Nothing like a bit of auto porn to kick off the New Year, so here's a couple of special editions of the Aston Martin V12 Vantage and DBS that are being marketed by the luxo-sporting Brit brand under the Carbon Black Edition banner.
As the name suggests, the low-volume Astons are laced with carbonfibre, and a predominantly black theme (with the odd chrome/silver highlight) pervades both inside and outside.
The company is now taking orders for the Carbon Black Edition V12 Vantage and DBS, and the bespoke treatment is expected to add about five percent to the cost of each car, which suggests the Carbon Black Edition V12 Vantage should start around $400k, while the Carbon Black Edition DBS is likely to start around $490K.
Headlining the upgrades is a black metallic paint job (that reportedly takes 50 man-hours to apply), while the Vantage also gains a carbonfibre strake over a black mesh side vent and 10-spoke gloss black diamond turned alloys. Buyers will also be invited to Aston's Performance Driving Course to sharpen up their wheelwork.
The interiors of both low-volume cars are lathered with black leather and Alcantara, piano-black centre-console trim and the odd silver highlight for contrast. Audiophiles are catered to by a 700-watt Aston Martin system in the Vantage, while the DBS scores an ultra-premium Bang & Olufsen stereo.
Incidentally, the upholstery is hand stitched with silver thread at Aston's Gaydon headquarters. The seats themselves are carbonfibre/kevlar items that save 17kg over the standard pews.
However, the Carbon Black Edition Vantage and DBS are more about aesthetics than added performance, so both cars retain the standard drivetrain and suspension set-ups.
That said, a 6.0-litre V12 that cranks out 380kW and 570Nm can hardly be described as weedy in the first place, and the V12 Vantage can knock off the 0-100km/h dash in 4.2sec and top 305km/h, while the DBS is a tenth slower to 100 kays but 2km/h faster overall.
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