HBH tunes an Aston Martin V12 Vantage into the Bulldog GT

We love one-off specials here at Autoweek almost as much as we love the supercars upon which they're based. And if you're a tuner trying to pick a good chassis, we can't think of a much better place to start than the Aston Martin V12 Vantage.

That's what Danish company HBH did for its Bulldog GT. The Bulldog takes its general form from the shapely Vantage, though the rear gets a small lip spoiler on top and the body panels surround the rear fascia. Side strakes adorn the doors and rear quarter similar to those found on Aston's One-77. The front is slightly more stylized than the Vantage donor car, with a wide aperture and a black grille.

The Bulldog GT project began as a one-off, according to HBH, whereby the client receives 50 percent of the design and production rights. If there is a market for a small run of cars, HBH would be responsible for production.

The first test drives of the HBH Bulldog will begin in early 2013, according to the company.

Not content with the stock V12 of the base car, HBH adds twin-turbochargers to the 6.0-liter engine, bumping output to a devilish 666 hp. Torque grows to 548 lb-ft, with a top speed of 186 mph available via the six-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential.

The brakes are ventilated carbon-ceramic rotors with six-piston calipers up front and four-pots in the rear. Nineteen-inch wheels sit up front, with 20s in the back.

Pricing hasn't been announced yet, but expect it to be well more than the $181,610 Aston Martin wants for a stock V12 Vantage.

By Jake Lingeman