Vantage is the pure sports car in our Aston Martin line-up, with taut, muscular lines and more compact overall dimensions than the super tourer DB12. The new model retains the overall form of its predecessor but features a 38% larger grille inspired by our limited edition One-77. Other enhancements include new-look matrix headlights, a side strake, frameless mirrors and flush electronic door handles. The new body is 30mm wider and is stiffer all round, featuring a new front cross brace and crossmember.
Technology
Inside, it’s all new. The Vantage gets a new steering wheel, digital driver’s display, infotainment, and user interface. The infotainment is displayed on an elegantly integrated Pure Black 10.25-inch touchscreen, with a balance of touchscreen commands and the tactility of physical switches for certain frequently accessed functions. The Vantage’s infotainment system is built around online connectivity and works in tandem with an all-new companion Aston Martin app. Apple CarPlay connectivity is standard, as is a 390w 11 speaker audio system, though a sensational Bowers and Wilkins 15-speaker, double amplified 1,170W surround sound system is available as an option.
Safety
Next generation Vantage gets a whole raft of driver safety systems, including auto emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, rear cross traffic assist and 3D surround view system. Integrated traction control combines management of engine, brake and E-Diff to provide predictive slip control for optimum traction.
Performance
We’re not talking marginal gains here. The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine now develops 665 metric horsepower, a staggering 155PS more than the preceding model. Torque is up too, at 800Nm, up 115Nm from last year’s Vantage. That’s down to modified cams, larger turbos and improved cooling, which together account for a powertrain that can rocket the new Vantage from 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 202mph. Our factory engineers haven’t stopped there; the new specification includes new intelligent Bilstein DTX adaptive dampers, an eight-way adjustable traction control system and an overhauled dynamics controller that measures movement across six dimensions – surge, heave, sway, roll, pitch and yaw – and reacts accordingly. Carbon ceramic discs are available as an option. The result is a purists’ delight - a perfectly balanced front-engine rear-wheel drive chassis that combines supercar performance with real-world exploitability.
