Aston's Vantage V12 supercar

Aston Martin recently shoehorned its largest-calibre engine into its smallest-calibre car and produced the Vantage V12, a limited edition run of just 1000 units. Want one?

South African units are available by special order only, at a price of R3 050 000.

THIS ENGINE BITES: The V12 in this Vantage means the driver is not playing with a watered-down, one-size-fits-all sports car but a real hardcore machine.

It creates some new excitement in a range that was launched back in 2005, originally with a 4.3-litre V8 engine and then a 4.7 that raised outputs to 313kW and 470Nm. The monster 6-litre V12 now brandished by the Vantage is the same engine used in the larger Aston DBS and DB9 models, and the front-mid mounted unit fires 380kW and 570Nm of "hell-yeah" to the rear wheels.

Aston Martin Rapide

News of Aston Martin joining the four door saloon race is heating up with the news of the Aston Martin Rapide being unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show later this month.

In a trend that has seen Porsche create their own version to compete with the like’s of the BMW 7-Series, Aston Martin seem to have come up with a much more handsome version of what is an elongated Aston Martin DB9 as the Porsche Panamera is an elongated 911.

From first glance of the Aston Martin Rapide one could be forgiven for thinking it was an Aston Martin DB9, with its trademark long bonnet, slanted panther eyes, and chrome air intakes finished off with that badge. From the side view, the one which lets the Porsche Panamera down so badly, the Aston Martin Rapide sits well with it’s new size and can quite happily pull off its new cosmetics, while the derrière looks as nimble as the DB9.

Swing open the Rapide’s upwards opening ‘Swann Doors’ and as you would expect the interior is both elegant, and stylish with its ‘highly tailored individual cockpit. A transparent polycarbonate roof brings an increased sense of spatial aw