It has to be said that the previous generation of Aston Martin Vantage, as good as it looked and sounded, was becoming prey in the supercar arms race. Whilst Porsche, Ferrari, Audi, and McLaren moved relentlessly forward with their respective model lines, it always seemed that the previous generation of Vantage was being held back by its dated infotainment systems, single-clutch 'SportShift' gearboxes, and classic yet ageing looks in need of a refresh.
That isn't to say that the previous Vantage wasn't a brilliant car; the swansong GT12 and GT8 proved to be two of the purest and most brutal cars produced. Indeed, the previous Vantage had been in the Aston lineup since 2005, and with a number of iterations, versions, and evolutions, it became obvious that there was only a certain amount of facelifting and rejuvenation it could undergo before it was well and truly obsolete.
That's where the new Vantage comes in.
That isn't to say that the previous Vantage wasn't a brilliant car; the swansong GT12 and GT8 proved to be two of the purest and most brutal cars produced. Indeed, the previous Vantage had been in the Aston lineup since 2005, and with a number of iterations, versions, and evolutions, it became obvious that there was only a certain amount of facelifting and rejuvenation it could undergo before it was well and truly obsolete.
That's where the new Vantage comes in.
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Built to hunt down the likes of the Porsche 911, Audi R8, Ferrari California T, and Mercedes AMG GT S, making a car for this segment (which is already loaded with talent) is no mean feat.
But we've got good news from the front lines: the new Vantage is more than capable, at least upon initial impressions, to survive in the sports/supercar food chain. The car we were fortunate enough to be introduced to was one of the first to arrive in Australia, and was one of the first 100 Vantages built worldwide - signified by its engine inspection plate which reads 'Final Inspection by Dr Andy Palmer - CEO ASTON MARTIN'. 
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We can only imagine that Dr Palmer was pleasantly surprised when the time came to inspect this example, too. At time of production, it was the only Divine Red Vantage worldwide, which is puzzling. Its dark maroon appearance in the shade, but brilliant sparkling blood-red hue in the direct sun suits the lines of the new Vantage perfectly. The owner, who was kind enough to give us the full overview, had the intention of making the most 'classic' spec possible. Full credit - he's certainly succeeded.
We concede that it's certainly not subtle like its Vantage forebears, but then again, this car is writing new traditions for the brand.
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When we first set eyes on the car, it was in its dark maroon state - tucked away in a garage, its compact size and wheelbase were immediately noticeable. The second thing we noticed was that (polarising) front grille. In photos, we could understand why one mightn't immediately take to it; it's big, open, and could draw comparisons with a fish or other aquatic creature.
But in person, it just works. We concede that it's certainly not subtle like its Vantage forebears, but then again, this car is writing new traditions for the brand.
One feature we were very keen to assess were the 'pea-shooter' exhaust pipes. We admit that they seem perhaps marginally too small for a supercar, and to the average punter might seem like the least thought out feature of the car's design.
"Just spec it with the Quad Sports Exhaust" you may be suggesting. We might have said the same, but that was before we heard the Mercedes-AMG 4-litre, twin-turbo V8 roar into life. Ringing ears for the next few hours would suggest that the standard exhaust is more than adequate. An important feature of any Aston Martin is that sonorous exhaust sound, be it a V12 or V8 engine, so you can imagine that the sound engineers put a lot of work into this piece. Sonorous it is, too - being inside a garage only magnifying its deep wolf-like growl. That growl turned into a snarl with a blip of the throttle, evidently as a warning to nearby 911s to keep their distance. |
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Rolling out slowly from the dark confines of the garage and into the daylight, the colour came to life. Being able to see it from a greater distance enabled us to assess the car's proportions better, too. It certainly isn't a big car, measuring smaller in every direction than its DB11 older brother, even though they share a similar aluminium chassis. A short drive took us to a quiet nearby car park where we were able to delve right into the details and spec of the car.
In today's age, you might expect a modern supercar to be dripping in carbon fibre, but not here. Instead, the front grille, the side skirts, and the rear diffuser have been optioned in a high-gloss black plastic. Make no mistake - if you were specifying your own Vantage, you can make almost every interior and exterior surface carbon-fibre, should you so desire. But perhaps have a look at this example before you make your decision, because it certainly doesn't require lashings of the sixth element to look and feel like a supercar.
Small details, like jagged LED indicators to mimic the AM logo's wings, the side 'gills' which bear a remarkable resemblance to those of a shark (apparently the favourite animal of supercar designers the world over), and the long, sweeping brake light are all conversation starters on what is clearly a painstakingly designed car. Not in any aspect of the car do you get the impression that shortcuts have been made.
Likeness to the fabled One-77 is often drawn, and it's no coincidence. It goes beyond the fact they are creations of the same designer, Marek Reichman. Carmakers pour enormous amounts of development cost into their most limited and prized cars, such as the One-77. It's a costly exercise, but they're often used as case studies of sorts to set the design language for the brand over years to come. In Lamborghini's case, think Reventón. For the Germans, it's the large saloons (A8, S-Class, 7-Series) whose design language filters right down to the smallest of hatchbacks.
On the road, the Vantage had a remarkable ability to drop its GT-ness and lash out with a vicious howl. 0-100km/h takes a mere 3.6 seconds, and gear shifts are snappy and quick - that ZF 'box mated perfectly to the AMG-sourced V8. Foot to the floor, the Vantage has some serious hustle as those plush leather seats pull your reluctant inertial body mass along with the rest of the car.
With a rocky financial history in recent years, Aston Martin's sourcing of a third-party tried-and-tested engine seems like a wise strategy to keep development costs down. After all, AMG makes a good unit. Let's not forget that bespoke Italian carmakers, Pagani, have been using AMG V12s for two decades.
The sound borders on giggle-inducing. From an AMG engine, we'd expect no less. That's not to say that this sounds like your garden variety V8 from Affalterbach. It does not, for it was Aston Martin masterminds who engineered the sound those tiny exhaust pipes emit, and the way the engine communicates with the car - think of it a bit like a computer whose hardware is made by company 'A', and whose software is made by company 'B'.
Here, the end result seems rock solid, and clearly unique enough that you'll never mistake what you're driving for a Merc. That said, it doesn't take too long to locate an AMG logo on a few components in the engine bay once you lift up the enormous one-piece bonnet.
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Mileage was extremely low on this example on account of it being on the showroom floor just days earlier, but Aston salespeople claimed that a run-in period for this engine isn't necessary. Who wouldn't be tempted to squeeze every single one of the 375 kilowatts of power out of engine the day you leave the showroom? Particularly given the fact you've probably already waited months for your order to even arrive.
As we moved into the interior, the most immediately noticeable feature was its colour. Specified in a light 'Sand' colour on basically every surface, the cabin felt like it was full of light. However, the light colour also meant that the leather and its padding felt a little visually bulky, which you wouldn't normally notice in a black-interiored car where the material tends to be able to hide in the shadows. A 911 GTS the Vantage certainly isn't - where a GTS is skinny, lean, and muscular on virtually every interior surface, the Vantage is carrying a little more weight for a more luxurious feel in a nod to its grand tourer base; an extra 160kg over the GTS.
The Sand upholstery was offset by contrast red stitching perfectly complementing the exterior paintwork. We already mentioned the car being painstakingly designed. Our impression is that just as much care was taken with this particular car's specification.
As we moved into the interior, the most immediately noticeable feature was its colour. Specified in a light 'Sand' colour on basically every surface, the cabin felt like it was full of light. However, the light colour also meant that the leather and its padding felt a little visually bulky, which you wouldn't normally notice in a black-interiored car where the material tends to be able to hide in the shadows. A 911 GTS the Vantage certainly isn't - where a GTS is skinny, lean, and muscular on virtually every interior surface, the Vantage is carrying a little more weight for a more luxurious feel in a nod to its grand tourer base; an extra 160kg over the GTS.
The Sand upholstery was offset by contrast red stitching perfectly complementing the exterior paintwork. We already mentioned the car being painstakingly designed. Our impression is that just as much care was taken with this particular car's specification.
A quirk of the Vantage's interior is its 'backwards' door handles. Internet theories abound as to their purpose, but one theory suggests that as a driver it forces you to use your left hand to open the door, thereby rotating your body so you can better look for cyclists or other hazards.
Other quirks about include a centre console with a myriad of buttons and knobs, and the squared steering wheel now apparently synonymous with the brand after making its first appearance on the DB11.
Overall first impressions is that the interior of the new Aston Martin Vantage is a lovely place to be seated, and we're assured that long road trips are made with effortless comfort. Again, aggressive performance figures and looks may suggest otherwise, but this car is, at heart, a grand tourer. You really can have the best of both worlds.
A quirk of the Vantage's interior is its 'backwards' door handles. Internet theories abound as to their purpose, but one theory suggests that as a driver it forces you to use your left hand to open the door, thereby rotating your body so you can better look for cyclists or other hazards.
Other quirks about include a centre console with a myriad of buttons and knobs, and the squared steering wheel now apparently synonymous with the brand after making its first appearance on the DB11.
Overall first impressions is that the interior of the new Aston Martin Vantage is a lovely place to be seated, and we're assured that long road trips are made with effortless comfort. Again, aggressive performance figures and looks may suggest otherwise, but this car is, at heart, a grand tourer. You really can have the best of both worlds.
Markedly improved over the car it succeeds, the new Vantage might just be our favourite car in the current Aston Martin lineup. Whether the arrival of the DBS Superleggera will be able to take its place in the food chain - that of a predator that can run with the likes of the 911, AMG GT R, California T, and R8 - is yet to be seen.
Many thanks to its generous owner, Eric, for allowing us a few hours' time with the car to photograph and familiarise ourselves with it. We left very much wanting one... In fact, given the chance we'd probably fill out the spec sheet very similarly - you can't go past that classic look, and Divine Red is a marvel to the eyes.
Many thanks to its generous owner, Eric, for allowing us a few hours' time with the car to photograph and familiarise ourselves with it. We left very much wanting one... In fact, given the chance we'd probably fill out the spec sheet very similarly - you can't go past that classic look, and Divine Red is a marvel to the eyes.
