There’s a new Aston Martin out. So obviously the internet is going bananas. This, everyone, is the new Aston Martin Vantage.
And you’ll notice, straight from the off that it looks familiar. Indeed, if we had to say or be shot, we’d think it was pretty much a carbon copy of the DB10 that featured in the last James Bond film, Spectre.
There’s a very good reason for that, though. That DB10 was modelled on this new Vantage. The story is that the James Bond producers went to Aston Martin looking for something new and futuristic that the superspy could drive. Aston wanted to keep the wraps on the DB11, so instead, the producers were shown the designs for the new Vantage. And so, the DB10 was born.
But unlike the DB10, the new Vantage is not an old DBS in a fancy new suit. If you look closely, you’ll notice much sharper styling, particularly at the rear. The design is a departure from Astons of old, but you have to admit that it still looks stunning. And, underneath, the Vantage is completely new.
The structure, for one thing, is derived from the DB11 – it’s mostly aluminum, but in the Vantage, it’s 280mm shorter, meaning it’s lighter and has a shorter wheelbase. That should give you an idea as to the Vantage’s intent – whereas the DB11 is a luxurious mile-muncher, the Vantage is a pointy, spikey sports car.
The engine is all-new as well. Out goes the 4.3-litre V8, which had been around since the beginning of time, and in comes an AMG-sourced 4.0-litre, twin-turbo V8. It’s been tuned by Aston to develop 503 bhp and 505 ft-lb of torque. Which is a lot for such a small car.
Claimed performance is 0-100 km/h in 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 314 km/h.
There’s all sorts of engineering trickery going on with the chassis and suspension as well. Given the Vantage’s remit is sportier than the DB11’s, it’s been tuned to be aggressive and sharp. As ever with the Vantage, Aston is taking aim at the Porsche 911s of this world.
What’s really exciting about this Vantage, though, is that it’s another example of the rebirth of Aston Martin. For the last 15 years, the company has been struggling to keep up with the other giants of the supercar world, simply giving us new iterations of very old cars. Now, though, the new cash (and new management) that the company has got its hands on, is making good on its promise to revitalise the range.
As a result, on top of last year’s DB11 and this year’s Vantage, we’ll soon be seeing a new Vanquish, a DBX (a mid-engined sports car), and two Lagondas (Aston’s four-door sports saloons).
For now, though, feel free to bask in the magnificence of the new Vantage. Shown here in brilliant Hulk Green.
