Aston Martin Vantage V600 Coupé, 1995
Aston Martin V12 Vantage
Aston Martin V12 Vantage•
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Chassis No.: SCFDAM1585BR70113
Estimate: £250,000 - £300,000 GBP
- One owner from new
- Registration no. N88 AML
- V600 upgrade by Aston Martin Works Service in 2007
- 10,693 miles since upgraded
- Full service history
- Serviced by Aston Martin Works in August 2018
- Excellent condition
"It's been just over ten years, yet still etched in my memory is the sound of the Vantage 600's rear Goodyears fizzing on wet roads in third or fourth gear. It never failed to get my full attention, and I was grateful for the supercharged V8's progressive delivery, the poise of the chassis and, in time, the gentleness and predictability with which those plump rear tyres succumbed to 600bhp and 600lb/ft." – John Barker, Evo
magazine, June 2009.
'Brutal' was a word used more than once to described the fastest Aston Martin ever on its introduction in 1993, but as the Vantage had no less than 550bhp available to propel its two tons, the choice can only be judged fair comment.
After almost 20 years in production, Aston's V8 had been updated for the 1990s as the Virage. A consummate fast tourer, the Virage left room at the top of the range for an out-and-out sports car, hence the Vantage. Although the two models appear superficially similar few panels are shared, while beneath the skin the Vantage chassis boasts the kind of extensive re-engineering required to cope with the massive increase in performance. The latter comes courtesy of a blown version of Aston's 5,340cc V8, twin mechanically driven Eaton superchargers being preferred to turbo-charging on the grounds of superior throttle response.
Quite apart from its stupendous maximum output of 550bhp, remarkable enough in itself, the engine is monstrously torquey, producing 550lb/ft at 4,000rpm, a figure that made even the mighty the Chrysler Viper V10's 450lb/ft seem puny by way of comparison.
On test with
Autocar
magazine, a development Vantage raced to 60mph in a Ferrari 512TR-destroying 4.6 seconds, reaching the 'ton' just 5.5 seconds later. The standing kilometre was achieved in 23.1 seconds with the speedometer registering close to 150mph and although a true top speed figure proved unobtainable, the car was reported as having already recorded 191mph while on test in France. For those in need of even greater performance, there was the 'V600' package of enhancements, developed by Works Service and first made available in 1998, which raised engine output to some 600 horsepower and included up-rated suspension, brakes, wheels, etc.
This particular Vantage V600 is finished in Racing Green with cream/green leather interior. Equipped with the desirable manual transmission, its engine built at the factory by Ron Russell, '70113' has had only one owner from new having been purchased by the vendor as a 50th birthday present to himself. The Aston was first registered in his company's name.
The stamped service booklet shows routine servicing by Grange Aston Martin of Brentwood, Essex from new until 2006 and then Aston Martin Works thereafter. There are numerous bills on file, including that for £82,895 issued by Aston Martin Works Service for the V600 upgrade, which was carried out in 2007 at 14,826 miles. V600 upgrades were made to the engine, five-speed gearbox, suspension, brakes, and traction control system, while the car also received the V600 grille and badge set. The speedometer was changed at the same time and the current odometer reading is 10,693 miles, making the total from new some 25,519 miles.
Reassuringly, the car was fully serviced at Aston Martin Works in August 2018 and is described by the private vendor as in generally excellent condition. Accompanying documentation includes sundry bills, an old-style logbook, current MoT, and a V5 registration document.
