Is the Aston Martin V12 Vantage S a good investment?

The thesis

Aston Martin's last naturally aspirated V12 Vantage with a manual gearbox, the V12 Vantage S Manual (2017) pairs a 6.0L V12 (565hp) with a rare 7-speed manual from Graziano. Only 397 manual examples were built globally (vs. 100 US-spec), making it far rarer than most competitors in this price range. Recent auction data shows £74k–£313k range, with average around £220k. As Aston Martin transitions to turbocharged and hybrid V12s, this represents the end of a lineage dating to 2009. It offers British GT character, strong brand equity, and genuine rarity at a price point below Ferrari and Porsche peers.