Yeah I was looking for over a year for a tungsten or metorite or white with black interior to no avail so I gave up and got a black 2010 I'll probably wrap it someday as the pollen and dust in the city really builds up quickly on her

 

In the 9 months there was the Stratus 09' Zettinger got that popped up right at the beginning of my search and he got it while I was still limning up ducks. Then 2 Lightning 10's, one in Florida I flew down to inspect [not a good car] and one in Chicago that had a big wear thru on the drivers seat from crash falling into the car. Then a Morning Frost popped up in CA but it had a really poor panel mate of the rear bumper/quarter drivers side, and a few too many miles for too much money. Then my Mako appeared right about the time I was really starting to consider black LOL

 

This is what Keith at AM said:

There were also approximately 161 V12 Vantage S Coupe produced and approximately 54 V12 Vantage S Roadsters produced for the USA in 2015.

 

That's interesting that in the V12 so many more were coupes in the percentage. Not the case with V8's.

 

Was nationwide looking long enough!!
I was searching for my white (backup tungsten or metorite), 4.7l, manual, sport pack over a year.

Had couple draw backs as, advertised as manual, guy told me manual and no pic of the shifter. We did a facetime walk around and SS got exposed.

Black would have been a lot easier. Somehow they popped up all over the place and I started to consider black.
At this point two white popped up. My 2009 and a 2010 frost white. Both Manual and sport packs. Mine is absolutely mint.

The frost white wasn't as clean, grey interior and had 4 times the miles, to mine, on the clock. This car was then purchased by powerbeautysoul on 6speed.

Too bad he was only on the car to flip it.
The frost white was shortly after sold to the member outmotoring here.

 

Sorry to hijack your thread Perfurbia, but since you have your answer maybe you could share your story of searching for the V12, or did you just see it and impulse the heck out of it?

The Morning Frost in AZ that was at a regular "used car dealer" type, had 20,000? on it, was deep into it's second set of tires and you could tell from the outside tread that car had seen some seriously hard driving or track, and the condition was not there and had almost zero service history. It did have the Beosound and a good build sheet though. I remember he slashed the price down the $61k and I seriously thought about it but it immediately sold.

I've seen Morning Frost new at FCK and it looks much different than the very creamy MF I saw on a Roadster at a local used car dealer, I didn't like MF after I saw that car in person. But I kept kicking myself about that 09' Stratus in Plano with all the goodies, condition, and miles that sold for $63k!!

 

Wow... was it impulse... maybe a little. Ok, this is my personal opinion at my point in life being almost 65 and knowing at my age I'd be lucky in the next 15 or 20 years to still enjoy driving (and fitting into the car). So with time at a limit, and still recovering from the recession economy to sacrifice all my savings to keep my business alive, but making decent money now, a decision to update needs some practical emotional self control, something I do not have a gene in my DNA, typically. If I wait till I really can comfortably afford a 'toy' I might be dead by then. I also had to deal with #1 - the wife in these matters, when our life's saving is depleted, however, we have substantial equity in our home and value of my businesses. With that out of the way, in my shoes:

One of the things I've always loved about the Astons is the understated luxury feeling you have when you drive, and arrive in the car. When I flew my own plane and went to meetings, nobody questioned if I knew what I was doing. A similar psychology happens when you arrive in a business meeting or city planning commission meeting parking the Aston outside (the plates say LandPlnr). More important, driving the Aston just feels special - same was true when I had my three Lagondas. I really liked the 2015 GT I had before, but after two previous Vantages, I could see certain things and tell where the cost cutting was, still Alloro Green and the grey interior - the car was spectacular. I loved the color till a Toyota Corolla pulled next to me with the identical color - oh well, not as special I guess, but still nice. The GT in a sportshift was a blast to drive with the V8S running gear.

Sooo... I was intending on getting the next generation Vantage, and since the DB10 was on display locally for about 3 months here in Minneapolis, I tried to like the design, but just could not when it was parked to the existing Astons on the show room floor. I also drove on a few occasions the DB11 and I can't 'fall in love' with the digital display. The images of the next Vantage seems to take the look of the DB10 and add some bad-boy racer elements and for sure will go the digital route inside, and I seriously doubt I'd want one. Add to that the turbo's vs. naturally asp. and I never had a turbo car that I liked the power curve or sound, and that includes the sound of the DB11's I drove.

The Astons interior is pure class, with just the right elegant design and enough dials (the 2009+) to feed my memory of flying (I quit flying 10 years ago when I started feeling behind the curve, after 4,500 hours logged). Not that I dislike all digital displays - the Audi where you can configure a full amp and maybe a tach would be cool if I get the next generation VW GTI that will have it, but no way on an Aston. The BD11 I think looks cheap.

So convincing myself, that the current model is likely my last one, and that I know the V8's will continue to depreciate (especially my 2015 GT), I started to get emotionally interested in something more rare (hence my asking about V12S volumes).

I've driven the V12 and the V12S multiple times as the dealer was always trying to 'upgrade' me. Let me make this perfectly clear - the V8 is more 'fun' to drive and the V8 sound I like much better than the V12. So I knew I'd be sacrificing a bit on the 'fun' side. The V8 I actually drove more aggressively as 'flooring it' constantly I did not feel it was over powered, and that sound and power curve - wow! But...

The more I thought about the V12S looking at the plummeting prices - the more I began to realize maybe I could afford one someday - soon.

I have this sickness also - everyday I look at Astons on Cars.com and in E-Bay to see what prices are doing, no cure for this. So I knew about a high mile V12S at Naperton in Chicago that was for sale for a very long time. I also know if a car is not moving, eventually the dealer dumps them, sometimes even at a loss. So I saw the car (21000) miles for $113,000 and it was a Certified V12S, so the extended warranty could be purchased. My V8 warranty was up in October, so I would have about a $5500 bill to extend another 2 years - which I would have done. When I traded my 2015 GT with 12,000 miles for the 2015 V12S with 21,000 miles WITH a 2 year warranty extension for a total of just over $27,000 and they got me 3.5% financing and passed the wife test (sorta) and I simply could not pass up that deal, even though I swore I'd never buy another black car and certainly never get another with a black interior - guess what? It's Onyx black on black! It loves the gas station - guzzler is it's nickname. the V8 was somewhat frugal.

First what I dont like as much as the V8 - with 1500 miles I still think the power is way too smooth making it feel less 'involving' than the V8, and the sound is too V12ish. What I do like - everything else. I like popping the hood every once in a while - very cool. The finishes are several levels above the GT - trim and leather quality. The dye used on the GT was already wearing thru on the seat bolsters - the leather in the 21,000 mile V12S looks showroom new. The carbon fiber brakes are nice, the suspension much nicer and adjustable (I actually like the comfort mode), the sport button needs to be pressed (the GT remained on), and I drive only in sport mode. The V12S Sportshift is a ton nicer, not sure why it's not available on the V8. The hood vents alone are worth the price difference, although washing the car means all that water goes thru the vents and onto the engine. After getting the car clay'd, coated and 3M'd the black is nice - and I have a new exercise routine - clean the car - constantly. I like the stock wheels enough to keep them - another first for me, although thinking of some spacers. The 700W Stereo on the past Vantages were terrific - the B&O on this car is better - not $8000 better, but it has it, so that's a plus.

I think the value at the price I bought it for will depreciate a bit less than the V8's so 'maybe' a better investment. The insurance went up $1,000 annually, not a big deal. Probably the last Aston I'll buy till I'm too old to drive (maybe). I like looking at it more than glancing over to the V8 (I keep it parked next to my desk in the office).

No regrets - so far. Glad I did it. Impulse? Yeah. Guess so, with some logic behind it, especially with the trade deal I made.

 

You did it! Congrats!

So... where are the pictures????

Re: your comments about the "too smooth" power - have you put the pedal to the floor yet lol? And as for the noise, methinks saying "too V12ish" is like saying "too chocolatish", "too rare steakish" or "too fine wineish"...

 

Yes! Pedal to the floor mostly when already at some speed, otherwise the tires break loose, the traction control comes on... entering freeways a particular blast. The sound I liked best was the 2007 Vantage - high revving to get power so I was always in the upper rev range, great sound. I think the sound insulation in the V12S might be much 'heavier' than the GT, so I don't get as much of the sound to reach my ears which could be the problem, but it's nice and quiet at cruise to listen to the stereo. I also am more conservative as I age. A decade ago when I rode my 2006 Buell S1, I pulled a wheelie at most times I took off - a mere miracle I never got a ticket (I actually wheelied past a cop car going the other direction on a two lane road and did not get pulled over). Now I have a similar 2007 Buell S1 - front wheel never lifted - just not as confident as I age I guess, or maybe getting to geezerish. With the V12S I just seem to enjoy driving a bit more conservatively than the V8 for some reason.

 

Impulse, with a ton of forethought LOL

I had to do all that same analyzing, I think we all do when hunting what we're passionate about, but don't want to overextend or get upside down in. I knew I could afford the car, but didn't know if I could [or wanted to] afford to own it. I was looking in the $60's, and ended up 50% over that by the time it was sorted, and even then ended up with a car that has tried to kill me a few times [get the software flash next week that is supposed to cure this according to the engineers at Gaydon]. I'm approaching 60 and no man in my line on my fathers side has lived passed 62, so this was as much a bucket list as I just didn't want to wait any longer to drive the dream, especially knowing it was now attainable.

A great friend who I first told about the V8V when they introduced in 06', and went out and bought one the next day [the rat bastid!], traded that on a new Carbon Edition V12 when they come out in 11'. I called him for alot of advice when I got really serious and he convinced me to buy a V12, and I was ALL IN head over heels, till I got pulled over doing 71 in a 35 a week later and I realized as much as I wanted a V12, I could get in plenty enough trouble in the V8. Looking back if a Lightning 2011 V12 stick coupe had popped up in the search, I probably would have at least done the research, but none did. For $30k over mine I probably should have been more serious, especially as you say the difference in depreciation. Then again, let me know if you still feel the same after you do the first full brake job

How do you get so many test drives in all these cars?!?! I'm at my local alot and not once have they tried to "upgrade" me by teasing me with a test drive in anything! The rat bastids

 

They know I've been a long time Aston nut, and they probably think I have a lot more money than I actually have (for some reason), even though I've met homeless people looking in dumpsters for their dinner who dress better than me. Actually Morries Aston Martin are very generous with test drives, I'm very fortunate that way.

 

LOL They'd probably have a hard time picking us out of a lineup

It's probably because every new Aston they have is on the showroom floor which is a lot of rearranging and an elevator ride down to even put one on the street. ;/

 

Very odd, but so many Minneapolis dealers are multi-level with elevators, I think to get a job there, you need to pass a test to be able to arrange the keys on the puzzle below correctly...

 

LOL

You should see the Toyota dealer in NYC, the service department is on the 5th floor! LOL

FCK is nothing like that, but you can see the work it takes to get a car to the street.

 

That poor FCKer lol... He must have been made so much fun of as a kid...