Aston Martin’s new Vantage is “engineered for real drivers.” But in its fight to offer a compelling sports car for the segment the British marque has firmly binned any desire to appease the daily drivers. After my time in the glorious DB12 grand tourer, I follow up quickly with a dabble in the automaker’s new, and ferocious, entry-level offering.
So what’s the story behind the updated Aston Martin Vantage?
Aston Martin’s baby bruiser gets a proper makeover seven years into its life cycle, and this isn’t just a subtle facelift. The new Vantage takes the old formula – big twin-turbo V8 up front, power to the rear, drama everywhere – and sharpens every edge. More power, a stiffer chassis, voluptuous wheel arches and an interior that’s deserving of its build year. About time, right?
Who’s the buyer?
You’ve got two main camps. The first: the die-hard Aston loyalist who’s been waiting for Gaydon to truly deliver on the Vantage’s promise. This is the heart-over-head type who’d have bought it regardless of whether it was rubbish or incredible.
The second: the buyer who’s always leaned more towards the Porsche 911 Turbo or AMG GT, and who’s now been given a compelling reason to measure up the Vantage. The new Vantage is all about presence and theatre, and, in its new form, has the tech and potency to match.
Either way, they want something fast, loud, and unashamedly British. Though I’d argue this Aston is too brutish to drape itself in the King’s colours.
Tell us about your first impressions.
Visually, it’s still every bit the Vantage that shook up the Aston Martin brand, just meaner. It’s got a bigger grille, a meaner stance, and a bit more aggression in the headlights. It’s the kind of car that looks like it wants to fight something, and honestly, that’s exactly the right energy.
Unfortunately, it’s an energy that needs to be channelled on a track, not the road, but we’ll touch on that later. Inside, Aston Martin has finally deleted the old Mercedes hand-me-down infotainment system for a proper in-house unit, and the cabin? A night-and-day improvement.
The rock-hard carbon seats make for an uncomfortable experience getting in and out of the car, but that’s a simple fix, just don’t tick the box.
Give us the top lines on performance and/or efficiency/range. What’s it like to drive?
The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 – still courtesy of AMG, but thoroughly fettled by Aston – now kicks out 665PS and 800Nm of torque, making this the most powerful Vantage yet by a huge margin (nearly 30% over its predecessor). 0-100km/h? Just 3.4 seconds. Top speed? 325km/h.
But the real story to tell is the handling. This is no longer a car that feels like it was engineered in two halves. The steering is sharper, the chassis is more composed, and the whole thing feels like it was set up by someone who actually cares about driving. It’s proper, proper good.
This all sings to the same tune as Aston Martin’s “for real drivers” engineering philosophy, but every part of the new Vantage has been crafted with the racetrack in mind. The tradeoff to this approach means the new Vantage isn’t a particularly enjoyable daily driving experience. It’s dangerously toey underfoot and so stiff that every ripple in the road is felt through your backside.
Tech & connectivity — what’s the word?
Aston has finally dragged the Vantage into the modern era with an all-new 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch touchscreen running Aston’s own software. It’s clean, intuitive, and – bizarrely for an Aston – doesn’t feel five years out of date at launch. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto? Thank you. A 1,170W Bowers & Wilkins sound system? That too.
I adored the Bowers & Wilkins system in the DB12 and I’m happy to say it still holds up in the new Vantage, but with fewer speakers given the difference in cabin size.
And the lowdown on safety?
It’s got the full suite – adaptive cruise, lane-keeping assist, auto emergency braking, 360-degree cameras, and even night vision. The real safety feature, though, is your right foot. Keep it in check, and you’ll be fine.
The most memorable – or heartbreaking – thing about your drive?
I keep coming back to the engine’s potency and the sheer brutality of the driving experience. I can’t ignore it in conversation. I think Aston has over-engineered this new Vantage to the point it’s too rigid for the road, and therefore too brutish to be in the same class of composed and poised British sports car we’ve always loved from the brand.
It’s almost leapfrogged itself since its predecessor, which is a shame, really, as even after all this progress, I’d still pick the 911 Turbo to sit in Sydney traffic every day.
One thing you should know before a test drive.
If you want to drive the new Vantage more than once a week – and not start and end your drive in pain – for the love of god, do not option the carbon seats. If you can test drive one without them, even better.
Tell ’em the price, son!
The 2025 Aston Martin Vantage is now in the four hundred club – $410,000, to be exact, before options or on-road costs.
