VelocityAP's Aston Martin V12 performance exhaust manifolds and headers are constructed entirely from Formula One technology Inconel 625.
The original Aston Martin manifolds fitted to V12-engined Gaydon Era cars are extremely restrictive and built to a price, sacrificing horsepower and torque. VelocityAP's design has been specially tailored to work with its 200 Cell Sports Catalysts to bring the 6.0L V12 to its full performance potential.
The original manifolds include 4 large and highly restrictive catalyst bricks, along with very unequal-length primary pipes. When the catalysts break down, the proximity of the OEM catalysts to the exhaust ports means some cars have been known to draw pieces of catalyst matrix back into the engine, damaging the combustion chamber, valves and valve seats and resulting in an expensive engine repair.
In addition to millimetre-perfect equal-length primary runners, the VelocityAP Aston Martin V12 manifolds and headers feature a fully fabricated merge collector rather than a formed or pressed collector. Although cheaper, a formed or pressed collector can reduce power because it does not merge all exhaust-gas flows equally. The product photos show the knife-edged internal structure and the level of workmanship and attention to detail applied to every set.
These manifolds and headers were independently performance-tested on a Dyno Dynamics rolling road with VelocityAP's 200 cell sports catalysts, performance exhaust system and ECU tune. Known worldwide for accuracy and consistency, Dyno Dynamics systems are also called 'The Heartbreaker' because of their notoriously low readings. The customer's car produced baseline peak figures of 409.328 HP and 398.207 ft/lbs of torque. Following installation of the manifolds, sports catalysts, exhaust system and ECU tune, peak figures rose to 454.482BHP and 438.438ft.lbs, representing gains of 45BHP (11.03%) and 40.5ft/lbs (10.17%).
Because Dyno Dynamics systems are known for low readings, these results represent greater gains than they may initially suggest. The manufacturer's stated output for the 2005 DB9 test subject Vantage is 450BHP and 440ft/lbs. Increases of 11.03% and 10.17% over these figures would represent gains of 49.63BHP and 44.75ft/lbs.
Horsepower and torque improved throughout the RPM range, leading the test driver, who has extensive single-seater racing experience, to state: "Definitely need the Traction Control ON!" With nearly as much horsepower as a DBS and an additional 64.75ft/lbs of torque, the test DB9 became much quicker than a DBS under real-world driving conditions.
Similar results can be expected across the related V12 applications.
VelocityAP revisited this product for the updated V12 Version 2 manifolds and power kit in 2022 after its original 2014 release. Concerns regarding collector welding were addressed in 2016 when production moved from the original external supplier to internal manufacturing. VelocityAP also changed ceramic-coating suppliers in 2016.
Further changes included small adjustments to tubing routes and refinements to several joints and processes. Together, these improvements produced additional gains and improved clearances.
The test vehicle was a 2011 V12 Vantage, baselined on a highly consistent dyno that VelocityAP had used for several years. The final results were +57BHP and +40ft/lbs at peak, with solid gains throughout the RPM range. This represents an increase of 12BHP over the V1 version tested several times from 2014-2017.
All headers are supplied with internal and external ceramic coating as standard.
