2018 Aston Martin Vantage Review
Aston Martin's previous-generation Vantage was a superb-looking car, but it wasn't the sharpest - or fastest - tool in the shed.
That all changes now with the new model, an aggresive machine the British brand has created to "hunt" down the best in the business.
It's a stunning piece of metal that, for starters, relinquishes the familiar, facsimiled style of its predecessor and, secondly, amps-up its performance credentials to seriously challenge the likes of the Porsche 911, Mercedes-AMG GT S coupe and Jaguar's range-topping F-Type SVR. It could even steal some attention away from mid-engined rivals such as the McLaren 540C and 570S, Lamborghini Huracan and Audi R8.
We've already been wowed by the Vantage earlier this year during its global launch program, and now we've had the chance to sample it, for the first time, in the Southern Hemisphere, recently driving it on some of the brilliant roads around Queenstown, in New Zealand, as well as on the track at the equally spectacular Highlands Motorsport Park.
In any scenario, it is an impressive bit of kit that is just as charming, comfortable and cruisey as before. And now it also challenging and rewarding to drive too, with a greater breadth of characterthat makes it a genuine enthusiasts car to be enjoyed well beyond the boulevards of the Eastern Suburbs.
- Aggressive looks
- Unique interior
- Brilliant performance and handling
- Not quite as intimate as a 911
- Love it or hate it diffuser
- Not cheap, to buy or own
Is it right for me?
Aston Martin has purposely made the new Vantage more aggressive in its design and driving character, to separate it from the DB11 gran tourer that sits above it and appeal to a more adventurous group of driving enthusiasts who may occasionally test its mettle during the odd track day.
It's now for executives who'd prefer to wear fireproof race suits, rather than tweed coats, in their leisure time. Those traditionalists can choose the DB11, thank you.
The Vantage's stand-out looks - bookended by race car-inspired elements with a large front grille that incorporates the splitter and a massive diffuser in the lower section of the rear bumper - will no doubt continue to appeal to those that like to be seen in something special.
But it's beauty is now more than just skin deep, with an engine and chassis set-up that lives up to the promise of its performance potential.
Can I afford it ?
There is even more to come for those that want something even more special, more powerful, or both, but right now the Vantage is only offered as a single model as a two-door, two-seater coupe.
Priced from $299,950 (plus on-roads), it costs significantly more than its predecessor, but that car was heavily discounted at the end of its lifecycle as it was one of the oldest sports cars in its segment having first been introduced in 2005.
Its $300k sticker positions it head-on against the likes of the Mercedes-AMG GT S ($301,100), Porsche 911 GTS ($282,000), Audi's limited-run, rear-drive R8 RWS ($299,129) and the Jaguar F-Type SVR ($309,212) and undercuts 'entry-level' mid-engined sports cars such as the McLaren 540C ($350,000) and Lamborghini Huracan LP580-2 ($378,900).
What do you get for your money?
You get all the basics covered in standard specification guise, including 20-inch alloy wheels, graphite-painted grille and diffuser, and chrome exterior highlights while the cabin comes with snug sports seats trimmed in leather and Alcantara, dual-zone climate control, push button start, a digital instrument cluster and an 8.0-inch colour tablet-style display on top of the dash which incorporates sat nav, Bluetooth, digital radio and a 360-degree camera.
But then there's a host of items on the options list that you'd naturally expect to feature on a luxury car costing $300k, such as keyless entry, heated and ventilated seats and blindspot monitoring.
Customers can then, naturally, choose from an extensive list of ways to personalise the Vantage, from a palette of bold and bright colours with body-coloured or contrasting inserts in the grille and diffuser (like the car pictured), different wheel designs and finishes and painted brake calipers. The cabin can also be trimmed in full hand-crafted leather with a variety of colours, stitch patterns and broguing on offer, while the dash can be fitted with genuine carbon fibre trim or matching body coloured elements.
How much does it cost to maintain?
Like all other Astons, the Vantage is covered by a three-year, unlimited kilometre warranty with service intervals set every 12 months or 10,000km.
Is it well built?
It's a beautiful car that is hand-built by master craftsmen.
While hand-built cars in the past have tended to be inconsistent, that is no longer the case with Aston Martins. Instead, it feels special from the inside and there were no flaws in the paint or panels on our test vehicle.
The British brand has also teamed-up with Mercedes-Benz' parent company, Daimler, in a technical tie-up that sees it adapt the German brand's latest electrical architecture and components as well as source the Vantage's engine from its AMG high-performance division.
Considering the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 is used in a myriad of the German brand's hot rods, it feels bullet proof and the German electrics should prove equally as reliable.
What are the Standout features?
While it is unmistakably an Aston Martin, it looks like nothing before from the British brand.
The front-end is fantasic and its gaping air intake appears thoroughly menacing in the rear view mirror, as if it is about to swallow you up. But it's the rear-end that is even more striking, with its W-shaped diffuser dominating the lower section while a thin strip of LED lights follows the gorgeous curve that links the tail lamps via the integrated lip spoiler in the hatch.
What does it have that others don't?
The tauter design - like its skin has been stretched tight over its muscles - makes it appear much shorter and stockier than its predecessor.
But that's an optical illusion, as the car is physically larger than before. Measuring 4465mm in length, 1273mm high and 2133mm wide and riding on a wheelbase of 2704mm, it is almost 100mm longer and wider than the car it replaces, but sits slightly taller (by 10mm) and has 100mm more between the axles to liberate marginally greater space within the two-seat cabin.
How practical is it?
More than just its physical dimensions, the Vantage's cockpit offers a greater degree of useable space than before.
While only a two-seater, there's generous headroom and enough adjustment in the driving position for larger adults to find the right driving position. Plus, there's decent door pockets and a centre console big enough to keep your wallet and small items secure with two USB power outlets to ensure mobile devices are charged.
The infotainment system is adpated from Benz with an 8.0-inch tablet at the top of the dash and a rotary controller in the centre console. While the quality of the screen's resolution, its graphics and the functions on offer are a generation - or two - behind the latest Mercedes models (there's no Apple CarPlay connection, for example), it is easy to navigate around the menus and a far sight better than previous Astons with an outdated, and fiddly, Volvo system.
Is it comfortable?
Beyond the conventional stuff, the Vantage's cockpit's design is far more dramatic than previous models with its push-button gear selectors arranged in a pyramid formation below the ventilation controls, while the digital instrument cluster has a central tacho that is supported by displays shrouded by winged-like covers.
Then there's the door inserts, which look fantastically modern, and the supportive seats, which add to the sportiness.
Easy in, easy out?
Being a low-slung coupe, a little bit of flexibility - or gymnastics training - will make it easier to drop into and climb out of those seats, but with wide-opening conventional doors it is certainly no more straining than rival sports cars.
Space and versatility?
It's not really made for the weekly shopping run, or carting the kids to sports events on the weekends, either. Most owners would already have an SUV or executive sedan as a regular runabout anyway.
But that doesn't mean you can't escape for a few days either, with enough space under the glass hatch at the back to fit a couple of soft luggage bags.
What's the engine like?
The AMG-sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 is an absolute gem that is full of character and perfectly suited to the more aggressive nature of the new Vantage.
Producing 375kW of power and 685Nm of torque, it can propel the sleek coupe from 0-100km/h in just 3.6 seconds and onwards to a top speed of 314km/h.
Hooked-up to a rear-mounted eight-speed automatic gearbox, with an integrated electronically-controlled limited slip differential, the powertrain has multiple drive modes that alter the throttle response, exhaust note and shift patterns through three different settings.
How much fuel does it consume?
In the most relaxed of those, the Vantage uses a claimed average of 10.3L/100km. But tapping into its performance is too tempting so expect to see figures in the mid teens in the real world.
Is it enjoyable to drive?
But this isn't a car for the everyday.
Sure, it is comfortable and competent enough to be driven in any environment, with decent compliance from the suspension, silky shifts when the transmission is left to its own devices, steering that is light and easy to manouevre and effortless performance from the V8.
Around Queenstown, it easily sliced through the busy streets, scaring backpackers that were aimlessly wandering from bar to bar with its sinister style while at the same time swivelling heads among the envious upper echelon of society meandering between the boutiques.
Yep, everyone looks at you.
Away from the crowds, the Vantage is a great cruiser out the open road, eating up a long drive through the countryside in relative comfort.
But where it truly comes alive is when you dig a little deeper into its soul. Flick the buttons on either side of the steering wheel - the right one for the engine/transmission and exhaust and the left for the suspension - and set everything to maximum attack modes, and it all feels more energetic. The engine transforms from lazy to crazy, delivering a level of urgency that genuinely pins you back in the seat while emitting a bellowing soundtrack that growls under load, cracks on full-throttle upchages and then gargles unburnt fuel on the over run as if its clearing its throat.
More than ever, the Vantage is now a genuine sports car. Where the previous model's naturally-aspirated V8 had to be rung-out towards the redline to extract its best peformance, you find yourself driving the new one in the middle of the rev range, drunk in its massive mid-range pulling power and instantly sobered by its immense acceleration.
The short final drive and broad spread of ratios in the eight-speed auto amplifies the sheer punch on offer, while the e-diff harnesses the power to provide amazing traction out of the bends. It is all matched by a superbly balanced chassis set up that offers precise and well-weighted steering (especially in the Track mode), plenty of grip from its 20-inch Pirelli P Zero tyres, which measure 245/40 at the front and 295/35 across the back, and strong and secure braking performance.
While comfortably rapid out on the open road, the Vantage does have an even greater animalistic character that can be coaxed out in the right environment, such as a race track - and especially if (or when) you're brave enough to unleash the electronic safety nets. There, the momentous shove provided from low in the rev range can easily overcome the rear boots and send them into a cloud of tyre smoke, billowing out of the diffuser at a perpindicular angle to the car itself.
That animal isn't as intimidating as some of its rivals though, as it offers plenty of feedback and is progressive in the way it approaches the limits of adhesion. It's like a playful cat dressed up as a Tiger.
Does it perform as you expect?
The net result is the Vantage is now more than just a pretty car, it's a pretty good driver's car.
It is perhaps not quite as intimate as a Porsche 911 GTS for the same money, but remember this is the entry point into the Vantage range and there will be even faster and sharper models to come with a replacement for the Vantage S expected in 2019 and then a race-inspired AMR model soon after.
Until then, the 'basic' Vantage is more than enough. Actually, it's spot on.
2018 Aston Martin Vantage Price and Specifications
Price: $299,950 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo petro
Power: 375kW at 6000rpm
Torque: 685Nm at 2000-5800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, RWD
Fuel use: 10.3L/100km