More competition for the Aston Martin V8V:


http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/alfa-ro...rce=newsletter

 

Dang, that's pretty slick. Luckily the next Vantage is getting a twin-turbo V8, which trumps the Alfa/Maserati twin-turbo V6 in the marketing game. But I really hope the next Vantage pumps out more then the off-the-shelf 500-ish hp AMG is tuning it for. There's no reason the AM version can't do 550 hp, which will definitely set it apart from the competition. Then it's just a matter of styling... Alfas are gorgeous cars and we're all still waiting to see what AM is going to bring us.

 

Looks beautiful but the real question is whether there will be a manual transmission and we already know the unfortunate answer to that

 

Why? Reports of the manual gearbox's death have been grossly exaggerated. The F-Type is even getting one now:

http://www.gtspirit.com/2014/08/25/v...e-nurburgring/

 

But with limited numbers would they spend money on two transmissions? Even the 4C was automatic only

 

Based on a shortened version of the Ghibli chassis? I don't think aston has anything to worry about. LOL.

 

Is 500 bhp the expectation for the V8V? If so, that's getting awfully close to what the V12s (V12V, Vanq.) make. I wonder what they'll do with the V12s then.

 

500 (or 507 or 520 or whatever it ends up being) hp is the off-the-shelf rating from AMG. So if it's less than that, they'll have to detune the engine before they stick it in the Vantage - something they surely wouldn't do to it since it's being shared with the next C63, which costs have as much as the Vantage.

The V12 Vantage's engine is going to continue development a while longer (per Aston Martin's statements), and hopefully they'll really pull out the stops and make it a 600+ hp engine.

 

With the limited production run numbers projected, we may not see it here in the US for a couple of years. Crash testing is expensive.

 

this one look amazing, if it will be as fun to drive as old alpha used to be than its a real competitor

 

Also, the next Vantage with the AMG twin-turbo isn't coming out for a couple years, so the V12 isn't being threatened for a while.

 

I am not confident that the next gen Vantage will have a MT.

 

I'll bet you a nickel that it will.

 

Karl, I hope you are right. I really hope so.