Spy shots: 2011 Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster

Aston Martin knows how to crank out the variants like few others automakers. The convertible version of what’s arguably one of the world’s most beautiful and exciting cars has been spotted for the first time in prototype form, ahead of a market launched planned for early next year. The new car is the V12 Vantage Roadster.

The new 2011 Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster, add to the limited-edition V12 Vantage coupe and its endurance racing counterpart, but sadly, just like its recently revealed hard-top cousin, U.S. customers are likely to miss out due to legal issues stemming from its engine and crash safety.

The V12 Vantage Roadster will be almost identical to the hard-top except for its three-layer fabric roof that can be opened or closed in just 18 seconds by pressing a button on the center console. Obvious signs that this prototype is the high-performance V12 variant are the unique carbon-fiber body parts both at the front and rear.

Under the hood is the now familiar 6.0L V12 engine, the same unit from the DBS flagship. Output has been left untouched, which means the engine churns out up to 510hp (380kW) and 420lb-ft (570Nm) of torque. Performance will be slightly down on the hard-top, however, because of extra weight brought on by strengthening of the roofless chassis.

Drive will be sent to the rear wheels via a six speed manual gearbox, and Aston Martin’s new Touchtronic automatic may also be offered as an option. Other goodies include a new limited slip differential, a final drive ratio of 3.71:1, and an alloy torque tube with a lightweight carbon-fiber propeller shaft.

Deliveries of the hard-top are scheduled to start at Aston Martin’s global headquarters in Gaydon, UK, in the third quarter of the year, while the new Roadster should arrive early next year.

Aston Martin returns to Nurburgring 24-hour race with V12 Vantage

Aston Martin will return to the starting grid of Germany’s Nordschleife for its fourth consecutive year of the Nurburgring 24-hour endurance challenge, at May 23 and 24. The carmaker will be using its latest super-sports car, the all-new V12 Vantage coupe, which will be kept in near-standard specification for the event.

‘Rose,’ a yellow V8 Vantage that was first entered the race in 2006, will be the most current car to join the brand’s model lineup. Leading this year’s production effort and attempting to repeat the spotless record of Aston Martin in finishing the 24-hour race, will be the newest V12 Vantage in almost standard specs and will be piloted by Dr. Ulrich Bez, the CEO of the company, and representatives from its engineering team.

Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show last month, the V12 Vantage is the ultimate resurrection of the Vantage range that features a 6.0 liter V12 unit generating 510bhp (417PS) and 570Nm (420lb-ft) of torque. With slight revisions, the standard vehicle is being prepped to participate in the most grueling endurance competitions. This will be the fourth successive time that Dr. Bez will be driving the 24-hour race. This will be the ultimate engineering durability test for the V12 Vantage program, he said. The car will be subjected to the toughest evaluation to date under public examination just like what the company did with the previous N24 program.

The carmaker has a proven track record at the Nurburgring with road cars that came with limited modification and this year they will commemorate the 50th year anniversary of gaining the victory at the ADAC Nurburgring 1000 km with a DBR1. Coming only with essential safety revisions, lowered weight and retuned suspension with absolutely no extra aerodynamic improvements, the V12 Vantage race car will be near to production standard. Pirelli, production tire partner of Aston Martin, has chosen P Zero Circuit Racing polished tires to improve performance guaranteeing consistency and to offer concrete performance connection to the V12 Vantage road car.

The carmaker is expecting several customer teams to join the V12 Vantage on the starting grid of the race. Having clocked up four 24-hour race finishes and in excess of 20,000 miles on the endurance course, the yellow V8 Vantage called ‘Rose,’ and the inspiration for the N24 and GT4 program, will also return to the Northern Loop. Aston Martin considers the N24 and GT4 program as a big success up to this time. From its beginning in 2006, no standard N24 from the factory or customer team has failed to complete the 24-hour race in 13 global starts, a strong tribute to the Vantage’s durability.