Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XVIII

2 9 3 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I G iving new life to an ageing object is always a bit of a gamble. Whether it’s a house, a boat, or a car, it takes a true craftsman and a bit of luck to get it right. After all, once the transformation has been embarked upon, it can never be undone. Take, for example, gutting the interior of a 15th century French farmhouse or a Brooklyn brownstone; if it isn’t done just right, the original charms are spoiled and it’ll never be the same again. That is exactly what the team at Aston Martin did when they created the V12 Vantage S Roadster. They took a relatively old car, the Vantage, and attempted to breathe new life into it by installing a new engine, reshaping the looks, and removing the roof. Luckily for us, they’re not just some blokes in a shed with a hacksaw and a parts bin; they’re masters of their craft. And the result, the 2015 V12 Vantage S Roadster, is heart-palpitating proof of that proficiency. In rejiggering the Vantage, creating the fastest drop-top the brand has ever sold, they’ve not just made the machine better… they’ve created a motoring masterpiece. Undeniably sinister To get a glimpse into Aston’s motoring mastery, I was invited out to Palm Springs, California, and hosted at the desert oasis’ newest Ritz-Carlton property. Standing outside the Ritz in the early morning under an already-blazing sun, the chief Aston designer gave me a walk-around tour of the formidable convertible’s newest physical features. We begin at the nose of the car, where the changes are most pronounced. Gone are the classic Aston aluminium grille vanes, which have been replaced with carbon fibre. Not only does this new grille – inspired by the CC100 Speedster Concept and the Vantage race cars – accentuate the fiendish features of the V12 Vantage S Roadster, it also improves airflow to the massive, petrol-churning leviathan that lies just inches behind the grille. This carbon-clad grille is best paired with the optional Carbon Pack, which adds more carbon fibre with a red or satin finish to the front fascia as well as the door pulls. Moving further back along the car, we find pronounced hood louvres – again, to help the motor breathe – as well as widened wheel arches, which give the car a distinctive stance. Stepping back, I visually absorbed the entire form. My press demonstrator had also been fitted with the optional bold graphics, including painted carbon front grille, front grille lipstick and tailgate panel. Though undeniably gentlemanly, there was something certainly sinister about the Roadster. Desert heat Pulling out of the Ritz property, and cruising through metropolitan Palm Springs, I was immediately struck by the smoothness of the S Roadster and its gearbox. Unlike other Vantages, offered with a manual gearbox, the V12 S Roadster is fitted with only the Sportshift III auto-shift manual gearbox, which relies on hydraulics to move between gears. Turning onto the iconic California Highway 74, I clicked one of the steering wheel- mounted paddles and took shifting control literally into my own hands. Mashing the throttle into the floorboard carpets, I unleashed every single one of the car’s horsepower into the pavement. As I alluded to in the beginning, the V12 Vantage S Roadster is driven by a prodigious powerplant: a 6.0-litre V12, with a new Bosch engine management system, producing 565 brake horsepower and 457 lb-ft of torque. This is the kind of power than can make men into tyrants and alter the behaviour of ocean tides. Thankfully, in the hands of Aston engineers, it’s used for good instead of evil. All told, the V12 Vantage S Roadster will surpass 60 miles per hour from a standstill in 3.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 201 mph. Not only does this magnificent engine turn petrol into forward momentum, it also makes much noise as well. Highway 74 carves its way through canyons and monument-like sandstone formations. At full throttle, the Roadster’s exhaust makes use of every sharp angle, nook and cranny to reflect every crackling yowl back at the driver. The Roadster, however, is more than handsome looks, blistering straight-line acceleration, and searing sounds. It’s also incredibly keen at cornering. There are three stages of adaptive suspension dampening, which are complimented by three- stage traction control as well as two stages of anti-lock braking intervention. To augment the performance settings, the driver can select between Normal, Sport