to make some comparisons with other cars that I'm familiar with. Here is what I am impressed about the V12VS: EXTERIOR: I've always been a sucker for Aston's seductive lines....they just draw me in, and it's a timeless design. I've commented on the paint process previously, and it shows radiantly. The V12VS possesses a different appeal than say the Vanquish, as it should. It is much more aggressive and balanced. It could rightfully be more of a beast than elegant, but yet possesses both grace and brutality. It is not as aggressive as a Ferrari or Lambo, but closer to the seductive nature of the CGT. Parked at the mall, it attracts males and females alike, both young and old. It is also understated enough that I feel comfortable with not too many gawkers....well..... Conclusion: I'm enamored by the artistic design....10/10. POWER: This is the fastest street car Aston has made (save the One-77), and 565 HP, with 457 lbs-ft TQ is no slouch. On the freeway over, I just kept feeling the car pull with a very linear power band throughout the RPM gauge. Part of this is due to the fact that 376 lbs-ft TQ is available at 1000 RPM, so there is a lot of power down low. This is one of the few cars I feel has a lot of power at low RPM. As a point of reference, the Scuderia has 508 HP and 350 lbs-ft TQ (but the V12VS weighs 3600 lbs, whereas the Scud is 3100 lbs.). Most cars I have driven, Scud, M5, M6, have peak power in the higher RPM range above 4000. Even in the Lotus, 2nd cam comes on at around 5000 RPM. Only other car that feels this linear to me is my CGT, which has 612 HP, and 435 lb-ft TQ (3000 lbs.). Conclusion: plenty of power......9/10. INTERIOR: OK, some say the interior is in need of a refresh, and not much has changed. But something about Aston leather and the interior makes for a very special occasion just even sitting in the driver seat. The seat is Extremely comfortable, and excellent for long trips. I have white contrast stitching against black leather. CF upper dash, CF paddle shifters, Alcantara roof....all nice touches. The Nav has been updated to Garmin, but still looks antiquated. Conclusion: best interior over Ferrari and Porsche in terms of feel and ambience. Antiquated tech....8/10. BRAKING: The 3rd generation Carbon Ceramics has the largest surface area made for an Aston, and the braking feel is phenomenal. Better than my 16M and even better than the CGT - for which both, I have to press fairly hard on brake pedal for response. The V12VS CCB's are the best I have ever felt on any car. Smooth, progressive and enormous stopping power. Conclusion: best braking I have experienced.........10/10. SUSPENSION: The 3 stage adaptive damping system is done right. In normal mode, for daily driving, it feels more comfortable than my previous DBS or V8V. No stiffness, just a comfortable ride. Sport suspension really stiffens things up and the steering feels much more responsive. The tighter steering ratio at 15:1 also is a huge improvement, very direct. No significant understeer or oversteer. Better than my Scud - the Scud on track has significant understeer (but this can all be due to setup as well). Track mode makes things real stiff and tight - really for carving turns aggressively. In this mode, steering is close to CGT, but can't compare to a CF monocoque/chassis. Conclusion: Different modes really adjust to different driving styles....9/10. TRANSMISSION: Aw the talk around town, as if it is the misguided stepchild. So let's compare some SCT's. Average manual shifts are around 500 ms (my CGT or Lotus). BMW SMGIII (2007 M6, 2008 M5) is around 250 ms, Enzo is 150 ms. The F1-Superfast 2 in the Scud is 60 ms. BMW M3 92 DCT is 80 ms. So the Graziano Sportshift III in the V12VS is around 80 ms.....so it is pretty darn quick and feels as such. When driving aggressively in Sport mode, the shifts seem even quicker (hypershift). The upshifts are smooth and fast in all forms of driving - cruising or canyon carving. The downshifts are a bit slower, but again are smooth in all modes of driving. There is no lag or "whiplash" sensation in any shifts that I have experienced. It is not as fast as the Scud, but it is smoother. Redline is around 7500 RPM, which is a little lower than I'm used to. Here is where the transmission is LAME: In "automatic" Drive mode. But I will say this: You are LAME to be driving in this mode, Ever! I tried it once and will never push the "D" button again. This is where the transmission lags and lurches and just feels downright confused and slow....very much reminded me of the SMG's in the "auto" mode, horrible. But I will say that of all paddle shifters I have owned, I NEVER drive in "auto drive" mode. If you can't flick a paddle 2 inches, then you shouldn't be driving this car. Conclusion: Not as fast as the Scud, but for all forms of driving (except D mode), it is fast and smooth for a SCT.....8/10. [What's all the fuss?] OVERALL: I am thoroughly impressed by this car, and it's purpose for me as a daily driver. Cruising on errands (still in Sport mode, normal suspension), the car feels like a GT luxury car with a tinge of rawness. But as soon as you want the beastly nature of it to come out, the throttle response is right at your foot, and you can carve a corner with agility. This is a car I will drive to work, to the golf course, on a date with the wife, pick up my kid at school, occasional car meets, and even Home Depot. For me, it is all around that good. Stay tuned. (I'll be taking more pics, and of course vids of the V12 sound )
A big congratulations on your new purchase! I am a big Aston lover but have yet to take the plunge. I love the color as well. Thanks for the great review, it definitely helps. I was looking at a DBS but may wait for the v12S. I may actually be fine with the previous V12V.
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Your AM is gorgeous Ed! I enjoyed reading your write-up. Enjoy it in good health. I'm not sure if I missed it somewhere but which other toy did you decide to get rid of?
Thanks very much! I'm still in the honeymoon phase with the AM. It's a thrill to drive every day. Regretfully, I gave up my S260 which is such a pure driver's car. I don't think any street car handles as agile as a Lotus, but the daily driving was a tad much for me. The V12VS reminds me of a hybrid between my old E60 M5 (power and exhaust symphony) and the Exige (raw and tight handling). The dichotomy of the two is well balanced in the V12. Gone but not forgotten... Sent from my 16M
I would have to agree that the S260 is a pure driver's car. They are very unpractical for daily driving and it seemed like a hassle to get in the few times I was able to get behind the wheel of them. I assume it would have been easier if I daily drove one. I am glad you were able to find that right car with the right balance between the two. The green on the S260 just pops! Let us have a moment of silence...
Eddie- finally found this thread! awesome review..thanks for wasting over an hour of my work day lol!!
Anything for you! If I ever consider selling, I know who to contact Remember the first one I had? Btw any news on our car pics? Sent from my 16M
