We can probably all agree that 2018 feels like a lifetime ago. Certainly still did here, until the reveal of a new Aston Martin Vantage, and six years back may as well be a couple of months. And not for good reasons, either: put simply, your humble scribe was probably a little too keen on the first turbo Vantage. Subsequent verdicts never quite matched that initial boundless enthusiasm, and it’s always felt like a bit of a rookie review as a result. The F1 Edition that came later (80 per cent of which were bought by new customers to the brand) seemed much better resolved than the stock Vantage while still coming up a tad short in some areas. For the 2024 Vantage then, even if it’s the greatest sports car to ever wear the Aston wings, it must be a more rigorous, evenhanded review. Nobody wants to say cynical, but two overly positive assessments would definitely be one too many...
It’s a solid plan, right up to the point where Aston presented us with a pitlane of new Vantages. Because they look absolutely fantastic. If perhaps still not the prettiest Aston Martin ever made, the new front end seems much more agreeable than before (there’s considerably more cooling to think about with that huge power gain), plus there’s a beefy attitude that didn’t exist previously. Wider tracks really emphasise the short, squat dimensions, its wheels are right up in arches and the metalwork looks tight and taut. If every other review hasn’t already said so, this is how the Vantage should have always looked. A favourable first impression in the pics is essentially doubled in reality.
Moreover, the exterior styling is not even the most significant change; as with the DB12 and now DBX 707, the Vantage employs Aston Martin’s new interior architecture. It works just as successfully as in other installations, combining physical touchpoints with screens very smartly and ensuring that its sense of occasion exists harmoniously with ease of use. Perhaps the steering wheel controls can be fiddly and the screen icons just a bit small, though they are neither huge gripes nor unique to Aston. The Vantage, previously blighted by buttons and tediousness, is now a very good interior. The driver is snug, too, dropped down into the belly of the beast and with the wheel close.
Let's start on the road, where it’s immediately apparent that this Vantage is a much more serious sports car than its predecessor. There’s a sense of grit and higher purpose to everything it does, from the unapologetic nature of the ride to the firmness of the brake pedal, and from the everpresent burr of the V8 to the keenness of the steering. The upside is a sense of theatre with only very modest commitment; the downside is that it might seem too much for those using a Vantage regularly and not saving it for Sunday morning. Aston was keen with this car to push the performance side of the brand without compromising the luxury aspect, which sounds great, though this is a less habitable car for pootling than something like a Carrera. Even in its most accommodating Sport mode (and with the optional ceramic brakes on all cars), this is a loud, determined kind of sports car. There’s probably as much road noise as very senior 911s. ‘Raw’ wouldn’t be fair, because it’s expertly damped and civil enough, though neither does the Vantage ever feel like a car for wiling away the miles in. It wants to attack every single one of them.
Usefully, you will as well. Not so long ago, the prospect of a 665hp, turbocharged Aston Martin with a relatively short wheelbase and rear-wheel drive would have been, politely put, intimidating. It’s to the enormous credit of the engineering team that the car never feels overawed by such a huge power gain; there’s sufficient grip, composure and precision to really make the most of a monster engine. No one element stands out above the rest, as the whole package has been taken up several notches. Just as important is the Aston’s ability to breed confidence in its driver; you’re not merely there holding on as it hoovers up the horizon, but an integral part of the fun as well.
It's probably the time spent overhauling the axles that’s paid the most dividends. The front end benefits from increased rigidity thanks to a new shear panel and more bracing, plus the steering has had the NVH coupling and some bushings removed; it means real assurance as soon as the wheel is off-centre, which is useful in a car so wide. Where previously the Vantage's nose could feel distant in every sense, there’s now a much-improved sense of connection turning in. The steering doesn’t need a heavier mode, and while a bit more sensation wouldn’t go amiss, but it’s never a significant problem. You soon learn the huge 275-section front Michelin PS5s (using a compound bespoke to Vantage) will always, always purchase, helped along by wider tracks. The understeer gradient has been reduced by 12 per cent compared to before, stat fans.
At the back, the spring rate is actually down a little bit to aid adhesion, while the e-diff and Bilstein adaptive dampers have been overhauled. On the road, it means almost boundless traction. Barrelling along on a tidal wave of sound and power, the automatic doing the right thing at the right time every time, the Vantage feels fantastic. The impression is of a car that’s rotating around its middle, seemingly never happier than when changing direction, rather than being a front-engined, rear-drive, point-and-squirt muscle car. (Which did feel like a concern when the spec was released.) It’s happy to do that, too, of course - the variable traction control allows just as much slip as you’re happy with. Clearly, the important thing was to make the Vantage seem like an absorbing sports car on the public highway. Mission accomplished.
Problems? Well, Sport Plus feels overdone as a mode, kicking down too keenly and making progress feel jerky. Combined with firmer suspension settings and heavier steering, it’s hard to see the point beyond some of Spain’s very best (i.e. smoothest) roads. Sport with the exhaust on is going to be just fine in the UK. There’s certainly now some lag in this engine, too, which can be exposed in manual mode. But that’s easily overcome, either by using the paddle properly or letting the auto do its thing. Perhaps the more concerning trait, daft though it might sound, is that the lag has presumably come from such a punchy rework of the V8, including bigger turbos. And arguably there’s a concern (sorry to be dull) that a Vantage doesn’t need more power than a Ferrari Enzo. The shorter final drive, the car’s rampant attitude and the ability to manage things so smartly means it’s all-too-easy to go very fast indeed. And enjoy it. Could be tricky back home. And while it’s entertaining, so much of what’s good about this Vantage seems to be how it drives; it’s hard to imagine it would lose much of its appeal with 600hp or so. Or perhaps we’re just old now.
For a car not explicitly designed to go on circuit (more track-focused versions are almost certain to follow) the Vantage is pretty fantastic at Circuito Monteblanco. It says something of the available performance that it feels awesomely fast even on a big, wide expanse of tarmac, for starters. But there’s also laudable staying power from the brakes, even as the pedal goes a bit long, really good suspension support in the racier drive modes, and assists that are a help not a hindrance. The front axle, understandably, can get overwhelmed if entry speed is too optimistic, so it feels best to drive it like an old racing car; overslow on the way in, then use the monster shove to catapult you out the other side. Never does the Vantage feel better than just teetering between grip and slip, driving forward with wheel and throttle sharing the steering load and diff decisively apportioning power. With everything off it can be as lairy as you need, of course, though never unruly or overpowered: just beautifully balanced, finely adjustable and enormous fun. Using the same tyres as on road, too.
Given how few Vantages are likely to end up on track, citing weight concerns seems rather moot, though it’d surely have an impact on the road as well. In all the stats, upgrades, updates and changes, mass doesn’t get a mention. The only currently stated kilo figure is 1,605kg dry. Which has to be in the region of 1,800kg in the real world, and there are occasions where the Vantage feels it. Far fewer than might be expected, but a couple nonetheless. That Porsche (sorry) sense of indefatigability on track is almost there, but not quite.
Should you care? Probably not. That’s not what this car is for, and buyers who might do the odd track day a year will be blown away by the Vantage’s wider performance and its sense of boundless joy in the corners. It feels a very different prospect to the old Vantage, too. Where that was targeted directly at the various Carreras of this world (without ever quite stacking up), the towering performance and steelier attitude of this generation make it feel less like an everyday sports car and more like a very well-sorted hot rod. It’s already a more memorable experience by being leagues faster as well as more capable. It's also a little less accommodating at the same time - but a whole heap more exhilarating when the opportunity arises.
Moreover, while it's easy to fall into the trap of trading jack-of-all-trades usability for no-holds-barred muscle car charm, the Vantage does not feel like a car that has been needlessly turned up to 11 or achieved gains in one area at the expense of another. It still does everything you'd expect of a Vantage, including burbling around at low speed or attacking a mountain pass or bonfiring its rear tyres. Hopefully, an even more favourable impression than last time survives the transition to home turf - but after two days with it, this much seems obvious: freed from attempting to be the perfect sports car, the latest Vantage is seemingly content to be fast and charming in equally huge measure. A proper Aston Martin, basically.
SPECIFICATION | 2024 ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE
Engine: 3,982cc, twin-turbocharged V8
Transmission: 8-speed automatic, rear-drive with e-diff
Power (hp): 665@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 590@2,000-5,000rpm
0-62mph: 3.5sec
Top speed: 202mph
Weight: 1,605kg ('minimum dry mass')
MPG: 23.3 (WLTP combined)
CO2: 274g/km
Price: £165,000
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