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Aston Martin V12 Vantage 2009-2018: enhancing the naturally aspirated V12, the complete guide

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Aston Martin V12 Vantage 2009-2018: enhancing the naturally aspirated V12, the complete guide

The original V12 Vantage is Gaydon's gentle madness: the big naturally aspirated V12 in the small chassis, often with a manual gearbox. Collectors are already snapping it up. Its voice is legendary, and our exhaust takes it to the maximum. Here you will find everything that matters before configuring the exhaust for your Aston Martin Vantage V12: catalytic converter, material, valves, tips and the French MOT.

Written by ROG Motorsport · Updated

Ligne d’échappement à clapets ROG pour Aston Martin Vantage V12

Your ROG exhaust for the Aston Martin Vantage V12

From €2,655 in stainless steel, €3,320 in titanium

Configure my exhaust
Vehicles
Aston Martin Vantage V12 (2009-2018)
Engine
517 hp · 570 Nm
Exhaust
Valved cat-back, built for your VIN
Material
304 stainless steel or titanium
Front section
Optional: catted downpipe with 200 or 100 cells, or decat
Valves
ROG remote, or factory control if your vehicle has it
Lead time
20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
Warranty
3 years, parts and workmanship

Closely related versions have their own guide: Aston Martin DB11 V12 5.2, Aston Martin DB11 V8 4.0, Aston Martin DB12 V8 4.0, Aston Martin DB9 V12 6.0.

The Aston Martin naturally aspirated V12: one of the most beautiful voices in motoring

The naturally aspirated V12 in your V12 Vantage 2009-2018 is unanimously regarded as one of the most beautiful sounds ever produced: twelve cylinders, a silky climb that turns into a scream, and mechanical refinement from another era. These engines will never be built again, and their values reflect it. The elegant factory exhaust remains calibrated for grand touring discretion: the V12 has much more to offer.

The ROG exhaust reveals it: the high harmonics are freed, the crescendo becomes unforgettable, and the valves give you back hushed refinement on demand. On a naturally aspirated V12, it is the modification that changes everything.

How the exhaust on your Aston Martin Vantage V12 is put together

An exhaust system is best understood in two parts. Here is what each one does, and what ROG replaces.

How the exhaust system is laid out From left to right: the engine, the front section, then the ROG cat-back with its valved silencer and tips.Front sectionROG cat-back: the complete exhaustEngine
Valves closed: the silencer does its work and the sound stays discreet.Valves open: the direct path opens up and the engine finds its full voice.Schematic only; the actual routing depends on the vehicle.

The cat-back is the complete exhaust system

It is everything you can see under your Aston Martin Vantage V12, from the outlet of the front section to the tips: pipes, silencers, valves. This is the part where most of our research and development goes: it is what shapes the sound, and it is enough on its own to transform the car.

The front section, where the catalytic converter sits

On your Aston Martin Vantage V12, it is the downpipe, the pipe leading from the engine. It contains the factory catalytic converter: the second restriction in the exhaust, after the silencer. Replacing it is optional: it frees up the flow, and it is the ECU remap that turns that into horsepower.

The figures for your Aston Martin Vantage V12

An exhaust system is judged first by ear and on the scales. The extra horsepower comes from an ECU remap.

Power

Factory517 hp
Stage 2587 hp

Torque

Factory570 Nm
Stage 2660 Nm

Published factory and Stage 2 figures.

The ROG exhaust works with or without an ECU remap. To get the full potential out of your Aston Martin Vantage V12, we recommend taking it to an approved tuning centre afterwards.

Let's be honest, it is our trademark: on a naturally aspirated V12, the measurable gains from an exhaust remain modest. What changes is the breathing, the response and, above all, an entirely new dimension of sound. You do not modify an Aston V12 for lap times: you do it for what you hear.

Configuring your exhaust, step by step

4 choices, in the same order as the product page configurator.

  1. Step 1 of 4: Material: stainless steel or titanium

    For your Aston Martin Vantage V12, the exhaust costs €2,655 in stainless steel and €3,320 in titanium.

    304 stainless steel

    2 655 €

    Weight
    Baseline
    Sound
    Full and rounded

    The safe bet: strong, corrosion-proof, with a full, rounded sound. The best value for money.

    Titanium

    3 320 €

    Weight
    Around 40% lighter
    Sound
    Metallic, crystal-clear

    It makes the exhaust around 40% lighter for the same design. Its note is more metallic and clearer higher up the rev range, and its finish ranges from brushed to blued.

    No worries on durability: 304 stainless steel shrugs off winter road salt and titanium does not rust. Stainless steel or titanium: what really changes.

  2. Step 2 of 4: Front section: downpipe and catalytic converter

    Optional: the downpipe on your Aston Martin Vantage V12, with its catalytic converter. Each option is placed on our sound scale of 0 to 10, valves open, with the factory exhaust at 3.

    Cat-back only

    Included

    7/10

    Factory emissions control

    The factory front section stays in place. It is already a complete transformation, and the choice of many of our customers.

    200-cell sports catalytic converter

    +885 €

    8/10

    Road use and French MOT

    More flow, emissions control retained: the right option for road use.

    100-cell sports catalytic converter

    +885 €

    9/10

    French MOT pass not guaranteed

    More open than the 200-cell: the sound hardens at high revs and emissions control is reduced.

    Decat

    +695 €

    10/10

    Track use only

    Flow with no filter at all: the rawest sound and the sharpest response.

    Sound intensity, on a scale of 0 to 10

    1. 10/10Decat downpipe + ROG cat-back
    2. 9/10100-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
    3. 8/10200-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
    4. 7/10ROG cat-back only, factory catalytic converter retained
    5. 3/10Factory exhaust, for comparison

    Valves open. With the valves closed, every configuration becomes discreet again.

    What about the engine warning light? With a sports catalytic converter it can come on, because the rear oxygen sensor reads less cleaning. Nothing mechanical is wrong: an ECU remap or a session with a diagnostic tool sorts it out. Without a catalytic converter, you will need an ECU remap. If it happens to you, call us and we will point you in the right direction. Passing the French MOT with a sports exhaust.

  3. Step 3 of 4: Valves: ROG remote or factory control

    Two ways to control the valves on your Aston Martin Vantage V12.

    ROG remote

    Télécommande ROG d’ouverture et de fermeture des clapets

    A discreet control unit in the boot and a two-button remote: you open and close whenever you like, independently of the drive modes. For fitting, we support you by phone or by email.

    Factory control

    • Only for vehicles fitted with factory valves
    • Controlled by the drive modes

    For vehicles fitted with factory valves: the exhaust connects to their control and the drive modes stay in charge, with no extra control unit.

    At 130 km/h, many sports exhausts drone. Here, with the valves closed, the exhaust flows through the silencer and stays composed when cruising; open, it makes itself heard when you choose. More about exhaust drone.

  4. Step 4 of 4: Tips: the visual signature

    Match the tips to the style of your Aston Martin Vantage V12, understated or bold. A particular finish in mind? Send us a photo and we will look at it together.

    • Stainless steel
    • Black
    • Carbon
    • Blued titanium
    Embouts d’échappement pour Aston Martin Vantage V12

The ROG sound signature on the V12

The Aston naturally aspirated V12 has a voice the whole world recognises: silky when cruising, screaming and crystalline through the revs. Our exhaust frees the high harmonics the factory system holds back, and turns every climb through the revs into an event. With the valves closed, the grand touring refinement is intact.

Clapets ouverts et clapets fermés : le trajet des gaz dans le silencieux ROG
Valves open, valves closed: the path the gases take through the silencer.

From order to fitting

  1. Configuration

    You configure the exhaust and enter the VIN from box E of your registration certificate.

  2. Check

    Your VIN is checked before any manufacturing begins.

  3. Manufacturing

    The exhaust is produced to order, for your vehicle.

  4. Delivery

    Free in Europe, insured parcel, tracking number from dispatch.

  5. Fitting

    Around two hours in the workshop, with no welding or cutting.

20 working days from order confirmation to delivery

Warranty
3 years, parts and workmanship, from the date of delivery
Payment
In instalments with Klarna
Installation
At the garage of your choice

Is your Aston Martin Vantage V12 still under the manufacturer's warranty? In Europe, the manufacturer cannot refuse cover simply because a part from another brand has been fitted: it is up to the manufacturer to prove that the fault came from that part. Our article on the manufacturer's warranty.

Our recommendations for your Aston Martin Vantage V12

  • Daily driving

    2 655 €

    • Stainless
    • Cat-back only
    • ROG remote

    Your Aston Martin Vantage V12 stays easy to live with, the factory emissions control is retained, and you open the valves whenever you decide.

    View this configuration
  • Fast road

    4 210 €

    • Titanium
    • 200-cell downpipe
    • ECU remap

    The best of both worlds: character and breathing, with emissions control retained.

    View this configuration
  • Track

    4 015 €

    • Titanium
    • Decat downpipe
    • Stage 2

    The most extreme configuration, for track use only.

    View this configuration

Every Aston Martin Vantage V12 has its own story and its own use: if none of these profiles sounds like you, let's talk.

Aston Martin Vantage V12: your questions

How much power does an exhaust system add to the Aston Martin Vantage V12?

As standard, the Aston Martin Vantage V12 produces 517 hp and 570 Nm. The exhaust alone acts first on sound, breathing and weight; the extra horsepower comes from an ECU remap. With a Stage 2 build, the published figures reach 587 hp and 660 Nm.

Stainless steel or titanium: which material for the Aston Martin Vantage V12?

For the Aston Martin Vantage V12, the ROG exhaust costs €2,655 in stainless steel and €3,320 in titanium. Stainless steel is the safe bet, with a full sound; titanium makes the exhaust around 40% lighter and gives a more metallic note higher up the rev range.

Do you need to replace the catalytic converter on the Aston Martin Vantage V12?

It is not compulsory. The cat-back alone is enough to change the character of the Aston Martin Vantage V12. Replacing the downpipe is how you go further, together with an ECU remap: 200 cells for the road, 100 cells or decat for more radical use.

Will the Aston Martin Vantage V12 pass the French MOT with a ROG exhaust?

The cat-back only and the 200-cell converter both retain emissions control: present the Aston Martin Vantage V12 with the valves closed. With the 100-cell converter, a pass is no longer guaranteed; the decat fails the emissions test.

How is the ROG exhaust fitted to the Aston Martin Vantage V12?

With clamps and gaskets, no welding or cutting: around two hours in the workshop for a well-equipped mechanic. The exhaust is built to the VIN of your Aston Martin Vantage V12.

What does a ROG exhaust cost for the Aston Martin Vantage V12, and how long does it take?

From €2,655 to €4,210 depending on the configuration. Allow 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery. Delivery is free and the exhaust comes with a 3-year warranty.

Unsure about your configuration? Give us a call.

Stainless steel or titanium, cat-back only or the complete system: the right choice depends on how you drive and on your Aston Martin Vantage V12. We take the time to talk it through before you order, with a reply within 24 hours. We are not here to sell to you over the phone: we help you choose, even if that means a cheaper option because it suits the way you drive.

ROG is a French brand, and the way we work comes down to one idea: an exhaust system should be sold with advice, not just a product page. More than 500 exhaust systems fitted and a rating of 4.9 out of 5.

Further reading