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The basic idea with the Aston Martin V12 Vantage was to take the smallest car Aston makes, then fit it with the biggest engine – in this case it’s the 6.0-litre V12 from the DBS that pumps out 510hp.

This means that the V12 Vantage boasts some seriously impressive performance figures – 0-60mph in 4.1 seconds, and a top speed of 190mph, cunningly just one mph short of the DBS’ 191mph top speed.

Visually, changes to the Vantage’s pretty exterior are limited to huge carbon ceramic brakes hiding behind 19-inch lightweight alloys; a new carbon fibre front splitter and rear diffuser; a re-designed bootlid to increase downforce; and finally, a whole load of bonnet louvres to allow heat to escape from the V12 engine.

Inside, the Vantage has been re-trimmed in alcantara, while the seats are leather-clad buckets. There’s an aluminium gearknob which connect the driver to the six-speed manual gearbox – no wussy paddle shifters here - while carbon fibre door pulls are there to remind you that keeping weight down was a big priority for the engineers who developed the V12.

The V12 Vantage shown at Geneva and deliveries to lucky customers will begin in late 2009. This is of course after having paid around £140,000 for the privilege of owning one of the best looking and best sounding cars on the market.