For those of you who believe Aston Martin's finest road car is the V12 DBS, you'd better think again. With the help of some dedicated engineers, Aston Martin has been able to stuff a V12 engine into the engine bay of the Vantage, a car originally designed and produced with a V8 only. What does this mean? Try 510 horsepower and a claimed zero-to-60 mph time of 4.1 seconds.

The Vantage was meant to be Aston's "entry level" offering competing directly with the base Porsche 911. The major power upgrade moves the Vantage into new all-new territory. New competitors will include the Corvette Z06 and ZR1, Dodge Viper, and even the Porsche 911 GT3. In other words, the Vantage is playing with the big boys now. What's also interesting is that Aston isn't offering some of the hi-tech features available on the DB9 and DBS. For example, there is only one transmission available: a 6-speed manual (no dual clutch or paddle shifters).

Nothing more elegant will be offered when compared to the DBS, however, it's not really necessary. Aston Martin is positioning the V12 Vantage to be a true enthusiast machine. Although no Aston model could be deemed weak, this new Vantage is clearly meant for the track. With a base price around $179,950, you're getting V12 power for a bargain (especially when considering the DBS has a base price of $273,000). So, when's that next pay raise coming? Lottery win, perhaps?