The V8 Vantage is Aston Martin’s entry-level sports coupe -- if you consider $120,000 to be entry-level. Like many top-of-the-line auto manufacturers, the model selection is limited, in this case to three (the other two are the DBS and DB9), though the lineup is stretched a bit by offering both open and closed versions of some models. The coupe and roadster versions of the V8 Vantage are identical in every way but the drop top.
The V8 Vantage line was introduced in 2005, and it has undergone only minor changes since to up power and torque, and lower 0-60 times and emissions.
- 4.7-liter V8 engine
- Six-speed manual or Sportshift transmission
- Top speed = 180 mph; 0-60 = 4.7 seconds
- 20 mpg combined fuel economy
Key Points
Engine and Transmission
The engine grew from 4.3 liters to 4.7 liters this time around, and the bore and stroke both increased to 91 mm. These changes, in addition to design changes for some of the engine’s parts to improve efficiency, boil down to increased power and speed. The horsepower was upped from 385 to 426, the top speed is up 5 mph, and the 0-60 times are down .2 seconds -- an infinity on the drag strip.
The Sportshift transmission has to take all that power and get it to the wheels with as little loss as possible. Aston Martin calls this its “engine as slave” strategy, in which the transmission dictates how to use the power and torque for best performance. It also communicates with the steering wheel to detect when the car is cornering and hold the current gear rather than shifting in the turn, and it uses hill descent control to hold a lower gear while the car is going downhill.
Exterior Design
If there’s one thing you notice about an Aston Martin, it’s the grille. Astons have had the distinctive dented oval shape at the front of their cars for decades, and these days, it’s most pronounced on the V8 Vantage.
The car sits low to the ground with very little overhang front and rear. Behind the front wheels, an architectural line cuts from front to back. This is the best way to differentiate between the V8 Vantage and the similar DB9, which doesn’t have that fold in the sheet metal across the doors.
When Aston brought out the roadster V8 Vantage in 2006, a number of its parts were improvements over the coupe. Since then, these parts have made it into the hard-top V8 Vantage. In addition to the standard improvements, there’s a Sports Pack option available ($3,785) with lighter, five-spoke alloy wheels instead of the standard 20-spoke wheels, revised Bilstein dampers, and stiffer springs.
Interior Design
Like many auto makers across the board, Aston Martin is no longer content to simply have a key to open the locked doors. It takes it a step further, though, with the oddly named “Emotion Control Unit,” a single stainless-steel fob with polycarbonate sides and buttons, and a glass head.
Also like many cars these days, the V8 Vantage has iPod and MP3 player integration and an on-board 30 GB hard drive that holds its navigation system. Four front parking sensors are optional on the V8 Vantage, but the Lamy pen holder is standard.
Price and Availability
MSRP for the Aston Martin V8 Vantage coupe with a manual transmission is $119,500; the roadster starts at $132,500. The options are nearly limitless (color-matched leather interior can be had for $4,545), and the price goes up accordingly. The factory at Gaydon only produces a couple thousand Astons a year, so while not rare, V8 Vantages are exclusive.
- Wheelbase: 102.5 inches
- Length: 172.5 inches
- Width: 73.5 inches
- Height: 49.5 inches
- Dry weight: 3,595 pounds (coupe); 3,770 pounds (roadster)
- Fuel tank: 21.1 gallons
