1993 Aston Vantage query for any super sleuths!!!!
Discussion
Ok, I need a favour. Years ago when I was a student I worked at Aston Martin, at the time I worked in Vantage develpment and was incredibly proud to be part of the production team (eight of us) who built the first production vantage (the red one, K377 APP that was seen in many magazines at the time)
Here's the thing - at some point during 1993 (I thought it was the August edition) a car magazine borrowed the car for a "photshoot". They were under strict instructions NOT to 'test' the performance of the car as certain bits were not final spec. Nothing dodgy - but due to low volume suppliers didn't exactly bend over themselves to rush bits to us... so the prop shafts were from the Virage and used to a lot less than the 550BHP / 550lb/ft that the Vantage put out.
We got a call, they'd sheared a drive shaft getting 0-60's on the mile straight. They make mention to this in the article - I remember something along the lines of "The first (and probably last) set of performance figures....."
So - what's the point of the post? My best mates girlfriends dad (honest!!!!) threw out my copy of the magazine - and I've never managed to get another copy. I'd love to buy a copy of this mag off ebay - but don't know which issue or magazine it was in! Can anyone help me track this article down??!!!
Here's the thing - at some point during 1993 (I thought it was the August edition) a car magazine borrowed the car for a "photshoot". They were under strict instructions NOT to 'test' the performance of the car as certain bits were not final spec. Nothing dodgy - but due to low volume suppliers didn't exactly bend over themselves to rush bits to us... so the prop shafts were from the Virage and used to a lot less than the 550BHP / 550lb/ft that the Vantage put out.
We got a call, they'd sheared a drive shaft getting 0-60's on the mile straight. They make mention to this in the article - I remember something along the lines of "The first (and probably last) set of performance figures....."
So - what's the point of the post? My best mates girlfriends dad (honest!!!!) threw out my copy of the magazine - and I've never managed to get another copy. I'd love to buy a copy of this mag off ebay - but don't know which issue or magazine it was in! Can anyone help me track this article down??!!!
Sorry, meant to add, I've spoken to a a dealer on ebay has stated that the Aug '93 copy of Performance Car DIDN'T contain this review. This is NOT the "Black" Vantage K984 XNK that appears sometime around March 2003 in Performance Car.... The Red car K377 APP wasn't completed until (I think) June 1993, and by April 1994 the same car was used in a roadtest against a Ferrari 456GT in Performance Car. I'm sure the roadtest I'm after occurred between June-August 2003 (I was there March till Sept but had a month off at some point), so that would put it in a magazine review sometime in June, July, August, or September 2003, but not necessarily Performance Car magazine (or so it would appear).
Mystery solved 
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=100254
April 1994 Issue Performance Car
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=100254
April 1994 Issue Performance Car
Nope - mystery not solved I'm afraid! April '94 was when they took K377 APP to italy as a roadtest against a Ferrari 456. The review I'm looking for was a "first test" of the final road car (this was K377APP, the red one, project 2055/5), which occured sometime before April 1994 but after March 1993 when they roadtested a development car (I think it was 2055/2), a black virage with vantage front lights, reg K984XNK.
I will, however, contact AM press office - I'm just being lazy posting here I guess.
I will, however, contact AM press office - I'm just being lazy posting here I guess.
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