The Aston Martin V12 Vantage is going out with a wail not a whimper

Aston Martin has revealed what will officially be the last V12 Vantage ever built. A revered automotive icon that's been a poster car for 15 years, Aston Martin is pulling the plug on the V12 Vantage because, well, because multi-cylinder internal combustion engines are the Devil and must be replaced by electric motors and massive lithium-ion battery packs.

Yes, it's yet another sad day in our generally sad world but at least the Gaydon-based car maker is giving this two-seater coupé the great Hunter S Thompson "shoot-my-ashes-outta-a-goddam-cannon" sendoff it so rightfully deserves with a limited-edition run-out model designed to go and kick some serious bunny-hugging, EV-posturing ass. 

Let us start with the engine, shall we, because that's were the most of the magic happens. Crammed beneath that lightweight carbon fibre clamshell bonnet is a twin-turbocharged quad-cam 60-degree 5.2-litre V12 tuned to deliver 514kW at 6,500rpm and 753Nm worth of torque from 1,800rpm to 6,000rpm. Paired to a software-enhanced eight-speed ZF automatic transmission that sends 100% of the power to the rear axle via a mechanical limited-slip differential, Aston Martin claims this monster of a powertrain will deliver the 1,795kg V12 Vantage from 0-100km/h in 3.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 322km/h.

In case you were wondering or in case you're one of those excruciating anorak types, these figures make it the fastest, most powerful 12-cylinder production Vantage ever built.

Of course it would be amiss to talk about the engine and not make mention of the exhaust system through which it so loudly and proudly exhales. Designed to make human flesh prickle, dogs howl and Greta Thunberg go on yet another self-righteous tirade, the Aston Martin engineers constructed it using special feathery stainless steel just 1mm thick. This means that it tips the scales 7.2kg lighter than the system used in the regular Vantage. 

Also at odds with the regular Vantage is the bodywork. Bloated with the sweet promise of performance, the Vantage V12 unashamedly resembles a GT3-spec racing car what with its 40mm wider track and extensive use of go-much-faster-through-corners aero bits.

These include a full-width front splitter, sculpted single-piece side sills and an air-diffuser hewn neatly into the rear bumper. However, the aerodynamic coup de grâce is definitely the large rear wing (Aston Martin describes it as 'exaggerated' – so British) that is claimed to deliver 204kg of downforce at 322km/h. That's like having three of me standing on the boot. Customers can of course choose to omit this eyebrow-raising feature if they like but we advise against it – even if you never plan on using said wing to its full potential it still makes an exceedingly novel place to rest your latte at the next cars and coffee meet. 

Keeping these race-car-for-the-road vibes running strong is a plethora of extra air vents and widened grilles that aside from being a bitch to keep clean not to mention a magnet for winged insects and a few unlucky birds, do help to keep that V12 engine running cool. 

Strip away all this aesthetic brouhaha and you will discover that the V12 Vantage sports a reworked chassis designed to work better through corners. Major changes here include a new adaptive damping suspension system with stiffer spring rates front and rear, stiffer bushings and increased body rigidity courtesy of a bevy of additional braces. The engineers also tweaked the anti-roll bars, with a stiffer one up front and a softer one at the rear.

Of course knowing full well that most V12 Vantage owners would be wealthy middle-aged men battling a range of degenerative health conditions, Aston Martin still had to build in a relative amount of ride comfort for everyday use. This was achieved by fitting a secondary tender spring to the rear suspension: a feature that essentially allows for a lower spring rate than the main spring and thus a cushier ride without affecting dynamic performance.

Completing the V12 Vantage dynamic package are a choice of two new designs of 21-inch alloy wheels offered in either satin black or satin black diamond turned, plus an optional lightweight option available in satin black, which saves a further 8kg. No matter which set you pick, all come shod with sticky Michelin Pilot 4S high performance tyres (275/35 R21 front, 315/30 R21 rear) as standard. Stopping power is provided by Aston Martin's Carbon Ceramic Braking (CCB), which pairs 410mm discs with six-piston calipers on the front axle and 360mm rotors with four-piston calipers at the rear. Designed to resist brake fade at temperatures of up to 800°C, these anchors are also 23kg lighter than steel equivalents. 

So there you go, people, that's more or less the new (and last) V12 Vantage in a nutshell: a bonkers looking and bonkers performing last-hurrah of a supercar that proves Aston Martin can throw one hell of a farewell party. Oh, and if you're thinking of buying one you can't. Only 333 units are being built and every last one of them has been accounted for with first customer deliveries expected to commence from the second quarter of the year.