2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Road Test
5 Oct, 2007
50 Comments 
2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Coupe (Sportshift) Road Test
“Nothing prepares you for the race car like howl the Vantage produces when you nudge 4000rpm. This is the car that James Bond should be driving”
Test Model: Aston Martin V8 Vantage Coupe (Sportshift)
CarAdvice Rating: 
Options Fitted:
- Paint – special colour: $6,950
- Wheels – 19” plus Anthracite colour/finish: $4,165
- Sat Nav: $4,875
- Heated Front Seats: $825
- Xenon (HID) headlights: $1,385
- Bluetooth phone: $1,380
- Cruise Control: $825
- Auto-dimming rear vision mirror: $265
- Memory seats: $825
- Alarm upgrade (volumetric & tilt sensors) $545
Recommended Retail Price: $253,250
Price as Tested: $275,290 – Other than paint and wheels, I really do think that the rest of the so-called options have no right to be called such.
Where it sits: The V8 Vantage is the baby of the Aston Martin range. It’s also the most affordable and offers a truly viable alternative to Porsche’s 911. The Sportshift feature is an automated manual transmission that allows super-fast automatic shifting or manual shifting via paddles. It’s been introduced into the Vantage model range to attract new buyers to the brand.
As Motoring journalists we generally get each car we test for a week. With automotive exotica such as Aston Martin and Lamborghini – you’re lucky if you get the keys for a day, if at all!
When the man from Aston Martin said we could have the latest V8 Vantage with the new Sportshift transmission for a few days, we couldn’t hit the eject button fast enough. Alborz flew in from Brisbane and Paul from Melbourne, armed to the teeth with camera and video gear.
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October 6th, 2007 at 12:27 am
Don’t feel too embarrassed about not finding the fuel filler cap release, Clarkson had the same problem on the DB9 3-4 years ago on a race to Monte Carlo.
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October 6th, 2007 at 12:48 am
beautiful. Always been enamoured with light coloured (yellow, white etc) caint and darkenned/shadow/shaded wheels… love them.
Looks Great!
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October 6th, 2007 at 12:53 am
In awwww as usual,love the fact in this blog it has 6 pages,as it should. Hey you guys obviously have HUGE credibility now with your Forum to gain access of this fantastic car.Pat on the back! This is the Ultimate in cool,fast and unbelievable cars.Well done! I bet you guys have noooooooooo,problem getting ride’s with such credibility. I bet Ford wont have a problem giving you a BF COBRA to look at ,ha!
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October 6th, 2007 at 12:56 am
I couldn’t find the fuel flap release on an Audi A4. The manual was in German. Turns out it doesn’t have a release for it. You just push it open from the outside…
Good review. Awesome looking car and I bet driving one was an awesome experience.
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October 6th, 2007 at 12:59 am
This brings back so many memories, definitely one of the most enjoyable days of my life.
Without a doubt the best sounding car in the world - the best.
Photos turned out great as well!
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October 6th, 2007 at 2:07 am
Lust……………
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October 6th, 2007 at 3:39 am
Great car. Great review. You guys should definitely do more videos like that in future. Keep up the good work.
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October 6th, 2007 at 11:55 am
stunning car, but it is hard to believe that some of those options are not standard on a $250k+ car! not that a few extra $1000 would worry the target market, but for that price, all cars should have cruise control, bluetooth etc unless they are a stripped out racer. I see this as more of a cruiser with track potential, and those options should definitely be standard. great review. i love the longer ones!
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October 6th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
Cruiser as track potential - yeah right LOL. I see it as a prestige car.
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October 6th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
what do you think a prestige car is for klink?
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October 6th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
And Colonel Klink, that proves wholeheartedly that you’ve never driven one, or any car of this caliber.
You should leave this stuff to the grown ups matey.
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October 6th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
Boys… it is a top of the range spunky prestige sports car was my point (cool look to it). As for calls of all extras bar paint and wheels being included I disagree.
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October 6th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
you’d be on your pat malone then Klink OR you must haver plenty of $ to want to hand over another $15K for extras you can get in a car costing 20% of the value of the Aston - styling and performance notwithstanding!
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October 6th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
my point was that most $25k cars have cruise control, some have bluetooth, and in a car that costs 10 times the price these features should be standard.
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October 6th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
and if the $25k cars dont have cruise, you can ususally bargain the dealer into including it for the same price.
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October 6th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
Jbot,
Let’s not forget that Aston aren’t the only offenders.
You’ll find obscene options pricing in Porsches, Ferraris et al.
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October 6th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
Cruise control for a out and out prestige sports car?????? LOL…could understand that barely! But as for heated seats or special lights or memory seats = would say that you guys talk of a sports car??? more or a show pony. Get it real and if you want that get an inferior car.
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October 6th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
JBot… mate get a Hyundai or cheapy. Comparing pseudo average $25K car with $250K real sports car cause of cruise control. Mate that is REAL funny as of you!
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October 6th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
haha i love how in the video, the driver is flooring it around one of the corners right past a 60km/h sign
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October 6th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
yeah you’re right benjie. many other prestige brands leave off these features too. klink, i’m sure i saw you got banned, maybe i was dreaming. anyway, i will respond to your incoherent rambling. I never even went close to comparing a $25k car to a $250k car, i just said that if the cheapies can give us some of those features as standard, the prestige makers should be able to as well.
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October 6th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
JBot… point is who gives a tinkers toss about cruise control, heated seats or whatever as it is a prestige sports car and you are drawing the small end of the straw to suggest it should have these options. Your silly comments are just that as you probably want a princess sportscar with all the bells and whistles then a very serious sportscar! I would rather have the look and feel of real sportscar persona with howling exhaust note rumble of this car then a wannabe pseudo sportscar with cruise control. If you would drive a car like this with cruise control or heated seats well that is funny as!
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October 6th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
The fact that everyone but yourself who has mentioned the options thought the same way as I did suggests you’re in the minority with your beliefs. adding cruise, bluetooth, etc does not affect the look and feel a of sportscar. All these creature comforts do is make the car more comfortable and more usable as a daily driver. That’s why many people choose to option up when they buy any car.
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October 6th, 2007 at 9:01 pm
There is no doubt I would love to own one but I much prefer the look of the other AM’s. The rear end of this Vantage just doesn’t ‘do it’ for me.
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October 6th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
So how far does one go with options as the list can keep going on and on and on and on. The fact you all want more and more and low price means not much as would rather have a real quality setup like the Aston Martin. To me lots do it and from Lotus Exige to Porsches to Ferraris. The people who buy those are in the same group as me as they buy top notch. They buy CLASS and not pretend ASS sportscars. I do not care about cruise control as in a car like that afterthought. My point is if I was in market to buy this car and seen the options list probably would only get cruise control. Iam sure as the car has few options it would not stop me buying it as goes well and looks unreal; just because it has options that you all want included at no extra would not come into it really!
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October 6th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
… whereas with you guys you might think nice but no bluetooth or cruise control and not buy!
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October 6th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
Agree wit5h Grumps fair bit, it looks tad Monaroish with stretched wider lights. I like it still and man the paint job is expensive option - why so special. Is white an option or has it special finish? Curious to see what Alborz would think as he sighted it? (paint)
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October 6th, 2007 at 9:14 pm
It wouldn’t put me off buying it at all. If you can afford this, a few extra grand for the options you want is nothing. If I bought this (a few years away probably LOL)would probably only get the cruise and bluetooth, and I am suprised that cruise in particular is not standard.
I like the way you now say that if you bought this car you would get cruise control, as previously you said “If you would drive a car like this with cruise control or heated seats well that is funny as!”. Make up your mind Klink!!! Your making yourself look silly!!
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October 6th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
LOL… would not get cruise, just stirring you.
Car looks unreal and goes wicked and would get it over and above any option/s missing on this model!
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October 6th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
Mate only gotta look at video and say to myself “BUY”. Option/s so what!
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October 6th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
you are completely missing the point klink. my point was that some of these features which are standard on much cheaper vehicles should be standard for the prestige vehicles. somehow you dreamed up the idea that i thought someone might not buy the car because a few features are options and not standard. if you want them you can pay more for them, but i don’t think you should have to in a car like this. understand what im getting at klink?
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October 6th, 2007 at 11:30 pm
Klink, the paint job is impossible to appreciate from the photos, Aston says with most of their paint work, if it even has a minor scratch it is near impossible to simply touch-up, they have to repaint the whole car, each car is so unique and so special that even the paint is not the same from car to car.
Personally I’d go for a black one, but the white looked stunning with the dark rims.
I can tell you, from every angle, in the flesh, this car is absolutely stunning, every single person looks at the car, no less than 20 drivers and pedestrians complemented the car as we drove around Sydney CBD.
This is different to a Ferrari where most people usually think “oh a Ferrari, bet the guy is a knob” with the Aston, its more of a class and prestigious thing. People appreciate it a lot more, must have something todo with its english heritage, and its timeless looks.
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October 7th, 2007 at 12:02 am
I guess that why Bond drives one,I would let an Aston out in traffic but not a Ferrari driver!!! This car is beyond words!
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October 7th, 2007 at 12:08 am
Hey Alborz ,what was the music behind this clip could you please tell me the name of this song and who wrote it maybe? my song would like to download it. Thanks
Kieren son of Bavarian
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October 7th, 2007 at 12:10 am
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October 7th, 2007 at 5:03 am
agree with the review. only thing more stunning is the DBS. and perhaps the f430
But let the hype die down a bit and get a fair comparison head to head with the quivalent 911. or even the audi r8.
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October 8th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
Hello Bav Missile.
The name of the track is “Adagio For Strings”.
The original is actually a classical piece by Samuel Barber.
The version you want to download Dj Tiesto’s version though, as that is what is used in the video clip - and yes, that is a trance track!!
(Most people do not actually know what trance is…)
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October 8th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
By the way, trance rocks!!!
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October 10th, 2007 at 3:24 am
Why would you even need cruise or electric seats etc anyway. As for the seats, why would you ever let any body else drive it? Set the seats for yourself and weld the things into place! As for cruise, you buy this sort of car to DRIVE, not to be nannied buy such conveniences.
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October 10th, 2007 at 8:50 am
Thanks Ross…….
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October 10th, 2007 at 11:55 am
You are most welcome
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October 10th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
Always willing to help out a fellow Perth-ite
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October 10th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
really……….! Didn’t know there was so many on this site.
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October 12th, 2007 at 11:25 am
Yep! There are a few of us on here now
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October 19th, 2007 at 10:36 am
A beautiful car, not a fan of white though?
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October 31st, 2007 at 11:04 pm
[…] our testing of the Aston Martin V8 Vantage in Sydney, we encountered countless motorists seemingly giving us the pinky because we were in a […]
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November 5th, 2007 at 5:11 pm
i like white car…
=)
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November 5th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
I wouldn’t care if it was baby crap brown………
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November 18th, 2007 at 11:42 pm
do you want to win a Aston! try this competition http://www.bestofthebest.co.uk/
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December 19th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
[…] abuse I copped in the Aston Martin V8 Vantage and the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 (think pinky finger) to the “you need to think about a […]
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January 7th, 2008 at 1:32 am
[…] Aston Martin V8 Vantage Road Test unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptWhere it sits: The V8 Vantage is the […]
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