Lovers of true out-and-out sports cars may of late been concerned about the direction the motor industry is taking: Thankfully, it’s not all doom and gloom, because here’s the new Aston Martin Vantage. Available to order right now, this beautiful new car is the latest in an iconic bloodline. One design chief at this prestige car maker described the new Vantage as ‘a complete hooligan’. By this he does not mean this car is going to be trouble, he means that this car is the most powerful road-going Vantage yet. Let us now sing it’s praises:
The Looks
From the first glimpse it is clear that this car is a game-changer. The body is wider with a more muscular stance, accentuated by a completely redesigned front-end featuring a larger re-contoured grille aperture, offering an improvement in mass airflow for additional cooling. Further cooling intakes set into the bumper either side of the grille sharpen the front-end’s features, while the new integrated splitter, with a wider and lower stance, adds drama as well as aerodynamic function, providing high speed stability through lift reduction. This distinctive front-end treatment is completed by an all-new Matrix LED headlamp design featuring Aston Martin’s new light signature.
Elsewhere the new Vantage sees a return of the iconic Aston Martin side strake, which now forms the sharp focal point of revised vents in each flank. Standard-fit 21 inch forged alloy wheels fill the wider wheel arches to perfection, creating a purposeful stance that exudes power and poise in equal measure. Frameless door mirrors and presenting door handles are also new to the Vantage, while a wider rear bumper incorporating side vents and larger diameter quad exhaust tail pipes ensure the Vantage looks (and sounds) as dramatic from the rear as it does from the front.
Like all Aston Martin models, new Vantage customers can explore endless bespoke and customisation possibilities via the Aston Martin personalisation service from a single small distinguishing detail to full-scale engineering and production of entirely bespoke components to create a true one-off.
The Premium Interior
Vantage is a hardcore sports car at heart, but this doesn’t mean it makes sacrifices when it comes to design, comfort or equipment levels. The new generation Vantage makes a breathtaking statement with an all-new luxury interior defined by flawless architectural lines and the finest materials all packed with state-of-the-art connected technology and potentially an optional stunning surround sound system developed by Bowers & Wilkins.
Clean, unbroken lines create a striking yet elegant environment inside the Vantage cockpit, delivering a sense of space for the driver. From the slender air vents and perfectly integrated infotainment screen to the clearly defined array of physical switches on the lower section of the centre console, the new Vantage interior is as ever a triumph of functional beauty and tactile quality.
Supple, hand-stitched leather hides create a cosseting, comfortable space but the driving position, super-supportive sports seats and driver-focused ergonomics add an effortless functionality that underpins the opulence and adds to the enjoyment of every journey. The Vantage is fitted as standard with the Aston Martin 390w 11 speaker audio system. Developed utilising advanced hardware, this system features a Surround sound mode for an immersive soundscape. Motorhead, anyone?
The new Vantage is the second model to feature Aston Martin’s next-generation infotainment. First introduced in the glorious Aston Martin DB12, it is entirely bespoke and developed in-house from scratch. Supplemented by a new Aston Martin customer connectivity app which supports iOS and Android devices, it allows interaction, control and feedback to and from the customer’s Vantage via their personal device.
A fully integrated multi-screen system with full online connectivity, features 10.25 inch ‘Pure Black’ touchscreen technology with full single and multi-finger gesture control. Touchscreen commands are balanced with the positive tactility of physical switches, with buttons retained for the key mechanical operations of gear selection, drive selection, heating and ventilation. On the safety front, it’s all there but also there’s override switches for Chassis, ESP and Exhaust, Lane Assist and Park Distance Control, ensuring the most used controls can be operated intuitively and without the need to take your eyes off the road. Still on the dashboard, the navigation system features online connectivity for a smarter, quicker and more informative experience. If more convenient when out of the car, choose a destination in the Aston Martin app and simply send it to the Vantage ahead of travel. For pinpoint accuracy anywhere in the world, Vantage’s navigation system and the new Aston Martin connected app are both set up to feature fully integrated WHAT3WORDS destination input. Wireless Apple CarPlay is also supported.
The Drive
Aston Martin claim that this new car offers true driving purity and here’s why: Powered by a heavily reworked, hand-built 4.0 litre Twin-Turbo V8 engine, the new Vantage is the fastest in the model’s history. With peaks of 656bhp (665PS) and a colossal 800Nm of torque. These higher outputs have been achieved through extensive tuning by Aston Martin engineers, the adoption of modified cam profiles, optimised compression ratios, larger turbos and increased cooling yielding the impressive new figures and creating an engine with a sharper, more visceral and more vocal character. Clearly, at Aston Martin, more is better.
Mated to an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission the performance is enough to propel the two-seater sports car to a top speed of 202mph and punch it from a standstill to 60mph in just 3.4sec. The transmission shift calibration has been honed to maximise response and enjoyment, delivering punchier in-gear acceleration, offering different shift characteristics to suit each of the Vantage’s dynamic modes.
Standing start acceleration has been perfected with the introduction of a new Launch Control system. Fully integrated with the power-train, transmission and Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), when engaged by the driver, Launch Control allows the car to deploy as much torque as conditions allow, using the E-Diff, ESP slip control and engine torque management to keep wheel slip in the optimal range throughout the launch. The driver can also dial-in the precise amount of slip they desire during the launch by making changes via the Adjustable Traction Control system.
Liberating additional engine performance has increased the thermal load, which has required a complete redesign of the engine cooling system. To ensure stable intake air temperatures are achieved in all conditions, an additional low temperature radiator has been fitted to the charge cooler water circuit, with a further two auxiliary coolers added to the existing central main radiator to further increase thermal capacity. The oil system has also benefited from extensive upgrades.
Highly evolved aluminium structure, perfect 50:50 weight distribution and state-of-the-art suspension provide the foundation for a definitive driving experience. In short, nothing can conjure excitement and dynamism quite like the Aston Martin Vantage. If this car, or its brilliant predecessor or indeed any Aston Martin model is of interest then please contact us here at MHH International via our website to find out about Aston Martin availability. Remember, we export cars from the UK around the globe via our tried and tested, VAT-free, service. Can we help put you in the driver’s seat?
